Board Leadership Institute Graduates
The Board Leadership Institute provides local nonprofit leaders with skills and tools to internally strengthen their organization and to build business longevity in the communities they serve. On an annual basis, CNL has been conducting cohorts for Central Coast nonprofits (Ventura County, Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County). On average, over 35-45 leaders from 10-12 local nonprofit organizations graduate from this intensive six-month program with each cohort. At the culmination ceremony, each participating organization is awarded a certificate to acknowledge their completion of this training.
Below is a list of past participating organizations and their organizational team that participated in BLI:
Congratulations 2025 Santa Barbara County Cohort (#29):
- Apples To Zucchini Cooking School
Nancy Martz, Ann Fristoe - Arts Mentorship Program
Rene Garcia-Hernandez, Jessica Farley, Tere Jurado - Catholic Charities of Los Angeles - Santa Maria Program
Ruth Sherrill, Ken Dalebout, Steve Hein, Eva Cazares - Children's Media Research and Reform Lab
Will Maurer, Brigitte Hix - Foundation for Cottage Rehabilitation and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospitals
Kelly Vazquez, Scott Vincent, Dennis Keever - Friendship Center
Kathryn Westland, Nathan Bero, Vivian Armanious, Gerrie Shapiro - Goleta Valley Historical Society
Denise Sanford, Stephanie Petlow - Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Cat Allday, Gelare Macon, Eileen White Read, Eric Cardenas, Scot Pipkin - State Street Ballet
Cecily MacDougall, Amy Pryor, Megan Philipp - Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation
Brittany, Avila Wazny, Becca Solodon, Joe McCorkell
Congratulations 2025 Ventura County Cohort (#28):
- The ARC of Ventura County
Esther Anaya, Cynthia Chadwick, Angela Nelson - Boys & Girls Club of Greater Conejo Valley
Len Smolburd, Preston Kevin Lewis, Alissa Morton, Rinku Goldberg - Canine Adoption & Rescue League (CARL)
Sharon Clark, Grace Cunningham, Veronica Sanchez, Guadalupe Flores, Francisca calderon Carillo, Claudia Hoste - Channel Islands Maritime Museum
Doug Riffenburgh, Cris Fulwider, Susan O'Brien, Barbara Schulman - Friends of Fieldworkers
Martita Martinez-Bravo, candy Franco, Suhey Tapia, Angel Garcia - I'm A Kid Who Can
Aracely Avila, Jackie sanchez, Cecilia Adame - MESA
Dan Parziale, Kyle Thompson, Kyle Thille, Marie Anderson - Ojai Raptor Center
Kim Stroud, Joanie Burns, Jim Logan - One Step A La Vez
Jazmin Galivanes, Nancy Rodriguez Hernandez, Sal Fuentes, Susan Johnson - Reel Guppy Outdoors
Kevin Brannon, Becky Breuning, Laurie Ann Hennessy - United Way of Ventura County
Mitchel Sloan, Brad Whetten, Jill Bray
Congratulations 2024/5 San Luis Obispo County Cohort (#27):
- 5 Cities Homeless Coalition
Janna Nichols, Jeff Lee, Donna Milne, Devon McQuade - Big Brothers Big Sisters of SLO County
Stacy Salame, Amity Faes, Felix Hernandez, Jr., Nicole Hoffman - CASA of SLO County
Marina Bernheimer, Rudy Bachman, Dillon McGill, Thomas Anderson - City Farm SLO
