2020/2021 Board Profiles

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I was born and raised in Southern California and attended UC Irvine the first year it opened.  In 1972 my husband and I and our two children moved from So. Cal to Nevada City when he was hired as a math teacher at Nevada Union High School.  After our youngest child was in school I, too, went to work for the Nevada Jt. Union High School District, where I worked for 30 years until I retired in 2007.  During those years I also finished my degree at CSU Chico. For 38 years I volunteered with the Schools Insurance Group where I chaired the Employee Benefits Review Committee. 

After I retired I finally had the time to do community volunteer work.  I was on the board for Partners in English Language Learning (PiELL), and I had the honor of tutoring a wonderful woman from Peru. And I volunteered at the Food Bank of Nevada County. I became involved with UWNC through the CRT process and recognized how vital United Way is to our community partners. Currently, I volunteer at IFM, am on the AAUW scholarship committee, as well as serving on the United Way board.  I am extremely proud to be on a board with so many dedicated people.  Our new programs are phenomenal and I can't wait to be a part of the future of United Way. I love to read, garden, and travel.  I love Hawaii where snowblowers are unheard of!!  I have two cats who are my fur kids and who keep me on my toes!

I was born in San Francisco and raised in the South Bay Area. I had great parents that got me off to a good start. I moved up to Georgetown in 1976 to get away from the City life and get a taste of a small town. My first child was born in 1978 so I got a real job with UPS at the Auburn center and stayed with them until I retired in 2007. Along the way, I had 2 more children. My first route with UPS was downtown Grass Valley at Christmas time. I fell in love with the town and the area right away. Most of the routes I drove were in Nevada County so I can say that I have probably been to almost every house and on every street in this county.  Once my kids started getting a little older I decided to start volunteering at United Way. I helped with the donor campaign at the Grass Valley UPS center and was on the board of United Way a couple of years later. I helped organize a few fundraising events like the “Million Dollar Hole in One” at Quail Valley Golf Course and a couple of softball tournaments. 

I am now a Real Estate agent with Coldwell Banker Grass Roots Realty. Knowing this county and its residents so well made my second career choice a good one. In 2007 my wife Terri started to volunteer at United Way as an office helper. It wasn’t too long after that I became interested in volunteering again so I asked to be a part of the CRT process. This went on for a few years until I decided to be a member of the CIC Committee and get a little more involved. During this time, the board decided to refocus their attention on the 3 areas of concern that they felt were most important, Food, emergency shelter, and access to health care. I was in total agreement with this idea and impressed with the board's decision. It was soon after that decision was made that I was willing to return to the board and see how I could help.

Being a part of United Way allows me the privilege to meet and interact with many different agencies and the volunteers that make them work. There are some truly amazing volunteers in Nevada County. I refer to them as our “Rock Stars”. These people are dedicated and passionate about what they do and care deeply for the clients they have. I am honored to work with them and look forward to the years ahead. Helping others and volunteering is essential for a thriving and growing community as well as our own personal growth. Just the number of non-profits in Nevada County is evidence of what a caring community we live in. I love my town and I’m proud to be able to serve through United Way.

I am a lifelong resident of Nevada County, with generations of my family calling Nevada County home.   I believe in our community and the people in it.  I have spent much of my free time helping to make improvements in our community, and love that we can make a difference here locally.  I currently work with the City of Grass Valley and the Grass Valley Police Department on our local parks, as well as YMCA, Nevada County Citizens for Safe Parks, and United Way. I am lucky that my position as a Mortgage Advisor allows me to be out in the community so much.

United Way has always had a special place in my heart.  I have volunteered with United Way for many years, and believe in our mission and the work we do in our community.  I look forward to the future, I believe we have many great things happening in our community and we will continue to see efforts by groups and individuals to make improvements in the community. We are blessed to call Nevada County home!

I was born and raised on the island of Trinidad and Tobago, located in the Caribbean. Both my parents were educators, so naturally, education was a forgone priority in my upbringing. I graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from California State University, Sacramento, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis, MN. I am a Realtor at Coldwell Banker Grass Roots Realty. My professional background is that of working as an Accountant in the corporate world in Minneapolis, as well as an Internal Auditor for the State of Minnesota, and a Banker at Wells Fargo Bank prior to that. Apart from my professional endeavors, my passion for community involvement has always taken precedence as a personal commitment. In St. Paul, MN, I served on the Board of Ally People Solutions, a local non-profit whose mission is to assist those with intellectual disabilities in the community find job placement. 

I live in Penn Valley with my husband and two wonderful children. Our family loves exploring the great outdoors here in this beautiful Gold Country. I am proud to be a part of United Way of Nevada County because of the great programs that we support that help Nevada County’s residents thrive. 

Dad, Surfer, Computer Guru, Beer Aficionado, and Zen Tree Hugger...I've lived in Nevada County since 2011 originally from San Diego. I love our community and give back as much as possible. Currently volunteering for The United Way (Board Member), Sammie's Friends, KVMR, and The Spirit Peer Empowerment Center. 

