Who We Are

Three Valleys Community Foundation is led and managed by our CEO/President, our strong staff and a dedicated board of directors and advisory team. Please contact us to learn more!

Board of Directors

JOHN SENSIBA, Chair

Sensiba LLP
John Sensiba is a CPA and 30 year Tri-Valley resident. He’s had the privilege of serving as Managing Partner of Sensiba LLP since 2008. He currently chairs the board of Stanford Medicine, Health CareTri-Valley and serves on the board of a number of other community organizations in leadership and board roles. In addition to volunteering in health care, he has worked with local educational institutions, faith based organizations, low income housing organizations and youth organizations. He is a graduate of San Jose State University. Contact John at jsensiba@3vcf.org

Colleen Gregerson, Vice Chair

Colleen Gregerson is passionate about innovating in philanthropy to unlock tremendous talent and generosity toward the most important issues of our time. Most recently, she spent six years as Executive Director for Battery Powered, an innovative philanthropic model that is activating the generosity of the Battery community to find and fund people and projects with a serious chance of making society stronger. Prior to Battery Powered, she led the Maverick Collective, guiding philanthropists’ talents and treasure toward ending extreme poverty. As head of Business Development at Population Services International (PSI), she developed and executed a strategy that raised over $1.9 billion for global health initiatives during the four years of her leadership. Colleen holds a masters degree in international development from American University and is proud to serve on the Board of ETR, a behavioral health non-profit organization.

SUSAN HOUGHTON, SECRETARY

Livermore Lab Foundation
Susan Houghton leads the climate resiliency and carbon management portfolio at the Livermore Lab Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit supporting the fundamental research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. A former television journalist, she served in senior public affairs and communications positions at Lawrence Livermore National Lab and UC Berkeley and now works at the intersection of philanthropy, community and academic engagement. As the mother of a son with moderate autism, she’s dedicated her life to creating programs and organizations that support individuals with developmental delays/special needs. She is the founder of three vibrant nonprofit 501c3 organizations doing just that – including Sunflower Hill, an affordable residential community in Pleasanton. She has a BS degree in Journalism from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, an MS degree in Nonprofit Management from Louisiana State University and is both a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and CANDID Expert Trainer. Contact Susan at shoughton@3vcf.org.

Patrick O’Brien, TREASURER

Leisure Sports, Inc.
Pat O’Brien serves as board member and treasurer of the Three Valleys Community Foundation. He brings over 50 years of accounting and finance experience to the Foundation, including serving as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Leisure Sports Inc since 1994 — where he is responsible for equity and debt placement, investor relations, tax planning, and legal affairs. He also serves on the board of various local organizations, including the Alameda County Fair Foundation and Tri-Valley REACH, and is also active professionally in the California Society of CPAs and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). He is a graduate of University of Santa Clara and a licensed CPA.

Gerry Beemiller

Nella Terra Cellars
Gerry Beemiller currently heads up Nella Terra Cellars, an award-winning family-owned winery and event center in the highlands of Sunol, with a focus on bringing customers unforgettable experiences and making beautiful memories. Prior to founding his winery, Gerry was VP of Sales at Pericom and VP of Sales and Marketing for SONY Semiconductor in N. America. In the early 90’s, he was CEO of Infant Advantage, an early-stage company building environmental systems for newborns. For over 15 years prior, he was a partner in I Squared, Inc. In 1985, Gerry, his wife Paulette, and friends founded the Silicon Valley Charity Ball. In the decade he presided over the all-volunteer committee, they raised over $7M for 107 nonprofits helping seniors and children in Silicon Valley. In 1989, he was named NSFRE “Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year.” He has served for 13 years on Sunol Citizens Advisory Council and for 12 years on Sunol Glen School Board. He currently serves on the Alameda County Agricultural Advisory Committee. He holds a BA in Mathematics from Arizona State University.

KENNETH G. COOPER

Las Positas College Foundation
Kenneth Cooper has served as the Executive Director of the Las Positas College Foundation since 2015, which provides funding and innovative education programs to support student success and prepare them for the future. He has also served as the Director of College Advancement & Foundation Executive Director at Cosumnes River College and on the Board of Directors of the Network of California Community College Foundations, He currently serves on the Network of California Community College Foundation Board of Directors and was appointed to the CASE (Council for the Advancement and Support of Education) Center for Community College Advancement Advisory Committee. Kenneth is a graduate of the University of California at Davis with a bachelor’s degree in African American and African studies, and a minor in Education.

Kim Damiani

Kim Damiani brings a wealth of leadership and financial expertise to her roles in various prominent organizations. Having served as both Board Chair and Treasurer for the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce, she played a pivotal role in fostering community growth and economic development. As a founding board member of the Pleasanton Young Professionals, Kim demonstrated her commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders. Currently, Kim continues her impactful contributions as a board member for both the Pleasanton Chamber Foundation and the Summit Financial Foundation. A graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Kim joined Summit Financial Group in 2018 as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, leveraging over a decade of experience in the financial services sector. As a Bay Area native, Kim is deeply rooted in her commitment to giving back to the local community, and she finds fulfillment in educating teens through financial literacy workshops.

Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA /SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Summit Financial Group, LLC is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services. 2000 Crow Canyon Place, Suite 450, San Ramon, CA 94583. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® and CFP® in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. Raymond James is not affiliated with 3VCF.

MARGARET LIANG

Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs (APAPA)
Margaret Liang is deeply involved in the community with a passion for positive and inclusive change in the region. She serves as Board President for the Tri-Valley Chapter of APAPA (Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association), a national organization whose mission is to empower Asian and Pacific Islander Americans through education, leadership and active participation in civic and public affairs. She serves as Heritage and Cultural Art Commissioner as well as on the Economic Development Advisor Committee for the City of Dublin, CA. Margaret is Sales and Marketing Director for WiN Foods Corporation and previously served as R&D Project Manager with the ConAgra Corporation. She has an MBA from the Haas School of Business at University of California, Berkeley and has a BS in the Field of Food Science and Nutrition.

Judy Lloyd

Danville Area Chamber of Commerce
Judy Lloyd is the President & CEO of the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce. She owns Altamont Strategies and has a 38-year history as a small businesswoman and public servant, serving two U.S. Presidents and the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate. She was the first woman appointed by a U.S. President to serve as Region IX Representative for the U.S. Secretary of Labor, earning the Exceptional Achievement Award. She was a San Francisco Business Times Women of Distinction in Politics & Government and was inducted into the Contra Costa Women’s Hall of Fame. She represented the communities of Alamo, Danville, Diablo, and San Ramon as senior district representative for Senator Steve Glazer. Lloyd served as a Visiting Fellow at the Dole Institute of Politics, University of Kansas, running a 6-week series on extraordinary women in politics and business. She actively supports causes impacting first responders, public safety, cancer research and veterans.

Alexander Mehran, Jr.

Sunset Development Company
Alexander Mehran, Jr. is President and Chief Executive Officer of Sunset Development Company in San Ramon. He represents the third generation of family leadership at the Company founded in 1951 by his grandfather. Sunset is a diversified real estate organization focused for more than 40 years on developing Bishop Ranch, a nationally recognized 585-acre project with 10 million square feet of office, retail and hospitality space and a daytime population of 30,000+ workers in 600 diverse companies. Over the next few years, Bishop Ranch will deliver the first 1,500 of its planned 10,000 homes in a mix of apartments, senior housing, and for-sale homes. Alex was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He graduated from Brown University in 2003 after which he joined Goldman, Sachs & Company in New York, returning to California in 2009 to join Sunset. Alex serves on the board of the Watson Institute at Brown University. He is an avid pilot, outdoorsman and short-handed open ocean sailor. Above all this, Alex and his wife Maggie are the proud parents of four.

STEVE McCOY-THOMPSON

Gratitude Network
Steve McCoy-Thompson is the Co-Founder of Three Valleys Community Foundation and served as initial interim director. He currently leads Gratitude Network, which provides nonprofit Fellowships to help serve over 40M children and youth around the world. He also served as Executive Director of the Pleasanton Partnerships in Education Foundation (PPIE) and other nonprofit organizations. He has worked for over 25 years at the nexus of business, government and the nonprofit sector and has served in senior positions with Bechtel Corporation and Deloitte Consulting, providing management consulting to corporations and governments – including long-term engagements in China, India and Togo, West Africa. He has published four books on a range of topics and is actively involved in the community, including on the Economic Vitality Committee for the City of Pleasanton. He has a Masters degree from Tufts University and graduated from Duke University, where he also studied at Beijing and Nanjing University. Steve has lived in Pleasanton for over 25 years.

DENISE WATKINS

Denise Watkins worked as a software system engineer and manager for 18 years in telecommunications, developing network management and control systems for satellite and wireless communications. After retiring from industry, Ms. Watkins became involved in the local community. She serves on the UC Merced Foundation Board and is Co-Chair of their first development campaign. In addition, she has served on the Livermore Valley Arts (LVA) Board since 2005 and is currently Board Chair. Ms. Watkins owned and operated the Vancouver Stealth, a professional Lacrosse team that played in Langley, B.C. as well as Primal Quest, an expedition adventure race in North America. She has been involved in several charities and notably co-founded and was President for 13 years of Pleasanton Schools Educational Enrichment Foundation, a nonprofit which supports arts, science and enrichment programs to benefit all Pleasanton Unified School District (PUSD) students. Ms. Watkins served on numerous committees for PUSD and co-chaired its district-wide Excellence Committee. She holds a BS in Mathematics from UC Irvine and has three grown children.

CHRISTINE WENTE

Wente Family Estates
Christine Wente is part of the fifth generation of her family to help lead Wente Family Estates. Christine serves on the company’s Board of Directors and also runs the Wente Foundation for Arts Education, raising money for local arts education programs. She is actively involved in the community, including as President of the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Foundation, which fundraises for under-served local children, and as member of the Board of Trustees of the Oakland Museum of California. Christine has a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and an MBA from Stanford University, as well as a Level 3 Certificate in Wines and Spirits from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust.

