Board of Directors

Tall Clubs International Foundation

Board of Directors

Photo	Name	Position	Biography
	Marie Austin	Chairperson (2020)	Marie has been a member of the Boston Beanstalks Tall Club since 1986. She has held several offices within the local club including President (current), VP, Secretary, Membership Chair, TCI Delegate and Alt Delegate, Meetup Liaison, Policies & Procedures Committee, Scholarship Committee, and Weekend Planning Committee.   Additionally, she was the 1993 TCI Convention Registrar in Boston and the 2001 TCI Convention Day Trip Coordinator in Portland, ME.  Marie is a devoted member of the Beanstalks Scholarship Committee and takes it as a personal responsibility to raise enough funds to provide a scholarship every year. The BBTC Scholarship was renamed the Robert Austin Memorial Scholarship to honor Marie's late husband, whom she introduced and recruited to the Club and shared her love and commitment. Marie works diligently on the Scholarship Committee each year. She is also a Lifetime Achievement Winner for 2019.
	Patty Huggett	Vice Chairperson (2020)	Patty first discovered Tall Clubs in 1985 and joined Redwood Empire Tall Club. When work took her to Sacramento, she joined Sacramento’s club and has been an active member for almost 30 years. She has served on the board of STC as VP, Secretary, Sgt at Arms, Marketing & Publicity, Scholarship Chair, Weekend, and Pre-Convention chair. Patty also serves on the TCI Executive Board as the Alt-Executive Officer. Patty met her husband through tall clubs and was married in 1991 to Bob. Patty and Bob have been regular Weekend and Convention attendees over the last 10 years. Patty received a TCI Merit Award in 2014.
	Lynda Lowin	Scholarship Coordinator (2022)	Lynda has been a member of several clubs over the last 26+ years. She first joined the Alamo City Tall Club (ACTC, San Antonio, Texas) in 1996. She was an active member of this club and served as President, VP-membership, secretary, newsletter editor and social chair until 2000. She remained an ACTC member, even when she moved to the National Capitol Region and the Salt Lake City areas, until ACTC dissolved ~2009. She became an active member in the Salt Lake City club and served as needed, sponsoring a TCI scholarship submission. Lynda has been an active member in the Tall Club of Greater Washington (TCGWDC) over the last 12 years. She was one of the co-chairs for the TCGWDC Cherry Blossom Weekend in 2012, facilitating a tour of the Pentagon for participants. The TCGWDC has sponsored scholarships for many years and continues to support with local scholarships to the top 3 candidates. Lynda is a current Department of Air Force civilian with 32 years of logistics and programming experience. She and her ‘Tall’ companion (Dale – also a member of TCGWDC) reside in Alexandria, VA with a view of National Harbor to enjoy during telework days. She is excited to be part of the process to support young tall individuals pursuing higher education.
	Will Werner	Finance Officer	Will joined Portland Skyliners in 1985. He has served as president of that club for six years. Will has hosted numerous parties at his home. He guided multi-day river trips on Oregon’s wild rivers. Will attended 14 TCI conventions, including 6 pre-conventions, and over 45 TCI weekends. He served as TCI delegate for four clubs at the 2003 (cruise) convention. Currently, Will is serving as a TCIF board member.
	Rhonda Ritzel	Secretary (2024)	Rhonda has been a member of the Tall Club of Greater Washington DC (TCGWDC) for over 15 years. During this time period, positions held were TCGWDC Vice President and Membership chair. A former TCGWDC Queen, Rhonda enjoyed participating in the Miss Tall International pageant, it was a learning experience and a lot fun. Rhonda is looking forward to growing in her new role as the Secretary of the TCI Foundation.
	Dave Rasmussen	Board Member-At-Large (2020)	Dave has been TCI’s tallest dues paying member since 1993 at nearly 7’4″. He’s served as officers of the Milwaukee Skyliners, Milwaukee Toppers and the Tall Club of Milwaukee culminating as president and webmaster of the latter still offering scholarships. He is the 2007 TCI Lifetime Achievement Award and was TCI’s Marfan Foundation Liaison for many years. With a background in IT – Identity and Access Management, retiring from the University of WI – Milwaukee Feb 21, 2020 after 34 years, Dave continues to assist his orgs with IT needs while enjoying gigs as an amateur violinist and violist .
	David Spencer	Webmaster (2024)	David took over handling the Webmaster duties from Leta after her unfortunate passing in 2024. He is an experienced programming and system administrator. He runs a digital marketing agency called SacBusiness. Dave and his wife LeeAnn live in the Gold River community of Sacramento. He has been a member of the Sacramento Tall Club since 1984.
	Nancy Jacoby	Marketing Coordinator (2024)	Nancy has been an “over-achieving" member of Tall Clubs International since 1986. Starting in Northern NJ, having held most every leadership position in the NJ Moonrakers Tall Club including being selected “Miss Tall New Jersey 1991”. Honored with the Kae Sumner Einfeldt Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998. Moved to sunny Sarasota, FL and was crowned Miss Tall International® 2004 in Niagara Falls. Nancy has edited & published 12 “Tall Topix” TCI Convention review magazines. She has served on the TCI Executive Board for 4 two-year terms (two as TCI President), most recently served as Communications Officer, creating “Talkin’ Tall”, a monthly e-newsletter connecting the members with up-to-the-minute news & information of interest. This is not Nancy’s first association with the TCI Foundation – serving 11 years from 1999-2010, several of them as Chairman. She gladly rejoins as Marketing Coordinator, and also serves as a Regional Scholarship Reviewer for several areas not currently served by a TCI Member Tall Club
	Shelia Koster	Treasurer (2024)	Sheila first learned about tall clubs and the California Tip Toppers Tall Club in the greater Los Angeles area in 1974. She joined in June,1975 jumping in with both feet running. Standing 6 feet, why not join the “Earth’s First Tall Club”! Sheila became the President of CTTC in 1977, then served on the TCI Executive Board as Treasurer before being elected TCI President in 1978-79. She has served on her local club’s board since 1976 and serving as the club treasurer for 20+ years. Sheila met her husband Bob through the tall club and has been married for 43 years. She co-chaired the annual TCI convention in 1988 (50th Anniversary for CTTC), was honored with the TCI Kae Sumner Einfeldt Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997 and co-chaired the 75th Anniversary pre-convention for TCI, in 2013. Sheila first joined the TCI Foundation board in 2005, then serving as Treasurer for 7 years to 2015. As a retired bookkeeper her entire life, she is more than qualified to rejoin the TCI Foundation, as treasurer.
	Position Open	Archivist