2025-26 Kiwanis Children’s Fund Board of Trustees

Lenora Hanna of Ashland, Nebraska, U.S., is the 2025-26 president of the Kiwanis Children’s Fund. She previously served as vice president and president-elect after becoming a trustee in 2021.  

Hanna is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Lincoln-Northeast, Nebraska, and served as the Nebraska-Iowa District governor in 2019-20. She has also served as the district’s lieutenant governor and was the district administrator for Circle K International. In addition, she was her club’s secretary for 17 years.   

Hanna served on The Eliminate Project Campaign Committee as Region 3 co-coordinator. She and her husband, Milford, were among the first Kiwanians to travel with UNICEF USA when they visited the Philippines in 2010 to witness the effects of maternal and neonatal tetanus on mothers and babies.     

In addition to her home club, Hanna is a charter member of the Likasi, Democratic Republic of Congo, virtual club.    

Hanna has received the following honors from the Kiwanis Children’s Fund: Tablet of Honor, Founders Circle Ruby-level, Heritage Society, Bo and Mary Shafer Society, The Eliminate Project Lead gift, Centennial Award, Walter Zeller Fellowship Diamond-level 15 and George F. Hixon Fellowship Diamond-level 34.   

She has been named club Rookie Kiwanian of the Year, Kiwanian of the Year (twice) and is a Nebraska-Iowa District Foundation life member, Bartlett Fellow and member of the Legacy Society Nebraska-Iowa Foundation. She is also a life member of the Kansas Kiwanis Foundation and Diamond Fellow Lincoln Northeast Kiwanis Foundation.     

Hanna and her husband, Milford, the 1992-93 Nebraska-Iowa District governor, have four children, 11 grandchildren and a great-grandson. Their two daughters and one son-in-law are also members of Lincoln Northeast.    

Hanna is a member and an active volunteer at the Southwood Lutheran Church. She also volunteers at the Matt Talbot Community Kitchen & Outreach Center, Head Start and other community organizations. She enjoys sewing, crocheting and puzzles.  

Robert Maxwell of Topeka, Kansas, U.S., is the immediate past president of the Kiwanis Children’s Fund. He was president during the 2024-25 Kiwanis year, after serving as president-elect and treasurer. He had previously served as a Children’s Fund trustee for one three-year term and for an additional term of one year. 

In the Kansas District, Maxwell has served as governor, lieutenant governor and district treasurer. He also served two three-year terms as a Division 11 representative to the Kansas Kiwanis Foundation. 

Maxwell is a three-time Hixson Fellow and a three-time Walter Zeller Fellow and a member of the Kiwanis Children’s Fund Founder’s Circle. 

Outside of Kiwanis, Maxwell served as the executive vice president and trust officer for Kaw Valley Bank prior to retirement and continues to serve as a member of the bank’s board of directors, loan committee and trust committee. He enjoys volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters, is currently a director and past president of the Jayhawk Area Council of the Boy Scouts and serves as a trustee for the Topeka Shawnee County Public Library, Valeo Behavioral Health Foundation and the Brewster Place Foundation. 

Richard (Rick) Poulton of Elgin, Illinois, U.S., is the 2025-26 president-elect of the Kiwanis Children’s Fund. He previously served as vice president after being appointed to a three-year term as a Kiwanis Children’s Fund trustee, beginning in October 2022. 

Poulton is a member of the Kiwanis Clubs of Elgin, where he has received numerous Distinguished Service Awards, and of Geneva, Illinois, where he served as club president in 2014-15. At the district level, he served the Kiwanis Illinois-Eastern Iowa District as lieutenant governor and governor. 

From 2017-21, Poulton was a Kiwanis Children’s Fund ambassador. For the Children’s Fund, Poulton is also a George F. Hixson Fellow, a Walter Zeller Fellow, a Major Gift donor to The Eliminate Project, a Legion of Honor recipient and a member of the Founders Circle. 

In addition to Kiwanis, Poulton served for 10 years as a court-appointed special advocate for children in Kane County, Illinois, and received the organization’s Doris Hunt Volunteer Recognition Award. He participates in the Reading Buddy preschool program and volunteers with Food for Greater Elgin and Senior Services of Elgin. He is also a member of the housing board for the Association for Individual Development, which empowers people in northeastern Illinois with developmental, intellectual and mental health challenges. 

Poulton holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Akron and a master’s degree in business administration from the Keller Graduate School of Management at DeVry University. Before his retirement, he was a marketing director for AT&T. In his free time, he enjoys running, kayaking, biking and skiing. 

Poulton and his wife, Bonnie, also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Elgin, have one child and one grandchild. 

Randolph L. DeLay of Houston, Texas, U.S., was appointed to a two-year term as a Kiwanis Children’s Fund trustee, beginning in October 2024. 