Kayla Rutland, Gina Ruedebusch, Claire Tuohey-Mote - Diversity Coalition SLO County
Rita Casaverde, Cornel Morton, Sharon Dowdell - Ecologistics
Stacey Hunt, Dawn Carpenter, Erin Pearse - Hospice of SLO County
Sharron McOuat, Abe Lincoln, Rene Beebe, Rebecca Lilley - Lumina Alliance
Jennifer Adams, Jill LeMieux, Malani Anderson - Pacific Wildlife Care
Kristin Howland, Amaya Weddle, Mark Monday, Kim Jeffrey - Paso Robles Youth Arts Center
Barby Wunsch, Pat Bland, Gene Runkle, Hayli Macomber - Senior Nutrition Program SLO County
Laura Kelsay Edwards, Marla Kraft, Terry Green, Alissa Maddren - SLO Museum of Art
Leann Standish, Ermina Karim, Beya Makekau, Emma Saperstein
Congratulations 2024 Santa Barbara County Cohort (#26):
- C.A.R.E.4PAWS
Isabelle Gullo, Chris Harris, Kathryn Courain - Carpinteria Education Foundation
Pam Werner, Casey Balch, Jennifer Cota, Terra Stephan - Corazon Latino
Erica Ruvalcaba-Heredia, Nora Vasquez, Pedro Sotelo - Family Services Agency of Santa Barbara County
Lisa Brabo, Blanca Mejia, Courtney Cazenave - Foundation for Cottage Rehabilitation and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospitals
Dani Kent, Rich Boyd, Megan Stichter, Antoinette McCauley, Jean Smith - Freedom To Choose Project
Forrest Leichtberg, David Paul, Leland Keel, Molly Reid - Lompoc Theatre
Mark Herrier, Barbara Satterfield, Monty Montgomoery, Brandon Bridge - Los Padres Firewatch
Jeff Kuyper, Chris Collier, Macy McGinness - Open Minds Mental Health Services
Joseph Fleming, Shane Lopes, Alessandra Fleming - Santa Barbara Alternative To Violence Project
Ramiro Detrinidad, Jessica Bixler, Catherine Brunner, Jack Rivas - Santa Barbara Audubon Society
Katherine Emery, Janice Levasheff, Kathleen Boehn, Christy Zwicke - Santa Barbara Urban Creeks Council
Anne Burdette, Stephanie Moret - Santa Maria Philharmonic Society
Fran Saveriano, Sandra Dickerson, Leslie Mosson, Cliff Solomon
Congratulations 2024 Ventura County Cohort (#25):
- Alzheimer's Association, California Central Coast
Jill Shaffer, Shauna McGee, Krista Papageorge Fields, Gary Gross - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County
Danica Selvaggio, Chris McMorran, Saritha Ivaturi, Elsa Velasco - Carpinteria Children's Project
Teresa Alvarez, Peggy Dodds, Julie LeVay - Conejo Schools Foundation
Lana Clark, Sue Wells, Liz Armstrong - Harbor House
Denise Cortes, Joan Eggert, Jill Cook, Mary Wennes - Lutheran Social Services of Southern California
Andrew Mansmann - Ojai Valley Fire Safe Council
Kalli O'Connor, Will Castagna, Molly Brolin, Christopher Danch - Santa Barbara Zoo
Elaine K. Mah Best, James Jackson, Yvette Birch Giller, Brian Kerstiens
Congratulations 2023 Santa Barbara County Cohort (#24):
- 805 Undocufund
Jennifer Ortiz, Vanessa Frank, Ana Huynh - Center for Successful Aging
Steven Sharpe, Gayle Golden - CommUnify
Patricia Keelean, Marina Owen, Alexander Saunders, James Kyriaco - Gaviota Coast Conservancy
Doug Kern, Kathryn Washburn, Greg Helms, Donna Senauer, Phil McKenna - Hearts Aligned Inc.
