Our Team

Meet The Foundation Staff


Susan True

Chief Executive Officer

In her role as Chief Executive Officer of Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, Susan continues her lifelong commitment to work that improves lives and strengthens communities. Contact her at 831.662.2010 or email strue@cfscc.org.

Philanthropic Services

Hilary Bryant

Donor Services Director

Elana Solon

Philanthropic Operations Officer

Alexa Klingler

Grants & Gifts Manager

Abbey Ohtake

Administrative Coordinator

Community Engagement and Impact

Kevin Heuer

Director of Engagement & Impact

Jenny Kurzweil

Senior Communications Officer

Sarah Sondossi

Engagement Coordinator

Finance and Administration

Sabine Dukes

Chief Finance & Operating Officer

Alexandra Urbick

Controller

Nicole Frontella

Accounting & HR Manager

Courtney Reed

Investment and Reporting Accountant

Kim White

Office Assistant

Jaime Romero

Finance Assistant

Donette Felker

Operations Manager

Meet Our Board Leadership


President, Jim Weisenstein

Director, Santa Cruz County Bank

Vice President, Trevor Strudley, CFP

Certified Financial Planner, Raymond James Financial Services

Treasurer, Kirk Schmidt, Esq.

Executive Director, Central Coast Water Quality Preservation, Inc.

Secretary, Chris Murphy

Senior Vice President, Franchise Development, Santa Cruz Warriors (not pictured)

Rob Allen

Partner at Allen, Allen & Caroselli Law Firm

Audries Blake

Assistant Director of Community Relations, UC Santa Cruz

Gina Castañeda

Juvenile Probation Officer, Santa Cruz County Probation Department (not pictured)

MariaElena De La Garza

Executive Director, Community Action Board Santa Cruz County

Liliana Diaz, Esq.

Family Law Attorney, The Grunsky Law Firm

Larry Donatoni

Senior Director for Development, Santa Clara University

Doug Fischer

SVP Director of Business Banking, Santa Cruz County Bank

Lisa Fraser

Retired Superintendent of Loma Prieta Joint Union Elementary K-8 School District

Edward Newman

Founder & Attorney, Newman & Marcus

Rogelio Ponce Jr.

Owner, Sun Valley Berries LLC (not pictured)

Samuel Pun

Director, Freestone Capital Management

Sandy Skees

EVP/Global Lead, Innovation & Impact Practice, Porter Novelli

Board Committees


Executive

Meets at the call of the president to conduct the business of the Board between regular or special Board meetings.

  • Jim Weisenstein, President
  • Trevor Strudley, Vice President
  • Kirk Schmidt, Treasurer
  • Chris Murphy, Secretary
  • Liliana Diaz
Finance

Reviews quarterly investment performance and financial statements, sets investment policy, monitors and approves investment allocations, selects financial advisors, advises the board on budgetary issues, spending policies, fees, impact investments and makes recommendations to the board on finance and gift acceptance policies and procedures.

  • Kirk Schmidt, Chair
  • Rob Allen
  • Sam Pun
  • Sandy Skees
  • Trevor Strudley
  • Marilyn Calciano*
  • David Doolin*
  • Pat Kelly*
  • Jessica Locatelli*
  • Krista Snelling*
  • James C. Thompson*
  • Lance Wexler*

Learn More

Gift Acceptance

Advises on considering, accepting or rejecting any and all gifts or bequests to the Foundation that cannot be accepted by the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating and Financial Officer, or the Philanthropic Services Director in accordance with the gift acceptance policy.

  • Larry Donatoni
  • Doug Fischer
  • Kirk Schmidt
  • Trevor Strudley
  • James C. Thompson, Chair*
  • Tom Brezsny*
  • Dina Hoffman*
  • Victoria Viso*
Engagement & Impact

Sets direction for grants program, identifies funding priorities, reviews and recommends proposals for funding, and participates in site visits.

  • Chris Murphy, Chair
  • Audries Blake
  • Gina Castañeda
  • MariaElena De La Garza
  • Larry Donatoni
  • Lisa Fraser
  • Doug Fischer
  • Rogelio Ponce
  • Sandy Skees
  • Adele Eberhart*

Learn More

Nominating and Board Development

Identifies and recruits new board members, develops and implements ongoing board training and assessment programs.

  • Liliana Diaz, Chair
  • MariaElena De La Garza
  • Lisa Fraser
  • Jim Weisenstein
Scholarship

Recommends policies and oversees scholarship administration. Selects the scholarship recipients.

  • Lisa Fraser, Chair
  • Audries Blake
  • Gina Castañeda
  • Liliana Diaz
  • Rogelio Ponce
  • Julie Haff*
  • Donna Ziel*

Learn More

* Non-board members
Non board members are invited to share their time and expertise on our standing and ad hoc committees.

Honorary Trustees


Ian McPhail - Director Emeritus
Jess Brown
Ceil Cirillo
Nell Sesnon Cliff
George Couch III
Deidre Hamilton
Mary Hammer
Dina Hoffman
Samuel Leask IV
Fred McPherson III
Ralph Miljanich
Harvey Nickelson
Martina O’Sullivan
Richard G. Polse
J. Miles Reiter
Norman Schwartz
Ginny Solari Mazry
Robert Stephens
James Thompson
James F. Watson
Rachel Wedeen

Deceased Honorary Trustees

William Locke-Paddon - Director Emeritus
Jack Baskin - Director Emeritus
Georgia Brauer
Diane Porter Cooley
Nancy Driscoll
Harold Hyde
Margaret Lezin
Lorraine Litchfield
Dean McHenry
Gurden Mooser
Mary Ann Borina Radovich
Rowland Rebele
Alan Simpkins
Richard Solari
Don Starr
Robert E. Swenson
Gloria Hihn Welsh
Tanner Wilson
Betsy Woolpert
Florence Wyckoff