DeLay is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Greater North Houston, where he has served in every officer role. He served as governor of the Texas-Oklahoma District (1999-2000) and as a Trustee of Texas Oklahoma Foundation, during which time the fund grew from US$400,000 to US$4 million. 

For five years, DeLay served as the architect and international chair for The Eliminate Project — Kiwanis International’s fundraising initiative to help eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus. The campaign raised over $US110 million. Other notable distinctions and achievements include membership in the Founders Circle, Hixson Diamond 17, charter Walter Zeller Fellowship, Mary & Bo Shafer Legacy Society, Heritage Society, the Centennial Award and the Tablet of Honor. DeLay also received the Kiwanis International President Award as Humanitarian. 

DeLay’s community involvement includes pro bono legal work, his role as a church elder and his membership on the city park board, the county Alcoholic Family Council and Boy Scouts of America. He has also served as the president of a children’s rehabilitation hospital and as a Little League coach. DeLay graduated from the South Texas College of Law’s Exceptional J.D. Program and built his career as an attorney and counselor of law. 

In his spare time, he leads the Bible Study Fellowship Children’s Program, and enjoys hunting and golfing. DeLay was married to Drue DeLay for 52 years until her untimely death in 2023. He has two children and five grandchildren. 

Margo Dutton of Escondido, California, U.S., was appointed to a two-year term as a Kiwanis Children’s Fund trustee, beginning in October 2024. 

Dutton is a member of the Lake San Marcos Kiwanis Club. She has served in numerous key roles for the California-Nevada-Hawaii District, including governor (2021-22), Children’s Fund president (2016-18), treasurer (2006-10), and KIWIN’S district administrator (2004-06, 2010-16). Within the district, she has also served on the governor’s cabinet and committee, as a member of numerous committees, and as division chair for the Iodine Deficiency Disorder program. In addition, she served on the Kiwanis Rose Float Project from 1994 to 2016. 

Dutton cites the campaign to fight iodine deficiency disorders and The Eliminate Project — Kiwanis International’s fundraising campaign to help eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus — as examples of the international impact that the Children’s Fund makes for kids and families.  

“The work we do, the grants we make, change lives for the better,” she says. 

Dutton is a George F. Hixson Fellow, a Walter Zeller Fellow and a Heritage Society member. She has also received the Tablet of Honor.  

Dutton received a bachelor of science in accountancy at Northern Illinois University, U.S. Before her retirement, she was the assistant director of accounting and financial services at California State University, Northridge. 

Dutton enjoys quilting, doing machine embroidery, sewing and jewelry making. She has two children and three grandchildren. 

Markus Lanz of Oftringen, Aargau, Switzerland, was appointed to serve a two-year term as a Kiwanis Children’s Fund trustee, beginning in October 2024. 

Lanz is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Zofingen, which he served as president from 2010-12. He went on to serve as distinguished lieutenant governor of his division from 2014-16 and distinguished governor of the Switzerland-Liechtenstein District of Kiwanis in 2021-22. Lanz was also a trustee of the Kiwanis Switzerland-Liechtenstein Foundation in 2019-21 and a board member of Kiwanis International-Europe in 2021-22. He has served as the chair of the Kiwanis International-Europe strategy committee since 2022. 

For the Children’s Fund, Lanz has been particularly committed to The Eliminate Project, Kiwanis International’s fundraising campaign to combat maternal and neonatal tetanus, and to the “Ukraine—We Help” initiative, which raised €720,000 from the Switzerland-Liechtenstein District for Ukrainian children.  

As a donor to the Children’s Fund, Lanz is a Walter Zeller Level 1 Fellow, a George F. Hixson Diamond Level 5 Fellow and a Centennial Award recipient. 

With degrees in logistics, business and economics, Lanz has professional experience as a chief sales officer and managing director. He was chair of the financial and audit committee of the municipality of Oftringen and president of the Olten section of the Swiss Management Organization.  

In addition to his family, Lanz devotes his free time to various projects and activities that promote the well-being of children. He and his wife, Daniela Agostini, have six children and five grandchildren. 

Catherine (Cathy) Lewis Simmons of New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., was appointed to serve a two-year term as Kiwanis Children’s Fund trustee, beginning October 1, 2025.

Simmons is a 26-year member of the Kiwanis Club of New Orleans, where she served as club president in 2002-03 and is currently club secretary. Simmons was a distinguished lieutenant governor of her division in 2007-08 and 2014-15 and just completed 15 years of service as her district’s foundation secretary and grants chair. Her favorite Kiwanis service projects are working with the Ronald McDonald House and St. Michael Special School.

