Elaine Cofrancesco

Poway Unified School District

As Executive Director for the Poway Unified School District, Elaine oversees Student Support Services. This includes alcohol, tobacco, drug and violence prevention; attendance and discipline; counseling services; grant writing; early mental health; before-and-after school programs;extended school services; character education; crisis preparedness and response; Caring Connections Center; and the elementary music program. She has been instrumental in developing the New Directions Independent Study and K-5 Home school program, Teen Parent Center, District Crisis Response Teams, and on-line courses.

Elaine’s career evolved from early work in the mental health field, and included stints in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling at Poway Counseling Services; Mercy Hospital Mental Health; and the Escondido Youth Center (EYE). She’s been with the PUSD for over 29 years, serving as teacher, counselor and administrator. Her qualifications include a BA/Music; MA/Music Education; MA/Counseling Psychology; and PhD/Psychology. She is Nationally Board Certified in Music Therapy, plays string bass, and has a long history of playing in orchestras and jazz ensembles, performing at events with the Celebrity Strings.

“Serving on the PCPA Board has allowed me to involve students and teachers in our Introduction to Instruments and Meet the Artist Programs. Students now have an opportunity to meet with professional musicians, develop performance skills, learn about new instruments and appreciate the musical experiences at the Center.”

Elaine works on statewide committees and is involved in the community serving on the Boards for San Diego Character Counts North, the Safety Wellness Advocacy Community Coalition, and the Palomar/Pomerado Health Community Action Council.

Kory DeMeulenaere

Originally from Indiana, Kory DeMeulenaere arrived in North County in 2006 as General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott–Rancho Bernardo. But she’s much more than the sum of her 28 years in the hospitality industry.

“I was an adjunct instructor at Davenport College, acted as the VP for the St. Joseph County (IN) Hotel-Motel Association and sat on the Board of Directors for the Hotel-Motel tax board,” Kory says. And as they say on television, “But wait…there’s more!”

Kory brings to the Foundation Board of Directors an in-depth knowledge of restaurant management, sales, front desk operations, retail product branding and project supervision. Her executive skills are opening windows of opportunity for the PCPAF with outreach into non-traditional communities that are a perfect match for individual shows appearing at the Center. The future looks bright for this relationship. And did we mention that the Courtyard by Marriott–Rancho Bernardo is the official hotel of the Poway Center for the Performing Arts Foundation?

As a proud mother and very well-preserved grandmother, Kory knows how important the arts are for the next generation.

“I’m so happy to be a member of this community and to call North County home,” she says, adding, “I’m delighted to be able to contribute my time and energy to improving life for us all through the Poway Center Foundation.”

Harold Dokmo

People who think they’re dedicated to bettering their community have absolutely NOTHING on Harold Dokmo! Here is a man who packed up his wife and two youngsters in 1980 to move from Minneapolis to Rancho Bernardo. He brought along a healthy supply of Midwestern values and commitment to improving the lives of those around him. We’ve all been benefiting ever since!

Harold is a man who provides plenty of solid experience in both the business and nonprofit arenas. He began his career in the investment field but, within a few short years, he shifted to building and managing apartments. Next, he acquired a troubled cabinetmaker with 25 employees and grew the business to 1,800 employees before selling it a few years later. He continues managing 4,000 Twin City apartment units to this day.

In addition to his involvement in business ventures, Harold has been engaged in a wide range of volunteer and charitable activities. Over the past 30 years he has been a regular participant in the Chamber of Commerce, RB Sunrise Rotary and the RB Presbyterian Church. When added to his board participation on the San Diego Symphony, Rancho Bernardo Business Association and Palomar Pomerado Hospital Foundation, it’s easy to see the value Harold brings to our board.

“We love our community and couldn’t ever imagine living elsewhere,” he says. His willingness to commit his time, resources and family to the betterment of North County makes this increasingly apparent.

Patrick Duffy

Operations. Marketing. Finance. International relations. These are the skill sets you want around the table to ensure a nonprofit board will be successful in today’s world. So imagine our delight to discover all these skills and so much more in our own Patrick Duffy.

