Mentors
Alison Brunner
Law Foundation of Silicon Valley
Alison Brunner is Executive Director of the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, which is a nonprofit agency established in 1974. The Law Foundation’s mission is to advance the rights of under-represented individuals and families in its diverse community through legal services, strategic advocacy, and educational outreach. The Law Foundation’s services are available through five programs: Health Legal Services, Fair Housing Law Project, Legal Advocates for Children & Youth, Mental Health Advocacy Project, and Public Interest Law Firm.
Ms. Brunner was previously Directing Attorney for the Mental Health Advocacy Project and Health Legal Services, two of the five programs offered by the Law Foundation, which she joined in 1996, after serving as a legislative assistant to U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA).
Born and raised in San Jose, California, Ms. Brunner earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California at Los Angeles and obtained her law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law. She has been deeply engaged in the region’s legal services community, serving on the advisory board for the Katherine and George Alexander Community Law Center and the executive committee of the Association of Mental Health Contract Agencies for Santa Clara County.
Site Information: http://www.lawfoundation.org/mission-history/
Louis Chicoine
Abode Services
Louis Chicoine has been Executive Director of Abode Services for more than 20 years, helping the organization grow into the leading provider of housing and services to residents experiencing homelessness in Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Napa counties.
During his tenure, Abode Services has grown from a local “start-up” with one shelter serving 66 adults and children into a regional organization that owns and operates hundreds of supportive housing units and provides services to more than 6,100 adults and children each year.
Mr. Chicoine is responsible for the overall management of the more than 350-employee organization, making sure it grows responsibly and maintains its mission of improving the health of the community by implementing programs that end homelessness.
Chicoine holds a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from Holy Names University in Oakland and Master’s degrees in social work administration and pastoral ministry.
He has been elected to serve as President of the Alameda County Council of Mental Health Agencies and chosen to be on the board of directors for Destination:Home. He currently serves on the Alameda Health System Board of Trustees.
Site Information: https://www.abodeservices.org/
Sara Cody
Santa Clara County Public Health Department
Sara Cody is the County Health Officer of Santa Clara County. Dr. Cody brings more than 15 years of experience working as a Deputy Health Officer at the Santa Clara County Public Health Department.
In her role as Health Officer, Dr. Cody’s duties include providing public health leadership for all of Santa Clara County, including leading the development of public health policy and programs, assessing and reporting on the health status of the community, and enforcing local health orders and ordinances.
Since 1998, Dr. Cody has worked as a Deputy Health Officer/Communicable Disease Controller at the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, where she oversaw surveillance and investigation of 83 reportable diseases, conducted investigations of outbreaks, participated in planning for public health emergencies, infectious diseases, and bioterrorism, and responded to SARS, H1N1 and other public health emergencies.
Dr. Cody graduated from Stanford University, where she received a degree in Human Biology. She received her Doctor of Medicine from Yale University School of Medicine. Following an Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine at Stanford University Hospital, Dr. Cody completed a two-year fellowship in Epidemiology and Public Health, as an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While in that role, she investigated an international E. coli outbreak that was linked to unpasteurized apple juice and led an investigation of a salmonella outbreak centered in Santa Clara County that was traced to queso fresco made from raw milk. This experience in Santa Clara County led her to join the Public Health Department in Santa Clara County after she finished her EIS training.
Site Information https://publichealth.sccgov.org/about-us/leadership
Kathy Córdova
Santa Maria Urban Ministry
Kathy Córdova is the Executive Director of Santa Maria Urban Ministry, a nonprofit organization supporting the needs of low-income families and individuals in the Washington neighborhood of downtown San Jose. She brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and heart to Santa Maria, where she strives to create a vision for the organization’s future and its unique community-based approach to uplifting the underserved in San Jose.
Santa Maria partners with Second Harvest Food Bank to provide food for low-income families in San Jose. Santa Maria also provides preschool, after-school tutoring, ESL classes, and other educational programs. With her many connections in the nonprofit world, Kathy aims to develop more partnerships and collaboration with other nonprofits serving the San Jose community. She continues to strategize about new ways to ease hunger and poverty.
Ms. Córdova was born and raised in San Jose and is a graduate of San Jose State University. She has worked in the non-profit sector in the Bay Area for over twenty years. Her previous experience includes years fundraising for schools and nonprofits serving the San Jose area, including Sacred Heart Nativity Schools, Asian Americans for Community Involvement, Somos Mayfair and West Valley Community Services. She also consulted for multiple non-profits, providing management, strategic planning, and marketing expertise and has served on many boards including the Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women and Domestic Violence Council, Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley and the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Site Information: https://www.santamariasj.org/#what-we-do-and-why
Juan Cruz
Franklin McKinley School District
Juan Cruz has been Superintendent of the Franklin McKinley School District in San Jose since 2015. He was. previously Associate Superintendent of Educational Services for the East Side Union High School District.
