Help Your Neighbor in Need TODAY!
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Board of Directors
Jean Gunn
President
Retired since 2009, Jean Gunn’s financial services career consisted of long-term executive positions with two Fortune 500 companies, Capital One and The Hartford Group. A graduate of the University of San Francisco (B.A.), Jean holds an M.B.A. from Dominican University. Bringing expertise in corporate fundraising, management and finance, she first joined the Board 2004-2010, serving as President during the second half of her term. Jean was reappointed to the Board in 2011, serving on the Strategic Planning Committee. Jean resides in Novato, and her two grown sons also live in the bay area.
“I believe strongly in our mission, and I’m inspired by NHNC’s highly-skilled staff — they are committed to meeting the human needs of our community, and they deliver those services with respect and compassion. While our aim is to provide immediate help to those in crisis, our programs encourage economic independence, fueling the ultimate goal — to end the cycle of poverty. That is the approach that can truly make the difference, and that’s why I remain engaged with the Center.”
Regina Bianucci Rus
Vice President
Owner
Regina Biannucci Rus CPA
Regina Rus, a local CPA and resident of Novato for 19 years, has volunteered for the Center’s Holiday Share Program through its food and gift drives and participates annually in the Holiday Share shopping days. With extensive volunteer experience in a variety of nonprofit organizations in the community and her affiliation with the California Society of CPA’s, Rus brings a breadth of knowledge to her role at the Center that will help expand agency resources and enhance client services. Rus is currently serving as the Board’s Treasurer during this fiscal year. “I look forward to contributing even more to this local organization that has helped so many people in short term or long term financial crisis,” said Rus.
Misty Rudolph
Treasurer
Assistant Branch Manager
Bank of Marin
A long-time Novato resident, Misty has been in banking for nine years and brings management experience along with marketing, sales, credit counseling, computer systems, customer service, and training. She received a BS degree in Business Management from CSU-Chico. She has volunteered for the YMCA, and events like the Novato Art & Wine Fest and Paint the Town Red. “I admire NHNC’s dedication to the community and the support it provides to so many with a focus on education to end the cycle of poverty. The Center is such an honored and respected organization and I wanted to be involved.”
David Snyder
Secretary
David Snyder is a member of the Northern California Planned Giving Council (NCPGC) and serves on their 2013 Conference Committee. While serving as the Chief Development Officer for the Richmond Community Foundation, David launched a monthly “Development Coffee” to assist area Development Directors and nonprofit Executives. Each month the group focuses on a specific topic to address fundraising and nonprofit management best practices. Prior to his work in Richmond, David served as the executive director of the Berkeley Public Library Foundation where he launched a $3.5 million capital campaign to assist with the renovations Berkeley’s four branch libraries.
New to the Novato area in 2009, David and his wife Judy, moved from New Hampshire to allow Judy to live closer to her mother, a resident of Novato since 1968. Formerly the executive director of the New Hampshire Bar Foundation, David comes to the Novato Human Needs Center with an extensive background in nonprofit management, fundraising, and community service. “I came to the NHNC board because of the organization’s efforts to assist those most in need within the Novato community. It is important to have professionals in place with a passion for the work to step in with aid when an individual or a family is in crisis. To assist those in need requires a financial commitment on behalf of the agency and I hope to assist the agency with raising the funds needed to continue services today and into the future.”
Silvina Candia
Customer Experience Manager
Strategic Planning and Operations
Autodesk, Inc.
Silvina Candia is a Customer Experience Senior Manager at Autodesk and has resided in Novato for almost four years. In 2005, Silvina moved from New York to California to pursue a master’s degree in public administration focusing on nonprofits. She has been an active volunteer for many nonprofit organizations and was formerly the Director of the Volunteer Center of Monterey County. Silvina’s background in information technology, program management, and strategic planning positions her to make a valuable contribution to the leadership of NHNC. “The mission of the Novato Human Needs Center resonates with me and I too believe that with a small amount of assistance, people can achieve great things. I am thrilled about the opportunity to serve on the board of an organization that provides much-needed support to people in our wonderful community.”
Mark Hoffman
Retired
Nonprofit Consultant
Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership
I have over thirty years in a variety of fields. I have worked in city planning, consulted in the energy and environmental field, overseen strategic planning in criminal justice, sold large scale co-generation equipment, and owned an executive search firm that recruited in the biotech industry for eighteen years before retiring in 2006. This has been interspersed with travel to over forty countries beginning as a Peace Corps volunteer in East Africa.
The past five years has given me the opportunity to apply my diverse professional experiences as a pro bono volunteer. I have consulted with a variety of non-profit organizations in Marin County as a member of the Center for Volunteer and Non-profit Leadership. It is in this capacity that I assisted the Novato Human Needs Center in the development of a five year strategic plan. Through my work with the planning committee and the staff I came to know NHNC and appreciate the invaluable services provided by this organization to those in greatest need. For me, giving of one’s time to an organization as worthwhile and effective as NHNC is the essence of a meaningful retirement.
Garrett Parker was added to the Board in January 2013. Currently living in Santa Rosa, he has worked for 17 years at W. Bradley Electric, mostly in management. He is Fleet and Facilities Manager overseeing 120 vehicles, four truck drivers, and two buildings including their Novato headquarters office. He was recently certified in CPR and First Aid for Adults.
When he was selected, Garrett said “After talking with Michael Mann (former NHNC President), I decided to fill out an application to serve on the board. I feel with my 17 years in Novato at WBE, mostly in management, I have the skills to help out.”
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, Deanna Euritt
Deanna has over 30 years experience in the government and non-profit sectors. She began her career in Arizona as an auditor and certified public accountant moving on to become an administrator at Arizona State University. Midway through her career she decided to attend San Francisco Theological Seminary and became ordained in the United Church of Christ in 1990. She served as a parish minister in a large church in Duluth, Minnesota, but later returned to California to take a position as associate director of a large social services agency in Napa. Approximately three years later she served at Hospice of Marin as a chaplain and eventually moved into a management position. She currently serves as Executive Director of Novato Human Needs Center where her passion for and commitment to serving those in need guides the mission and services of the Center.
BOARD MEMBER OPPORTUNITY
History and Mission: Established in 1972 NHNC is a community based non-profit serving over 4,500 low income residents annually. Our mission is to help low income families and individuals to overcome their crises and move toward self-sufficiency. We provide a diversity of basic services—food pantry, rental assistance, transportation, employment counseling, Holiday Share, information and referral, as well as more intensive programs to provide families with tools to move out of poverty and improve their socio-economic status.
Our Current Board Culture: We have historically had a friendly, small to medium size board of eight to twelve members. Our board is typically composed of professional leaders from local business and service organizations, as well as community members. Our board has always been a cohesive group who takes their oversight seriously. We always welcome more diversity and new ideas to keep us fresh and forward thinking. Terms are for 3 years.
Staff and Finances: We currently have 14 staff members and over 300 volunteers. We have several funding sources, drawing upon the community for 43% of our total revenue. We have sufficient reserves for three months, but always strive to have reserves up to six months worth of expenditures. Our current budget is around $1million.
Who we are looking for: We would like new board members who can attend monthly board meetings on Monday evenings from 5:30—7:00PM, as well as some of our special events. We are very focused on fund-raising and hope to find new board members who may have connections to potential donors, can make their own significant donation, and who are not afraid to ask others for support. We are also hoping to enhance our ethnic and job skill diversity.
Contact us: If this sounds right for you and you have passion for our type of mission, please contact Deanna Euritt, Executive Director at (415)897-4147 ext. 38, or DEuritt@nhnc.org. We would love to hear from you.