Board of Directors

Board Chair (July 2017 – Present), Secretary (July 2015 – July 2017), Board Member at large (2015 – Present)

Associate, Gonsalves & Kozachenko, Attorneys at Law
Board of Directors, Fremont Chamber of Commerce
Member, American Health Lawyers Association
Member, California Society for Healthcare Attorneys
Former Extern for the Honorable Marvin R. Baxter, Associate Justice, California Supreme Court
Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Davis in Political Science and International Relations

Vice Chair (July 2017 – Present), Board Member at large (2016 – Present)

More than 25 years of experience as a software engineer and developer in semiconductor manufacturing and finance. Currently at Franklin Templeton Investments in Dublin.
Passion for Breast Cancer Awareness began over 20 years ago with participation in Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. Since then completed 2 Avon 3-Day, 1 Komen 3-Day and an Avon 39, plus many 5K and 10K walks in between.
Free time is spent helping numerous organizations such as: Dress A Girl Around the World, Chemo Bags Ministry, Valley Humane Society, Sandra J Wing Healing Therapies Foundation, Relay for Life, Patient Family Advisory Committee for Stanford ValleyCare and Bright Pink Ambassador.
In December of 2016 she celebrated her 2 year Breast Cancer survivorship.
Bachelors of Arts from University of Redlands with emphasis in Mathematics and Secondary education.
Masters in Information Systems from University of Phoenix.
Lives in Pleasanton

Secretary (July 2017 – Present), Board Member at large (2016 – Present)

Privacy Officer at Sutter Health Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF)
Before coming to Sutter Health, she worked in privacy and compliance at UCLA Health System, Arcadian Health Plan, and Adventist Health
B.A. from U.C. Riverside in Psychology and Political Science
J.D. from Loyola Law School

Board Member at large (2016 – Present)

Vice President Finance at Sutter Health – Sutter Bay Medical Foundation and Chief Financial Officer at Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group
Before joining Sutter, Don held senior finance executive positions with several Bay Area health care organizations, including Stanford Health Care at ValleyCare, Alameda Health System, and El Camino Hospital. Don also held health care enterprise strategy advisor positions at ECG Management Consultants and Kurt Salmon
Member, Healthcare Financial Management Association
Member, American College of Healthcare Executives
Bachelor of Science from University of California, Berkeley in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research; Masters in Business Administration from California State University, Hayward
Don was raised in Pacifica, CA, and he currently lives in Pleasanton. His interests include golfing, traveling, and enjoying time with family and friends over food and drinks

Board Member at large (January 2019 – Present)

Gisela is the Director of Community Relations at Washington Hospital Healthcare System in Fremont, California. In this role, she oversees the Hospital’s internal and external communications, media relations, marketing, social media, and InHealth television station.
Prior experience includes:
- Gisela’s previous experience includes Doctors Medical Center in San Pablo, California, where she oversaw the hospital’s government relations, community outreach, communications and marketing programs.
- California Executive Fellowship Program (2001-2002), California Trade and Commerce Agency
- Office of Governor Gray Davis (San Francisco Regional Office) Communications Team
Bachelor of Art degree from the University of California, San Diego, in Urban Studies & Planning, and Spanish Literature.
Gisela lives in Fremont with her husband, Elias, and sons, Daniel and Mateo. In her free time, Gisela enjoys cycling and hiking with her family, visiting local and regional parks, and gathering often with extended family and friends.

Board Member at large (2016 – Present)

Writer and researcher for Lumina Communications, 2014 to present. Develops contributed articles for high tech executives to further thought leadership efforts.
Assists HERS with public relations activities, including press releases, newsletters, and social media promotions.
Over 20 years work experience in writing, project management and online communications, including web site design, copywriting, branding, messaging, and public relations.
Lifelong involvement and interest in women’s health and civil rights, social and environmental justice.
Past chair, Board of Directors, Mariposa Montessori in Los Gatos.
Los Gatos resident, school volunteer, busy mom of two girls in grade school, happily married.
B.A., Social Sciences, Stanford University

Board Member (joined August, 2018)

San Francisco Bay Area Realtor specializing in homes and estates
Bachelor of Arts from St. Michael’s College
A former publishing company owner, Cathy has over 25 years of marketing and sales experience
Affiliations include Bay East Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, California Association of Realtors, and the Castro Valley Chamber of Commerce
A resident of the East Bay for over 30 years, Cathy and her husband Bob have made Castro Valley their home for many years and raised their three children in that city. She is proud of her children’s accomplishments; sons Andrew and Mark are both baseball coaches, and daughter Katie is an ICU (intensive care unit) nurse

Board Member at large (joined May, 2018)

Anjali is a Yoga Teacher specializing in assisting individuals who are experiencing health challenges such as cancer. Practice sites include the Stanford Cancer Program and Washington Hospital Healthcare System. She also provides instruction for corporate and private clients.
She co-founded (and is a volunteer team member) of Rewire Community, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that promotes self-empowerment, gender inclusiveness, and healthy relationships.
Anjali is a Diversity and Intercultural Training Specialist at Charis Intercultural Training for multinational high-tech companies and home builders.
2018 marks Anjali’s seventh year as a survivor of breast cancer.

Board Member at large (joined August, 2018)

Customer Experience Manager at PetersenDean Solar4America in Fremont, California.
Prior to joining PetersenDean, Jill worked for 12 years at Fremont’s Christian Community Schools, serving as a teacher, department head, Director of Marketing and Director of Curriculum. She has also worked as sales manager and consultant in the high-tech industry and in loan processing at Wells Fargo Bank
B.S. in Business Administration, William Paterson University; studied Business Management at the University of California, Santa Cruz
Jill was raised in New Jersey and moved to California to pursue higher education
She is a volunteer for the Surfrider Foundation and Ocean Conservancy
Jill has two sons and three grandchildren and resides in Fremont with her two cats. She enjoys spending time with family and friends. Her interests include sports, cooking, wine, collecting sea glass, spending time on the coast, animals and wildlife
Jill’s passion for supporting HERS is personal; her mother was 50 years old when she lost her battle with breast cancer
Affiliations include the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) and the San Mateo Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation