Changes, growth at SV Ed Foundation
Following a positive leadership transition earlier this year, the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation this month welcomed a slate of new members to its board of directors.
“We are more determined than ever to provide high impact, sustainable support to the public schools of Sonoma Valley,” said Debra Garber, the foundation’s new Executive Director (pictured). “Our board is the driving force for generating substantial community support in order to fund innovative programs for our schools.”
Joining the Board this year are Joe Capriola, president of Silverado Contractors and an philanthropist for youth in Sonoma Valley; Rich Henley, a leading Bay Area executive recruiter as managing director of LGES Executive Search; Laura Stanfield, a prominent local volunteer in youth programs and former sales and marketing executive in the technology sector; and Graham Smith, who held numerous executive roles with Salesforce Inc. including CFO.
The new members join recently recruited, Tom Angstadt, chair and chief operating officer of the Kivelstadt Group; and Renee Dellar, an attorney, philanthropist and leading advocate for parent engagement in public education, who joined the board last year, as well as former Executive Director Laura Zimmerman, who transitioned to Board membership following her retirement as executive director last year.
Additional Sonoma Valley Education Foundation Board Members include Tim Wallace, recently named as board chair (pictured); Chuck Young, vice chair; Jeff Walter, secretary; Tara Johnson, treasurer; Stacie Elkhoury; Gemma Gallovich; Keith Hughes; Tony Moll; Kathy Murphy; and Les Vadasz.
“We are very fortunate to have a highly competent board which include parents of students, alumni, business leaders, education leaders and venture philanthropists,” Wallace said. “The board has developed a benchmark public-private partnership with the school district that has allowed us to align ourself in support of the goals of the district.”
Wallace added, “What makes this organization meaningful to me is its role in supporting programs that emphasize 21st-century skills that all our students deserve to acquire.”
The Sonoma Valley Education was founded in 1993 and has contributed more than $12 million dollars to the public schools of Sonoma Valley over the past 24 years. The foundation funds programs including Preschool, AVANCE, Reading and Writing intervention during the school year and summer, School Gardens, El Sistema Music, the Engineering Design and Technology Academy and the Sustainable Agriculture Academy at Sonoma Valley High School, and more.