I'm the owner of an Information Technology company in Grass Valley, Southwest Computers, and balance work and volunteering with exploring all that Nevada County has to offer. I am truly blessed.

I am almost a Nevada County Native, my family returned to my father’s hometown when he retired from the military, and I was 12. I have been fortunate enough to call Nevada County my home ever since and have had the opportunity to raise my daughters in this truly unique environment. My husband and I owned a small local manufacturing facility for a bit, and I have worked in the legal, financial, and renewable energy industries. Currently, I am a Business Development Manager for a New York-based solar manufacturer. 

My career allows me to travel throughout the US and meet truly amazing people, but I am always struck by the beauty and kindness of our community when I return home. I have worked extensively with the Grass Valley PTC, Grass Valley School District. Joining United Way allows me to give back to the community that has given my family so much and to work with an organization that is dedicated to making a difference in this one of a kind community. 

I moved to Nevada County from San Diego in 1989, though I am originally from the South!  I have worked in the high tech side of the Television Industry almost since I arrived.  I really enjoy reading, gardening, animals, sports, and my grandkids (not necessarily in that order!).  

My work has afforded me the chance to travel the world over, but I am always amazed by how much hope and help there is at home!  I have worked with several local organizations including the Friendship Club.  But being on the board of United Way has really opened my eyes to the dedicated and caring individuals in our community  - and the great part about UW is that I get to work with so many of them!  We have always and will continue to work with our partner organizations, but the new services and programs we are rolling out will directly impact our citizens in such exciting ways - I am so happy to be a part of this change!

Growing up in Los Gatos and living my adult life in both CA and WA, my husband and I came to Nevada County in 2002 looking for a small town where we could raise our daughters and that also had a thriving classic car culture! For over 25 years, I have spent my career in the Employment sector within the Technology space, leading HR and Recruiting efforts for a portfolio of companies. Part of my role includes helping to drive our philanthropic activity: being a Veteran owned business, we support a lot of veteran initiatives, plus have engaged with Cristo Rey School, The Capital Cup, Conquer Paralysis Now, & A Ticket to Dream Foundation.  

With a desire to give back to the community I live in, the United Way met the goals of what I was looking for: a professional organization, with a dedicated team of caring individuals, and a Charter that inspired me! Everyone within this organization has the same intense desire to serve others and make an impact on those around us and I am proud to serve on the Board of this incredible organization! 

I am a west coast woman, born and bred.  It was born in Oakland and raised in Berkeley.  As a young woman, I moved to Los Angeles to take care of an ailing uncle.  When I was able, I attended Sonoma State where I majored in Business and African American Studies. I met and married Dennis, and began raising our daughter. It was then I realized my true love was cooking and I founded a catering business called “Delicious Culinary Assistance”. To further my knowledge, I attended the San Francisco Culinary Academy taking Advanced Professional Cooking classes. My husband’s job required us to move across the country to Montclair, New Jersey in 1995, but in 2000 we finally settled in Grass Valley.

I have a broad and various employment history. I have worked as an Administrative Assistant in the banking and health care industries, as a retail sales assistant, as a caterer and for many food establishments including Sur La Table, Williams Sonoma, Mardi Gras Catering & Deli and the Wooden Spoon. I have been with Ensemble Designs since 2004. I am passionately interested in culinary cooking and techniques, in music, and in child development. I find the “funny” in so very many things and have been told I have a great sense of humor. I can’t sing at all, but I love it and do it anyway! I believe my varied and diffuse cultural experiences have given me a broad perspective on life. I look forward to serving such a generous community organization as Nevada County United Way.

I served students in public education for 36 years before retiring in 2015. I began my career as a teacher of English as a Second Language in Davis, California. I moved to the Sierra Foothills and served as a school counselor and then as an assistant principal at Nevada Union High School, as well as a counselor at Sierra College, NC campus. I then became a director for the Regional Occupational Program (ROP) which was administered by the Placer County Office of Education and delivered career technical education and training to high school juniors and seniors in Placer and Nevada Counties. I returned to the Nevada Union High School District where I served as Superintendent for two years. I then became Director of Silicon Valley Career Technical Education, a high school program that serves students from six school districts in the South Bay Area. 

I earned my undergraduate degree at UC Davis, a Master’s degree at UCLA, teaching and administrative credentials at CSU Sacramento, and a doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership at the University of LaVerne. I'm a past member of Grass Valley Rotary and San Jose Rotary. I have served as a board member for the following organizations: Partners in English Language Learning (PiELL), California Association of Regional Occupational Centers and Programs, and the Nevada County Association of California School Administrators.  I have been married to my husband, Michael, for 42 years. Michael retired after teaching high school English for 38 years, which included 30 years at Nevada Union High School. We have three adult sons: Joe, Nick, and Sam (and one granddaughter, Malia!).