Chair of our Board of Directors, Patrick’s credentials include:

• A degree in International Relations from Alliant International University
• High-level corporate positions in the import/export field, transferring CAD/CAM Engineering and Printing Technologies to Latin America.

Patrick has represented US and European corporate interests from the US border to Chile, operating and marketing businesses throughout Latin America. Born in Mexico City, he speaks Spanish fluently.

Currently, Patrick works with start up companies in the San Diego area that are seeking funding.

Patrick is a Partner in San Diego Social Venture Partners, a philanthropic group applying venture capital processes to the grant making process. Partners contributes time, expertise and resources to help nonprofit organizations become more effective and sustainable.

Patrick also serves on the Board of Directors of Grand Center, a post-treatment recovery center for teenagers.

Patrick is an avid hiker, skier and certified pilot with 250+ flight hours. He and his two boys have lived in San Diego since 1999.

Sandi Kane

Sandi Kane has always been quick to jump into new things, but slow to leave them behind. Currently teaching banking professionals how to adapt to a green environment, Sandi works hard to absorb existing ideas, learn the landscape, and then help those around her adapt to make the most of every opportunity.The Poway Center Foundation is lucky to get such a flexible thinker into our midst!

“My first job was right out of Poway High School, when I leapt into the mortgage banking industry,” she laughs, adding “that position lasted 18 years!” Being the furthest thing from a slouch, Sandi used that time to rise from receptionist to regional vice president overseeing four states.

Today she operates with the philosophy “Carpe Diem”, constantly striving to find new opportunities to challenge her enthusiasm and worldly insights. “Kids today need to understand the importance of the arts in the world around them,” she insists. “The Poway Center plays a key role in helping a wide range of our community’s members – from 10 to 110 – to have ready access to music, drama, comedy and art. And that’s a message I’m thrilled to be able to help carry on.

Still married to her high school sweetheart, Sandi Kane knows the meaning of terms like honor, respect, trust, and longevity. These are the kinds of principles she brings with her to the PCPAF Board – and the types of values she is already working to incorporate into every committee assignment she’ll be touching.

If you’re anything like those on the board who are getting to know her, you’ll be expecting big things from Ms. Kane.

Robert Lakosil

As VP/Branch Manager of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in Rancho Bernardo, Bob works hard to build community relationships. Employing a comprehensive financial management approach to portfolio building, estate planning and retirement planning, he has served and advised high net-worth individuals and families since 1977. Along the way, our newest board member has developed a strong working knowledge of the stock and municipal bond markets, as well as a disciplined approach to long-term investing. He is regularly called upon as an industry expert arbitrator for the National Association of Securities Dealers.

Bob understands that enjoying life is about more than just making money. For this reason, he supplements his business expertise with a solid foundation of experience helping stabilize and grow non-profits. The list of groups benefiting from his help includes Las Patronas of La Jolla, La Jolla YMCA, Arthritis Foundation, Sacramento Zoo, Crocker Art Museum, Starlight Theater, Boy Scouts of America and Habitat for Humanity. He also served as a Chancellor’s Associate for UCSD.

Ginger Larson

Winton Larson & Solecki LLP

Ginger has been a leading volunteer for our Foundation since 2003.  She just finished serving as President of our Board of Directors. Her efforts have guided our professional staff and board members toward steady growth and expansion.

Ginger volunteers throughout the community. The San Diego North Chamber of Commerce named her both “Committee Member” and “Committee Chair of the Year” after she ran their annual State of the Community luncheon for three consecutive years. As president of the nonprofit, The Clean Foundation, Ginger carries on founder Frank Goldsmith’s vision, providing education about the dangers of teen drug abuse.

