What we believe: The San Geronimo Valley Community Center recognizes that social justice is fundamental to the health of our communities and to our mission as an organization. We commit to examining our organizational behavior on an ongoing basis to ensure that our programs, practices, and procedures are antiracist, equitable, and inclusive of all in our community. We commit to accepting all without bias and taking intentional action for social justice and we commit to creating culturally diverse programming that educates, inspires action, and shifts norms.
David and his wife Stephanie moved to the Valley in 2009, soon after David retired from his career as a Physician at Kaiser Medical Center, San Rafael. Retirement however did not slow David down, in fact he is busier than ever: He is a passionate amateur cellist (now in two orchestras, a quartet and trio), a wood worker, and an active West Marin explorer. David joined the Board in 2012 and has been the fearless leader of our facilities committee for many years and currently is serving as board president. David is responsible for many of the renovations at the Center and continues to work hard on projects that will contribute to our community.
Liora is a long term Board member and has been a key part of our fund development work. With her husband Jay, they launched the Center’s Annual Golf Tournament to support the building of the Gym and now the ongoing maintenance and gym programming. Annually the Golf Tournament brings in about $20,000 and offers the community a super fun way to support us. Liora approaches her Board service with a sense of fun and community building. Liora and Jay own Jayli Clothing, which designs, manufactures and imports a bohemian clothing line. Liora raised her two daughters Tai and Molly in the Valley and continues to give back in so many ways.
Alexander has been on the Board for 13 years and brings a perspective of having grown up in the Valley and in Community Center programs. Alexander has served on several committees during his time at the Center and is particularly supportive of our Arts and Events programs. His dad Michael McQuilkin created the Family Music Hour at the Center and Alexander has played an important role as a Board ambassador. Alexander also volunteers weekly at the Food Pantry.
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David has served on the Board for nearly two terms and just completed his second year as president. He is now in the role of treasurer. David is deeply involved in and passionate about the work of the Center and is engaged on every level. Last year when the Center’s office suffered from water-intrusion during the terrible storms, David was on his back, in the water, helping us to safely remove items and furniture. The very next day David sat next to the leadership team at a high level donor meeting to ensure that we had financial resources to deliver on our mission. David spent his professional career building large scale business computer systems as a consultant and employee for major corporations. He ended his corporate career as an officer at Charles Schwab where he was in charge of Brokerage Accounting and Trading systems. David brings a high caliber skillset and a community minded approach to the Board. We are so grateful to him!
John has lived in the Valley since 1976 and with his wife Kathy, they raised three sons here, each attending and graduating from our wonderful Lagunitas School District. John has been deeply involved in youth sports in the Valley and ran the CYO basketball program for 35 years. John retired from the San Francisco fire department after 30 years of service but his service to our community has just kept going. John is quick to jump in and can often be found behind the grill at any Center events.
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Carolina Balazs has been inspired by her late father’s upbringing on a rural farm in Chile, when Carolina became a mother she and her husband felt a pull to move to the San Geronimo Valley where they could raise their family surrounded by chickens, towering sunflowers and giant pumpkins. And so, in 2017, they moved from their Berkeley hometown to Woodacre with her kids.
Sarah Brewster spent one day in San Geronimo Valley in 1960 and fell in love with the place! Good fortune, and a few good choices, enabled her to make her home in Woodacre 25 years later. For 32 years Sarah was a professor in the Behavioral Science Department at the College of Marin and for 16 years Sarah maintained a part-time private psychotherapy practice. Sarah has been involved in the Center for many years as a co-facilitator of the Growing Old Gracefully Group and as the beloved Mah Jongg teacher. Sarah is also a key member of Broom Service and continues to expand her community work as a Center Board member.
Born and raised in the Valley, Matthew joined the Board this July with enthusiasm. As one of the newer members to the board he brings a youthful energy and has shown himself to be attentive, efficient and approachable. He got his degree in Business from Ithaca College, where he learned the importance of prioritizing and listening to people's needs and providing them with the necessary information and support. Matthew is a realtor and enjoys the opportunity to work closely with clients and colleagues and to build rich, lasting relationships. He is extremely excited to give back to his community that has done so much for him, and to continue the great traditions our community center has upheld.
Buddy moved to West Marin in 2010 when he was 8 years old. Having grown up in West Marin he has taken an interest in many community projects in the last two years such as working at the Community Center’s food bank as well as in the NextGen programs at the Community Center. He has also worked with local environmental activist group West Marin Climate Action which hosts monthly webinars on local environmental issues for the community as well as connecting local environmental groups together. Buddy brings a youthful and thoughtful perspective to the Board and advocates for diverse representation of perspectives.
