Our Board of Directors
Amanda Santee
President
“My passion for serving with the Friday Food Bag Foundation comes from a simple belief: no child should have to worry about where their next meal will come from. I am honored to be part of a mission that supports children with nutritious food over the weekend.”
Amanda Santee joined the Friday Food Bag Foundation Board in 2021 after initially serving as a volunteer filling food bags and seeing firsthand the impact the program has on children’s lives. That experience sparked a lasting commitment to advocating for children facing food insecurity.
Amanda brings a background in strategic planning, organizational leadership, and volunteer engagement. She values a hands-on approach and is passionate about building strong relationships with volunteers, donors, schools, and community partners.
Isaac Sutphin
Co-Vice President
Bio Coming Soon
Tammy Bauman
Co-Vice President
“I firmly believe that everyone has the ability to give, as we all possess the capacity to love, and love is something we can give freely.”
I am deeply committed to addressing the needs within our community and I am especially committed to addressing food insecurity. The Friday Food Bag Foundation spoke to my heart as I believe that no child should ever go hungry. My community-minded approach inspires me to give back, fostering a supportive and nurturing environment for everyone. Having been married for 40 years, I’ve raised my family in this
community, cultivating strong local connections and a deep sense of belonging.
Wendy Ross
Secretary
Wendy Ross is originally from California and moved to Wyoming in 2007 to attend law school at the University of Wyoming. After graduating from law school in 2010, Wendy moved to Cheyenne where she has remained. Wendy began her legal career with a general practice firm and represented clients in family law, criminal defense, and bankruptcy matters. She joined the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office in 2014 and began working exclusively in child welfare law. Through her work in child welfare law, Wendy saw food insecurity for local children continuing to grow. She started volunteering at Friday Food Bag Foundation in 2022 to help serve food insecure children in Laramie County. Wendy joined the foundation’s board of directors in January 2023.
Colleen Quinn
Treasurer
As a retired Certified Public Accountant (CPA), I will help ensure the Foundation’s financial operations are handled with transparency, efficiency, and responsibility. Beyond financial stewardship, I am passionate about giving back to the community and helping children in need, knowing the lasting impact that proper nutrition can have on their well-being and success. It is an honor to serve on the board.
Carla Bankes
Board Member
She is a devoted professional with over 25 years of experience in improving child nutrition through her work with USDA Child Nutrition Programs. As a passionate Registered Dietitian, she has had the privilege of serving in various capacities across Texas, Colorado, and Wyoming, enriching her understanding of regional nutritional needs. Carla finds immense fulfillment in nurturing children’s health and well-being through her work. When Carla is not focused on nutrition, she cherishes moments spent with her family, creating culinary delights in the kitchen, and embarking on enriching travel experiences.
Julie ReutBier
Board Member
“Everyone deserves food, water, and shelter. Food security for children, who don’t have control over their home life, levels up the importance of reducing a need that I am already passionate about. Let’s fight child hunger together!”
Julie ReutBier is a Wyomingite, born and raised. Her first career was with the Wyoming Department of Corrections, where she saw firsthand, even if someone makes a bad choice, they have many needs fulfilled beyond the basic ones needed for survival. She now works for New Belgium Brewing as a Business Systems Analyst (IT). While the company is certainly about beer, it is also about people, community, and the planet. A company core value, which Julie also has, led her to her first bag fill in November of 2023. She has continued to volunteer weekly for bag fills and joined the Board in 2025.
She is committed to helping ensure children in need have food over the weekend. She shows dedication in many areas where the organization needs support. Whether it is filling bags, driving bags to school, supporting events, organizing events, or providing technical support, she is committed to making an impact.
Althea Farthing
Board Member
As a long-time educator in Wyoming, I was fortunate to have several of my elementary classroom students become the first recipients for distribution of Friday Food Bags here in Cheyenne. I have seen first hand the very real need for nutritious foods for students in our district; especially over the weekends. I’m privileged and honored to serve on the Friday Food Bag Foundation board in the interests of our youth and look forward to the growth of our organization through strong, consistent community support.
Johnna Lissman
Board Member
Volunteering has always been an important part of my life. From my early days in 4-H as a child to my role as a government teacher at Carey Jr. High, I have consistently sought out opportunities to serve others. As part of my teaching, I encouraged my students to complete 10 hours of community service, and in my search for meaningful organizations, I discovered the Friday Food Bag Foundation.
I began volunteering with the Foundation around 20 years ago when it was still located downtown at Halladay Motors garage. Since then, I’ve made it a priority to help fill the Friday Food Bags a couple of times a month. However, like many, I’ve faced periods where my busy family life made it difficult to keep up with this commitment. Still, no matter how hectic things got, the Friday Food Bag Foundation has remained a vital part of my life.
Having taught at Carey Jr. High for 31 years, I saw firsthand the impact of this organization on my students. Every Friday afternoon, students would eagerly wait for their pass to the office to collect their food bags, and seeing their excitement reinforced the importance of this initiative. It was clear that Friday Food Bags was more than just a service—it was a lifeline for many families.
Now, having recently retired from teaching and with my youngest son starting college at UW this fall, my life has slowed down a bit, and I’m eager to devote more time to this incredible organization. I look forward to contributing in greater ways and continuing to be part of the Friday Food Bag Foundation’s mission to support our community.
Keavy Burkart
Board Member
“‘Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.’ I feel so honored to be able to serve the Friday Food Bag Foundation and share the importance of the mission and impact with others, especially my kids. When my elder son started school, he came home one day to say his friend didn’t have snacks at home. That moment was my proverbial “eye opening” and I came to realize that there are families in small-town Cheyenne who struggle, and children that might not eat well at home right in my neighborhood. I was given the opportunity to volunteer as a bag driver for my son’s school shortly after and have just grown in my involvement, as well as in my care for the mission.”
Thank you to our Visionary Sponsors!