Vivian Solodkin, Colleen Sitolini, Brigette Welty - Hospice of Santa Barbara
David Selberg, John Duffy, Dianne Travis-Teague, Linda Cherish - Route One Farmers Market
Shelby Wild Brown, Danielle O'Brien, Donato Ricci, Lindsey Arevalos, Elisa Frerking - Samsum Diabetes Research Institute
Ellen Goldstein, Ken Waxman, Brad Webb - Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation
Rick Boller, Karen Kerns, Kicki Parr, Tyler Duncan - Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council
Anne-Marie Parkinson, Paul Van Leer, Kevin Varga, Kim Pananides - Santa Barbara Festival Ballet
Valerie Huston, Melissa Wilder, Sarah Case, Elizabeth Reiter - Santa Ynez Botanic Garden
Derek Glas, Puck Erickson, Ewa Powers, Karis Clinton - Unity Shoppe
Angela Miller-Bevan, Susan Rodriguez, Jonatha King, Lauren Davis, Irene Rhodes
Congratulations 2023 Ventura County Cohort (#23):
- Action VC
Jon Looney, Jason Hurst, Amy McDade, Peter Gillette - CAUSE
Hazel Davalos, Michelle Hasendonckx, Mirelle Vargas - Friends of Fieldworkers
Martita Martinez-Bravo, Fernanda Palacios Herrera, Julie Henszey, Christine Cardona-Threadgill - Humane Society of Ventura County
Eric Knight, Sheila McCollum, Michelle Murphy, Jane Akune - Lynda Fairly Carpenteria Arts Center
Kristina Calkins, Tim Cohen, Debbie Murphy, Lourdes Trigueros - Samaritan Center of Simi Valley
Annika Sumby, Dianna Cantero, Daniel Pena, Doug Landon - Santa Barabara County Food Action Network
Shakira Miracle, Megan raff, Tyler Dickinson, Amy Dewberry - Saticoy Food Hub
Sierra Doehr, Kathryn Kinberg, Daniel Chavez, Katee Gustavson - United Parents
Melissa Hannah, Timothy Helton, Misty Perez - Ventura County Community Foundation
Vanessa Bechtel, Jack Edelstein, Catherine Sepulveda, Leah Lacayo - Ventura County Farm To School
Anna Jackson, Suzanne Lugotoff, Allison England, Anna Litz - Ventura County Leadership Academy
Pattie Braga, Steve Elson, Crystal Stratton, Bob Harrell - Ventura County Land Trust
Melissa Baffa, Mark Watkins, Doug Trapp, Meredith Thompson, Jill Shaffer - Ventura Regional Fire Safe Council
Stephen Watson, Andrew Ortega, Jason Giambi, Michael Lopez
Congratulations 2022 Ventura County Cohort (#22):
- Diversity Coalition Ventura County
Tess Allen, Roland Catabona, Genevieve Flores Haro, Patricia Logan - Kidstream Mueum
Kristie Aki, Michael Shanklin - MERITO Foundation
Linda Chilton, David lantrip, Rocio Lazano-Knowlton, Cliff Rodrigues, Roset Strong, Judy Wilens - Santa Baraba Botanical Garden
Jaime Eschette, Mark Funk, Melissa Patrino, Kathy Scoggs, Steve Windhager - Santa Barbara RiteCare Childhood Language Center
Rosalyn Collins, Julie DeAngelis, Maurice Sourmany - Santa Baraba Zoo
Richard Block, Aaron Marshall, Derek Shue, Clark Stirling - South Coast Railroad Museum at the Historic Goleta Depot
Hattie Husbands, Bruce Morden, Brent Muchow, Becky Reid - Visiting Nurses Association Health
Eusebio Cordova, Jr., Pamela Dillman Haskell, Fred Kass, Kieran Shah
Congratulations 2022 Santa Barbara County Cohort (#21):
- Children and Family Resource Services
Bridget Baublits, Georgene Lowe, MaryEllen Rehse - Children's Creative Project
Bryan Kerner, Genevieve Badone Assili, Harriet Whaley, Kai Tepper - Doctors Without Walls - Santa Barbara Street Medicine
Conner Cote, Jeff Moody, Marguerite Sanchez - Girls Inc. of Carpinteria
Jacqueline Pawela-Crew, Jamie Collins, Katie Convoy, Lori Pearce - Marjorie Luke Theatre
Gerrie Fausett, Karen Baltzley, Pamela McLendon - Pacific Pride Foundation
Eric Bowers, Kristin Flickinger, Lynn Brown, Maria Melo, Ralph Barbosa - Rooted Santa Barbara County
Beth Skidmore, Emma malina, Leonie Mattison - Santa Barbara County Food Action Network
Alejandra Mahoney, Laurel Alcantar, Rachel Johnson, Shakira Miracle - Santa Barbara Response Network
