Recognizing our Nonprofit Leaders

March 2024

Leaders in the Field is a quarterly communication celebrating Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego members,

their contributions to and achievements in

our community.

The Food System Alliance was presented with the Kaleidoscope Award for Good Governance at The Nonprofit Institute's Governance Symposium in January. The Food System Alliance is led by co-executive director, Elly Brown and board chair, Vanessa Ruiz. Elly is a graduate of our Executive Learning Group and both Vanessa and Elly have completed our Executive Coaching Program.

The Kaleidoscope Award was created by Janine Mason and Liz Shear in the early years of the Symposium.

Also presented during the Symposium, the first TRUST Award for board governance of foundations. Alliance Healthcare Foundation was the honoree. Led by Executive Director Sarah Lyman and Vice President, Barbara Orozco-Valdivia, both graduates of our Executive Coaching Program.

Congratulations to all!!

Liz, center right, with the Kaleidoscope committee at USD 2014

We are mourning deeply the recent passing of Liz Shear, former Executive Director of San Diego Youth Services, Professor of Board Governance and founder of the Governance Symposium at USD, nonprofit consultant and all around champion of all good people and good causes. While Liz's legacy lives on in all of the young people she supported through her advocacy work and all of the nonprofit professionals she influenced through her work and mentorship, she was a force in our community that can never be replace. She will be sorely missed.

Read Janine's Tribute to Liz

Congratulations to Ben Moraga as he begins his work as the President and CEO of the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation.

Ben is a graduate of our Learning Group program in 2011 and says he "owes a lot to his Fieldstone experiences".

Congratulations to Kathy Karpe as she becomes the Executive Director of Casa de Amparo. For the past 20 years, Kathy has served as Casa's director of development.

Kathy is currently begin coached by Karen Terra in our executive coaching program.

Congratulations to Make-A-Wish San Diego on their 40th anniversary. Supervisor Nora Vargas recently presented the Make-A-Wish team with a proclamation declaring January 9, 2024 Make-A-Wish San Diego Day throughout the County of San Diego.

In its' 40 year history, the agency has granted over 5,000 wishes to seriously ill children and their families.

Executive Director Suzanne Husby, and leadership team members Dana Vandersip, Danielle Lopez and Stefanie Munoz

have all participated in our Learning Group program.

January 20th was declared Alberto Cortes Day throughout San Diego County in honor of Alberto's long and meaningful career as a nonprofit professional. After 16 years, Alberto retired from his last role as the CEO of Mama's Kitchen. A number of FLN members joined in a retirement celebration at the Bahia to honor Alberto.

Alberto is a long-time and active member of our Network, having participated in each of our programs! He currently serves as a coach for us and will continue to do so in his retirement.

Welcome to Eva Matthews, the new CEO of Mama's Kitchen.

A Step Beyond and Casa De Amistad were recently granted the inaugural grants of the Advancing Education program at the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation. Each grant was for $100,000!

The grants will help each organization continue its critical work in reducing learning loss among young students in North San Diego County.

Congratulations to Executive Directors James Wright and Nicole Mione Green, who have both participated in our Executive Learning Group program, on earning this meaningful investment in their organizations. We know they appreciate the efforts of their teams to make this happen, including Corey Ford, and Catalina Beltran, also graduates of our Learning Group and Leadership Reading Group programs.

Kathie Lembo, President of SBCS was recently featured on 60 Minutes Overtime, a follow-up segment to the show's prime-time story on our border entitled "The San Judas Break"

Kathie was in our very first Executive Learning Group and now works with us facilitating our Coaching Program.

You can watch the segment HERE

Mark Maddox, San Diego Pride, was recently honored as a Fabulous Activist and Community Volunteer at

Hillcrest Honors.

Mark is a 2023 graduate of our Nonprofit Leaders Learning Group.

Caroline Salazar has joined the board of Directors for Underground New England located in Connecticut. The organization exists to support survivors and end human trafficking in New England and Beyond. Caroline also serves as a member of the Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force with the Dioceses of Hartford which creates awareness and provides educational workshops about what human trafficking is throughout parishes and in communities in Connecticut.

Caroline is a graduate of our Learning Group Program.

Jenna Novotny, Chief Development Officer at Mama's Kitchen and CEO Eva Matthews, joined colleagues from the Food is Medicine Coalition at our nation's capital to share the importance and value of medically tailored meals with Congress.

Jenna is a graduate of our Learning Group and Coaching program. We look forward to welcoming Eva to our programs once she gets settled in her new position. .

Congratulations to Adrianna (Adri) Furtado who received her AA degree from Liberty University as her daughter received her BA from CSUSM. Together, they are the first in their family to earn college degrees.

Andriana is currently in our Nonprofit Leaders Learning Group and works as the Director of Resources for Operation HOPE North County.

Fieldstone Supports New Leaders

Congratulations to the following leaders who have recently started serving as first time executive directors. We are honored to be able to support you as you continue your leadership

in this new role!

Katrina Bruins, Visions Museum of Textile Art (Coaching)

Kerry Fox, Resounding Joy (Learning Group)

Diane Hazard, Compost Research and Education Foundation (Learning Group)

Kathy Karpe, Casa de Amparo (Coaching)

Jen LaBarbara, SD Pride (Learning Group)

Alex Villafuente, Pacific Arts Movement (Learning Group)

Janine Mason and Don Stump presented at The Nonprofit Institute's Board Governance Symposium in January. Their presentation, "Sabbaticals as Strategic Governance" aimed to reduced the fear board members often have when thinking about sabbaticals and to present a road map for how sabbaticals can be incorporated into the strategic work of a board. FLNSD has provided sabbaticals through the Clare Rose Sabbatical Program for ten years. Don was a recipient of the program eight years ago. He will begin working with FLNSD as the program's consultant with the 2024 cohort.

We want to celebrate you!

If you would like to share an accomplishment or contribution of yours or your colleagues

in upcoming

Leaders in the Field

publications, please direct your email here.

Visit our website

Congratulations to Ben Moraga as he begins his work as the President and CEO of the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation.

Ben is a graduate of our Learning Group program in 2011 and says he "owes a lot to his Fieldstone experiences".

﻿Congratulations to Kathy Karpe as she becomes the Executive Director of Casa de Amparo. For the past 20 years, Kathy has served as Casa's director of development.

Fieldstone Supports New Leaders

Congratulations to Kathy Karpe as she becomes the Executive Director of Casa de Amparo. For the past 20 years, Kathy has served as Casa's director of development.