For the Children’s Fund, Simmons served as ambassador from 2017-23. As a donor, Simmons is a level 4 George F. Hixson fellow, a Dr. Wil Blechman fellow, a Walter Zeller fellow, and a member of the Founders Circle, Cornerstone Society, Heritage Society and Legion of Honor. She received the Kiwanis International Tablet of Honor in 2004.

“Children are about 27% of our population, but they are absolutely 100% of our future,” Simmons says. “We must lead by example to make the world a better place.”

A retired educator, Simmons enjoys water aerobics, travel and “brain teaser” games. Her husband, Lenny, is a past Kiwanis International trustee and a 40-year member of the Kiwanis Club of New Orleans.

Jeffrey M. Wolff of Chantilly, Virginia, U.S., was appointed to a two-year term as a Kiwanis Children’s Fund trustee, beginning in October 2025. 

Wolff is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Tysons, Virginia, for which he has served as charter secretary (1998-99) and president (1999-2000). In addition to service with his club, he has been executive director of the Capital District since 2020. He has also served the district as assistant secretary/treasurer (2012-20), regional trustee (2014-17) and vice chairman of Service Leadership Programs, The Eliminate Project (2013-15). Wolff was a district Distinguished Lt. Governor (2008-09) and Distinguished Governor (2011-12). He has also served as assistant administrator (2000-05) and district administrator (2005-10) for Circle K International. 

At the international level, Wolff was a member of the Committee on The Kiwanis Objects (2013-14), vice chairman of The Eliminate Project (2013-15), member of the Kiwanis International Foundation’s Assessment Steering Committee (2015-16), and a member of the Committee on Organizational Operations and Structure Assessment (2020-24). 

Among his Kiwanis family honors, Wolff is a Kiwanis Life Member and has received the CKI Circle of Service award for his contributions to the program. As a donor to the Kiwanis Children’s Fund, he has earned a Diamond George F. Hixson Fellowship, a Dr. Wil Blechman Fellowship and a Walter Zeller Fellowship, and he is a Heritage Society member and a recipient of the Tablet of Honor and the Centennial award. 

Wolff and his wife, Jen, enjoy travel, theater, costuming and baking. They have three children. 

Lee Kuan Yong of Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, is the immediate past president of Kiwanis International. He served as president during the 2024-25 Kiwanis year.  

Previously, Lee served as a trustee of Kiwanis International from 2011-14 and on the Membership Growth and New Club Building committees. He was also a board member and chair of Kiwanis Asia-Pacific in 2016-17.  

Lee has been a member of Kiwanis International for 32 years and served the Kiwanis Club of Kuala Lumpur as president, secretary and treasurer. He is also a member of the Eye of the Tiger eKiwanis Club. He has served as president of the Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation. Lee was Malaysia District governor and membership chair. He is a Kiwanis International life member who has received the Dunlap Fellowship from the California-Nevada-Hawaii District Foundation, the Mel Osborne Fellowship from the Kiwanis Foundation of Canada, the J.N. Emerson Fellowship from the Pacific Northwest Kiwanis Foundation and the Tan Sri Khir Johari Award from the Malaysia District. 

From the Kiwanis Children’s Fund, Lee has received the Tablet of Honor and is a George F. Hixson Fellow Diamond-level 5 and a charter Walter Zeller Fellow.  

In his community, Lee is a life member of Badan Warisan Malaysia (the Malaysian Heritage Trust) and is a former dancesport convenor of the Royal Selangor Club, one of Asia’s oldest sporting institutions. His hobbies include history and ballroom dancing.  

Lee holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science and accounting from the University of Manchester, England. He is also a fellow and life-member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants.  

Lee is married to Kon Cze Yan, a chartered accountant.  They have two sons, two daughters-in-law and one grandson. 

Paul Palazzolo is executive director of Kiwanis International and all its subsidiaries. Prior to starting in that role in February 2024, the Springfield, Illinois, U.S., native served as a public official — beginning in 2001, when he was elected to the Springfield Park Board. He also served as Sangamon County auditor, treasurer of the Springfield Airport Authority and circuit court clerk.

Palazzolo served as the 2009-10 Kiwanis International president and has been a member of the Kiwanis Club of Springfield-Downtown since 1984. His introduction and involvement in Kiwanis started in the early 1980s while attending Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in Springfield, where he was active in Key Club, the student-led service organization for high school students that is part of the Kiwanis family. Palazzolo was inducted into the Sacred Heart-Griffin Hall of Fame in 2013. He also was awarded the Key of Honor, the highest recognition presented by the Key Club International board, for making a lifelong positive impact. Palazzolo has also served as chair of the Kiwanis International Youth Programs Board.

His local civic engagement includes serving on boards such as Salvation Army, Springfield Urban League, Hoogland Center for the Arts and other organizations.

Palazzolo holds a degree in finance from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is married and has two adult children.