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Thrive Board of Directors |
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Bruce Hamilton, Executive Director, HIP Housing
Board Chair
bhamilton@hiphousing.org
Bruce Hamilton’s career has been a combination of law, politics and non-profit management. Bruce served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ethiopia; as a County Supervisor, as Executive Director of Legal Services and as an unsuccessful candidate for Congress, in Lincoln, Nebraska; as Executive Director of the State Bar Association and Bar Foundation in Arizona; and as Executive Director of the Alliance on Aging in Monterey County; before becoming the Executive Director of HIP Housing in 2003. Bruce is President of the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County, a member of the Legislative Committee of HEART (The Housing Endowment and Regional Trust) and a member of the Board of Directors of the California Bar Foundation. Bruce is a strong advocate for the not for profit sector, striving to raise recognition and support from political leaders and the private sector. |
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Heather Stewart, Neighborhood Improvement & Housing Specialist,
City of San Mateo
Board Vice Chair
hstewart@cityofsanmateo.org
After 12 years of working with nonprofit youth organizations and administering outdoor and environmental education programs in Southern California, Heather moved to the Bay Area and starting working with the City of San Mateo in 1994. Her position there allows her to work with a wide variety of social policy and neighborhood engagement activities, assist with affordable housing development, act as grants manager for federally funded programs that assist low income residents, and serve as the primary nonprofit and human services liaison for the city. In addition to her own volunteering commitments, she has a passion for sailing and music, is fluent in American Sign Language, and has served as an Accreditation Standards Instructor and Visitor with the American Camp Association for nearly 20 years. |
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LaVois Hooks, Executive Director, Daly City Peninsula Partnership Collaborative
Board Treasurer
lhooks@dalycity.org
LaVois joined the Daly City Peninsula Partnership Collaborative as its first Executive Director in November 2008. He has served as the Executive Director of St. John’s Educational Threshold Center, The BASIC Fund and the Bay Area Independent Schools Coalition. He has also been an Independent Consultant, the Administrative/Financial Director with the East Bay Conservation Corps and a Program Officer with The California Wellness Foundation. LaVois attended Stanford University and earned an undergraduate degree in English as well as a Masters degree in Administration & Policy Analysis from Stanford’s School of Education. He has a deep-rooted commitment to work on behalf of youth, families and the overall community.
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Diana Conti, Executive Director, Parca
Board Member & Immediate Past Board Chair
dianac@parca.org
A native of the Bay Area, Diana has more than 25 years experience as executive director of several non-profits throughout the region providing assistance related to low-income, homeless and immigrant populations, alcohol and drug treatment and prevention, criminal justice reform and mental health counseling. In her current role as executive director of Parca, she coordinates San Mateo County program providing services to developmentally disabled individuals and their families. Previously she worked as President of the Board of the Marin Council of Agencies. |
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Christa Gannon, Founding Executive Director, FLY Program
Board Member
christa@flyprogram.org
Christa is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara and Stanford Law School. She was selected as one of ten people in the United States to receive funding from the George Soros Foundation to develop an innovative criminal justice program. With this seed funding, Christa Started FLY. She was selected by the National Law-Related Education Consortium (funded by the Federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention) to be California’s State Coordinator of Law-Related Education.
Christa has been the recipient of many awards, including The City of San Jose, Human Rights Commission, Human Rights Award; The Gentry Magazine Community Stars Award; The Youth Advocate of the Year Award from Legal Advocates for Children and Youth, The Mountain View-Los Altos Challenge Team’s Champion for Youth Award, The Stanford Law School Inaugural Alumni Public Service Award, and The Jefferson Award from CBS 5 News. Christa was recognized by Santa Clara Law School as the Bay Area Woman of Distinction for her work in mentoring and nurturing public interest law students and was honored to be named an Ashoka Fellow. In addition to her full-time work at FLY, Christa is a member of Stanford’s National Haas Advisory board and is also a wife and a mother to a 6 year old daughter Hailey and a 2 year old son Luke.
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Beverley Madden, Director, Business Development and Marketing
College of San Mateo
Board Member
maddenb@smccd.edu
Beverley Madden has over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry working with all levels of management. Currently she is the full time Director for College of San Mateo’s Community Relations and Marketing department. As a Human Services Professional, Beverley specializes in curriculum development (service learning), building community relationships, and coordinating service learning events.
Beverley has been an active community member in San Mateo County since 1982 working as a volunteer in the school district as a PTA Board Member, School Site Council President, and Membership and Technology Chair for the Highlands Community Association and more. Beverley is dedicated to serving her community. |
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Honora Miller, Director of the Commission on the Status of Women
Board Member
hmiller@co.sanmateo.ca.us
A social worker and mediator, Honora has worked in a variety of settings with families in crisis including those impacted by domestic violence, homelessness, and the removal of children by child welfare. Honora has also been involved with systems advocacy while at the Women's Law Project in Philadelphia, where she focused on improving services for chemically dependent pregnant women and legalizing the rights of gay and lesbian parents.
