VALLEY VISION - Key Persons
Adrian joined Valley Vision in 2014 as an Intern, supporting projects to deploy broadband to the underserved, advance an equitable food system, and align workforce development and jobs programs. Today he manages Valley Vision's ‘Clean Economy' portfolio, which includes the Cleaner Air Partnership, an initiative that has existed since 1986 to improve air quality across the 6-County Sacramento region, and more recent efforts (since 2017) to facilitate community-led air protection efforts in North and South Sacramento. Adrian also leads some of Valley Vision's communications activities.
Professional Experience
Before joining Valley Vision, Adrian worked on state and local political campaigns, interned with a global nonprofit to help build the next generation of leaders, authored a popular online socioeconomics column, and more.
Adrian is a product of an unconventional upbringing in the quirky ‘State of Jefferson,' having been born and raised in the rural Mendocino County redwoods and spending his teenage years in Southern Oregon. Growing up on ten acres of dense foliage honed his brush clearing and wood chopping skills, which haven't (yet) proved useful as a Valley Vision team member.
Alan joined Valley Vision in 2015 as the organization's chief operating officer. He helps design and implement processes that allow the organization and staff to achieve project and organizational goals as effectively as possible. Alan also manages special projects with specific focus on the organization's Healthy Communities strategy.
Professional Experience
Before joining Valley Vision, Alan spent 15 years working in the Sacramento region's nonprofit sector. He has successfully led dozens of research and planning projects aimed at improving the quality and impact of health and social services in the Sacramento region. The scope and scale of those efforts have ranged from comprehensive service plans for HIV services to disaster response plans for vulnerable populations. He has created policy and procedure manuals for all aspects of organizational operations, crafted agency budgets and budget tracking tools, designed staff development programs and performance evaluation methods, and supported organizations through leadership transitions.
I want the Sacramento region to be a place of proactive planning. Let's address the upstream challenges so that we don't spend the next several decades living with the consequences.
Job Titles:
- Communications Manager
- a Project Associate
Alana joined Valley Vision as a Project Associate in June of 2022 before promotion to Communications Manager in January 2024.
Professional Experience
Prior to joining Valley Vision, Alana worked with CivicWell, a Sacramento-based nonprofit supporting sustainable policies and the leaders and communities that implement them. She began in January 2021 as an Administrative & HR Coordinator before being promoted to HR Associate in March 2022. Her role consisted of a variety of tasks including planning and coordinating the Yosemite Policymakers Annual Conference. During her time in college, she also did both paid and unpaid work promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Her positions included: Student Equity Advocate at Folsom Lake College, Web Coordinator Intern at Sacramento Faces Race, and a DEI Fellow at Honey.
Impact Area Angela joined Valley Vision in 2023 as the Project Leader focused on the Listos California Emergency Preparedness campaign. Professional Experience Over the years, Angela has honed in on her strength for managing projects from start to finish in the private sector while working for companies focusing on industrial materials, advertising, and sales, as […]
Angelina joined Valley Vision in 2021 as a Project Associate in the 21st Century Workforce Impact Area. She previously served as an AmeriCorps VISTA in the Sacramento Promise Zone, a Federal place-based initiative that seeks to address inequities in the most distressed areas in urban and rural areas across the nation. Professional Experience Angelina promoted […]
Job Titles:
- 2021 Board Chair
- Chancellor Los Rios Community College District
Brian King serves as Valley Vision's 2021 board chair and has been a consummate champion for educational attainment, skills development and workforce preparation across the Sacramento region.
Brittnii joined Valley Vision in June of 2021 as an Executive Associate supporting the CEO, Evan Schmidt and office staff administratively. Professional Experience Brittnii comes with a diverse set of skills and experience. Her first career was in early childhood education working with children in a preschool setting. She has also assisted prospective college students
"Valley Vision is unique in its ability to bring government and communities together."
Job Titles:
- Corporate Director of Public Affairs Raley 's Supermarkets
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- Member of the Board
- President & CEO Sierra Health Foundation
Chet Hewitt has been a long-standing Valley Vision board member whose career focus on health disparities, health equity, and the healthy development and well-being of vulnerable youth has inspired much of Valley Vision's work around regional health needs assessments and equity strategies.