Zak has been an architect and planner for 34 years with much of his practice focused on community buildings and schools. In 2013 he was the Lagunitas School District’s architect for the Measure A bond program. He designed modernizations for the upper and lower campuses and got to know many of the board members of both the Lagunitas School District and the San Geronimo Valley Community Center. In 2015 he developed the Facility Assessment and Concept Planning report for the Community Center, and in 2023 he completed the Feasibility and Concept design report for a new Performing Arts Center for the SGVCC. When Zak and his family moved to Woodacre last year we were excited to involved him in our organization as a Board member. Zak joined the Board in July 2023.
Brandon is a proud product of the beautiful San Geronimo Valley. From his early years at Lagunitas School, he discovered the wonders of West Marin's rolling hills, towering redwoods and gentle creeks. In his professional life he works to address systemic barriers in education that impact historically marginalized students and families through initiatives that range from helping to create an educator of color pipeline in Marin, to transforming educational institutions into community schools. The Community Center holds a special place in his heart, as it has been a pillar of support for the community through thick and thin. From providing vital social services to organizing enriching programs and events, the Center's unwavering commitment to serving the diverse needs of valley residents has fostered a sense of unity and resilience that defines this tight-knit community. Brandon joined the Board in July 2023.
Heather Richardson is a new Board member and life long community member. Heather brings a unique perspective, having been both a recipient of our San Geronimo Valley Community Center services, and a developer of youth programs as a former Community Center employee. In addition to her commitment to the Board, Heather is a program supervisor, specializing in acute-need community based mental health, program development and fiscal management. Heather is a mom of two young adult humans who, like herself, attended Lagunitas School.
Kelly is delighted to have found home in San Geronimo Valley over three decades ago. As a Long Island, New York transplant, life has unfolded with great blessings in the Valley enriched by family, friends, community, church, nature and the year-round offerings of SGVCC. We are thrilled to have Kelly involved as a Board member to propel the legacy and newness of the Center’s leadership, vision and opportunities for expansion and diversity.Kelly is currently the Director of Wealth Management at The Putney Financial Group LLC, where she brings more than 35 years of wealth management expertise to the firm and clients.
As a Next Gen Board member, Wyatt doesn't hesitate to lean into the great efforts and events of the Community Center. He hopes to help create a strategy and plan that will reinforce and sustain their efforts for decades to come. Wyatt is a real estate agent in Marin and Sonoma counties, and an entrepreneur. Wyatt operates a business development and acquisition company aimed to conglomerate fractionalized automotive businesses that implements new technology and strategic partnerships to stimulate growth long term. Wyatt is also an AERA Certified Engine Machinist and Certified Cylinder Head Machinist with a Bachelor of Science in Automotive Restoration Technology from McPherson College.
Amy and her family moved to San Geronimo in 2013, after residing in Fairfax for the previous 15 years. She recently retired from a 30-year biotechnology career where she focused on clinical research and regulatory affairs, leading teams of up to 120 employees. Amy is honored to be a board member of the San Geronimo Valley Community Center and is excited to support the important mission. Amy joined the Board on July 1, 2023 and has already become deeply involved on the Personnel Committee and Advancement committee.
Bonny moved to Marin County in the early ‘70s, shortly after graduating from UCLA with a BA in Developmental Psychology. Bonny discovered the Valley while searching for just the right school for her sons and she found the Open Classroom. It is also there that Bonny met her long time partner, Anita Collison. Bonny recently retired from the County of Marin as the Deputy Director of Marin County Free Libraries. During her time a the County Bonny participated in a year-long training cohort with other Marin County staff at the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE). Wanting to share what she had learned, Bonny agreed to be a racial equity instructor for the County and co-led dozens of trainings for County employees. Now Bonny brings her knowledge and perspective home to her community in new ways as a Board member and co-chair of our DEI committee.
Al Weiler and along with his wife Julie Egger moved to Lagunitas in 1994 with their two toddler daughters. While the children attended the Valley schools, Al participated in several committees and parent groups, as a meeting facilitator and group leader. Al has also served on county-wide advisory/focus groups devoted to housing issues in Marin. Al has a B.A in English and a Masters in Education. He started his career as a grade school teacher and then transitioned to owning his own small company specializing in developing training and interactive media for adults in both the corporate and non-profit sectors.
The San Geronimo Community Center is strongly interested in equitable hiring and broadening the cultural competencies of our staff. Ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse candidates will find a receptive atmosphere in our organization.
