Staff - San Antonio Area Foundation

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Meet the Staff

San Antonio Area Foundation staff is prepared to help you with your philanthropic needs. Please feel free to call us at 210.225.2243 or email us at info@saafdn.org.

Departments include: Development and Donor Services, Administration, Finance, Communications and Grants and Programs.

PRESIDENT/CEO

Clarence R. "Reggie" Williams BIO
President/Chief Executive Officer

DEVELOPMENT AND DONOR SERVICES

	Sallie Steves Peacock Vice President Development and Donor Services Sallie is a lifelong resident of San Antonio. She has been an active member of many civic organizations. Read more...
	Lea Kochanek Director of Donor Services Lea joined the Area Foundation staff in 2004 after spending most of her professional career in corporate community relations. As Director of Donor Services, Lea manages programs to build and sustain effective relationships with our donors.
	Maricela Espinoza-Garcia Director - Community Outreach A career professional with more than 20 years experience in development, communications, management and operations, Maricela joined the San Antonio Area Foundation in January 2007. Maricela’s role is to create and manage donor programs by diversifying the donor base and increasing awareness of the Area Foundation. Maricela served as Interim Executive Director and Director of Individual Gifts and Development for the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center.
	Kathleen Finck Smudy Director of Planned Giving A San Antonio native, Kathleen obtained a business degree from the University of Texas-Austin and a law degree from St. Mary's Unviersity. She has practiced law for 19 years in federal and state courts, for the City of San Antonio, the City of Dallas and the Bexar County District Attorney's Office. Kathleen is a member of the San Antonio Bar Foundation.
	Sharon Garcia Director of Foundation Partnerships In her role as Director of Foundation Partnerships for the San Antonio Area Foundation, Sharon will serve to market and manage philanthropic opportunities and initiatives in South Texas communities as the liaison to local supporting organizations and the foundation’s regional affiliate network. With over 13 years experience in communications, international trade, marketing and community relations, Sharon most recently worked as an account manager for Dublin & Associates, a local public relations agency. Previously, she has served as special projects coordinator for the City of San Antonio’s International Affairs Department, public relations manager for the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and public information officer for the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau. Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Sharon graduated from the Monterey Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master of Arts in International Policy Studies.

ADMINISTRATION

	Linda Stordy Executive Assistant/Board Liaison Linda has worked at the San Antonio Area Foundation for over 6 years and is currently the Board Liaison and serves as the Executive Assistant to the CEO/President.
	Nicole Espinosa Development Associate Nicole joined the staff full time in December 2006. She has extensive skills in office administration and management and looks forward to learning more about the nonprofit sector. Nicole also attends St. Phillips College and is pursuing a degree in Psychology.
	Leticia Garcia Receptionist Leticia brings to the Area Foundation more than 30 years of experience including administrative work, data entry, inventory control and clerical processing.

FINANCE

	Michelle Cox, CPA Chief Financial Officer Michelle is a CPA with a BBA from the University of Texas San Antonio. She has been with the Area Foundation for six years and was promoted to Chief Financial Officer in July 2006. Read more ...
	Kristie Holzworth Controller Kristie has degrees in Accounting and Finance from San Jose State University. Prior to relocating to San Antonio, she was with two of the five largest international accounting firms for four years and Controller of a business consulting firm in Northern California.
	Karel Tumminello Director of Technology and Administration After many years away Karel, a native Texan, has found her way "home" again. She is thrilled with the opportunity to contribute to the mutual goals and aspirations of all the wonderful folks associated with the San Antonio Area Foundation.
	Margie Bermudez Accountant Margie recently earned her BBA in Accounting at UTSA. She received her A.A.S. in Accounting Technology from Hallmark Institute of Technology. Margie has more than four years of experience working for nonprofit financial institutions, including Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union and Firstmark Credit Union.

