Providing Resources & Support for Kinship Care

August 25, 2018 is the day the founders of the Varner Foundation began their journey. It was a live benefit for children in poverty, featuring Dan Varner, hosted by the Eastern Hills Exchange Club. It brought together people that would have otherwise never have met. It was the beginning of a friendship that grew into a shared passion that every child deserves a stable, nourishing and loving family. By January 3, 2020, the Varner Foundation for Children and Families was officially a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Since then, others have joined us to share their passion, time and skills that made this foundation bigger, better, and stronger.

“ALL IN FOR THE MISSION"

The mission of the Varner Foundation for Children and Families is to raise awareness, facilitate collaboration and provide resources to improve
and encourage quality fostering (foster, kinship, fictive care) of children.

The Executive Board is currently comprised of five voting members and the Executive Director. Nobody in the Varner Foundation for Children and Families takes any compensation for their time and talent. Financial support among the Board is 100%.

Dan Varner

Board President & Founder

Dan is an award-winning musician, singer, songwriter and producer, but many know him best as a mainstay in the regional music scene – the Dan Varner Band (Danvarner.com). As a Nashville Recording Artist, CMA and ACM member, Dan has written and recorded “Just A Kid” in honor of the children experiencing separation from their parents and all the related trauma they endure. Through Dan’s creative inspiration and immense musical talent, awareness is being raised in a unique way for the children and families we serve. Dan’s all-in commitment most recently also included an announcement that he would donate proceeds from the release of “Just A Kid” to the Varner Foundation for Children and Families.

Dan has always had a special place in his heart for Veterans and has been very active in supporting veterans' groups and causes. Dan routinely donates his professional musical talents to organizations serving children, people experiencing poverty, people struggling with mental health and people with physical disabilities.

Dan is also an entrepreneur, owning and operating Ohio Valley Productions where he promotes and supports artists across a wide variety of talent areas.

When Dan decided to go all-in and establish The Varner Foundation for Children and Families, he used his eye for spotting unique talent to build a highly skilled and dedicated Executive Board.

Evangeline DeVol

Executive Director & Founder

Evangeline DeVol caught the eyes, ears and hearts of her fellow founding members while speaking passionately about the plight of children experiencing poverty, educational challenges, and trauma. Evangeline’s all-in commitment to the children and families served by the Foundation began with personally fostering youth several years ago. She is currently fostering a teenager.

Evangeline has helped launch several successful non-profits. Under her leadership, her own non-profit, NEST Community Learning Center, has garnered six prestigious awards and recognitions in the past five years including recognition at the State level and in Cincinnati’s Best. Evangeline has professionally received eight awards and recognitions at the State level and locally by communities, schools, affinity groups and local leaders.

Evangeline’s all-in commitment to our demographic includes working full time as the Executive Director in her own non-profit and donating her time extensively in the same role for the Varner Foundation for Children and Families. She has opened doors for the Varner Foundation for Children and Families that have allowed it to have an immediate and effective impact in the local community while continuing to scale up successfully.

Evangeline is an expert in non-profit management and the demographics served by the Varner Foundation for Children and Families. She is also an expert in education and the neurobiology of trauma in children.

Rob Cooke

Board Vice President & Founder

Rob Cooke is the Facilities and Grounds Manager at Anderson Hills United Methodist Church.

Rob’s all-in commitment to the children and families served by the Varner Foundation for Children and Families has roots in his long-time service with Eastern Hills Exchange Club where he is a past President and remains an active Board member. The Club’s mission, in part, is to raise awareness and help prevent child abuse. Rob is also involved with local faith-based organizations serving families and children.

In addition to his deep passion for the Mission, Rob brings an expertise in Roberts Rules and serves as Sergeant at Arms for official meetings of the Foundation. Rob has lent his wisdom, experience and expertise in many practical areas to the Foundation for the evaluation of grant applications. He also helps the Foundation with gift processing and state registrations.

Brent Kohlhepp

Board Treasurer & Founder

Brent Kohlhepp is a Xavier University graduate, principal of Kohlhepp Law Office, LLC and a small business owner.

Brent’s all-in commitment to the children and families served by the Varner Foundation for Children and Families is evidenced by his active volunteer role as a Court Appointed Special Advocate with ProKids. Brent also is a supporter of Boys and Girls Clubs of Cincinnati and other organizations that support improving the lives of children. Brent brings great expertise in a wide range of areas from finance to governance, compliance, strategic planning, and business development.

Brent’s breadth of knowledge and experience provides the Foundation with valuable insight and expertise in vital areas necessary for the Foundation to operate and grow.

Laura Calhoun

Advisory & Grant Committee

Laura Calhoun is a Xavier University graduate and Corporate Paralegal for an international corporation in the pharmaceutical industry. Laura served for seven years as Paralegal in the General Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Trustees Office for Xavier University. The Office heavily supported the Board of over thirty members with thirteen working committees and assisted with a board realignment.

Laura’s all-in commitment to the children and families served by the Varner Foundation includes serving for the past 11 years as a Court Appointed Special Advocate and Guardian Ad Litem in Clermont County. Laura also spent over 1,000 hours working as a counselor in a gender-based trauma-informed mental health and addiction treatment program counseling women, families and groups as part of her graduate studies in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Xavier University.

Laura brings over twenty years of experience serving in non-profits in various roles as staff, volunteer and board officer. She has experience in volunteer management, donor development, grant writing, strategic planning, governance and fundraising.

Tina Mulvany

Advisory & Grant Committee

Tina Mulvany is an award-winning Realtor who has achieved local and national recognition in her field. Tina’s all-in commitment to service to her community has included serving as a Clermont County Chamber of Commerce Ambassador for the past five years, co-founding a local chapter of BNI in 2015 where she is still active, and serving the Chapter as an Officer for three years. Tina also serves on the Advisory Board for The Glen Senior Living Community.

Tina’s all-in commitment to the children and families served by the Varner Foundation for Children and Families includes lending her wide variety of skills, talents and experience with managing budgets, volunteers and events. Most recently she was Chair of the Varner Foundation’s 243k Soire which raised a record amount of funds for the mission. Tina also supports the Foundation by assisting the Treasurer with database management and gift processing.