SDF - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Founder and CEO of TOOTRiS
Alessandra Lezama is the founder and CEO of TOOTRiS, an on-demand child care technology platform that is revolutionizing how parents find, enroll and pay for quality child care in real-time. With over 20 years as a technology executive and serial entrepreneur, Alessandra has an impressive track record for taking underperforming tech companies and turning them into global, high-performance powerhouses.
Alessandra's hands-on leadership across industries has earned her many accolades, such as the "2021 Dream Big - Minority Small Business of the Year Award" by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; "2021 Moving San Diego Forward Award" by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce; "2021 Outstanding Business Leader Award" by CSU San Marcos College of Business; "2020 Connect Women of Influence," "2020 Business Woman of the Year," "2018 Most Admired CEO of the Year" and "2016 Woman Who Means Business" by the San Diego Business Journal and many more.
Alessandra is passionate about technology and supporting women in the workforce and as entrepreneurs and actively advocates for quality early childhood education. Alessandra has recently been appointed to the Global - ReadyNation CEO Task Force for Early Childhood Development and the California Preschool Business Advisory Council. She serves on the San Diego County Child Care and Development Council, chairing the Needs Analysis Committee, and is a member of the Board of Directors and Management Council of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Directors for the San Diego Children's Discovery Museum. Driven by a deep-rooted social purpose, as a single mom and an immigrant to this country, Alessandra works relentlessly to help inspire the next generation of business leaders.
Job Titles:
- Manager
- Manager, Community Impact
Allan serves as a Manager within the Community Impact team and supports efforts to advance health equity and improve the health and well-being of children and families across the region.
Allan comes with a decade of experience in direct community health center work and health programming. Prior to joining The San Diego Foundation, Allan was a Program Director at the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations and had a special focus on addressing barriers and improving the health of under-resourced communities disproportionately burdened with diabetes. He also served in different leadership capacities within federally qualified health centers as an Associate Clinic Director for the Family Health Centers of San Diego and Clinic Supervisor for La Clinica de La Raza in Oakland, Calif., where he oversaw clinic operations, strengthened community partnerships, and built out the first school-based eye clinic in the San Francisco/Bay Area.
Allan holds a Masters of Science in Healthcare Administration and Interprofessional Leadership from the University of California, San Francisco, and a Bachelors of Science in Public Health Science from the University of Irvine, California.
Job Titles:
- Donor Services Specialist
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Board Member / Senior Relationship Manager, Allianz Global Investors
- Senior Relationship Manager
Ms. Montgomery is a senior relationship manager and a director with Allianz Global Investors, which she joined in 2013. Based in San Diego, she is a member of the Institutional Distribution Team and is responsible for business development and client service coverage for the Western US. Ms. Montgomery has 15 years of investment industry experience. She was previously an investment officer for the San Diego City Employees' Retirement System, where she oversaw plan assets in public equity and fixed income. Before that, Ms. Montgomery spent five years with Morgan Stanley in wealth management, and served five years in the US Navy as a lieutenant in the Civil Engineer Corps. She has a B.S. in engineering from Duke University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Team
- Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives
As Senior Director of Development, Strategic Initiatives, Amenah leads the development and execution of the fundraising strategy for the Foundation's strategic initiatives. She works directly with the Community Impact team to build, cultivate and strengthen relationships with donors and ensure consistent resources for the Community Impact Programs.
Prior to joining The Foundation, Amenah served as the Director of Development at People For the American Way, where she managed a diverse major gifts and institutional giving team. In this role, she helped the organization build a cohesive grant-seeking strategy and was responsible for soliciting and stewarding multiple transformational gifts. Prior to this, Amenah worked as an independent consultant with leading local and national non-profits to design successful donor-focused fundraising campaigns.
Amenah has a bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Alberta and a master's degree in Public Administration from Carleton University in Ottawa.
Job Titles:
- Community Resources Representative
- Community Resources Representative / Marketing & Communications
Job Titles:
- Senior Officer, Strategy & Grants
Job Titles:
- Finance
- Investment Analyst
- Finance and Investment Analyst / Finance & Grants
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Executive Team
- Vice President, Chief Development & Stewardship Officer
As Vice President, Chief Development & Stewardship Officer, Brian leads the Development and Stewardship Division, overseeing San Diego Foundation donor engagement and fundraising activities. He is responsible for expanding and diversifying the organization's donor base through strategic efforts that will grow The Foundation's assets and increase the impact of charitable giving in the region.
