About the CFNCEast Staff

Melissa Quinn Spain

Chief Executive Officer

Melissa Spain is a native of Eastern North Carolina, and has enjoyed living here and calling it home for all of her life. Growing up in Greenville, NC, she attended private school before moving to Lynchburg, Virginia, where she attended Liberty University and earned a B.S. Degree in Marketing and Communications, majoring in Public Relations and a minor in Public Speaking. Her passion for charities and philanthropic work began in college as she served in numerous internship positions with Children’s Miracle Network at Virginia Baptist Hospital, The Ronald McDonald House of Eastern North Carolina, Pitt County Memorial Hospital, and Make a Wish of Eastern North Carolina. Today her charitable work includes having raised funds and worked with hundreds of charities in North Carolina and the U.S.! She has overseen the origination of The Greater Greenville Community Foundation and served as the CEO for 19 years resulting in the 2016 name change to The Community Foundation of NC East, now representing the only charitable foundation in Eastern North Carolina whom originated in eastern North Carolina as its home with a donor base that spans the entire eastern region of North Carolina and beyond.

Since college graduation and returning to Greenville, Melissa has more than 30 years of experience in the field of Public Relations, Marketing, Fundraising and Public Speaking, as well as serving as a lobbyist for North Carolina based non-profits both on a State and National level. Since beginning her service as CEO of The Greater Greenville Community Foundation in 2001, the foundation has grown to manage over 100 funds and assets that total over 35 million dollars in permanent assets and planned gifts. As CEO, Mrs. Spain oversees the Foundation’s Endowments, serves as a major partner with other key business leaders in the eastern North Carolina region and serves as a voice for the nonprofit sector and fosters close personal relationships with the broad base of donors that the foundation serves. Indeed, having the honor and privilege of working with such giving and philanthropic minded individuals as well as all of the charities are the true joys of her career. Having lived in eastern NC for more than 48 years, her career has resulted in many opportunities for improving the lives of donors, clients and nonprofits throughout the state!

While representing The Community Foundation of NC East, Mrs. Spain has served as a member of the North Carolina Network of Grant Makers and the national Council on Foundations where she completed a three year term serving on the Media and Public Affairs Committee in Washington DC. She has also served on numerous boards and committees for local civic organizations and The National Republican Committee. In addition, Mrs. Spain often speaks and advises as a consultant for Charitable Giving, Philanthropy, Fundraising & Nonprofit Best Practices inclusive of Compliance & Board Development. Mrs. Spain is a recent Duke University graduate of the Executive Leadership in NonProfits Scholars Program. She is a member of The Wells Fargo Board of Directors for the Eastern Region of North Carolina! In 2015, she was selected as a Woman of Distinction by the national Women of Distinction magazine. She serves as an Advisory Board Member and Consultant for the national organization KOJM based in Orlando, Florida. Mrs. Spain is a proud member and consultant/teacher for the TIE Carolinas, which is The International Entrepreneurs, founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley. TIE Carolinas is a nonprofit organization with a mission to foster and support entrepreneurship in the Carolinas and is a global nonprofit that supports global entrepreneurship by offering education, mentorship, networking and funding opportunities to members.

Melissa is the proud Mother of two wonderful children, Holden & Courtney who are the truest loves and joys of her life. Her son Holden, is a graduate of The University of Alabama with a degree in International-Foreign Relations and her daughter is a Nursing Major at East Carolina University and PCC. She also enjoys writing, national and global travel, politics, cooking, boating and offshore fishing, Alabama Crimson Tide Football and spending time at the coast with family and friends. She is married to R. Keith Spain and lives in Greenville and Wilmington, North Carolina. She is proud to call eastern North Carolina home!

Charlene Silver

Accounting/Donor Services Manager

Charlene Armstrong Silver has served as the Accounting/Donor Services Manager for the Foundation since 2007. She is responsible for providing support to our donor clientele and donors by maintaining the financial records of the Foundation’s Endowments and Pass Through Funds .With 13 years of experience in the banking industry, primarily in serving clients in Wealth Management, Charlene has provided timely and exceptional service and knowledge to the wealth and philanthropic community. She believes it is essential to give to those in need and to our community, she hopes to leave a legacy for her children on the importance of serving others and paying it forward.

Charlene has served the nonprofit community in Eastern NC through her volunteer efforts. She currently serves Faith Assembly of God as a committee member of the Women’s Ministries and as a greeter with the First Impressions Team. She has previously served as a board member of DH Conley High School PTSA, planning and funding team member for Zoe Restoration House for Women, and co-facilitator of a small group of Parents Raising Children with OCD.

A native of Boonville, North Carolina, Charlene has called Greenville home since 1995. She is married to Ernest Silver, and together they have four beautiful children, Ryan, Sean, Carlee and Abby.