A Warm Welcome to Our Latest Hires

Katy Souza, Administrative Assistant, helps our facility run smoothly, keeps our customer service level high, and makes it easy for people to get what they may need from us. You’ll see her as you walk in to our building in the afternoons, and may tap her tech-savvy skills for your event at our building. She’s done it all, from managing global events for NASA, a stint behind the scenes in Hollywood, and helped startups smooth out their office’s awkward growth phase. A Bay Area native, she’s delighted to now call Santa Cruz home and provide service to those working toward their dreams for our community’s future. She’ll be here to help you use our building, get connected to the right person, and answer questions you may have.

Stacey Marie Garcia was brought on to fulfill a brand new Engagement Officer role. She’ll be designing new programs that bring donors, nonprofits, and community leaders together to build connection, giving, and action on the core issues in Santa Cruz County. She believes deeply that by collaborating together we can strengthen relationships across our county, inspire collective action, and have fun while doing it. Engagement is her specialty, and she’s honed that skill locally. At the Museum of Art & History she helped usher in success with innovative, inclusive, programs that used art and history to creatively address community needs, assets, and interests. Stacey’s thrilled to continue bringing us together as a community and getting to work alongside the local leaders, nonprofits, donors, and foundation staff who care deeply about making our community stronger for all who call it home.

Jenny Kurzweil is our new Communications Officer and will help drive our marketing and communications strategy. She’s an accomplished communications professional and an expert in storytelling for social impact. She joins us after nearly two decades working at SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science). SACNAS is a national nonprofit headquartered in Santa Cruz and the country's largest multicultural and multidisciplinary organization working to diversify STEM. She’s not only deeply rooted in the local community but a habitual community builder. As co-founder of Pie for the People, she inspires philanthropy to benefit grassroots nonprofits and foster youth engagement in activism. Jenny brings her passion for listening to the stories of stakeholders, donors, and leaders alike, and coalescing them into a powerful voice that promotes both giving and action. She’ll immediately add to our capacity to share the content, stories, and voices of those working to help Santa Cruz County thrive.