The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation (IiO) on Wednesday announced two promotions and a new executive hire. Jessica Dunham was promoted to Chief Operating Officer from Vice President of Programs and Operations, Faith Bitterman was elevated to Director of Programs from Project Manager and Emily Burns Perryman joined as Head of Marketing and Communications.
Dunham joined IiO as Director of Programs and Communications in June 2014 as the foundation’s second hire, and served as Vice President of Programs and Operations since January 2021. She helped triple IiO’s annual revenue, raised program engagement by 500%, and increased funds awarded to charity from 20% to 50% of revenue, IiO said.
In her new role as COO, Dunham will be responsible for overseeing and optimizing IiO’s day-to-day operations to “ensure they align with the organization’s mission, values, and strategic objectives, along with oversight of the organization’s operational budget and portfolio of programs.”
Joining IiO in August 2023 as Project Manager, Bitterman helped administer programs and plan annual galas, it said. As Director of Programs, Bitterman will play a key role in the oversight and improvement of its programs according to its three-year strategic plan.
Before joining IiO, Bitterman worked for the American Medical Association Foundation.
As Head of Marketing and Communications, Perryman will “strengthen brand experience integration across all marketing, development, and programming functions,” according to IiO.
Before IiO, Perryman was, most recently, Manager of Public Relations and Communications at Inspira Financial. She also served as Senior Marketing Director at TechBridge prior to that and, earlier, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Daemen University.

Pointing out to WSR that the COO and Head of Marketing and Communications roles are both new at IiO, Barkley Payne, the foundation’s President and CEO, said the roles were created as “part of our ongoing growth strategy and in full alignment” with its new three-year strategic plan.
“The decision to add these positions was driven by the need to restructure and strengthen our leadership team as we continue to expand our impact and visibility in the financial services and philanthropy sectors,” said Payne.
Bitterman has been promoted into Dunham’s previous role as Director of Programs, Payne noted. Dunham, “who has been a key part of our team for over a decade, is stepping into her new role as Chief Operating Officer, where she will oversee our operations and continue to drive the success of our programs,” he added.
“We are so grateful to be in a position where we are growing, and able to expand our efforts to amplify and contribute to the good work that financial advisors do in their communities,” Payne said in a news release.
“Jessica and Faith are indispensable members of our team who care deeply about our mission, and in their new roles, they are using their experience to help us achieve our three-year strategic plan,” Payne added. “Emily’s expertise in marketing and communications will be critical for ensuring brand awareness and visibility as we further expand our base of support.”

In June, the IiO Board of Directors unanimously approved a 2025-2027 strategic plan that the nonprofit said was designed to solidify its position as the leading charitable foundation in the financial services industry. The plan was designed to amplify its impact on supported charities and enhance the financial services profession’s influence on causes they support, according to IiO.
The Strategic Plan includes four priorities: increasing impact, fostering community and industry engagement, achieving financial growth, and aligning governance and operations, IiO pointed out.
In January, IiO announced the recipients of funding from its 2024 Grant Program, which included Grants for Good and Grants for Change, totaling $301,600.08 in support for 17 nonprofit organizations.
The program funds financial services professionals for projects and initiatives on behalf of nonprofits they support. The funding may serve needs for seed money, program support or capital improvements across a wide range of causes, according to IiO.
Jeff Berman, Contributing Editor and Reporter at Wealth Solutions Report, can be reached at jeff.berman@wealthsolutionsreport.com.