CAP SONOMA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Controller
- Director of Finance
I have been in the accounting field for at least ten years. I also possess a B.S. degree in Business Administration, with a focus on Accounting. Throughout my accounting journey, I have had the opportunity to work in a variety of industries. From managing the finance of independent grocery stores to navigating the complexities of e-commerce. I have even delved into the exciting realm of video game development. But my adventure did not stop there. I also had the privilege of working with non-profit organizations supporting environmental and space research, as well as those focused on providing low-income housing, among others. These experiences have given me a unique perspective on how to adapt and tailor my skills to meet the specific needs of any organization. What gives me satisfaction is using my accounting abilities to make a positive impact on the lives of those around me. Whether it is helping a business to identify areas of improvement or ensuring that a non-profit organization can continue their vital work, I like knowing that I am contributing to my community and the people around me.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of the BOARD
Cory comes to CAP Sonoma with over 15 years of experience in the apartment management field, and has worked as CAP's Property Manager for the Aston and Earle Street apartment complexes for the past 14 years. Corey's expertise and hard work ensures that our buildings are safe, compliant and welcoming for our residents. Corey is also a dental hygienist (he was trained by CAP Sonoma's previous Executive Director and current Board Member, Dr. Susan Cooper!), and wearing another hat for the organization, he serves as CAP's Give Kids A Smile Day (GKAS) Ambassador. GKAS is an annual event that provides free dental service to children in Sonoma County ages 0-18 years old. As the GKAS Ambassador, Cory has been nationally recognized by the American Dental Association and sits on the National GKAS Advisory Board. In his free time, Corey likes to spend time with his wife and kids and enjoys all kinds of sports and music.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the LEADERSHIP TEAM
Cynthia has been working for Bay Area county and nonprofit agencies for the last twenty years. She has developed an expertise in navigating the intersection of programs, data, collaboration, and strategy. Over the last five years she has worked in Disaster Response, Recovery and Preparedness across 5 counties and 20 disasters. After completing her masters in Social Work and Public Health she spent ten years as an analyst for Alameda and then Sonoma Counties, subsequently moving to nonprofit work where she developed and implemented innovative and sustainable programs in the areas of Nutrition Education, Food Access, Financial Stability, and Leadership Development. Prior to CAP she spent 2.5 years at a regional association of clinics working on Quality Improvement, Community Health, and managing a Health Center Controlled Network with Community Health Centers in six counties. She has been a practitioner coach with Radical Transformational Leadership for Social Impact since 2017. Her leadership is focused on empathy and connection, and grounded in her values of love, compassion and equity.
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant / Board Clerk
As Executive Assistant and Board Clerk, Devon comes to CAP Sonoma with over a decade's experience as an Administrator in behavior specialized education. Through her work she was able to support the children and their families as well as provide outreach to the larger special needs community. In addition, Devon is an avid baker creating mouth-watering delicacies that closely resemble fanciful works of art. She is also the proud mother of a beautiful pre-teen daughter.
Iliana graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Sonoma State University, and then from California State University of Long Beach with a Master's degree in Public Administration. She first joined Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County (CAPSC) as an Outreach Worker for the disaster relief team and, shortly after, advanced to Program Coordinator for the HCA Family Fund Program. Iliana is now our Compliance Manager and oversees agency reporting and our client database system.
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD
- Mayor Natalie Rogers
Job Titles:
- Chief Development Officer
Jenny comes to CAP Sonoma with over 20 years of nonprofit experience in fundraising and grant management. Originally from Michigan (Go Blue!) she started her career as a classroom teacher in Houston, Texas with the Teach for America program. She received her Masters in Education Leadership at the Bank Street School of Education in New York City while teaching high school. Shortly thereafter, she made the transition to nonprofit work and freelance grant writing, raising millions of dollars for school districts, charter management organizations, and nonprofit organizations. Jenny moved to the Bay Area in 2004 and came to Santa Rosa with her family in 2021. Jenny was drawn to CAP Sonoma for the value it places on integrating community strengths and partnerships to alleviate poverty and its root causes; as well as the collective spirit of collaboration and tenacity that our staff and board exhibit to make our community a better place for everyone. In her free time, Jenny loves to explore the towns and parks in and around Sonoma County with her family and traveling in and outside of California as much as possible.
Job Titles:
- Galauski Human Resources Director
Jo is a cross-functional Human Resources professional with experience spanning almost 20 years. Prior to joining CAP Sonoma, and while in her previous role of Vice President of Human Resources, Jo had the opportunity to create and implement highly progressive programs and policies related to diversity and equality in the workplace. She is passionate about maintaining an employee-centric organization, and her focus on promoting diversity, inclusion, and a positive environment for staff is a natural fit for our agency's values. When not working, Jo loves hanging out with her family, discovering new Sonoma County restaurants, and spending time at home with her three hairless cats.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Member of the LEADERSHIP TEAM
Johnny Nolen comes to us with 19 years of leadership experience, ranging from COO of his compliance and community organizing consultancy startup CoMission/421 Group to VP of Operations of the SPARC/Peace in Medicine family of companies. Johnny has a passion for building dynamic, integrated systems that are effective and intuitive to manage. In his free time, Johnny enjoys maintaining a strict bodybuilding routine and playing board games with his husband, Roberto, and his three cats.
Job Titles:
- Chief
- Member of the LEADERSHIP TEAM
- Program Officer
Kathy Kane, RDHAP is a 1991 graduate of Loma Linda University and a 2004 graduate of University of the Pacific's Registered Dental Hygienist Program. For the past 13 years, Kathy has owned On The Go Dental Hygiene, a mobile dental hygiene practice that provides preventative dental hygiene services. She has worked for Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County since 2012 as the Assistant Director of Programs for the Health and Wellness Department and the Financial Stability Department. Kathy oversees program development, implementation, grant writing and reporting for the nine programs within her departments.
Matt Benford is the Chief Financial Officer for CAP Sonoma responsible for overseeing the financial management and accounting functions of the organization. He is passionate about bringing solid business practice and financial acumen to impact social good. Prior to joining the team at CAP, Matt served as Vice President of Finance & Controller for the United Way Bay Area leading the finance and accounting teams in executing critical finance functions, growing the organization's financial technology and scaling capacity. Matt holds an M.B.A in Nonprofit Administration and Management from Crown College and a Master of Science in Finance from the University of Miami. A Chicago native, Matt spends most of his free time with wife and two kids, playing drums and following Formula 1 racing.
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD
- Mayor Natalie Rogers
As the agency's Grant Manager, Nathan is dedicated to making the most positive impact on the community and the world at large as he can. As an advocate for the principles of effective altruism and longtermism, he hopes to align his career path in a direction where he can impact his community and help as many individuals as possible. He truly believes in creating non-stigmatizing ways to provide families with a variety of resources that address their concrete needs such as, affordable housing, skill building, and developmentally appropriate parenting, all while also offering opportunities for healing, growth, learning, and personal development. He stands for altruism and compassion for himself and all others and believes that positively influencing the future long-term is a key moral priority of all individuals. He prides himself on being a father, husband, and Jiu-Jitsu enthusiast, and can be found flying his kite on the weekends with his 3-year-old daughter.