In addition to being a devoted wife, mother and community volunteer, Ginger is a founding partner of Winton Larson & Solecki, LLP, a real estate and business law firm with offices in Rancho Bernardo, Temecula and Irvine. She is both passionate and knowledgeable in all areas of real property matters. She is recognized as a deal maker – not a deal breaker. Ginger focuses her practice on commercial and residential real estate and business transactions and litigation. The firm represents property owners; parties to large loan transactions; lenders; borrowers; businesses; contractors and construction site owners. Ginger has been involved in numerous multi-million dollar real estate matters, and holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Wyoming College of Law and a BS in Business Administration from Colorado State University.

Ginger looks forward to providing service to the PCPA Foundation for many years to come.

Barbara Miller

SONY

Hailing from New York, Barbara considers herself a city girl. She started with Sony Electronics (SEL) on the East coast in 1997), moving to San Diego in 2003, and now serves as VP, Customer Experience Marketing.

Barbara lives by a simple philosophy: It’s never too late to fulfill your dreams. She has passion for sewing and writing—and for spending every available minute with her 16-year old son, Ross. “He keeps me grounded.” she says.

Kids raised around New York seem to acquire a love of the arts, and Barbara is no exception. “I grew up watching musicals and dreamed of being on Broadway,” she says. While her talents didn’t lead her to a stage career, they did allow her to help behind the scenes.

A long-time member of our Business Council, Barbara has already helped the Foundation significantly, guiding us to get the word out about our shows. She persuaded SONY to contribute the kiosk, video and computer equipment in the PCPA lobby, and helps our marketing committee.

In addition to sitting on our board, Barbara received the SEL President’s “Shining Star” in 2008 and was identified as a leader “On the Move” by Black Enterprise magazine in 2007 and 2010. She was the 2005 TWIN recipient from the Bergen County (NJ) YWCA, which recognizes women in industry; is the lead for SEL’s Women of Action, Vision and Empowerment; a Women-Unlimited Leadership graduate and a member of Sony’s Diversity Board.

Jay Riordan

Dream Design Builders

Meet one of the hardest-working people in Rancho Bernardo.

Born in Chicago, Jay Riordan moved to San Diego in 1968 as a small child. In 1987 he started Dream Design Builders in Rancho Bernardo, a national-award-winning company that specializes in residential remodeling and solar installations.  Jay has been very involved in his industry and has served as President and Chairman of the Board of the San Diego Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. He is a Certified Remodeler contractor through NARI and a Certified Graduate Remodeler through the National Association of Home Builders. Remodeling Magazine recently selected Jay’s company as one of the top 50 Remodelers in the U.S. The Company also was selected as the 2007 and 2009 winner of the San Diego Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics.

Jay and his family have lived and worked in Rancho Bernardo since 1997. He is a member of CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) and the Sunrise Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo and actively participates in the San Diego North Chamber of Commerce. You’ll also find him at meetings of the Rancho Bernardo Business Association. Mayor Jerry Sanders recently appointed him to the Sustainable Energy Advisory Board.

Jim Roth

The Roth Law Firm

Jim Roth has practiced corporate and business law since 1987, representing small start-up companies and multi-national entities with equal fervor. He acts as general counsel to more than 70 corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies and limited liability partnerships. As general counsel Jim has extensive experience in litigation, arbitration, mediation, negotiating and drafting a variety of business-related transactions.

Committed to community service, Jim has spent years assuming leadership positions at a variety of not-for-profit organizations. He’s a former Director for the Blue Sky Community Foundation, the Bernardo Town Center Property Owners’ Association, the RB Foundation, the RB Chamber of Commerce and the San Diego North Chamber. Jim also served as Board Chair for both the RB and San Diego North Chambers of Commerce.

Jim is past-president of the RB Sunrise Rotary Club. Since 1999 he’s been on Rotary District 5340’s leadership team, and in 2006 was named District 5340’s Rotarian of the Year. Jim also was elected to the RB Hall of Fame in 2006.

As a speaker to professional/community groups, Jim addresses a variety of topics including pro-active approaches to insurance claims handling, extra-contractual liability, commercial real estate, employment issues, legal ethics and settlement negotiations. He frequently volunteers as a judge for law students participating in trial practice competitions, has acted as a litigation expert, and regularly writes for the San Diego Insurance Adjusters Association and the San Diego Defense Lawyers magazines.

