Teen Services welcomes four new board members

Sonoma Valley Teen Services has added Dr. Lorraine Ashton, Barry Ansell, and Dr. Nancy Dome, along with Garrett (Gary) Nelson, not pictured, to its board of directors.

With offices and a Teen Center in Boyes Hot Springs, the nonprofit organization is a one-stop shop for teen employment, providing teens with work readiness training, on-the-job training, job placement services and coaching.

Dr. Lorraine Ashton has been a licensed clinical psychologist and marriage and family therapist for over 35 years. Since moving to Sonoma 12 years ago, Ashton, a founder of Impact100, has become involved in many local nonprofits such as WillMar Center for Grief & Healing, Seeds of Learning, Sonoma Oversight Support, Vintage House, Sonoma Valley Museum, and the Sonoma Theatre Alliance.

Barry Ansell, who holds an MBA in Human Resources from Golden Gate University, worked in human resource management in the advertising industry, followed by 20 years of executive search in the apparel industry.  He retired to Sonoma in 2011 and volunteered at SVTS.  He also serves on the board of directors at Quaker Center (Religious Society of Friends).

Dr. Nancy Dome has been supporting children to overcome their barriers and developing educators for over 20 years, starting as a child care worker, later becoming a classroom teacher, mentor teacher and teacher on special assignment San Diego schools and Juvenile Court. Today she serves as Founder/CEO of Epoch Education, which provides professional development for educators, as well as culturally competent Common Core Curriculum for teachers, departments, schools and districts.

Gary Nelson retired in 1995 as Senior Executive Vice President of The Vons Companies after a career in business development, financial management, human resources and real estate. He and his wife, Elsa, moved to Sonoma Valley fulltime in 1995. An active investor in several local businesses, Nelson was elected to the Sonoma Valley Health Care District board in 1996, and has served as director and advisor to several Sonoma Valley nonprofits.

Sonoma Valley Teen Services is located 17440 Sonoma Highway, 939.1452. SVteen.org.