Board of Directors
CEO and President | Kathy Young
Kathy Young co-founded Tri-Valley Nonprofit Alliance in 2014. Kathy is thrilled to be in the role of CEO and President for TVNPA to dedicate more time and resources in support of the nonprofits in the Tri-Valley and surrounding regions. Kathy developed a passion for the nonprofit community as TVNPA grew and she learned about the hundreds of nonprofits working in our communities every day to improve our quality of life. Kathy previously served as the Executive Director of the Hertz Fellowship Programs for the Fannie & John Hertz Foundation which provides graduate fellowships nationally in applied physical and biological sciences, engineering and mathematics. Kathy was with the Hertz Foundation for more than 13 years. She is happy to now be focused on the local communities. Prior to her career with Hertz, Kathy spent many years working in the legal field. She received her B.S. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from the University of San Francisco. She is a resident of Livermore and spends her leisure time with her husband, Edward, three children, and two dogs.
Board Chair | Marti Sutton
Chair, Human Services Commission – City of Livermore
Marti Sutton has worked for more than 20 years with non-profits and government agencies. Her career started at the Office of Management and Budget in the Clinton Administration. She then proceeded to work at the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C. While at the Urban Institute she tackled issues such as education, welfare reform and was one of the founders of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (now Power to Decide).
In 2008, Marti moved to Livermore with her husband and 3 young children and began volunteering at her children’s school. In addition, Marti served on the Las Positas College Foundation Board for 8 years as Treasurer (4 years) and Chairperson (2 years). Prior to joining the Human Services Commission, she served on the Beautification Committee for the City of Livermore. Along with her current role with the Human Services Commission, Marti currently serves on Business Advisory Board for CSU, Chico.
After returning to California, Marti worked in the Finance Group for the Learning Network, a Pearson Education company. She missed the nonprofit world and began to volunteer with BayKids, a nonprofit empowering the artistic endeavors of hospitalized children. Soon she was elected as Chair of their Board of Directors.
Marti has seen firsthand how hard non-profits work to raise funds and serve their clients. As a board member of TVNPA, Marti is excited to bring her rich experience to support nonprofits and give them the tools they need to be successful in our community.
Board Secretary – Marketing & Finances | Valerie Jonas
Chief Development Officer, Axis Community Health
Valerie Jonas has been with Axis Community Health since 2010 where she presently serves as Chief Development Officer and oversees marketing, fundraising and capital projects. Axis, a non-profit organization, is the major provider of primary care and mental health counseling services for low-income and uninsured Tri-Valley residents. Valerie has worked with several Bay Area nonprofit organizations, including serving as Regional Director for the Jewish Federation of the East Bay and as a consultant to the Bankhead Theater project during pre-development. She has served on many nonprofit boards, including the South Florida Epilepsy Foundation and J., the Jewish News Weekly, and is a former President of Congregation Beth Emek. Her career in marketing and fundraising began in Florida with work for Hank Meyer Associates Public Relations and Mount Sinai Medical Center’s Foundation. A graduate of Duke University, Valerie is originally from Lakewood, New Jersey.
Board Treasurer | Christine Dillman
Executive Director, Tri-Valley Haven
Christine Dillman has worked in the non-profit sector for more than 25 years. In 2001, she began working at Tri-Valley Haven and has held several positions at the organization including Director of Sexual Assault and Counseling Services. Last year she was promoted to Director of Development. Christine received her BA from Brandeis University. Currently, she is pursuing her MBA in Finance at the University of California, Davis and will graduate in September 2021. Christine has been on the board of directors of the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA). She also served as a founding board member of Tri-Valley Nonprofit Alliance (TVNPA) from 2015 – 2019. Currently, Christine is the President of the Women in Leadership at the University of California, Davis Graduate School of Management. Christine’s lifelong passion is ending violence against women and children.
Board Director – Mary Grace Gomilla
Director of Communications & Community Engagement
Mary Grace Gomilla has more than a decade of experience in multiple marketing and communications channels, including event planning, web and graphic design, copy writing, creative directing, social media management, and internal communications. She attended Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey, where she obtained a B.S. in Management and Global Business. After working in New York City for several years, she and her husband moved to the Bay Area to raise their three beautiful children.
Mary Grace previously worked as a brand consultant and designer focused on helping small businesses understand their business goals, target audiences, and competitive landscape to create a unique and compelling brand strategy. She joined Axis Community Health in 2019 and has grown in her role, leading Axis’s communications initiatives and supporting the organization’s development efforts. As Director of Communications and Community Engagement at Axis Community Health, Mary Grace finds joy in connecting with the Tri-Valley community, sharing Axis’s mission, and helping those in need. She enjoys spending time with her family and participating in community theatre in her spare time.