Peggy Stewart

The CENTRE for Organizational Effectiveness

We had a chance to learn up-close about Peggy Stewart’s style and work ethic during the five years she managed the PCPA for the City of Poway. Her longtime love of theater and the arts, along with the strong established relationships with the board members, made her the clear choice for our foundation’s board.

Always looking for new challenges, Peggy is also the recently-appointed Executive Director of The Centre for Organization Effectiveness, a leadership institute providing organization development consulting services and leadership development academies to public sector and nonprofit organizations. Drawing upon her 30-year background in state and local government and her six years of service on their Board of Directors, Peggy’s selection to lead The Centre at a critical juncture in their growth and development was a logical step.

Peggy also has a long history of management consulting work for nonprofits, local government and for-profit organizations. Her financial analysis, cash flow and budgeting expertise merge nicely with her unique abilities to evaluate the long-term impact of decisions. These are all skills
being put to good use on the PCPA Foundation’s finance committee.

Armed with a BA (Cum Laude) from the University of Washington and a Mediation Credential from the San Diego Mediation Center, Peggy brings a lot to our table. She was named Public Administrator of the Year by the Alaska chapter of the American Society of Public Administrators. She also was named Woman of Distinction by the Rancho Bernardo chapter of Soroptimist International and Poway Soroptimist of the Year on two occasions. She is a co-founder of the Soroptimist’s transitional housing program for victims of domestic violence, and has worked in the program’s fundraising, coordination and partnership development.

Peggy and her husband Tom have been living in Poway since 1991.

Drew Sutter

Deloitte

A CPA with the San Diego office of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Drew has over 28 years of experience providing accounting, auditing and other financial services to publicly traded and privately held companies. A Partner since 1995, Drew spent five years as the San Diego office Professional Practice Director, responsible for technical consultations on accounting and auditing matters and quality assurance. In 2005, he was named Partner-in-Charge of the San Diego office’s audit practice.

As chair of the Poway Center for the Performing Arts Foundation's finance committee and a member of the audit committee, he brings his wealth of experience in accounting, financial reporting, internal controls and business operations to the Foundation.

A Poway resident since 1999, Drew believes strongly in giving back to the community. He is a past chair of the board of directors of Casa de las Campañas, and currently chairs their audit committee. He also is a past president of the San Diego-Imperial Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Drew believes in the importance of the arts to a vibrant community. “I make my living dealing with numbers—financial analysis, reporting earnings, and the like—and there’s a focus on the bottom line, sometimes to the detriment of intangibles like music and theater,” he observes. “But to me, those intangibles are a big part of what makes the rest of it all worthwhile. I’m proud to be working with the Foundation to bring high-quality, diverse performances to our community.”

Rob Weinberg

MarketBuilding Team

Rob Weinberg joined our board in 2005 to help us spread the word. As President of the MarketBuilding Team, a full-service marketing agency based in Rancho Bernardo, Rob chairs our marketing committee. We benefit from his 30-year consulting career, including 10 years leading a Madison Avenue marketing firm; countless public speaking engagements; authoring two books on marketing; and the weekly free marketing advice column called Ask Mr. Marketing.

Rob’s recognition of the importance of the arts to everyday life is key to our relationship. “Most people are too caught up in work,” he says. “They forget the importance of theater and music to stimulating the creative juices.” He continues, “I find the most successful people build culture into their lives. They’re well-rounded individuals who know how to relax. They then meet other successful people with similar interests, which opens opportunities for greater success.”

Coming from New York City, Rob knows many people who could benefit from slowing down and getting perspective on the important things in life. “Theater, dance, music, art…these provide balance to a life overly-filled with work,” he says. “Since moving here in 2002, I’ve become increasingly convinced that the Poway Center for Performing Arts is the finest resource for these arts in San Diego County. That’s why I got involved. That’s why I stay involved.”

In addition to the PCPAF board of directors, Rob is publicity chair of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary, does regional training for Rotary International and volunteer work at Temple Adat Shalom.