Prior to joining The Foundation, Brian served as Senior Executive Director of Development for UC San Diego Health Sciences, where he managed a diverse team of development professionals responsible for principal and major gifts. In this role, Brian helped prepare the Health Sciences Advancement organizational structure for the launch of the Campaign for UC San Diego, in addition to stewarding multiple transformational gifts for the institution. Prior to this, Brian was Director of Development at Columbia University Medical Center and Development Officer at New York University, where he helped facilitate major-and-principal gifts.
Brian serves as a board member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, San Diego Chapter. He earned his bachelor's degree at Boston College, as well as two master's degrees in Strategic Communications from Columbia University, and World History from New York University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Team
- Director, Development & Stewardship
As Director of Development & Stewardship, Cami leads strategy and management of new business. She increases philanthropy across the region by working with new donors who want to make an impact and assist those in need. Cami helps San Diegans personalize their giving through donor-advised funds and by joining existing funds at The San Diego Foundation.
Previously, Cami served as director of community relations for Cox Communications California. In her role, she was responsible for the strategic direction of the company's statewide community relations efforts, including employee volunteerism, the Cox Cares Foundation and its corporate giving. Cami also had a career in mission-driven impact by serving as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego North Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Currently, Cami serves on the advisory council for President Haynes of California State University San Marcos, as chairman of the board for Mission Edge and on the board of San Diego Habitat for Humanity. She earned a bachelor's degree in public relations/communications from Brigham Young University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Team
- Director, Mitigation and Nonprofit Funds
As Director, Mitigation and Nonprofit Funds, Candace oversees 80 mitigation funds and more than 300 agency funds. She provides oversight, strategic direction and growth opportunities in both areas. She develops complex financial models and provides detailed proposals and recommendations for funding models that will produce revenue in perpetuity.
Previously, Candace worked in Sales Operations at Pinterest assisting the ad tech team with administrative support throughout the county. Prior to that, she worked at UC San Diego in their programmatic efforts at Academic Enrichment Programs assisting students with pursuing advance degrees and as the Development Manager and subsequently the Major Gifts Officer at San Diego REPertory Theatre.
Candace earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations at California Polytechnic State University - Pomona and a Master in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Team
- Administrative Assistant, Executive Offic
- Administrative Assistant, Executive Office / Development
Job Titles:
- Graphic Designer & Digital Marketing Administrator
Job Titles:
- Manager, Education Initiatives
- Member of UC San Diego 's Chicanx / Latinx Alumni Council
As Manager, Education Initiatives, Cecilia assists with mobilizing philanthropy to advance educational equity in San Diego County. Cecilia is responsible for supporting the implementation of the suite of education equity strategies that improve educational outcomes in K - 16 so students are prepared for college and career success. Cecilia draws on her considerable knowledge of the local K - 12, post-secondary and community-based educational landscape to support strategic regional efforts towards better educational outcomes for San Diego County students.
Prior to joining The Foundation, Cecilia supported University of California, San Diego's Campus Initiatives development officers where she successfully engaged with UC San Diego alumni, The Preuss School alumni, donors and institutional leadership. In this role, Cecilia supported the efforts in raising over $600,000 as part of a $2 billion campaign for UC San Diego. As a Graduate Assistant, Cecilia worked with The Office of Educational Opportunity Programs and Ethnic Affairs at San Diego State University supporting the outreach and recruitment efforts of prospective first-generation students. Prior to this, Cecilia was the Program Coordinator at Converse International School of Languages and was responsible for managing the execution of four residential summer English camps at Yale University, Georgetown University, Loyola Marymount and the University of San Diego for international youth. In addition, Cecilia has worked with federal TRIO programs supporting five different school districts in San Diego County to increase college access for students who are furthest from opportunity.
Cecilia is a member of UC San Diego's Chicanx/Latinx Alumni Council. She earned her bachelor's degrees at UC San Diego in Ethnic Studies and Sociology, as well as a master's degree in Postsecondary Educational Leadership from San Diego State University. Cecilia is a proud San Diego native, born and raised in Barrio Logan and Southeast San Diego.
As the Database Manager, Chris's priority is ensuring that SDF staff, partners and applicants have access to timely and accurate information. This includes implementing solutions, establishing policies and procedures, security, database maintenance and troubleshooting any issues that may arise.