Anthony Rodriguez, Cassy Brezner, Forrest eichtberg, Jina Carvalho, Maria Caudillo - Santa Ynez Valley People Helping People
Alanna Tarkington, Erica Flores, Rick Weber, Valerie Kissell - The OASIS Center
Bethany Cox, Michelle Southwick, Olivia Bugal, Shiloh Flagg, - Santa Ynez Valley People Helping People
Alanna Tarkington, Erica Flores, Rick Weber, Valerie Kissell - TV Santa Barbara
Courtney Frazer, Dean Noble, Erik Davis, Meighann Helene, Michael Mongold, Regina Ruiz - Veggie Rescue
Diana O'Connell, Janessa Van Vechten, Lisa Palmer, Santiago Brown, Terry Delaney
Congratulations 2021 Cohort (#20):
- Central Ventura County Fire Safe Council
Elaine Himelfarb, Mike LaPlant - Conejo Schools Foundation
Cindy Goldberg, Paula Nathan, Jon Power, Irene Pugh, Denise Reader, Sue Wells - El Concilio Family Services
Edith Campa, Yvonne Gutierrez, Elisabeth Paniagua, Lupe Servin - Get Focused, Stay Focused National Resource Center
Karen Miles, Dawn O'Bar - Heart of Jubilee
Judy Perkins, Mary Sawa - Just Communities
Marlene Cohen, Nonie Hamilton, Melissa Petrino, Emily Vesper - Rotary Club of Ojai Educational Foundation
Mike Malone, Don Reed, Tara Saylor, Mike Weaver
Congratulations 2019 Cohort (#19):
- California Lutheran University, Bachelor's Degree for Professionals
Lisa Buono, Ed.D., Director - Central Ventura County Fire Safe Council
Luis Espinosa, Executive Director; Jim Roth, Vice President; and Charlotte Crocker, Secretary. - CFROG - Climate First: Replacing Oil & Gas
Merrill Berge, Board Member; Robin Gerber, Board Member; and Tomas Rebecchi, Board Member. - Los Padres ForestWatch
Jeff Kuyper, Executive Director; Anna DeLaski, Board Member; Terri Laine, Board Member; and Sam Thomas, Board Member. - Make-A-Wish Tri-Counties
Pattie Mullins, Executive Director; and Tim Dadik, Secretary. - Secure Beginnings
Lisa Griffiths, President; Tami Winbury, Executive Director; Liz Fish, Board Member; and Renee Mandala, Board Member. - New West Symphony
Natalia Staneva, Executive Director; Stephanie Wilson, Deputy Director; Kim Woods, Board Chair; and Jim Nagy, Board Vice-Chair. - Oak Park Education Foundation
Vicki Raven, Executive Director; Brandon McFadden; Board Chair, Carmela Barbieri, Board of Directors; and Theresa Loos, Board Member. - Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture, Inc.
Mary Maranville, Executive Director; and Courtney Catalano, Board Member. - Ventura Land Trust
Derek Poultney, Executive Director; Annette Baldwin, Deputy Director; Adrienne Stephens, Development Director; and Jane Montague, Trustee.
Congratulations 2018 Cohort (#18):
- ARC of Ventura County
Julie Duran, Director of Development; Mary Platt, Board Member; Tad Endicott, Board Member - Camarillo Ranch Foundation
Marissa Lopez Elkins, Executive Director; Charles Devlin, President; Martin Daly, Treasurer - Cancer Support Community Valley/Ventura/Santa Barbara
Andrea Roschke, Finance Chair & 1st Vice Chair; Phil Dipaola, Board Member; John Ray, Board Member - Coalition for Family Harmony
Caroline Prijatel-Sutton, Executive Director; Christine Van Nuys, Board Chair - El Centrito Family Learning Centers
Teresa Segovia, Executive Director; Catherine Awsumb Nelson, Board Member - Community Conscience
Robin Britt, Executive Director; Fran Brough, President; Margaret Fieweger, 1st Vice President; Larry Marquart, Assistant Treasurer; Cara Cohen, Board Member - Kids & Families Together
David Friedlander, CEO; Sharon Watts Woolley, Board Chair; Sharon Cromartie, VP, Administration; Stephanie Caldwell, Board Member - Ventura County Arts Council
Margaret Travers, Executive Director; Friday Gretchen, Board President; Fernando Albert Salinas, Board Member; Brian Bemel, Board Member - Ventura Land Trust
Derek Poultney, Executive Director; John Hankins, Secretary; Susan LeFevre, Board Member; Dennis Kulzer, Board Member; Ed Wehan, Board Member; Don Wood, Board Member