Our Team

Dr. Kelly Bowers

CEO/President
As CEO/President of the Three Valleys Community Foundation, Dr. Kelly Bowers is charged with implementing the Board’s vision, co-developing and leading the strategic direction of the organization and executing operational goals as well as mission-driven initiatives. Dr. Bowers has extensive executive leadership experience. Prior to 3VCF, she held increasingly higher level educational leadership and management roles over a span of two decades, culminating in 12 years as CEO/Superintendent of Schools for the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District. During her tenure, she succeeded in building organizational and human resource capacity, resource procurement, ensuring positive outcomes through systemic change and cultivating sustainable community partnerships. Her public service has been honored by the Association of California School Administrators, the American Association of University Women, Phi Delta Kappa, CSU East Bay, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, and the California State Assembly. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa cum Laude in English from UC Berkeley, earned her MS in Educational Leadership from CSU East Bay, and her doctorate in Leadership for Educational Equity from UC Berkeley. In her role as 3VCF CEO/President, Dr. Bowers is committed to act as a change agent for the betterment of all who reside and/or work in the Tri-Valley region and community she calls home. Contact Kelly at kbowers@3vcf.org.

Faiza Bukhari

Grant Program Administrator
Faiza Bukhari brings extensive experience in community-based philanthropy and nonprofit grantmaking to her role as 3VCF Grant Program Administrator. She is passionate about inspiring transformative change in non-profit organizations and across communities. For years, Faiza led the Racial Justice and Arts Build Resilient Communities program areas at the Walter & Elise Haas Fund where she supported efforts to uplift BIPOC-led organizations and communities through trust-based practices, developing new initiatives, and elevating work that uses community organizing, movement building, and the power of arts and culture as powerful tools to address injustice in all its forms. Before joining the philanthropic sector, Faiza served as the Director of Admissions for Saybrook University where she worked to redesign enrollment priorities and developed a new model for student achievement and success. At the May Institute she revitalized recruitment strategies bringing innovative behavioral healthcare to autistic adults and children. She led the Department of Writing and Rhetoric at the State University of New York, Stony Brook while she was a student there earning her degrees in Comparative Literature and Cinema & Cultural Studies. Faiza is a lifelong arts enthusiast and visual artist who has exhibited her work at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Contact Faiza at fbukhari@3vcf.org.

Karen Diaz

Clerk to the Board
Karen Diaz serves as the Board Clerk to the Three Valleys Community Foundation. Karen is responsible for preparing monthly board agenda packets and minutes, managing the organization’s official records, and supporting the technology efforts of the organization. Karen has extensive experience coordinating board governance activities, managing public records, providing administrative support, and implementing web-based technologies. She is a certified California Master Municipal Clerk and served as the City Clerk for the cities of Pleasanton, Union City, Brentwood, and Indio as well as clerk and treasurer for various organizations and non-profits. After serving the City of Pleasanton for 15 years, she retired in 2021 to pursue other volunteer and public service interests.

Emily Pezzutti

Communications & Marketing
Emily Pezzutti is a nonprofit consultant specializing in overseeing communications and marketing efforts for a myriad of nonprofits. With over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, Emily is passionate about macro social work, driving large-scale change, and fostering meaningful community relationships. Her expertise spans nonprofit development and grant writing, marketing and communications, community outreach, and program design. Emily’s dedication shines through her work as she strives to be a catalyst for lasting impact. Emily holds both a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from The Ohio State University, where she graduated with Honors Research Distinction. During her leisure time, she finds joy in creating new recipes, cheering on the Ohio State Buckeyes alongside her husband, and taking long walks with her dog, Archie.

Cristie Dirickson

Administrative Assistant
Cristie Skinner is an administrative professional with over 17 years of experience in customer and client facing roles, and has joined Three Valleys Community Foundation as a part-time Administrative Assistant to the CEO/President. She has a diverse range of administrative experience in the fitness, hospitality, architecture, real estate, and tax/financial industries. In addition to her role at 3VCF, Cristie works in the capacity of Senior Administrative Assistant for Sensiba LLP. She has a love for assisting people and working with children. Cristie is native to the San Francisco Bay Area, originally hailing from San Mateo County on the Peninsula. She also taught preschool at San Mateo Spanish-immersion school, Fiesta Gardens. Cristie is a graduate from College of San Mateo with a degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences and has a passion for psychology and human behavior. Contact Cristie at cskinner@3vcf.org.

Mohanapriya (Priya) Venugopal

Finance & Operations Administrator
With extensive experience in financial and operational systems, processes, and administration, Mohanapriya (Priya) Venugopal is enthusiastic about creating systems that keep the financial operations of an organization running effectively and efficiently. Priya earned her Master’s Degree in Commerce and has worked with finance, accounting, and corporate entities, implementing effective organizational finance management and handling contracts, reporting, and small business operations. Priya works in close collaboration with 3VCF’s President/CEO and Grant Program Administrator in a Senior Staff Accountant capacity. In that role, she helps create and support human-centered finance processes because she is inspired by the impact that place-based nonprofit organizations make in our communities. Priya is currently pursuing her CPA certification and enjoys spending quality time exploring the Tri-Valley with her family. Contact our Accounting Team at info@3vcf.org