Prior to joining SDF, Chris served as the Business Intelligence Analyst and Compliance point person for Community HousingWorks. While in that position, Chris oversaw a database of over 9,000 active residents living across 42 properties, as well as data regarding financial information and resident services. He also built more than 20 data collection and workflow applications to meet business and data collection needs. Before Community HousingWorks, Chris worked as a Database Administrator and Business Intelligence Analyst for San Diego Zoo Global. Chris has built his career in the nonprofit sector, choosing to support organizations and people whose goal is to create a positive impact on the city and the globe.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director of Environmental Initiatives
Christiana DeBenedict serves as Director of Environmental Initiatives, leading programs and directing resources to build a more equitable and resilient San Diego. She has built her career locally, developing capacity, resources, programs and networks in support of our regional and binational environment and community.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Board Member / CFO, California Western School of Law
- CFO for California Western School of Law
Cindy is the CFO for California Western School of Law, a nonprofit graduate school established in San Diego in 1924. Cindy is focused on bringing excellence and leadership to the school to best serve their students and faculty.
Cindy has served the nonprofit industry for over 20 years. Most recently, she was the Vice President of Finance and Accounting for the YMCA of San Diego County for 9 years, one of the largest charitable organizations in the region.
Previously, Cindy was an audit partner with the 5th largest global accounting firm, BDO USA. Cindy was also a managing director at CBIZ/MHM, LLC where she led the Nonprofit Industry Group.
Cindy has been on several of San Diego's nonprofit boards, audit committees, and finance committees, including serving on the Board as Chair of Finance Committee for San Diego 2-1-1 for 9 years.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Board of the San Diego City Employees' Retirement System
Cliff Schireson has substantial experience in credit management, investment banking, and investment management. In 2004, he was recruited to become Director and co-head of Fixed Income at San Diego investment firm Brandes Investment Partners. While at Brandes, he was the portfolio manager working with San Diego Foundation on its investment in emerging markets equity strategy.
Today, Cliff is also a member of the board of the San Diego City Employees' Retirement System and heads its investment committee. He has served as board chair of the La Jolla Music Society and has been a member of the board of the San Diego Human Dignity Foundation. He also has been actively involved in alumni relations and fundraising for Stanford University, where he has earned multiple recognitions for his service, including the Governor's Award.
Cliff received a bachelor's degree in Economics from Stanford University and a master's degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.
Job Titles:
- Director of Community Scholarships
As Director of Education Initiatives, Michelle collaborates with community partners to ensure every San Diego student can achieve their aspiration of a post-secondary education. She also formerly served in the capacities of, Community Impact Director and Community Scholars Initiative Manager at San Diego Foundation. In her time as an independent consultant Michelle worked with leading local and national nonprofit and foundation clients to design equity-centered program and grantmaking strategies. She previously served as Director of Communications for the San Diego Housing Federation where she led advocacy efforts around affordable housing and sustainable land-use policies. As Director of Programs for the U.S.-Mexico Philanthropy Partnership, she supported a binational network of 21 community foundations working to build philanthropy and community leadership in the borderlands. She serves on the National Board of Advisors for Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP), and Leadership Council Member of the Latina Giving Circle of San Diego.
As Director of Community Scholarships, Danielle oversees the overall vision, planning, timeline, and management of these programs. She primarily works to develop and implement strategic direction and new fund development, as well as manage the development of the online scholarship application.
Danielle started at The Foundation in May 2011, providing local nonprofit organizations with services and tools to help increase their sustainability, and served as donor manager for more than 300 nonprofit funds.
Prior to joining SDF, Danielle worked at the Muscular Dystrophy Association, where she managed a healthcare services program for more than 1,000 patient families. Danielle earned her master's degree in cultural anthropology from the University of California, San Diego.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Secretary / Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, University of California, San Diego
Dr. Becky Petitt brings more than 25 years of experience in equity, diversity and inclusion work across the higher education community. She currently serves as Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at UC San Diego and is a member of the Chancellor's Cabinet. Petitt helps lead UC San Diego in productive collaborative partnerships throughout the campus and with external constituents to catalyze change.
Prior to UC San Diego, Becky served as Associate Vice President and Chief of Staff for the Office of Diversity at Texas A&M University. She also worked as an adjunct faculty member in the Texas A&M University College of Education and Human Development with scholarship focused on diversity in higher education, cultural competence, organizational development, and inclusive teaching and climate.
Becky holds a bachelor's degree in psychology, and received both master's and doctorate degrees in education from Texas A&M University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Board Member / President Emeritus, San Diego Mesa College
- President of San Diego Mesa College
Dr. Pamela Luster is the President of San Diego Mesa College, one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the U.S. In her role, Pamela focuses on student equity on campus while fostering an inclusive and engaging environment for faculty, staff, students and administrators. She is committed to finding permanent solutions to address the basic needs of community college students.
