Our Team
Meet The Foundation Staff
Susan True
Chief Executive Officer
In her role as Chief Executive Officer of Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, Susan continues her lifelong commitment to work that improves lives and strengthens communities. Contact her at 831.662.2010 or email strue@cfscc.org.
Philanthropic Services
Community Engagement and Impact
Finance and Administration
Meet Our Board Leadership
President, Julie Haff
Superintendent (retired), San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District
Vice President, Trevor Strudley, CFP
Certified Financial Planner, Raymond James Financial Services
Treasurer, Jim Weisenstein
Director, Santa Cruz County Bank
Secretary, Chris Murphy
Senior Vice President, Franchise Development, Santa Cruz Warriors (not pictured)
Immediate Past President, David Doolin, CPA
Partner, Petrinovich Pugh & Co LLP
Rob Allen
Partner at Allen, Allen & Caroselli Law Firm
Audries Blake
Assistant Director of Community Relations, UC Santa Cruz
Gina Castañeda
Juvenile Probation Officer, Santa Cruz County Probation Department (not pictured)
MariaElena De La Garza
Executive Director, Community Action Board Santa Cruz County
Liliana Diaz, Esq.
Family Law Attorney, The Grunsky Law Firm
Larry Donatoni
Senior Director for Development, Santa Clara University
Doug Fischer
SVP Director of Business Banking, Santa Cruz County Bank
Lisa Fraser
Retired Superintendent of Loma Prieta Joint Union Elementary K-8 School District
Rogelio Ponce Jr.
Owner, Sun Valley Berries LLC (not pictured)
Sandy Skees
EVP/Global Lead, Innovation & Impact Practice, Porter Novelli
Kirk Schmidt, Esq.
Executive Director, Central Coast Water Quality Preservation, Inc.
Board Committees
Meets at the call of the president to conduct the business of the Board between regular or special Board meetings.
- Julie Haff, President
- Trevor Strudley, Vice President
- Jim Weisenstein, Treasurer
- David Doolin, Immediate Past President
- Chris Murphy, Secretary
- Liliana Diaz
Reviews quarterly investment performance and financial statements, sets investment policy, monitors and approves investment allocations, selects financial advisors, advises the board on budgetary issues, spending policies, fees, impact investments and makes recommendations to the board on finance and gift acceptance policies and procedures.
- Jim Weisenstein, Chair
- Rob Allen
- Freny Cooper*
- Pat Kelly*
- Jessica Locatelli*
- Kirk Schmidt
- Sandy Skees
- Krista Snelling*
- Trevor Strudley
- James C. Thompson*
- Lance Wexler*
Advises on considering, accepting or rejecting any and all gifts or bequests to the Foundation that cannot be accepted by the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating and Financial Officer, or the Philanthropic Services Director in accordance with the gift acceptance policy.
- James C. Thompson*, Chair
- Tom Brezsny*
- Larry Donatoni
- Dina Hoffmann*
- Kirk Schmidt
- Victoria Viso*
Sets direction for grants program, identifies funding priorities, reviews and recommends proposals for funding, and participates in site visits.
- David Doolin, Co-Chair
- Chris Murphy, Co-Chair
- Gina Castañeda
- MariaElena De La Garza
- Cynthia Druley*
- Liliana Diaz
- Larry Donatoni
- Adele Eberhart*
- Doug Fischer
- Lisa Fraser
- Julie Haff
- Rogelio Ponce
- Jim Weisenstein
Identifies and recruits new board members, develops and implements ongoing board training and assessment programs.
- Liliana Diaz, Chair
- MariaElena De La Garza
- David Doolin
- Julie Haff
- Kirk Schmidt
Recommends policies and oversees scholarship administration. Selects the scholarship recipients.
- Judy Franich, Chair*
- Audries Blake
- Gina Castañeda
- Liliana Diaz
- Julie Haff
- Donna Ziel*
Creates policies and loan criteria, provides portfolio oversight, and reviews potential impact investments
- Trevor Strudley, Chair
- Larry Donatoni
- Eric Mendelson*
- Michael O'Farrell*
- Rogelio Ponce
- Sandy Skees
- Jim Weisenstein
Reviews proposal for the Diversity Partnership Fund and recommends funding to enhance services for the LGBTQ community, and creates and builds alliances.
- Chris Murphy
- Jim Brown*
- Ami Ebright*
- Damian Maldonado*, Co-Chair
- Rabbi Paula Marcus*
- Erica Murphy*, Co-Chair
- Sandy Skees
- Chris Weir*
* Non-board members
Non board members are invited to share their time and expertise on our standing and ad hoc committees.