Honora holds a Masters in Social Work and a Masters in Law in Social Policy from Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. She is currently a member of the Advisory Council of the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center and a founding board member of the San Mateo County Chapter of California Women Lead (formerly CEWAER). With more than two decades of service in the non-profit sector, Honora actively encourages the development of collaborative relationships among and between non-profits, the business community and government. |
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Sheryl Munoz-Bergman, San Mateo County Program Director,
International Institute of the Bay Area
Board Secretary
smbergman@iibayarea.org
With twenty years of non-profit management experience, Sheryl Muñoz-Bergman currently serves as the San Mateo County Program Director for the International Institute of the Bay Area. Previous positions include Associate Director of the SHARE Foundation and Program Officer for Oxfam America’s Central America Office. In addition to serving on Thrive’s Board of Directors, Sheryl also sits on the Board of the Special Education Parent Teacher Association of Redwood City, and previously served on the Boards of the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center, Partnership for Immigrant Leadership and Action, and the Center for International Solidarity. Sheryl is deeply committed to social justice, and believes that each step we take can lead to peace. |
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Seana O'Shaughnessy, Executive Director, Rebuilding Together Peninsula
Board Member
seana@rebuildingtogetherpeninsula.org
Seana joined Rebuilding Together Peninsula (RTP) as Executive Director in March 2007. Her path to becoming Executive Director started the year she spent as an Americorps member. While in Americorps, Seana confirmed her passion for service to the community. A Masters in women’s history provided context for understanding issues of social justice and reinforced her decision to work in the nonprofit sector. Seana first came to RTP in 2000, serving as Program Director from 2001-2005. Between her tenure as Program Director and appointment as Executive Director, Seana worked for the City of South San Francisco in Housing and Community Development managing their Block Grant program. “Returning to RTP feels like coming home,” Seana said. “This is where my heart lies.” |
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Leila Perreras, Assistant Vice President/Branch Manager for the Redwood City location of First National Bank
Board Member
leila@circlecommunications.com
Leila Perreras is an Assistant Vice President/Branch Manager for the Redwood City location of First National Bank. She is also the president of Circle Communications, a full service marketing company that reaches out to small business and non-profit organizations, especially groups that are affiliated with women. She was previously on the executive board for the Daly City-Colma Chamber of Commerce. Leila is currently involved with Skyline College’s President Council, Seton Medical Center’s Advisory Council, Seton Foundation “Friends” Committee, Service League of San Mateo County’s Community Development Committee and is an ambassador for the Redwood City Chamber of Commerce. She belongs to NAWBO, BABW, and YWSE (also women’s groups). Leila graduated from CSU, Sacramento, with a degree in marketing and lives in Colma with her husband and two young children.
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Thrive Staff |
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Porcia Chen Silverberg, Board Member and Executive Director, Thrive
Phone: (650) 766-1162
porcia@thrivealliance.org
Porcia brings over twenty years of experience in public relations, marketing, sales and social entrepreneurship. A collaborations advocate at heart, in 2001 Porcia founded the National Center for Community Collaboration (NCCC) based in Denver, while she was in charge of community relations for the Rocky Mountain Public Broadcasting Network. NCCC is dedicated to inspire community-based partnerships across public, private and nonprofit organizations through exchange of knowledge and resources.
Porcia is a recent graduate of the San Mateo County Citizens Academy. She is currently a member of the California Association of Nonprofits (CAN) Statewide Nonprofit Regional Partnership and the Policy Council. She also serves on the Peninsula Partnership Leadership Council and is a member of the Board of Directors of Peninsula TV.
Porcia believes nonprofits play a critical role in the world we live in today. Through her role at Thrive, she is committed to strengthening cross-sector collaboration and promoting the values of the social sector to the San Mateo community. |
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Jeanne Bertolina, Administrator, Thrive
jeanne@thrivealliance.org
Just prior to joining the Thrive staff, Jeanne worked in the Marketing Department of Office Depot for over 14 years. She has a degree in English and an Associate Degree in Commercial Art. Jeanne has been involved in publications and communications her entire career, working first as a technical editor, then as a paste-up artist, desktop publisher and marketing assistant. Most recently, she has studied Photoshop and Dreamweaver, and has moved into the area of web design.
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Dena Gunning, Emergency Services Manager, Thrive
Phone: (650) 339-0721
dena@thrivealliance.org
A California Native, Dena Has has lived in San Mateo County for over thirty-five years. She has over twenty-five years of experience with emergency services, starting with full scale County Disaster drills since the age of twelve. Her professional accomplishments include: Grants Project Manager, San Mateo County Office of Emergency Services and Homeland Security, Emergency Planning Coordinator, Oakland Fire Department Office of Emergency Services and Executive Director of Collaborating Agencies Responding to Disasters, CARD of San Mateo County. Most recently Dena has joined Thrive as the Emergency Services Coordinator. Dena has her emergency management certificate from the State of California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services California Specialized Training Institute, and FEMA. Dena’s community service efforts include: Chair, San Bruno Community Preparedness Committee; Amateur Radio Operator; Secretary, CARD Board of Directors; Volunteer Coordinator San Mateo/SFO Countywide Exercise and Neighborhood Watch Block Captain. Dena is dedicated to building and strengthening the capacity of the local nonprofits enabling them to continue serving the most vulnerable populations pre and post disaster.
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