Job Titles:
- President University of the Pacific
Job Titles:
- Owner & Operator Canon Restaurant
Darlene was also a member of the Community Involvement program at Pacific which focused on serving the Stockton community by promoting access to higher education, self-efficacy, and tutoring services. In addition to their academic career, Darlene served as an Americorp member with the University of the Pacific as a Pacific Action El Concilio CA Special Events Intern. After Darlene's Americorp service ended they were invited to join El Concilio CA as a Bilingual Community Outreach Specialist and shortly after was promoted to Grant Operations Coordinator & Report Analyst.
Impact Area Darlene joined Valley Vision in March 2023 as a Project Associate supporting the Community Economic Relief Fund (CERF). Professional Experience Darlene has experienced a blended life of growing up in Socal, Mexico, and the Central Valley. Prior to joining Valley Vision, Darlene worked in the retail industry and in the education field amounting […]
Job Titles:
- a Project Associate
- Project Associate
- S Top 5 Strengths
Diangelo holds an Associate with Kansas City Community College and has Scrum and Project Management certifications. He is passionate about civic engagement in youth and how to improve the job market. He is hardworking, determined, and strives to grow with an organization that focuses on life-changing work.
Restorative - Adept at dealing with problems. Good at figuring out what is wrong and resolving it.
Strategic - Creates alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, quickly spots the relevant patterns and issues.
Achiever - Great deal of stamina and works hard. Takes great satisfaction from being busy and productive.
Impact Area In 2023, Diangelo joined Valley Vision as a Project Associate in the 21st Century Workforce impact area. Professional Experience Diangelo possesses years of experience in civic engagement and leadership. He is known for his open-minded thinking, strong work ethic, and positive attitude. Diangelo has a proven track record of goal setting and exceeding […]
Job Titles:
- President & CEO United Way California Capital Region
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- Director, Partner Eligibility & Oversight Services U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid
Job Titles:
- Leader
- Vice President, Communications and Community Relations Golden 1 Credit Union
Erica Taylor is an active civic leader supporting a wide array of community improvement initiatives across the region, her Board role supports Valley Vision's leadership to advance prosperity, equity, and sustainability.
In addition to her CEO role, Evan is an active civic leader, currently serving as Co-Chair of the California Stewardship Network and sitting on Boards of Directors or Advisory Committees for multiple community organizations. She was recognized as one of the region's 100 Most Notable Business Leaders in 2021, has authored scholarly publications, and has contributed to a variety of regional and statewide media outlets.
Evan Schmidt joined Valley Vision in 2014 and became CEO on July 1, 2020. Evan has a long record of success developing community inspired solutions across Valley Vision's many initiatives - including leading Valley Vision's research, such as regional polling and future of work; supporting Valley Vision's impact areas advancing prosperity, equity, and sustainability; and leading strategy and evaluation efforts across the organization.
Professional Experience
Evan came to Valley Vision with 15 years of experience as a community development professional. She has worked as an evaluator and a private consultant prior to joining Valley Vision. She led evaluation projects for organizations across the U.S., helping them become more effective and impactful. Additionally, she has advanced major regional community initiatives and conducted research at UC Davis in community development and environmental planning before coming to Valley Vision. Evan's experience in community development spans years and content areas - including economic development, community engagement, land use planning, public health, and more. Her commitment to community is foundational to her professional and civic leadership - always working to create access, opportunities, prosperity, and well-being for all.
Job Titles:
- Adult Education Advisory Committee
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- President & CEO Western Health Advantage
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- Chancellor University of California, Davis
"Valley Vision is working toward a better future by looking at all communities and being unafraid to focus on communities that are underserved."
Job Titles:
- Placer County Superintendent of Schools Placer County Office of Education
Job Titles:
- CEO Aka the Hunter & Gatherer Hacker Lab
Grace joined Valley Vision in 2020. She works in the Food and Agriculture and Clean Economy impact areas by managing the Yolo Food Hub project, the Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan (CROP), the USDA Southwest Regional Food Business Center, and the Zero Emission Hydrogen Locomotive Project. At Valley Vision, Grace has supported the 2021 Sacramento Region Food System Action Plan, the Listos California Emergency Preparedness Campaign, and the Climate Justice and Jobs Summit. Grace also manages Valley Vision's climate change initiatives.
