Celebrating 30 years of helping you give wisely
America's most independent,
assertive charity watchdog

Staff & Board

Staff

Laurie Styron
CEO / Executive Director
Follow @LaurieStyron

Laurie Styron was appointed Executive Director of CharityWatch in 2020 after more than sixteen years of commitment to the organization. She served as CharityWatch’s senior analyst through 2012, and thereafter as a program consultant through her nonprofit accounting and consulting practice. Laurie has logged more than 10,000 hours as a nonprofit financial analyst, including advising a wide range of media outlets on investigative pieces involving nonprofits, conducting research and financial analysis, and providing interviews for television and radio, as well as print/online publications. Laurie has been quoted in The New York Times, The Washington PostThe Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, MarketWatch, CBS MoneyWatch, Rolling Stone, NBC Nightly News, and by many other media outlets. She has also vetted charities for feature on Good Morning America, and has worked with 60 Minutes, Canada's The Fifth Estate, and many other news organizations on charity-related investigations. 


Laurie’s interest in charity began in her youth, volunteering with her local church choir visiting nursing homes and care centers, as well as summers spent painting houses for the needy through Habitat for Humanity. Laurie spent the early part of her career in various accounting roles at for-profits before transitioning into her first nonprofit position managing multi-million dollar grants at a charity that provides housing and emergency assistance to the homeless. Later volunteer work has included advising arts organizations and other charities on nonprofit accounting and reporting requirements, governance best practices, and program management. Laurie is currently an Affiliate and Not-for-Profit Section member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She also serves on the Not-For-Profit Organizations Committee and Ad Hoc Subcommittee of the Illinois CPA Society (April 2016 – March 2024 terms).

Ben KemperAnalyst

Jack Widhalm, Analyst

Laura Hagihara, Program Associate

Ellen Twohig, Program Associate



Board of Directors

Daniel Borochoff
Founder & Former President

Daniel Borochoff is the co-founder and former president of The American Institute of Philanthropy (dba CharityWatch), a nationally acclaimed charity rater and watchdog organization founded in 1992. Recognizing an unmet need for information that goes beyond what a charity reveals in its marketing, Daniel filled a unique niche with the creation of a fiercely independent organization dedicated to increasing the efficiency of every dollar donated to charity by providing donors with the information they need to make more informed giving decisions.

As reflected in thousands of newspapers, magazines, TV and radio broadcasts, podcasts, and other media, Daniel has long been sought after for his insights on charity financial reporting and governance, and for commentary on charity fraud and other wrongdoing within the nonprofit sector. He has also been called upon by Congress for testimony on the nonprofit sector’s response to 9/11 victims in 2001; for commentary on charities’ response in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005; and to contribute his expert opinion and CharityWatch’s research to a Congressional investigation in 2007 and 2008 related to wrongdoing and significant waste at charities purporting to help veterans. The Chronicle of Philanthropy published an in-depth profile on Daniel Borochoff in its article "An MBA's Sleuthing Skills Puts Charities on the Hot Seat (PDF)."

In addition to his work with CharityWatch, Daniel has participated in a wide range of activities reflective of his commitment to improving the nonprofit sector. Borochoff was a founding board member of the Hearts and Minds Network and the ePhilanthropy Foundation. He also served on two task forces of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) responsible for setting accounting standards for charities. Borochoff participated as a speaker and/or panelist for a number of investigative, regulatory, and nonprofit sector organization events, including for the Independent Sector, the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), the American Institute of CPAs Not-for-Profit Financial Executive Forum, the National Association of Attorneys General (NASCO), and others.

Daniel retired as CharityWatch president in 2020 and currently serves as an active, voting member of the organization’s board of directors.

Ray Lay
Chairman
President and Founder, Golden River, Inc.
Chicago, Illinois

Clinton E. Berry
Secretary
Retired Senior Director
Worldwide Procurement, PepsiCo

Purchase, New York

James Vallone
Treasurer
Retired Executive Vice President
JPMorgan Chase 

New York, New York

Sheetal Jain
Advisor
Co-founder
prosperoware.com
Chicago, Illinois