Palo Alto Fund board of directors

Advisory Board

Pastor Paul Bains

Melissa Baten Caswell

Annette Bialson

Brian Chancellor

Enoch Choi

Juanita Croft

Catherine Crystal Foster, Chair

Ann DeBusk

Nitesh Dullabh

Carol C. Friedman

Susie Hwang

Scott Joachim

Mark Johnsen

Mandy Lowell

Wissy Ludwick

Beth Martin

Karen Nierenberg

Steve Player

Lynne Russell

Anne Taylor

Dave Thornton

Cammie Vail

Past Presidents

Charles Schulz

Leonard Ely Jr.

John Northway

Bill Reller

Julie Jerome

Kathy Torgersen

Maddy Stein

Ellen Turbow

Cathy Kroymann

Terry Conner

Anne Taylor

Beth Martin

Barbara Carlitz

Amy Renalds

Kathy Schniedwind

Mike Trigg

Karen Ross

David Mitchell

Anne Dauer

Mandy Lowell

Karen Nierenberg

Peter Gifford

Missy Reller

Bruce Gee

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2021 - 2022 Impact Report

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Meet our team

Members of the PACF board and its advisors have extensive knowledge of the local nonprofit community. Our past and present members have a record of active, engaged volunteer service to hundreds of local nonprofits. As a result of these experiences, we have developed a rigorous process for making and monitoring grants to ensure positive outcomes.

Lisa Van Dusen

Executive Director

Palo Alto
Suzanne Attenborough

Director of Communications & Operations

Palo Alto
Susan Fields Bailey

Vice President

Community Volunteer, Palo Alto
Palo Alto

Palo Alto
Community Volunteer, Palo Alto
In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with:
- Palo Alto Partners in Education
- Palo Alto Unified School District and PTAs
- Zohar School of Dance & Company
- All Saints Episcopal Church, Palo Alto
- Palo Alto Dance Connection Youth Ensemble
Becky Beacom

Health Educator and community volunteer, Palo Alto, CA
Matt Caspari

Managing Partner, Strawberry Creek Ventures - an Alumni Venture Fund, Menlo Park
Diane Downend

Treasurer

CFO, Eden Bridge Homes, Palo Alto, CA
Health Educator and community volunteer, Palo Alto, CA
In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with:
- Youth Community Service
- Adolescent Counseling Services
- Sequoia Union High School District
- Palo Alto Unified School District
- Palo Alto Council of PTAs
- Sequoia High School Health Careers Academy
- The Parent Venture
- Project Safety Net
- Safespace
- HEARD Alliance
- City of Palo Alto Human Services
Managing Partner, Strawberry Creek Ventures - an Alumni Venture Fund, Menlo Park
CFO, Eden Bridge Homes, Palo Alto, CA
In addition to PACF, I support the community through my current and past involvement with:
- Mid-Pen Housing
- The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
- Palo Alto Partners in Education
- Palo Alto Unified School District – PTA Council and PTAs
Leonard Ely III

Commericial Real Estate Sales and Leasing, Palo Alto
Steve Emslie

Secretary

Lighthouse Public Affairs, Palo Alto
Kristine S. Erving

Community Advocate, Palo Alto
Commericial Real Estate Sales and Leasing, Palo Alto
In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with:
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation Advisory Committee
- Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo
- Adolescent Counseling Services
- Palo Alto Community Block Grant committee
- Stevenson House
- Abilities United
Lighthouse Public Affairs, Palo Alto
In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with
- Palo Alto Family YMCA
- Friends of Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo
- Covia Affordable Communities (Lytton Gardens Senior Housing)
- Avenidas Facilities Committee
- Palo Alto/Stanford History (PAST)
Community Advocate, Palo Alto
In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with:
- Bring Me a Book
- YMCA Mid-Peninsula
- Vista Center
- Avenidas
- Peninsula Habitat for Humanity
Georgia Farooq