Previously, she served as the Vice President of Student Services, Interim Vice President of Instruction and Dean of Academic Services at Las Positas College. At West Valley College, she held the position of Dean of Career Education and Workforce Development and started her career as a faculty member in the Disabled Students program. Pamela's service includes membership on several local, state and national boards including San Diego Youth Services, San Diego Mesa College Foundation, California Community College Athletics Association, and the American Association of Community Colleges Commission for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
She currently serves on the Chief Executive Officers of California Community Colleges (CEOCCC) Board representing Region XI and is co-chairing the CEOCCC Task Force on Affordability, Food and Housing.
Elisabeth is a seasoned attorney in private practice with broad corporate, finance, and real estate experience. Additionally, she has developed a strong specialty in federal and state laws applicable to nonprofit organizations. As such, she has represented numerous hospitals, major academic medical centers, universities, retirement facilities and research facilities.
Elisabeth's volunteer experience includes serving as a Director and Secretary of the San Diego Parks Foundation and on the Advisory Council to the Salvation Army Alcohol Recovery Center and serving as past Director of the YMCA Corporate Board of Directors. She currently serves as Chair of the Foundation's Charitable Real Estate Foundation (CREF) Board, and as a member of the Foundation's Finance Committee and Policy and Impact Committee.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Board Member / President & CEO, Ocean Park Inn Hotel
- Generation Owner
Elvin Lai is a fourth-generation owner-operator of the 71-room Ocean Park Inn hotel in Pacific Beach, which was reimagined for a spring 2021 debut. He is the immediate past president of the San Diego County Hotel-Motel Association and played a leading role in establishing the Pacific Beach Clean and Safe program. He is a serial entrepreneur, with four different businesses in three different sectors.
A graduate of the University of San Diego, Lai's greatest passions are building relationships, supporting the growth of our tourism industry and working to better our community for future generations. Lai is active on several boards throughout San Diego, including Mayor Todd Gloria's Asian Pacific Islander (API) Advisory Board, San Diego Convention Center Corporation and the Asian Business Association of San Diego, among others.
As Manager of Investments, Eva works directly with the Chief Investment Officer and provides investment management, operations and administrative support to the Investment Department. She serves as a relationship manager for the firm's custodian and investment managers. Additionally, she handles due diligence on prospective investment managers and monitors the performance and positioning of existing investment managers.
Prior to her role as Manager of Investments, Eva served as the Board Liaison at The Foundation for three years working directly with the CEO, Board of Governors and community volunteer committee members. She supported the Board in its governance overhaul and launch of the organization's strategic plan in 2020 and 2021.
Before joining The Foundation, Eva worked in financial services for Nuveen and Guggenheim Partners holding roles in client services, administration and reporting.
Eva graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a degree in Communication Studies.
Job Titles:
- Manager of San Diego Foundation 's Climate Initiatives
- Manager, Climate Initiatives
As Manager of San Diego Foundation's Climate Initiatives, Everett endeavors to provide leadership and drive philanthropic investment that promote a sustainable path to economic growth and a thriving quality of life for San Diego's diverse communities. He plays a critical role in developing cross-sector partnerships and working with communities to advance equitable climate resilience efforts for The Foundation.
Prior to joining the San Diego Foundation, Everett served in various public sector roles where he wore many hats as an informal educator, academic counselor, volunteer coordinator, environmental programs administrator and grant writer. Everett is passionate about cultivating opportunities for others and is currently chair of Leaders 20/20, a professional network for emerging environmental professionals and leaders.
Everett holds a bachelor's degree in Earth Sciences from the University of California Santa Cruz and a master's degree in Public Policy and Administration from the California Lutheran University where he focused on environmental policymaking in the United States.
Gisele enables the growth of Intel's Data Center business, while ensuring a strong culture of ethics and legal compliance as Senior Strategic Risk and Controls Program Manager. In her role, she leads teams to implement new solutions and identify emerging risks based on evolving technologies, markets, and eco-system.
As a former Captain in the United States Navy and Commanding Officer of Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, Gisele brings a wealth of leadership to The San Diego Foundation.
A native of Nicaragua, Gisele graduated from the University of California, Berkeley and holds a master's degree in science in space systems operations from the Naval Postgraduate School and a master's degree of arts in strategic studies from the Air War College.
Job Titles:
- Treasurer
- President & COO of Marsh & McLennan Agency 's West Region
- Treasurer / President & COO, Marsh & McLennan Agency West Region
As President & COO of Marsh & McLennan Agency's West Region, Hal oversees the day-to-day operations in California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Hal formerly served as President of Barney & Barney Insurance Services LLC, overseeing human resources, facilities, information technology, corporate communications and legal affairs for the company.
