 |
Daniel D. Beintema, Vice President, Operations & Community Partnerships
Dan brings diverse management experience and proven leadership to his role in coordinating the efforts of the Foundation’s largest department. Prior to joining the Foundation, Dan enjoyed 18 years in service to the City of Chula Vista, the last 10 as the executive director of the Chula Vista Nature Center. Other assignments in Chula Vista included the City Manager’s Office, the Mayor’s Office, Public Works Department, and the Fire Department. Prior to his time at Chula Vista, Dan was Director, Public Information/Resource Development at the American Red Cross, San Diego/Imperial Counties Chapter. A 1982 graduate of the University of Southern California, Dan was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy. Following his operational deployments, he served as Aide and Personal Advisor to three senior Admirals.
|
 |
Ruth Ambriz, Administrative Assistant, Community Partnerships
With over a decade of experience on staff at The Foundation, Ruth has served in a number of capacities, including support for the Finance and Scholarships departments. She currently assists the Community Partnerships department by providing administrative assistance to include research, data entry, mailing and electronic filing. She also coordinates the collection and dissemination of reports from the Community Partnership grantees. Prior to joining The Foundation, Ruth spent time working for retail companies.
|
 |
Sheryl Helvie Costello, Associate Manager, Community Scholarship & San Diego Teachers' Fund
In her role at The Foundation, Sheryl provides a wide range of assistance, coordination and management for the Community Scholarship and Teachers’ Fund Programs. Before joining The Foundation, Sheryl worked as an account representative for an ergonomic office products firm, assisting both inside/outside accounts and the vocational rehabilitation/medical markets. Prior to that, she served as the Administrative Assistant to the Vice President of Community Relations at The San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau.
|
 |
Kerri Favela, Community Grants Administrator
Kerri is a long-time Foundation employee. She is currently responsible for administering The Foundation’s discretionary grant making programs and providing grant support to the affiliate foundations and supporting organizations. Additionally, Kerri provides assistance to the Vice President, Operations and Community Partnerships and the Science & Technology program. Before joining The Foundation, Kerri spent several years as an Office Manager at a manufacturing machine shop in San Diego.
|
 |
Wyn A. Furman, Coordinator, Regional Vision
Wyn joined The Foundation to oversee all administrative aspects for the Regional Visioning Initiative, a process that will lead to the creation of a 50-100 year strategic vision and subsequent action plan for the greater San Diego region. Prior to her time at The Foundation, Wyn spent five years gaining administrative experience in assisting executives, managers and attorneys of fast-paced legal, non-profit and consulting organizations. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in European History and French Studies from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
|
 |
Sarah Heaton, Administrative Coordinator, Community Scholarship & San Diego Teachers' Fund
Sarah Heaton joined The Foundation to provide administrative support to both the Community Scholarship and the Teachers’ Fund programs. Prior to her time at The Foundation, Sarah most recently worked as a Member Service Representative at AltaOne Federal Credit Union in Kernville, California. Before that, Sarah spent two years as Assistant to the Editor at Craftmaster Enterprises in Downey, California. Sarah graduated from California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks with a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies. She also obtained her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and served as a student teacher for third and fifth graders for a year.
|
 |
Anne Kilpatrick, Human Resources & Payroll Manager
As Human Resources & Payroll Manager, Anne is responsible for employee relations, recruiting, benefits, compensation and retirement administration, policy and legal compliance, performance review, and payroll. Anne’s career has focused mostly on the nonprofit sector in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Public Relations from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has completed a Human Resources Certificate program and a mini-MBA for Nonprofit Organizations, both in Minneapolis. She is pursuing a Human Resources Certificate at UCSD.
|
 |
Arzo Mansury, Director, Scholarships & San Diego Teachers’ Fund
Arzo oversees both the Community Scholarships Program and the San Diego Teachers’ Fund. Prior to joining The San Diego Foundation, Arzo was based in Washington, D.C., where she served as the Director of Programs for the International Women’s Forum. Her career in Washington began at the Embassy of Afghanistan, where she served as the Press Secretary and Women’s Affairs Attaché. Arzo earned a double Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California San Diego in Ethnic Studies and Political Science, with an emphasis on International Relations. She has also earned executive education certificates from the Harvard Business School and the University of Cambridge in England.