Executive Director, Thrive Alliance of Nonprofits in San Mateo County, Redwood City
Masha Korsunsky Fisch

Head of Marketing, Digital Transformation, Google, Palo Alto
Anne Frahn

Community Volunteer, Palo Alto, CA
Executive Director, Thrive Alliance of Nonprofits in San Mateo County, Redwood City
Head of Marketing, Digital Transformation, Google, Palo Alto
In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with:
- Walter Hays Elementary School PTA
- Bing Nursery School
- Stanford Business School
Community Volunteer, Palo Alto, CA
In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with:
- Addison Elementary School PTA
- Jordan Middle School Library
- Palo Alto High School College & Career Center
- Refugee Foster Care, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County – Foster parent
- Swing Left Peninsula – Co-founder and leader
- Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto – Board and various committees
- Human Rights Watch, Silicon Valley Committee
Karen French Neuman

CFO

Retired CPA, Palo Alto
Sally Hewlett

Community Volunteer, Palo Alto
Sheryl Klein

COO, Alta Housing, Palo Alto, CA
Retired CPA, Palo Alto
In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with:
- Palo Alto Partners in Education
- Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo
- Palo Alto Cool Block Program
- Palo Alto Schools and PTAs
- Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts
Community Volunteer, Palo Alto

COO, Alta Housing, Palo Alto, CA

In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with:

PA Farmers’ Market
PA Forward
Oshman Family JCC
Friends of PreSchool Family
JDRF
Palo Alto Schools PTAs
Kully Kooner

Operations, Salesforce, Palo Alto, CA
Fred Mondragon

Medalia, Vice President of Business Development, Palo Alto
Eliane Neukermans

Retired Castilleja High School teacher, Portola Valley
Operations, Salesforce, Palo Alto, CA

In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with:
Medalia, Vice President of Business Development, Palo Alto
In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with
- Ravenswood Family Health Center
- Stanford University
- Palo Alto Unified School District
Retired Castilleja High School teacher, Portola Valley
In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with:
- Avenidas
- St. Elizabeth Seton School
- Thomas Merton Center
- Foothill College Commission
- Human Rights Watch
Peter O’Riordan

Community Volunteer, Palo Alto
Sigrid Pinsky

President

Community Volunteer, Palo Alto
Missy Reller

Community Volunteer, Palo Alto
Community Volunteer, Palo Alto
Community Volunteer, Palo Alto
In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with:
- League of Women Voters of Palo Alto
- Adolescent Counseling Services
- Palo Alto Partners in Education
- PreSchool Family
- Project SafetyNet
Community Volunteer, Palo Alto
In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with:
- Palo Alto Partners in Education
- Bring Me A Book
- Addison PTA
Robert Roskoph

Attorney, Saratoga
Jane Rytina

Community Volunteer, Palo Alto
Anna Waring

Retired Executive Director, Foundation for a College Education, Palo Alto, CA
Attorney, Saratoga
In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with:
- Family & Children’s Services
- Palo Alto Kiwanis Club
- Palo Alto Little League
- AYSO
- Saratoga Elementary School; Redwood Middle School; Saratoga High School – parent volunteer
Community Volunteer, Palo Alto
In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with:
- Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo
- Palo Alto Partners in Education
- Upward Scholars
- Palo Alto Unified School District & PTAs
Retired Executive Director, Foundation for a College Education, Palo Alto, CA
In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with:
- Center for Excellence in Nonprofits
- Mid-Peninsula High School
- Distinguished Career Institute Global Advisory Board, Stanford University
Lauren Williams

Community Volunteer , Palo Alto
Community Volunteer , Palo Alto
In addition to PACF, I support Community through my current and past involvement with:
- AYSO
- Addison Elementary PTA
- DreamCatchers
- Greene Middle School PTA
- March of Dimes
- Palo Alto Little League
- Palo Alto Girls Softball