Meet Our Team
Co-Founders | Toby's Parents
Daniel & Katie Stern
As Toby’s parents, we are the co-founders of The Little Fox – Toby’s Foundation. Our middle son, Tobias Graham, was born on May 27, 2016. Toby went down for a nap on August 24 and did not wake up. He was 12 weeks and 5 days old. Toby died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Our road, after Toby’s death, was one that felt very lonely and enabled us to search incessantly for ways to support our grief, as individuals and as a married couple, while trying to parent our nearly two-year-old son, Lucas.
We started this non-profit organization with the intention of honoring Toby’s life and working to make sure that no other grieving parent has to feel like they are traveling this road alone. Our journey from 2016 until today has shown us that there is still so much work to be done for families who experience a miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss. We know firsthand the positive impact community can have while grieving. We want to be a resource that offers that community to the bereaved.
Katie & Dan live in Monroeville, PA with their sons, Lucas (8) and Zeke (4).
We know there is no timeline for grief and that you will never be “done” grieving. We believe that every grieving family should be supported with resources to help them with grief day to day. The work we do in Toby’s memory helps us grieve and also provides our family avenues to help others during their darkest moments.
Whether you are local to us in Western Pennsylvania or somewhere across the United States, Toby’s Foundation and the programs shared with grieving families were built to offer hope as you walk with grief.
Secretary
Megan Simmons
Serving on the board of The Little Fox Foundation as Secretary is an incredible honor. In 2016, my nephew and Godson passed away from SIDS at only 3 months old. Dan and Katie said they were starting a foundation in memory of their son Toby, and they asked me to be on the board. I didn’t exactly know at the time what that meant for me, but I knew that I needed to help in any way that I could. If this was going to help them and others while keeping Toby’s name alive, I was in. Toby has reached so many people since then, and will continue to do so. It is extremely gratifying being able to be a part of something that has truly changed our community and beyond for the better.
I currently live in the South Hills of Pittsburgh with my husband, Jeremy, and two daughters, Hayley (7) and Josie (4). We own and live on a family farm where my husband works. I am a stay-at-home mom, and coordinate events part time for our farm. At the time of Toby’s passing, my oldest daughter Hayley was only 6 months old, so I have always felt a special connection to our cause. The Little Fox Foundation not only promotes Safe Sleep Practices and SIDS awareness, but we help other families who are grieving. There is a great need for this and not just in our community. I believe in what we do.
Treasurer
Tiffany Fitzgerald
Tiffany Fitzgerald has been working in strategic finance for the last 15 years. Across various industries and organizations, she has led teams of finance professionals in growth and transformation periods, including most recently as Chief Financial Officer or Head of Finance for multiple nonprofits and for-profit companies. She currently serves as Treasurer for The Little Fox – Toby’s Foundation. In her free time, she is passionate about fashion, travel, and food.
Board Advisors
Jamie Scarlatelli
Great Aunt of Toby, born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. Graduated from Brentwood High School in 1988 and attended and graduated from Bradford Business School. Jamie has worked in the financial services industry for over 25 years. Prior to the financial services industry, she worked in the retail industry at The May Company. Jamie is one of our original board members serving as Treasurer until January 2022 and is now serving as a Board Advisor. She lives in Pittsburgh with her husband, Nick. Jamie feels very connected to the mission of The Little Fox – Toby’s Foundation and is honored to be part of this board.
Anessa Fike
Anessa Fike grew up close to founding board member, Katie Stern, in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania. She received her bachelor’s degree in Journalism with minors in English and Business from Penn State University and then went on to receive her master’s degree in English from National University in La Jolla, California. Anessa is a mom, wife, and supporter and uplifter of the underdogs in the world. In 2013, she started a boutique People, HR, and Talent fractional leadership and consulting business – Fike + Co – that has worked with more than 100 companies and organizations internationally through growth, scaling, and mergers and acquisitions to create more workplaces where all humans can thrive. Having been Chief People Officer at more than a dozen of those companies, she loves the intersectionality of nonprofits and business and joined The Little Fox – Toby’s Foundation – because the mission of helping to save infants from SIDS and SUIDS spoke to her. Now, as the mission has expanded to help support grieving families during loss of infants and children, Anessa believes she can help push the foundation forward to new heights.
Liana Verzella
As a native of central PA, I moved to Pittsburgh in 2008 to attend Duquesne University and then received my masters from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public Health in 2014. I have worked in the healthcare sector for over ten years and have always had a passion for pediatrics and maternal health. I met Katie and Dan through mutual friends and after hearing about their story and The Little Fox-Toby’s Foundation, I immediately knew that I wanted to get involved. With my experience working with families experiencing grief and loss, I hope that I can provide support to the organization and families in need. I am grateful to be a board member and look forward to spreading Toby’s story and mission.
Jr. Board Members
Madelyn Stewart
Maddy Stewart is a senior studying Advertising at Penn State University. She is graduating in May, and is extremely excited to have joined the Little Fox Foundation as a Junior Board Member and Intern for the Spring of 2023. When she is not in class, you can usually find her hanging out with her dogs or friends, trying new recipes in the kitchen, or painting!
Madalyn Ankeny
Madalyn Ankeny is a sophomore student at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. She is studying marketing and communications. Maddy is in the early stages of her marketing career and is doing all she can to learn about the unique industry. She values the concept of bringing creativity into everything she does, whether that be through creating flower arrangements or giving campus tours at her two part-time jobs. Maddy is a commuter at UPJ, so she had to try harder than most to meet people and become involved on campus. This has not held her back. Through working on campus as a tour guide and tutor and joining clubs she has met wonderful people who will impact her for the rest of her life. Maddy values kindness and wants others to feel inspired by her positive outlook on life. She loves to find joy in little things like sunny days, flowers, and yummy coffee. She feels blessed to be given the opportunity to help with The Little Fox Foundation. She plans to do her best to use her creativity to offer support to those who are grieving.
Going through the death of your baby is an incredibly traumatic experience. Often, it can be hard to find the support you want and need.
Toby’s Foundation offers workshops, connections to other moms and dads who are walking a similar journey, activities and projects for siblings to honor their brother or sister, as well as recommendations to additional resources across the United States that support families going through pregnancy and infant loss.
Everyone grieves differently and there is no timetable for grief. The support and resources that Toby’s Foundation provides is offered to any bereaved parent, no matter where you are on your grief journey. Be it one month or 15+ years, we are here to walk beside you on your journey.