In 2009, he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the San Diego Business Journal's CFO of the Year awards and was previously recognized as a "CFO of the Year." He is a LEAD San Diego graduate and was presented with its Herb Klein Visionary Leadership Award.
Active in the community, Hal served for 11 years as the Presidents of the Board of Walden Family service, is a member of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, serves on the Board of Directors of the Barney & Barney Foundation, and has volunteered weekly at Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla, for the past 19 years.
Job Titles:
- Video Production Specialist
Job Titles:
- Manager, Thrive Outside San Diego
Heather manages the Thrive Outside Community Initiative at The San Diego Foundation, which was launched in 2019 through the Outdoor Foundation and local partners to increase meaningful, repeat and reinforcing outdoor opportunities for youth and families in San Diego County.
Prior to this role, Heather served as a Program Specialist at The Foundation, overseeing key objectives in the Community Impact department. In addition, Heather has served as an Associate Manager at a local medical device company where she managed sales territory alignments, special compensation plans, customer master maintenance and sales reporting.
Heather holds bachelor's degree in International Affairs and French from James Madison University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Officer, Analytics & Impact
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Member of the Executive Team
- Vice President
- CIO & Director of Research at Canterbury Consulting
As Chief Financial Officer, Mr. James Howell, CFA, CTP, oversees the accounting, finance, and information technology roles at The San Diego Foundation.
He is a member of The Foundation's leadership team, coordinates the Finance and Audit committees, and works closely with staff, professional volunteers, and service providers to establish, administer, and monitor financial reporting, internal controls, treasury, insurance, grants administration, and information systems.
Prior to joining the Foundation, as CIO & Director of Research at Canterbury Consulting, Howell led investment strategy for $13 billion in assets and directed all functions related to manager and capital markets research. From 2007-2012, Howell was CIO & Director of Finance at The Scripps Research Institute responsible for investment, banking, and insurance relationships across $1.6 billion of endowment, pension, and other assets.
Over the previous 17 years, Howell was an executive at United Parcel Service, most recently as Director, Capital Markets and Alternative Investment Officer for the UPS Retirement Plan.
A Certified Treasury Professional and Chartered Financial Analyst, Howell earned a Bachelor of IE degree from Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA-Finance from Georgia State University. Howell serves on the Investment Committee of Loma Linda University and the Finance Committee of Alliance Healthcare Foundation.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Team
- Director, Wealth Advisor Relations for the San Diego Foundation
Job Titles:
- Support Analyst, Information Technology
Job Titles:
- Director, Digital Marketing
Job Titles:
- Officer, Government Relations & Policy
Job Titles:
- Program Specialist, Community Impact
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Team
- Director, Development
Job Titles:
- Director, Community Impact
Job Titles:
- Administrator, Donor Services
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Donor and Community Engagement
Job Titles:
- Controller / Senior Director of Financial Reporting
Job Titles:
- Manager, Community Impact
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Team
- Prospect Reaserch Analyst
Job Titles:
- Program Specialist, Regional Affiliates
Job Titles:
- Director, Donor Relations
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Team
- Director, Gift Planning Advisor
Job Titles:
- Manager, Donor Stewardship
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Executive Team
- President
Matt Fettig - Chief Investment Officer, VP
Job Titles:
- Chief Investment Officer
- Member of the Executive Team
- Vice President
Job Titles:
- Community Scholarships Specialist
Job Titles:
- Director, Information Technology
Job Titles:
- Director, Education Initiatives
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Team
- Manager, Development
Job Titles:
- Gift & Data Entry Administrator
Job Titles:
- Expanded Learning Analyst
Job Titles:
- Associate, Research & Analytics
Job Titles:
- Immediate past Chair
- Vice Chair
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Team
- Vice President, Chief Impact and Partnerships Officer
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Team
- Director, Philanthropy Advisor
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Team
Job Titles:
- Gift & Data Entry Administrator / Information Technology
Job Titles:
- Executive Director, San Diego Women 's Foundation
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Team
- Vice President, Chief Innovation Officer, San Diego Foundation / President & CEO, San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center
Job Titles:
- Chief Marketing & Communications Officer
- Member of the Executive Team
- Vice President
- Vice President, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer / Executive Office
Job Titles:
- Manager, Community Impact
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager, Information Technology
Job Titles:
- Director, Regional Affiliates
Job Titles:
- Communications & Events Manager
Job Titles:
- Administrator, Donor Services