When he was a student at San Jose State University, Mr. Cruz began working in education by serving Migrant Education students while working for California Min-Corps and then directly with the Migrant Education Program at the Santa Clara County Office of Education. Mr. Cruz worked with elementary and middle school students in the Oak Grove Elementary School District and then eventually moved on to working with high school students in the East Side Union High School District.
Mr. Cruz completed his student teaching at Yerba Buena High School and subsequently was hired to teach Social Science. After teaching for seven years at Yerba Buena High School, Mr. Cruz left to serve as Associate Principal of Educational Development at Piedmont Hills High School. Shortly thereafter, he returned to serve for nearly seven years as Principal at Yerba Buena High School before moving on to serve as Associate Superintendent of Educational Services for the East Side Union High School District.
Site Information: https://www.fmsd.org/
Veronica Goei
Grail Family Services
Veronica Goei has been Executive Director of Grail Family Services since 2000. She is a leader in the nonprofit sector with more than 18 years of experience. Under her leadership, GFS has built a reputation for expertise in early childhood literacy, family engagement and working with Latino families.
As Executive Director of Grail Family Services, she is responsible for the leadership and management of the organization, has developed and implemented the Strategic Plan and the annual fundraising plan. She has also developed and nurtured collaborative partnerships inclusive of all stakeholders; developed new programs and services, and has conducted community outreach and managed public relations.
Ms. Goel has also developed curricula in the areas of parenting, diversity, early childhood literacy, and adult education. Her curricula are implemented at the local, state and national levels. She serves on the New Market Tax Credit advisory board of Opportunity Fund and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Children's Musical Theater of San Jose and the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits.
Ms. Goel holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Chile and is a graduate of the Harvard University Strategic Perspective in Nonprofit Management Program.
Site Information: http://www.gfsfamilyservices.org/
Poncho Guevara
Sacred Heart Community Service
Poncho Guevara is Executive Director of Sacred Heart Community Service. His professional career has been geared toward the advancement of economically disadvantaged communities –from providing direct services targeting low-income union members to serving in executive management roles in nonprofit housing development corporations.
Mr., Guevara’s experience has reinforced his dedication to creating systemic approaches to eliminating poverty through a combination of investments in human services and advocacy for wider public policy solutions. By cultivating and creating bridges between diverse constituencies, he has helped spearhead responses to critical issues in workforce development, children’s health care, homelessness, and affordable housing.
He has helped build respected nonprofit organizations from the ground floor including Working Partnerships USA, the Interfaith Council, and the Housing Trust of Santa Clara County, in addition to strengthening established community institutions, such as Emergency Housing Consortium and South County Housing Corporation.
Mr. Guevara has also served in leadership roles for regional collaboratives and commissions such as the Santa Clara County Collaborative on Affordable Housing and Homeless Issues and the NOVA Workforce Board. He is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego, the Coro Foundation Public Affairs Fellowship, and the American Leadership Forum.
Site Information: https://www.sacredheartcs.org/about-us
David K. Mineta
Momentum for Mental Health
David K. Mineta is CEO of Momentum for Mental Health, which has a mission to help individuals achieve mental and emotional health, discover and reach their potential, and fully participate in life. The organization focuses on seamless delivery of comprehensive behavioral health services that are accessible, integrated, effective and engaging, resulting in the best treatment possible. Momentum offers adults, adolescents, and families an array of high-quality programs and services that promote a healthier, independent future
Mr. Mineta began his work in behavioral health over 25 years ago as a counselor in the San Jose Unified School District and in Santa Clara County's Alcohol and Drug Department. He continued his substance use disorder services work with Asian American Recovery Services where he rose through the ranks from manager of a youth prevention program to Associate Director and eventually was named Deputy Director in 2007. He was twice Board President for the Jefferson Union High School District Board of Trustees and has served as a member of the American Public Health Association and Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America.
In 2010, the United States Senate confirmed him unanimously as Deputy Director of Demand Reduction for the White House Drug Policy Office, where he earned a national reputation for his work on drug prevention and treatment, as well as recovery services.
Mr. Mineta received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Social Work from San Jose State University.
Site Information https://www.momentumformentalhealth.org/our-philosophy