|
 |
Marisa Quiroz, Manager, Environment Program
Marisa currently assists in a wide variety of support, research and grant making needs related to The San Diego Foundation’s Environment Program. Prior to joining The Foundation, she worked for the organization Hispanics in Philanthropy, helping to advance its mission of transformative change through a transnational funders network. She has also worked as an admission officer and student affairs professional for a Bay Area liberal arts college for women. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology and Sociology from Mills College in Oakland and completed her Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Leadership and Management at the University of San Diego.
|
 |
Sue Racanelli, Manager, Nonprofit Resource Center
Sue oversees the Nonprofit Resource Center, a library of resource materials and research for nonprofits and individuals seeking information on nonprofit management, funding sources, scholarships, and foundations. At the Nonprofit Resource Center, Sue analyzes the needs of nonprofits and identifies the resources and opportunities available to them. She has spent most of her career in the nonprofit sector and, with more than 30-years experience, has extensive knowledge of nonprofits and an understanding of the struggles they encounter. Sue is a former grant writer and previously directed a public relations program for a $20 million nonprofit.
|
 |
Robyn Sharp, Manager, Community Partnerships
Robyn manages several competitive grant making programs within the Community Partnerships department. These include the San Diego Regional Disaster Fund and the Health & Human Services program, which contains the Paradise Valley Community Health Fund and the San Diego Family Asset Building Coalition. Prior to joining The Foundation, Robyn performed community-based research within the Criminal Justice Research Department of SANDAG (the San Diego Association of Governments). She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a concentration in American Cultures from the University of Maryland.
|
 |
Felicia Shaw, Director, Arts & Culture Analysis & Strategy
As Director of Arts and Culture at the Foundation, Felicia utilizes her expertise and knowledge of San Diego’s arts and culture community to ensure that the region has the necessary resources to become a nationally competitive arts and culture center. Prior to joining the Foundation, Felicia served as Program Manager of the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture for 17 years, overseeing the City’s multi-million dollar arts funding program. She is a frequent panelist and juror for arts agencies such as the National Endowment for the Arts and the California Arts Council. A graduate of Northwestern University with a degree in Communications, Felicia also completed post-graduate studies at UCSD in Art History, Theory and Criticism.
|
 |
Blanca Soto, Coordinator, Human Resources
Blanca provides a wide variety of support in the fields of human resources, payroll and accounting, ensuring accuracy and customer service in every function she provides. Before joining The Foundation’s team, Blanca provided administrative and/or payroll support for a number of companies, including the Coronado Historical Association, Armando Martinez & Co., Cleanline Concrete and Carlos T. DeCarvalho, MD. She has a degree in Secretarial Administrative Procedures.
|
 |
Katherine Westlund, Manager, Organizational Success Program
Katherine Westlund’s work with the Organizational Success Program, sponsored through the generosity of the Rokenbok Fund, focuses on nonprofit relations and programs, including BetterGiving. Katherine moved to San Diego from Tucson, AZ where she worked for the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Political Science, with minors in Statistics and Women’s Studies, from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. Katherine has an MPA and MA from Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis SPEA in Nonprofit Management and Center on Philanthropy in Philanthropic Studies.
|
 |
Emily Young, Ph.D, Senior Director, Environment Analysis & Strategy
Emily provides donors with extensive information concerning the region's environmental needs and opportunities, manages The Foundation's environmental grants, and works with the Environment Working Group to adapt and implement the Environment Program. Before she joined The Foundation, Emily spent five years as Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona's Department of Geography and Regional Development. She has also conducted extensive research on marine fisheries and wildlife protection, community-based conservation, and sustainable development in coastal marine areas of Baja California. Emily graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a double Bachelor’s Degree in Ibero-American Studies and Spanish, and a Master’s Degree in Geography. She received a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Texas at Austin.
|