Leadership
Cameron Safarloo
Chief Executive Officer
Cameron Safarloo became the Chief Executive Officer for Hanna in April, 2021. He is an experienced business executive with over 30 years of operation management and leadership experience, both within the for-profit and nonprofit sectors.
Prior to starting at Hanna, Cameron served as a Chief Executive Officer at Youth Homes, a Northern California nonprofit organization providing residential and community mental health services to the foster youth population, where he led and successfully implemented various operational and strategic initiatives on high-impact transformation, agile change, and organizational repositioning for growth.
Throughout his career he has held various executive leadership positions within multi-national corporations, start-up, and social services organizations. He has also served on several boards of nonprofit and private organizations over the past 15 years.
Father Samuel Natale
Campus Ministry
Father Sam is a Catholic priest, experienced educator, author and academic. He is a graduate of the University of Oxford, England and has held the Sandbulte Chair in Business Ethics at the College of St Scholastica. He has contributed to a nearly 30 books– two of which are: Things Old and New: Catholic Social Teaching and Loneliness and Spiritual Development – and has written more than 70 journal articles. He is a dynamic speaker and has presented his papers at conferences throughout the U.S. and the U.K.
In his role at Hanna, Father will oversee all chapel events, and will provide spiritual direction and pastoral counseling at the Center while also working closely with the youth and staff on our campus. Father has extensive experience teaching both high school and private and Catholic colleges teaching Religion, English, and Business, with a focus in Moral Education and Catholic Social Teaching. He was the Director of Religious Education for 10 years under Msgr. Cajetan Salemi at his parish, Mother of the Church, Woodcliff Lake in New Jersey and has held positions at Oxford University in England, Dowling College in New York and at Adelphi University in New York.
Scott Singer, M.A.
Vice President of Residential Programs
A graduate of St. Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif., Scott joined the Hanna staff in 1982 as a recreation program coordinator.
Scott received his Master in Educational Leadership from his alma mater in 1987, and has since amassed more than 500 continuing educational hours in residential care during his tenure at Hanna.
Scott has continued to grow both professionally and personally at Hanna and he currently holds the position of Chief of Operations. His expertise, guidance and caring spirit continue to ensure that Hanna fulfills its mission of turning hurt into hope for at-risk youth and their families. Scott has been instrumental in providing both program and project support throughout the planning phases.
Scott currently works closely with the California Department of Social Services, and with local youth associations and school boards. He previously worked with several California juvenile youth organizations.
Throughout his career, Scott has volunteered countless hours in support of local youth athletic groups, including serving as a youth sports coach and league administrator in his home community. Scott continues to volunteer with other nonprofit organizations, and is associated with several community service groups including those dedicated to overcoming gang influence and violence in our communities.
Erin Hawkins
Vice President of the Hanna Institute
Erin Hawkins joined the Hanna Institute as Co-Director in October 2018. A dedicated community health and social justice advocate, Erin previously served as Director of Community Health at the Petaluma Health Care District. She is a proud member of the Board of Directors of COTS, an active Rotarian, and deeply involved in efforts to improve health equity in Sonoma County.
Erin received a Bachelor of Arts in International Development from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Science in Community Development from the University of California, Davis. She resides in Santa Rosa with her husband and two sons.
Marisa Binder
Vice President of Development
In this role, Marisa oversees all fund development—annual fund, major giving, planned giving, foundation grants, events, campaigns, etc.
Marisa has a diverse background in nonprofit philanthropy with experience in all aspects of fundraising, including communications, major gifts and community relations. She has more than a decade of experience working with organizations focused on social justice work including as Director of Development for the Bay Area office of Facing History and Ourselves, an educational organization, and as Development Officer for CORA (Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse), a domestic violence agency. Other roles include Marketing and Communications for Aquarium of the Bay and Peninsula Family Service
Marisa started at Hanna in 2020 as the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations. In her free time, Marisa serves as the Secretary for Vallejo Symphony.
Courtney Jackson
Principal
Courtney Jackson, M.A. has been at Hanna since 1998 and has served in a variety of roles, including youth counselor, recreation supervisor, head coach, athletic director, teacher, dean of students and assistant principal. Mr. Jackson is also the founder and commissioner of the Small School Bridge League, offering 11 small high school programs the opportunity to compete in sanctioned athletics. Additionally, Mr. Jackson is certified as a mindfulness trainer, as well as by the national program “Coaching Boys Into Men”. Highly respected by students and staff, Mr. Jackson earned bachelor’s degrees in Criminal Justice and American Multicultural Studies and a master’s degree in Counseling.
Stephanie Miller
Vice President of People Operations
Stephanie Miller is the Director of Human Resources at Hanna. She is responsible for all things HR related – recruitment, retention and helping to ensure that Hanna remains a great place for all to work.
