Board of Directors
24/7 Crisis Lines
530-662-1133 / 916-371-1907
Empower Yolo Main Line
530-661-6336
Help is only a phone call away...
The Empower Yolo Board of Directors
Name | Role | Occupation | Member Since |
---|---|---|---|
Cathy Farman | Board Chair | Attorney, Retired | March 2014- December 2019 January 2022 (Rejoined) |
Evan Schmidt | Past Chair | CEO, Vision Valley | January 2018 |
Mayra Llamas, Ed.D | Vice Chair | Executive Director, UC Davis | December 2021 |
Stuart A. Starkweather, M.D. | Treasurer | Internal Medicine Specialist, Retired | March 2020 |
Susan Gefter | Secretary | Attorney, Retired | December 2012-2018 May 2021 (Rejoined) |
Magalean Martin | Board Member | Former Student Support Specialist & Community Advocate | August 2018 |
Jessica Murray | Board Member | Senior Manager, Quality Assurance, Pro Farm Group | January 2021 |
Robbie Murphy | Board Member | Retired, Business Manager, Surgery, Dignity Health | December 2022 |
Elizabeth Stevens | Board Member | Social Worker, Retired | January 2023 |
Celeste Santoni | Board Member | Dignity Health, Critical Care Nurse Manager | January 2023 |
Eric Cendejas | Board Member | Executive Project Assistant, Ramar Foods | January 2023 |
Denise Rocha | Board Member | Attorney, Retired | January 2023 |
In December of 2015 the Board of Directors of the Yolo Family Resource Center dissolved when the agency merged with Empower Yolo. At the time of the merger, many of those Board Members joined the Empower Yolo Board of Directors.
Join us around the table in service and community:
Empower Yolo, promoting safe, healthy and resilient communities, is an impactful nonprofit in Yolo County providing 24-hour crisis intervention, resource centers, community outreach, and more.
The Empower Yolo Board currently consists of 13 community members. The Board’s 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 Susan Gefter at [email protected]; or for a board application apply here: Empower Yolo Board Application.