Board Director – Communications | Susan Hayes, MSOD
Nonprofit & Communications Consultant
Susan has enjoyed 25 consecutive years of community involvement in the Tri-Valley, dedicating time as a volunteer and board member to over 20 regional organizations and civic committees. She spent the first six years of her professional career as a paralegal, eventually moving into journalism, where she spent 12 years- nine of which as the weekly columnist for Around Pleasanton for Bay Area News Group. For the past 15 years she’s worked in nonprofit management as Coordinator of the Tri-Valley Educational Collaborative, Auction Coordinator for Auction Napa Valley 2012, Executive Director of Pleasanton Partnerships in Education Foundation, and Interim Executive Director of the California Main Street Alliance. She presently runs her own nonprofit and communications consultancy.
The 2019 recipient of the Pleasanton Chamber’s Individual Community Service Award, Susan is completing her second 4-year term on the Pleasanton Human Services Commission; serves on the boards of the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Pleasanton Adult & Career School; and in 2020, co-founded the Tri-Valley Nonprofit Fund for Covid Relief with TVNPA CEO Kathy Young.
Susan holds a BA in Political Science from UC Davis and an MS in Organizational Development from University of San Francisco. A resident of Pleasanton since 1991, she is the proud mom of two young adults, Sarah and Grant, and a spunky Jack Russell Terrier Mix rescue dog named Finley.
Board Director – Special Events | Barbara Heilmann
Event Services Manager, UCOP
Barbara Heilmann has been at the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) since 2010, managing a team of Senior Event Planners. Her team coordinates more than 150 events a year across the state, helping the 10 campus, five medical centers, and three affiliated national laboratory system further its public interest, academic, and research missions. For the past five years, Barbara has also served on the board of UCOP’s President’s Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
From a young age, Barbara has been involved in the Tri-Valley. As a teenager, she scheduled the umpires for the Pleasanton Girls Softball League and later served on the board of the Bollinger Canyon Education Fund. More recently, she was a celebrity dancer for the Putnam Clubhouse’s annual gala, So You Think You Can Dance? Reach for the Stars!
A graduate of Humboldt State University (HSU), Barbara earned a B.A. in psychology with a minor in business. She was a four-year letter winner and three-time team captain of the Lady Jack’s softball team. She was inducted into HSU’s Hall of Fame as a pitcher and later as a player from the 1999 Division II National Championship team.
Barbara resides in San Ramon with her husband, Tim, two children, Zach and Kallie, and dog, Lucky. In her spare time, she is learning to play pickleball.
Board Director – Governance | Robert Nuddleman, Esq.,
Attorney, Nuddleman Law Firm
Robert Nuddleman is the owner and primary attorney at the Nuddleman Law Firm, P.C. He represents individuals and companies in federal and state court and various administrative agencies such as the California Department of Industrial Relations (Labor Commissioner), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Department of Fair Employment and Housing, and Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. A significant focus of Mr. Nuddleman’s practice relates to wage and hour claims, breach of contract, trade secret protection, claims of sex, race, age, and pregnancy discrimination and/or harassment and accommodating persons with disabilities. Mr. Nuddleman advises and represents business clients in employment and business matters in an attempt to avoid litigation and reduce potential exposure to claims of all kinds in light of developing law.
A particular focus of Mr. Nuddleman’s practice includes advising caregiver agencies, trustees, conservators, families, residential care facilities, care homes and others regarding wage and hour and employment laws in the elder care industry. Mr. Nuddleman frequently presents seminars and workshops regarding workplace disputes and compliance with federal, state and local employment laws.
Board Director – Anti-Poverty Collaborative | James Paxson, General Manager, Hacienda
James Paxson has been employed with Hacienda in Pleasanton for thirty-five years in various capacities and has served as its General Manager since 1995. He currently manages all programs operated on behalf of investors and owners of property within Hacienda including: Development and Planning, Infrastructure Management, Security, Transportation, Environmental Monitoring, Amenities and Community Relations. In addition to serving on the board of the Tri-Valley Nonprofit Alliance, Mr. Paxson also serves on the boards of several local and regional organizations including: The East Bay Economic Development Alliance, the East Bay Leadership Council and Axis Community Health Center (currently serving as Chair). Mr. Paxson has also served on and chaired: the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce, the City of Pleasanton Economic Vitality Committee, the Tri-Valley Housing Opportunity Center, the Alameda County Measure B Citizens Watchdog Committee (as an EBEDA Appointee), and the Alameda County Workforce Investment Board. In addition, Mr. Paxson serves on the Steering Committee for the Tri-Valley Anti-Poverty Collaborative, a project of the Tri-Valley Nonprofit Alliance. Mr. Paxson lives with his wife of thirty years, Kathy. They have two children.