Board of Directors

The Empower Yolo Board of Directors

2026 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dulce Alfaro is a public service professional with experience in local government and public communications. Her career has been rooted in public service, with a focus on outreach and civic participation. She brings experience in digital marketing and social media strategy, supporting transparent and accessible communication.

Sheri Atkinson has worked in higher education for over 25+ years, supporting student retention, building community, and advocating for social justice.  She first engaged with Empower Yolo when it was known as SADVC, where she provided trainings on serving LGBTQ+ communities. She also previously served on the board for Empower Yolo 2017-2021, including a term as chair.

Tawn Daniel brings decades of administrative and analytical experience in both the private and public education settings. Tawn’s skills with data management, computers and software, and graphic design have greatly enhanced every position she’s held.

Angela Domen is a Healthcare IT professional and a long-time Yolo County resident.  Angela is new to board membership and is very excited to learn and to support the mission of this organization.

Cathy Farman is a retired civil litigation attorney and active community volunteer. She has served on the boards of several area nonprofits, including as founding president of Davis Schools Foundation. Prior to moving to Yolo County, Cathy was legal counsel to a rape crisis center in Los Angeles County.

Susan Gefter is a retired attorney who worked for the State of California as a litigator and administrative judge. Susan is a long-time resident of Yolo County and has served on several city and county commissions and assisted nonprofit groups committed to community participation.

Lynda Jones is retired after working for almost 40 years as a University Academic Advisor, Supervisor, and Program Coordinator.  Lynda has served her community in a variety of ways through the years, including her leadership roles in 4-H, Girls Softball, and Senior Grad Night.

Mariel Garcia Llorens works in Yolo County’s higher education field, supporting students by leveraging her skills as an anthropologist and communications specialist. Prior to relocating to California, she managed social development projects in the nonprofit world, partnering with local governments and grassroots organizations in small towns and rural areas of Peru.

Mayra Llamas is a lifelong Yolo County resident and committed community advocate dedicated to advancing equity, belonging, and opportunity for underserved populations. As the daughter of immigrant farmworkers and a first‑generation college graduate, she brings a deep personal connection to the region and a strong belief in the resilience and potential of local families.

With over two decades of experience in student‑ and community‑centered work, Mayra is known for her authentic leadership, collaborative approach, and commitment to culturally rooted practices that honor lived experience. Her work centers on collective empowerment, community care, and expanding access to resources that help individuals thrive.

Mayra Meza-Chavez is on leave from the board.

Kiyomi Morales is a Woodland native and a licensed CPA.  She currently works as a Senior Accountant for a local tax firm that specializes in tax preparation and planning services, where she has worked for the past 14 years.  She currently resides in Woodland with her husband and two young daughters.

Robbie Murphy is the retired Business Manager of Surgical Services at Woodland Memorial Hospital. She served as a board member on the Board of Occupational Therapy in the California Department of Consumer Affairs, the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy, and the Certification Board for Occupational Therapy during her fifty-year career in occupational therapy. She managed the regional rehabilitation information system for Dignity Health, Sacramento, measuring treatment processes and outcomes for spinal surgery, major total joint replacement, and other orthopedic conditions. Robbie has been a resident of Yolo County since 1976.

Liz Stevens worked as a social worker with older adults before moving to Yolo County. She later assisted individuals with Medicare-related issues through her work with a nonprofit agency. Throughout her career and retirement, Liz has remained a dedicated supporter of social justice initiatives and issues.

Susan Stone was born and educated in Michigan. She taught elementary school in Boston, Massachusetts. Later, she earned a Master’s Degree in counseling and worked as a High School Guidance Counselor in Jacksonville, Florida. Susan moved to Davis to be closer to family.

Christine Toedebusch is a veterinary neurologist and comparative neuro-oncologist dedicated to improving outcomes for animal and human patients with brain cancer. She is passionate about advancing community-based programs that support health, education, and opportunity. Christine joined the Empower Yolo Board of Directors in 2025 to deepen her engagement with the Yolo County community and to support programs serving the county’s most vulnerable residents.

Join us around the table in service and community:

The Empower Yolo Board currently consists of community members, whose role is to support the mission of the organization through providing leadership, oversight, guidance, and fundraising support. In recruiting new members, we are seeking:

• A commitment to the mission of Empower Yolo
• Representation from diverse communities in Yolo County – including young people, rural areas, people of color, and other groups who are underrepresented on the Board
• An orientation towards social justice and commitment to empowerment of survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence

Board members are expected to attend a monthly meeting, serve on a subcommittee, and seek ways to contribute positively to the advancement of Empower Yolo’s mission. The Board of Empower Yolo is committed to conducting business in a manner that appreciates, enhances, and utilizes the strengths of Empower Yolo’s clients and honors their cultural practices and traditions.

If you are interested in becoming a Board member and have any questions, contact secretary@empoweryolo.org; or for a board application, apply here: Empower Yolo Board Application.