Gustavo joined Valley Vision in August 2022 as a Project Associate supporting the 21st Century Workforce area.
Professional Experience
Born and raised in the Central Valley, Gustavo has always supported organizations that have focused on increasing accessibility to people from disenfranchised communities. His first experience in the nonprofit sector was in outdoor education and leadership, where he taught English and poetry to high school students while backpacking through Yosemite National Park for 40 days. Gustavo's undergraduate career focused on creating a deeper understanding of law and policy, nonprofit sector work, and community engagement. He worked with his university's Civic Action Committee to increase student involvement in the Stockton community, competed for University of Pacific's nationally recognized speech and debate program, and worked as a special projects intern at El Concilio.
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science - University of the Pacific
Interests
Powerlifting, backpacking, finding the best restaurants in Sacramento, and making terrible puns.
Job Titles:
- Project Leader
- Senior Project Manager
Impact Area For nearly a decade, Hilary's career has been in workforce development, managing clean energy job training programs in the North Valley region. Through this work, she built strong partnerships with job training organizations, employers, and educational institutions. Hilary looks forward to focusing on new economic sectors and innovative career pathways to improve the livability of […]
Job Titles:
- Regional Administrator Federal Railroad Administration
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President & General Counsel Sacramento Kings
Jeff's leadership in shaping development in Sacramento as well as his action-oriented mindset will help push Valley Vision towards effective and responsive action that supports the prosperity of our region.
Job Titles:
- Project Manager
- in 2022 As a Project Manager
Jessica joined Valley Vision in 2022 as a Project Manager, supporting the Listos California Emergency Preparedness campaign. Prior to joining Valley Vision, Jessica worked in early childhood education as an administrator in her hometown of Stockton, California.
Professional Experience
Jessica began working in the nonprofit sector as a teenage volunteer supporting local organizations with outreach, fundraising and event planning. After graduating college, Jessica worked in her hometown of Stockton, California working as a Disabilities and Mental Health Coordinator for several Migrant Head Start preschool centers supporting teaching staff and advocating for families with children with disabilities. Jessica has ground level experience working with hard to reach populations helping them access support and resources through outreach and advocacy.
Education
Bachelors of Arts in Anthropology - California State University, Sacramento
Interests
Rescuing animals. Discovering new art and music. Learning about different ways to be sustainable. Learning to cook vegan and vegetarian food. Finding new ways to stay active. Spoiling my rescue dogs (and cat).
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager of Government Relations & Local Public Affairs Pacific Gas & Electric ( PG & E )
Kathy's ethnicity is Mien-American, and her family's history is deeply rooted in Northern Laos. She was born and raised here in Oak Park, Sacramento, and her family, background and community are the core reasons why she chose an educational and career path in planning. Community is a very important aspect in Kathy's life and is […]
Job Titles:
- CEO Sacramento Region Community Foundation
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President - Area Manager Hospital Administrator Kaiser Permanente
Laurel joined Valley Vision in August 2022 as a Project Associate for the Listos California Emergency Preparedness Campaign. She has over 4.5 years of experience working in nonprofit settings dedicated to improving healthy communities in the Sacramento Region.
Professional Experience
Laurel, a local of the Sacramento region, began her career working in nonprofits following college when she served as an Americorps CivicSpark Climate Fellow working on a year-long station area planning project with the California High Speed Rail Authority to promote smart growth principles in the Central Valley. Since then, Laurel worked as a communications and program coordinator at a Soil Born Farms Urban Agriculture Project in Sacramento for 4.5 years where she served as executive assistant to co-directors, coordinated food access programs, and managed grant tracking, reporting and administrative operations.
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies & City Planning - Sonoma State University
Interests
Laurel enjoys traveling, gardening, collecting house plants, spending time with friends & family, and going to local events & farmers markets.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Founder LBC Strategy, LLC
Linda Cutler serves as an Executive Committee member and actively connects philanthropic giving with concrete strategies to improve the well-being of those in our region.
