BOARD OF DIRECTORS

San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. A sixteen member volunteer Board of Directors governs the affiliate in accordance with the U.S. Affiliation Agreement (photos of the affiliate’s Directors along with their bios are here).  We are blessed to have these talented community leaders who give hundreds of hours of their time to ensure that Habitat homes are continuously built in the San Gabriel Valley, thus addressing the immense need for affordable homeownership.

Executive Board

Tom Doud President
Partner, Crowell, Weedon & Co

Jan Berentsen Vice President
Executive Director
California Pacific United Methodist Foundation, Inc.

Ann Dougherty Recording Secretary
Management Consultant

Howard Woo Treasurer
Financial Advisor, Citigroup Smith Barney

Board Members

Donald W. Goodman
President, Walt Disney Imagineering

Janelle Williams
Williams Land Use Service

Carol Martin
Insurance Underwriter
Lemac & Associates

Cynthia Heydt
Accountant/Fund Developer
Self-employed

George Garfield
President, Transwestern

Deborah Loveland
Banker

John MacLean
Senior Commercial Loan Consultant
Washington Mutual Bank

Claus Agger-Nielsen
Senior Manager - CPA
Lucas, Horsfall, Murphy, & Pindroh, LLP

Mike Davitt
Director of Real Estate
Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Judd Reas
Project Engineer
Charles Pankow Builders

Daric Lee
Financial Advisor
Wells Fargo

OUR COMMITTEES

Executive Committee: Plans agendas for the Board of Directors; acts as a sounding board in working with the Executive Director; provides leadership for the organization; is comprised of the Board President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary.

Fund Development Committee: Represents the organization in securing funding commitments for operations and the affordable housing mission. Works in concert with the Board to analyze giving patterns and to initiate strategies to increase giving to levels commensurate with organizational goals.

Construction Committee: Provides support for the Construction Manager for all Habitat builds; promotes donation of gifts-in-kind of materials and pro bono services. The Chair is a Board Director who serves as a liaison between the Board and each build site.

Family Selection Committee: Implements a fair, comprehensive, and compliant process for marketing home buying opportunities to eligible low-income families; recommends home buyers for each Habitat for Humanity Build to the Board of Directors and to the sponsoring municipality.

Family Committee: Provides home buyer education; assists in monitoring each family’s completion of required Sweat Equity hours (500 hours per home); provides Family Partners and Home Owners Association partners to ensure success in the Habitat home buying experience.

Public Relations Committee: Prepares six issues of the organization’s newsletter per calendar year; operates a Speakers Bureau to make presentations to service organizations, places of worship and/or corporate environments; maintains the organization’s web site; maintains appropriate printed materials to share and promote the affordable housing mission of the organization.

Faith Relations Committee: Works with and through places of worship to provide financial and volunteer support for Habitat for Humanity builds.

Volunteer Committee: Partners with the organization’s Volunteer Coordinator to provide volunteers for all dimensions of the organization’s work; conducts monthly Volunteer Orientations to induct new volunteers; provides hospitality and lunches for groups of build site volunteers; organizes an annual Volunteer Recognition event to honor and celebrate the contributions of volunteers.

Finance Committee: Assists in development of the organization’s annual budget; monitors special funding needs of the organization.

Audit Committee: Monitors quarterly reconciliation of all bank accounts and online banking; reviews draft audit and interfaces with auditors to ensure accuracy of the annual audit report.

OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dr. Sonja Yates joined the efforts of San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity in 2004.  Since that time the affiliate has grown in house production, fundraising, visibility, and capacity.  ReStore (Builders Surplus Store) revenues have increased fivefold since FY 2004.

Sonja’s 15 years as Superintendent of Schools in Rancho Cucamonga’s Central School District prepared her well for the vast and challenging responsibilities of the Executive Director position. She works enthusiastically and tirelessly for our mission and cause. Under her leadership San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity is changing many lives and building stronger communities!