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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

Directors Emeriti

Marti deBenedetti

Betsy Gifford

Bill Reller

Charles Schulz

Roger Smith

Maddy Stein

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

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
    Lisa Van Dusen
    Executive Director
    Palo Alto
  • Suzanne Attenborough
    Suzanne Attenborough
    Director of Communications & Operations
    Palo Alto
  • Susan Fields Bailey
    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
    Becky Beacom
    Health Educator and community volunteer, Palo Alto, CA
  • Matt Caspari
    Matt Caspari
    Managing Partner, Strawberry Creek Ventures - an Alumni Venture Fund, Menlo Park
  • Diane Downend
    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
    Leonard Ely III
    Commericial Real Estate Sales and Leasing, Palo Alto
  • Steve Emslie
    Steve Emslie
    Secretary
    Lighthouse Public Affairs, Palo Alto
  • Kristine S. Erving
    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
    Georgia Farooq
    Executive Director, Thrive Alliance of Nonprofits in San Mateo County, Redwood City
  • Masha Korsunsky Fisch
    Masha Korsunsky Fisch
    Head of Marketing, Digital Transformation, Google, Palo Alto
  • Anne Frahn
    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
    Karen French Neuman
    CFO
    Retired CPA, Palo Alto
  • Sally Hewlett
    Sally Hewlett
    Community Volunteer, Palo Alto
  • Sheryl Klein
    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
    Kully Kooner
    Operations, Salesforce, Palo Alto, CA
  • Fred Mondragon
    Fred Mondragon
    Medalia, Vice President of Business Development, Palo Alto
  • Eliane Neukermans
    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
    Peter O’Riordan
    Community Volunteer, Palo Alto
  • Sigrid Pinsky
    Sigrid Pinsky
    President
    Community Volunteer, Palo Alto
  • Missy Reller
    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
    Robert Roskoph
    Attorney, Saratoga
  • Jane Rytina
    Jane Rytina
    Community Volunteer, Palo Alto
  • Anna Waring
    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
    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