Liz Kilkenny is a Project Associate at Valley Vision, a non-profit organization based in Sacramento, California.
Professional Experience
Although she is relatively new to the non-profit industry, Liz brings a wealth of experience from her previous work in personal relationship banking, where she focused on supporting small businesses.
With a passion for community development and a commitment to serving those in need, Liz was drawn to the mission of Valley Vision. In her current role, she works alongside a team of dedicated professionals to design and implement projects that promote economic growth and social equity in the Sacramento region.
Education
Associates Degree - University Nevada, Reno
Interests
Liz is an avid hiker and enjoys exploring the natural beauty of Northern California. She is also actively involved in the local community, volunteering with organizations that support small businesses and promote environmental sustainability.
Impact Area Liz Kilkenny is a Project Associate at Valley Vision, a non-profit organization based in Sacramento, California. Professional Experience Although she is relatively new to the non-profit industry, Liz brings a wealth of experience from her previous work in personal relationship banking, where she focused on supporting small businesses. With a passion for community […]
Job Titles:
- SVP, Greater Sacramento Market Executive Bank of America
Job Titles:
- President & CEO First Northern Bank
Maritessa joined Valley Vision in July 2023 as a project leader focused on the Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF) program. Professional Experience Maritessa is a social impact professional with over 10 years of project and program management experience in Northern California. Most recently, she worked in the financial services industry managing a variety of projects
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder & CEO Improve Your Tomorrow
Navreet joined Valley Vision in July 2022 as a Project Associate supporting the Innovation and Infrastructure impact area. Raised in California's Central Valley, Navreet's firsthand experiences taught her the importance of centering community voices in regional decision making, in order to create equitable change.
Professional Experience
With a broad academic focus, Navreet's undergraduate career focused on pursuing opportunities which aligned with her passions for climate action, regional development, and policy implementation. She served as intern for California Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry where she provided direct constituency support, a Bradshaw Scholar with the UC Davis Center for Regional Change, intern with CivicWell supporting CivicSpark operations, Chairperson for the ASUCD Academic Affairs Commission where she led student advocacy efforts during remote learning, and more.
Education
Bachelor's of Arts in Political Science, Minor in Social, Ethnic, and Gender Relations - University of California, Davis
Interests
Always welcoming change - whether discovering interesting recipes, attempting to bake, exploring California's landscapes, or listening to new music genres. Taking endless pictures on film. Spending time with Bear, a loving and energetic English Bulldog.
Job Titles:
- CEO & General Manager SMUD
"Two things spring to mind when I think of Valley Vision's strengths: stellar research capabilities and connecting communities to meaningful conversations."
Job Titles:
- President StoneBridge Properties
Renee joined Valley Vision in March of 2020 to support efforts in the 21st Century Workforce Impact Area. Prior to Valley Vision, Renee led workforce development projects for ten years as a director with a community based nonprofit. Her work has included Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act projects, administering community block grants, youth employment, refugee and English language learner initiatives. Throughout her work Renee has built relationships and strong collaboration with a variety of partners including workforce investment boards, governmental agencies, educational institutions, the business community, nonprofits, and other service providers.
Professional Experience
Prior to her career in workforce development, Renee's roles included business development at a regional chamber of commerce, hospitality management and positions supporting Sacramento area entrepreneurs. In addition to managing a broad spectrum of projects in workforce development, Renee brings experience in youth leadership development and financial empowerment initiatives.
Education
Renee is a proud graduate of California State University Sacramento (Go Hornets!) with a Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner Downey Brand LLP
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- Founder & Co - Director Soil Born Farms
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- Vice President of Insights and Analytics 3fold Communications
To me, livability is the shared success of the community. That's why Valley Vision is so important: we convene diverse groups to create a shared definition of success we can move toward, together.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- in 2014 As Managing Director
Trish joined Valley Vision in 2014 as managing director after several years as a consultant to the organization. She oversees Valley Vision's food and ag economy, 21st century workforce, and broadband strategies. Professional Experience Trish's vast regional and statewide networks greatly contribute to the growth and vitality of the region. An effective grant writer, Trish helped […]
Job Titles:
- Chief Administrative Officer CommonSpirit Health
Job Titles:
- Superintendent / President Sierra College