A brief look at the seasoned talent supporting our Goodwill chapter’s efforts

Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties is one of more than 160 autonomous not-for-profit nonsectarian Goodwill organizations affiliated with Goodwill Industries International. Our Board of Directors is composed of local leaders from the business, nonprofit, education and public sectors. CEO Deborah Alvarez-Rodriguez guides the organization in collaboration with a team of executives and managers.

Board of Directors

Goodwill’s Board of Directors reflects the diversity of the Bay Area. Here are its current members:

John Power, Board Chair
Executive Director, The Volunteer Center

As its chief executive, John has guided The Volunteer Center to be nationally recognized for programs that engage youth, people with disabilities, corporate employees and prospective nonprofit board members in community service. John previously served as a chief policy adviser for San Jose Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren. Prior to serving as Goodwill’s board chair, John served as chair of Goodwill’s Board Development Committee and board vice-chair.

Michael Joseph, Board Vice-Chair Principal, FJM Investments

Michael has been involved with real estate financing since 1982, when he started in the real estate training program of Continental Illinois National Bank. In 2002, Michael and two partners formed FJM Investments, which acquires real estate in Northern California. Recently he and one of his partners joined forces with a health club veteran in establishing Planet Fitness, a Northern California franchise that has been featured in the San Francisco Business Times.

Michael Stajer, Board Treasurer Founder, WineCommune LLC

Michael is an entrepreneur and attorney who has founded and managed several successful businesses. His most recent project is WineCommune, a profitable company focused on retailing wine and providing technology to the wine industry. It was recently named the No. 1 Fastest Growing Company in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times.

Suzanne DiBianca Executive Director, Salesforce.com Foundation

Suzanne is a recognized leader in the area of integrated corporate philanthropy. As executive director and co-founder of the Salesforce.com Foundation, she directs all foundation activities and serves as the liaison to community, business and government organizations. Under her leadership, the foundation now serves as a successful model for a new breed of corporate social responsibility through its innovative 1/1/1 Model, where 1 percent of the company’s time, product and equity is given back to the community.

Christina Polischuk Financial Services Professional

Christina is a seasoned financial services executive with specific expertise in client sales and service, operations, legal, and risk and administration. She was recently managing director at BlackRock and Barclays Global Investors, providing global investment management, risk management and advisory services to institutional, intermediary and individual investors around the world.

Shepard Pollack Retired, Marketing/Business Development Professional

Shepard’s career began as a civil servant under President Harry Truman. His career in corporate marketing, finance and strategy spans back to the 1950s and has included executive positions in the automobile, aviation and tobacco industries. He has devoted much of his time in recent years to consulting on corporate and marketing strategy while volunteering with boards of local arts organizations. He was drawn to Goodwill’s focus on impacting the lives of individuals and communities of poverty.

Jane Vaughan Development Partner, Menlo Equities

At Menlo Equities, Jane is responsible for the development of the company’s major projects. She is the principal owner in Menlo Equities Development Services Company LLC (“MEDSCO”), which secured the entitlements in 2004 for the $500 million mixed-use Sunnyvale Town Center regional mall.

Michael Weir Unified Communications Sales Manager, Microsoft

Michael is a results-oriented, creative sales professional with a proven track record negotiating large contracts and building strategic relationships with senior-level executives.

Frank Williams Director, Senior Ex-Offender Program, Bayview Hunters Point Multipurpose Senior Services

As director of the Senior Ex-Offender Program, Frank ensures the delivery of the program’s strategy by networking with numerous social agencies, community based organizations, faith based organizations, criminal justice systems, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Public Health and other social service providers. With a master’s degree in public administration, he is currently working on his doctorate.

Kathy Salmanowitz, Non-Profit Leadership Professional

Kathy has worked within the nonprofit sector for the past fifteen years.  She most recently was Executive Director of HBS Community Partners, a program sponsored by the Harvard Business School that provides opportunities for HBS alumni to assist nonprofit organizations on business and management issues.  Prior to her work with nonprofit organizations, Ms. Salmanowitz had 14 years of experience in strategic marketing and consulting.

Jenny Cheng, Vice President, Technology & Products Program Management at Salesforce.com

Jenny has over 15 years of engineering, management consulting and senior management experience. She most recently served as Vice-President of Program Management at Salesforce.com, responsible for the integrated planning, analysis and delivery of all strategic programs across the Technology & Products organization. Previously, she served in various positions at small start-ups.

Lynda Grose, Educator and Consultant

Lynda is a practicing designer, consultant, and educator, who has worked with clients ranging from artisans and farmers to nonprofits and clothing companies, including UNDP, The Sustainable Cotton Project, Aid to Artisans, Gap Inc, Market Place India, Patagonia, Green Peace, 13-mile Farm, and Shayan Craft Center, to name a few.  Identified in 2008 by London’s Financial Times as one of the “green power brokers,” Lynda currently serves as assistant professor in CCA’s Fashion Design Program. She developed curricula for CCA’s Sustainable Fashion Design in 1999 and teaches Sustainable Fashion Design, as well as Introduction to Knitwear.

Lateefah Simon, Director of California’s Future Initiative for the Rosenberg Foundation

Lateefah is part of a new wave of African American civil rights and community leaders. Born and raised in San Francisco’s Western Addition neighborhood, Ms. Simon has advocated tirelessly on behalf of communities of color, youth and women since her teenage years.  She currently serves as Director of California’s Future Initiative for the Rosenberg Foundation and previously served as the Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the Bay Area.  Prior to this, Ms. Simon led the Reentry Services division of a new initiative at the Office of San Francisco District Attorney Kamala D. Harris. The program created a citywide public/private partnership with numerous agencies including Goodwill Industries and implemented new ways to prevent former offenders from returning to a life of crime.

Ken Wong, CPA

Ken is an executive leader with 20 years of strategic operating and finance experience in the real estate industry. He most recently served as Partner, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial Officer at Menlo Equities LLC in Palo Alto, responsible for the overall management of financial reporting, financial analysis, risk management policies and controls.  Ken also serves on the Board of Directors for IXYS Corporation, a semiconductor manufacturer headquartered in Milpitas, CA, and Biel, Switzerland.