Stephanie has a long history of providing HR services to both non-profit and for profit organizations. In her most recent role she provided HR consulting services for 11 years and oversaw the implementation of new HR processes at a both small and large organizations.
“Every good conversation starts with listening.” – Tom Haak
Leslie Petersen
Vice President of Contracts and Business Development
Leslie Petersen is the Director of Contracts and Business Development. She has been part of the Hanna team for 14 years and during that time has held positions in Finance and Fund Development. She has created spectacular events for thousands to enjoy and is a tireless advocate for the youth on our campus and in the community.
In her current role Leslie works closely with youth and child serving organizations and is in charge or all contracts for Hanna. She’s a member of the Hanna leadership team and is responsible for helping guide decisions related to the business operations of Hanna.
Leslie recently completed her Certificate in Fundraising from Boston University. She is deeply ingrained in the Sonoma community and lives in Glen Ellen, where she has lived for her whole life, and also where she raised her family.
Catherine Donahue
Vice President of Finance and Facilities
Catherine brings a wealth of experience to Hanna as a CPA with over 30 years of experience in finance and accounting. A Big Four alum, Catherine’s career includes over a decade of public accounting. Her private sector experience is broad, spanning turnaround situations, from high-growth companies to large multinationals. Prior to joining Hanna, Catherine served as Vice President and Corporate Controller of a North Bay entity leading them through an IPO followed by a highly acquisitive strategy.
Catherine’s hands-on experience in finance is deep with proven leadership skills to leverage strengths and build solid platforms for growth. Throughout her career, she has held senior leadership roles with McKesson Corporation, Esterline Defense Technologies, DIRECTV, and EY. Catherine is an avid animal lover and enjoys volunteering with animal-related activities when possible. She also serves as a member of the finance committee of a local nonprofit. She is a Sonoma resident and is passionate about Hanna’s mission.
Board Members
Hanna Center is governed by an all-volunteer board, which is separated into trustees, regents and regents emeritus.
The Board of Trustees are the voting members of the corporation and have fiduciary responsibility for Hanna.
The Board of Regents serves as an advisory body to the staff and Board of Trustees.
Longtime board members whose actions and wisdom have brought Hanna to our current successful position—such as past board chairs, “life members” or others who have had a special relationship with Hanna over the years—are honored with the title of Hanna Regents Emeritus in recognition of their service.
We seek new board members annually to ensure a fresh and varied flow of new ideas, insights and expertise.
Our Board
Dan Young
Chairman Of Board, Board of Trustees
Noma Martini
Chair, Governance Committee/Secretary
Chris Sanders
Member at Large
Therese Nugent
Chair, Building and Grounds Committee
Dennis Dow
Chair, Youth Services Committee
Mary Corroon
Chair, Development Committee
Joshua McFerron
Chair, Audit Committee
Sarah Whitelaw
Chair, Investment Committee
Bishop Robert Vasa
Special Permanent Seat – Bishop
Bishop, Diocese of Santa Rosa
Helen Lin
Member at Large
Board of Regents
David Schofield
Investment Sub-Committee
Patrick Hemingway
Buildings And Ground Committee
Jenarro Toback
Buildings & Grounds Committee
David Poe
Finance/Investment Committees
James R. Woolwine
Michael W. Wingard
Audit/Finance Committee
Brenda Walker
Youth Services Committee
Kathleen Snodgrass
Investment Sub-Committee
Edward E. Sillari
Jack Powers
Youth Services Committee
Mary Jo Potter
Thomas M. Perkins
Michele Paul
Robert McGrath
William G. Isetta
John E. Fox
Patrick M. Flanagan
Donor/Culinary
Jack Bertges
Audit/Finance/Development
Mike Battaini
Buildings & Grounds Committee
Joseph Crivello
Youth Services Committee
Charles M. Corsiglia
Youth Services Committee
Lisa Mertens
Tullus Miller
Steven McCoy-Thompson
Jim Lynch
Jane McClure
Regents Emeritus
Thomas E. Bertelsen, Jr.
Robert B. Wilhelm
Most Rev. Daniel F. Walsh, D.D.
James Talton Turner III
Robert E. Simms, Esq.
Caroline Rose Simmons
Angelo C. Sangiacomo
Richard L. Robinson
Joanne Murphy
Donald A. McPhail
William H. McInerney, Jr.
Albert A. Maggini
Annette E. Lomont
Thomas J. Lohwasser
Daniel Libarle
Joan G. Latno
Jack Fitzpatrick
Terence A. De Voto
Thomas M. Chin
Sr. Linda Ann Cahill, D.C.
L. Wayne Batmale
Maryanne Murray
Greg Labagh
Bill Schrader