COMMUNICATIONS

	Margaret Anne Lara Vice President Communications and Product Development A communications professional with over 20 years of experience, Margaret Anne has led strategic marketing and public relations initiatives for several non-profit performing and visual arts organizations in Texas. As the Public and Media Relations Manager for the McNay Art Museum, she managed the marketing and advertising campaign for the 2006-2007 museum’s recent $50.8 million capital campaign for expansion and grand opening celebration as well as the McNay’s 50th Anniversary in 2005.Read more
	Laura Carter Communications Manager Laura has worked for more than 20 years in the nonprofit sector. She has skills in communications and media relations, development, database management, web editing, desktop publishing and all areas of administrative support. Ms. Carter earned a BA from Southwest Texas State University (Texas State) in Sociology.

GRANTS AND PROGRAMS

	Lady Ray Romano Vice President Grants and Programs Lady joined the Area Foundation in 1998. Prior to joining the Area Foundation, Lady spent seven years at United Way and 12 years in business management. Read more...
	Lydia Rodriguez Program Officer - Discretionary Funds Lydia has been with the San Antonio Area Foundation for over 11 years and has 13 years experience in the non-profit sector. While at the Area Foundation, she earned a UTSA Nonprofit Management and Leadership Program Certificate. As Program Officer for the discretionary grants, she oversees all aspects of the competitive grants process.
	Bernice Uresti Program Officer - Scholarships Bernice joined the staff in 2001 after receiving a degree at UTSA in Business administration with a major in Accounting. For three years, she worked as an accountant in the Finance Department, after which Bernice joined the Grants Department as Program Officer for Scholarships where she enjoys working closely with students, schools, parents and donors.
	Catherine Garcia Program Assistant Catherine joined the staff in 2001 as an Administrative Assistant and was responsible for that “first impression.” In 2006, Catherine joined the Grants Department where she uses her expertise to provide administrative assistance in all aspects of the grants area from training, reviewing applications, site visits and reporting.
	Jill Wheatley Program Officer - Community Intiatives Jill Wheatley has joined the San Antonio Area Foundation as Program Officer-Community Initiatives. Wheatley will manage the Area Foundation’s Animal Services Community Initiative, leading a community-wide effort to assist the City of San Antonio in accomplishing its Strategic Plan to make San Antonio a No Kill city with regard to companion animals by 2012. She looks forward to working with the City, animal care organizations and a broad cross-section of the community to accomplish this goal. With more than 10 years experience in the nonprofit sector, she has worked in the areas of community relations, marketing, public relations and development, and earned a B.F.A. from Southern Methodist University.
	Sandie Palomo-Gonzalez, Ph.D. Program Officer – Community Initiatives, TRIAD Sandie joined the Foundation staff in 2007. She has over 10 years experience in the nonprofit sector. Most recently, she coordinated UTSA’s Nonprofit Management Program, a continuing education program for nonprofit professionals and served as campus director for American Humanics, a program that prepares college students for nonprofit management roles. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.
	Natalie Zertuche Program Assistant-Community Initiatives Natalie Zertuche has joined the San Antonio Area Foundation as Program Assistant-Community Initiatives. Zertuche graduated from University of Texas at San Antonio with a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice with a minor in nonprofit management. Zertuche hopes to continue in her charitable work wit h the Foundation while staying focused on her passion for restorative justice with offender re-entry.
	Erin Zayko Program Associate-Community Initiatives Erin joined the staff in 2007 and has three years of nonprofit coordination and fundraising experience. In 2004 she graduated second in her class from the UTSA Honors College with a BA in Anthropology and a focus in Political Science. She is currently enrolled in the UTSA Nonprofit Management and Leadership Program and envisions a life dedicated to charitable work and public service.
	Nancy Yvette Ayon Research Associate Nancy Yvette Ayon has joined the San Antonio Area Foundation as a Research Associate after having worked with the Grants and Programs Department as the Community Initiatives-Intern. She is a recent graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio, earning a dual degree with a B.S. in Political Science and a B.A. in Sociology. Ayon plans on pursuing her Masters in Public Administration at the University of Texas at San Antonio while continuing her work with the San Antonio Area Foundation.