Ben Spence and Jay Love have joined Collaboratory’s Governing Team as Trustees.
“We welcome Ben and Jay to our dynamic team of trustees,” said Dr. Dawn Belamarich, president and CEO of Collaboratory. “Their expertise as well as their deep community roots will help Collaboratory continue to make sustainable change across Southwest Florida.”
Love is an entrepreneur who co-founded a series of successful businesses. In 2012, he co-founded Bloomerang, which provides cloud-based donor management software designed for nonprofit organizations. In 2019, he co-founded The Fundraising Standard, a 40-hour online program designed to give participants a thorough introduction to the process of fundraising. Love continued working for nonprofit initiatives as co-founder and CEO of eTapestry, an all-in-one cloud-based donor management and fundraising software for nonprofits. In addition, he co-founded Launch Cause, a collaborative office space designed specifically for nonprofit organizations.
As a graduate of Butler University’s Lacy School of Business, Love served on the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s Advisory Council and was involved with the former Butler Innovation Fund project. He received the Robert Todd Duncan Alumni Achievement Award in 2014.
Spence serves as Lee Health’s chief operating and financial officer and is a senior executive team member. He joined Lee Health in 1995 and has served in many key roles during his healthcare career.
He has more than 30 years of extensive experience in healthcare finance and administration, starting at Lee Health as a clerk in the financial services department in 1995. He has held various management roles since 2000 including Lee Memorial Hospital Controller, CFO of Lee Health’s Federally Qualified Health Clinic, and System Director of Reimbursement. He was promoted to System Chief Financial Officer in 2014, Chief Financial and Business Services Officer in 2016, and most recently has taken on the role of Chief Operating Officer in January of 2025.
Spence is an active member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) and the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). He serves as Vice Chair for the Lee County Horizon Council and sits on several boards. He also enjoys volunteering for Grace Church as a group leader for young adults and for Junior Achievement, a nonprofit empowering young people with skills for economic success.
ABOUT COLLABORATORY
Collaboratory is a regional community foundation with an evolved mission committed to coordinating the solving of Southwest Florida’s major social problems by 2040. Not alone, but with everyone—the entire community working together across all five counties: Lee, Hendry, Glades, Charlotte and Collier.
Collaboratory provides community leadership, raises and coordinates funding, and disburses funds to organizations that are helping solve the problems our donors and the community have identified as priorities. Collaboratory also provides capacity building with training and resources for regional partners. Given the complexities of the social challenges in our region, Collaboratory ensures we are all working together and that every generous donor achieves the biggest impact with their funds. By using and sharing data to track progress, we ensure that donor dollars are best invested to move the needle on improving social issues.
Connection and collaboration are at the heart of our mission. Since 1976, we have made over $130 million in grants to individuals and organizations across the region to enhance the quality of life for current and future generations. It is upon that legacy of a commitment to community we will collectively achieve our 2040 goal. To learn more and get involved, call 239-274-5900 or visit www.collaboratory.org.
