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Our People

John Fanestil, Executive Director
John Fanestil is a graduate of La Jolla High School, Dartmouth College, Oxford University – where he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics as a Rhodes Scholar – and the Claremont School of Theology. A longtime activist for peace and justice, John worked from 1992-2005 as a pastor at United Methodist Churches in Southern California, including four years at a small bi-lingual church in Calexico. In Calexico he also served as President of the Neighborhood House, a community-based social services agency on the U.S./Mexico border. Doubleday published John’s first book, Mrs. Hunter’s Happy Death, in 2006. His writing has also appeared in The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, The Christian Century, The Guardian (London) and A&U Magazine.

OUR FOUNDER

Victoria Danzig, Founder
Victoria Danzig is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a private practice in La Jolla. After first awarding grants in 1983, Victoria and others worked for ten years as a chapter of the Los Angeles-based Liberty Hill Foundation. In 1994, when the San Diego Foundation for Change became its own non-profit corporation, Victoria became President of the Board, a position she occupied until the year 2000. Currently she chairs the Foundation’s Honorary Committee. Each year the Foundation for Change recognizes an exceptional community organizing effort in San Diego with the “Danzig Award,” given in Victoria’s honor.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Michael Brau
Michael Brau is the principal of the Elliot Consulting Group. A graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, Michael is the co-founder of the Baltimore Bagel Co., a regional chain of San Diego bakery-cafes sold in 1995 to the corporation now operating as Einstein Bros. Bagels. Michael has served on the Boards of Congregation Beth El, the United Jewish Federation, the American Jewish Committee, and the M. Larry Lawrence Jewish Community Center.

Gordon Clanton
Gordon Clanton has taught sociology at San Diego State University since 1975. A graduate of Louisiana State University and U.C. Berkeley, where he earned a Ph.D. in sociology and religion, Gordon was active in support of the black civil rights movement and the United Farm Workers, and in opposing the Vietnam War. For over ten years Gordon wrote a column of political and social commentary for the Del Mar Citizen, the Blade-Citizen, and the North County Times.

Michelle Ciccarelli
Michelle Ciccarelli is a partner with Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP, the nation's preeminent law firm representing consumers, workers and shareholders victimized by corporate fraud. Michelle was a key member of the team that won some of the most significant legal victories against the world's most powerful corporations -- she helped recover over $7 billion for victims of the Enron fraud and millions for women in the Mariana Islands forced to perform slave labor in sweatshops for the Gap.  Michelle has trained lawyers and law students to represent immigrants, pro bono, in deportation proceedings at the Federal Penitentiary in Kentucky, assisted Haitian refugees seeking asylum in Miami, and served as an intern to former Congressman Joe Kennedy.

Jeff Duby
Jeff Duby received his B.A. in Economics from Pepperdine University in 1990 and his Juris Doctor degree from Boston University School of Law in 1995. Jeff has worked for Arthur Andersen from 1996 through 2001 and is currently employed by Deloitte Tax LLP where he specializes in corporate taxation. He now chairs the Foundation for Change Board Development Committee.

Jayme Fagan, Secretary
Jayme Michelle Fagan is a Quality Engineer for Hewlett-Packard. Jayme earned a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of California, San Diego in 2001 and an MBA from the University of Phoenix in 2006. In addition to her engineering duties, Jayme is one of the leaders of the San Diego PRIDE Employee Resource Group at HP.

Eric A. Isaacson, President
Eric Alan Isaacson is a San Diego lawyer with Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP. Eric's practice with the leading plaintiffs’ firm focuses primarily on civil appeals. He earned his A.B. summa cum laude from Ohio University in 1982, and a Juris Doctor degree with high honors from the Duke University School of Law in 1985. Eric has filed “friend of the court” briefs on behalf of a variety of organizations opposing institutionalized discrimination.

Curtis Lubben, Treasurer
Curtis R. Lubben works as an Analyst at JP Morgan Chase. He earned a bachelor's degree in Management Science from the University of California San Diego in 2001. Curtis also designs custom jewelry and is a Graduate Gemologist and an Accredited Jewelry Professional.

Leiana Naholowaa
Leiana Naholowaa is a Technical Publications Editor for NextWave Broadband in Del Mar. A native of Guam who has lived in San Diego since 1996, Leiana works with San Diego Food Not Lawns, a group advocating for local food justice, and Famoksaiyan, a network of Guam activists. She chairs the Foundation for Change Grantmaking Committee, and serves on the national Advisory Board of the Funding Exchange, a national network of which the Foundation for Change is a part.

Madelyne J. Pfeiffer
Madelyne Pfeiffer is Vice President of Communities Advocating for Resident Empowerment (C.A.R.E.). A graduate of Claremont McKenna College, Madelyne holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California (USC). She serves on numerous committees working to improve the system of care for youth and families in the counties of San Diego and Orange. Madelyne is also Vice President of the HUD California Neighborhood Networks Consortium.

Olivia Puentes-Reynolds
A native San Diegan, Olivia Puentes-Reynolds began her civic duties in high school as Red Cross President. She has since served on the Boards of Girl Scouts, San Diego Parks and Recreation, San Diego Mayoral Advisory, San Diego County Regional Health Advisory, UCSD Board of Overseers, San Diego MANA (a national Latina organization) and the San Diego County Commission on the Status of Women. Olivia has over 30 years of professional work experience in local municipal management.

Lou Terrell
Lou Terrell is a retired Professor at San Diego State University, where for twelve years he chaired the Political Science Department. A graduate of Williams College and Stanford University, where he earned his Ph.D. in Political Science, Lou has served as a City Councilman and Mayor of Del Mar. He has also served in leadership positions on the Boards of San Diego Association of Governments, Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Del Mar Foundation.

Nicole Trombley, Vice President
Nicole Trombley is a massage therapist and owner of Equilibrio Massage, specializing in prenatal and postpartum massage. Before launching her massage practice, Nicole worked for six years at the National Network of Grantmakers, a national membership organization of progressive funders committed to moving more funding dollars to social and economic justice.

Peter Zschiesche
Peter Zschiesche is the Founding Director of the Employee Rights Center, a non-profit program offering education and advocacy to all workers regarding their workplace rights. A former machinist, Peter served many years as a Machinist Union representative for workers in local shipyards and industrial sites. He now represents the Machinist Union Local 389 on the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council and is an elected Trustee of the San Diego Community College District.

GRANT MAKING COMMITTEE

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