David Hosley joined the Great Valley Center in February, 2008. Prior to his new challenge, Dr. Hosley was president and general manager of KVIE Public Television for ten years. While leading KVIE, Hosley created New Valley, a series on the future of the Central Valley, and co-founded California Connected, which promoted citizen engagement in the future of the state. Before coming to Sacramento, he managed at KCSM and KQED in public broadcasting, and was a producer, reporter and anchor at news radio stations in San Francisco, New York and Miami.

Dr. Hosley has been active in regional planning efforts in the Central Valley since 1998, serving on the boards of Valley Vision, the Sacramento Asian-Pacific Chamber of Commerce and chairing the Transportation and Air Quality Committee of the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce.. He is currently a trustee of the UC Davis Foundation, on the executive committee of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley and the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Dr. Hosley also serves on the Dean's Advisory Council for the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at UC Davis, and the Institute for Transportation Studies Board of Advisors.

Dr. Hosley holds a co-terminal M.A. from Stanford University in communications and a Ph.D. from Columbia in sociology. He's written a book, As Good As Any, on the history of foreign correspondence on radio in World War II, and co-authored Hard News on the history of women in broadcast journalism. Dr. Hosley has taught at the University of Florida, Florida International and Stanford and has authored a number of journal articles and case studies as well as national and regional magazine and newspaper articles.

Manuel Alvarado
Programs Manager


A Californian native, Manuel Alvarado was born and raised in Sanger, California. He earned a M.A. from California State University, Fresno. He helped open the Good Company Players Music Hall and performed in dozens of productions there. After twenty years in the hospitality and advertising industries [including the California Dancing Raisins campaign] he returned to his roots in the Central Valley.

He most recently served as Director of Tourism for the City of Reedley where he oversaw the Historic Reedley Opera House. He works closely with the production company that performs professional theatre while on their Board of Directors. He also served as Vice President of the Central Valley Visitors Association. Prior to this he served as Executive Director of the Reedley Downtown Association working to build the business community and to make a difference in the economic stability and betterment of this community. Manuel has organized and is a Past-President of a nonprofit organization, the Kings River Arts Council with a gallery showcasing the work of local artists in Reedley.

Manuel currently serves as President of the Stanislaus PRIDE Center, sits on the California School Health Centers Board of Directors, First 5 Merced County Technical / Professional Advisory Committee (TPAC), is on the Northern California Grantmaker's Education Committee and the Asset Policy Initiative of California (APIC) Steering Committee.

Now, a Program Manager for the Great Valley Center, he oversees the leadership programs IDEAL and CATAPULT, the LEGACI and GABY re-granting programs, and the Green Canopy Project (Urban Forestry) as well as the Early Childhood Education Center programs. Manuel is a GVC success story, he was an IDEAL Fellow in the 2002 Class, then joined the IDEAL Staff for two years and now manages that program among several others.

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Heidi Arno
Director of Administration


Heidi Arno currently serves as Director of Administration for the Great Valley Center. Her main responsibilities include general office operations, computer systems and networking, database operations, coordination of the annual conference and volunteer programs.

Ms. Arno also provides administrative support to the President and Board of Directors. Ms. Arno previously had served on the staff of three Central Valley Legislators and one Member of Congress. She is a member of the American Society of Corporate Secretaries.

A graduate of San Jose State University, Heidi is interested in travel and genealogical research. She is married to Thomas M. Arno and has two adult sons. They reside in Modesto.

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Lindsay Buckley
North Valley Energy Program Representative


Lindsay is a native Northern Californian having grown up in the Sacramento area. Upon graduation from high school, she headed further north to attend college at California State University, Chico where she received her Bachelors of Science degree in Instructional Design and Technology.

While attending school, Lindsay was contracted to participate in a number of multimedia development projects for local non-profit organizations including the Butte Environmental Council. She produced a series of public service announcements for the “What’s In Your Gutter’s In Your Creek” campaign addressing urban runoff pollution in Chico. In the summer of 2007, she also worked with Wells Fargo in the area of supplier diversity.

Based in Chico, Lindsay is representing the GVC’s Energy Program in the North Valley covering the ten counties between Sacramento and Mount Shasta. She will be working to inform and educate the North Valley about energy efficiency, conservation, and renewables in order to reduce energy consumption on a per capita basis, reduce carbon emissions and increase the acceptance and implementation of new technologies in the region.

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Angelina Ceja
Deputy Director of Administration


Angelina Ceja is the Deputy Director of Administration. She provides support to the Director of Administration, and works primarily on organizational event planning. She was formerly a program assistant for Leadership Programs and NVC at Great Valley Center. Her past work experience also includes working for a local nonprofit organization providing services to disadvantaged migrant/seasonal farm worker youth in Stanislaus County.

Angelina was raised in San Benito County and came to the Central Valley eleven years ago. She is a graduate of California State University, Stanislaus where she received a bachelor's degree in Political Science and a Master's degree in Public Administration.

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Tim Fisher
Energy Projects Coordinator


Tim Fisher is the Energy Projects Coordinator for GVC. He is responsible for PG&E ‘Clean Energy Outreach’ programs and assisting in the Governor’s California Partnership ‘Energy Work Group’.
Tim grew up in Modesto, graduating from Modesto High School and Modesto Junior College. After completing his Zoology Degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara he served in the US Air Force. Upon his return to civilian life he acquired his Architectural Degree from the University of Arizona. He met & married Judy and has resided in Modesto since 1979 where they raised their four children. Tim founded his architectural firm, Architecture Plus, Inc. in 1982 and retired as President & CEO in 2006. Tim focused on affordable housing projects and energy efficiency in buildings. Tim served on the Modesto City Council from 1995-2003 after many years of service on the Planning Commission.

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Ellen Herod
Director of Development


As Director of Development, Ellen Herod is responsible for developing relationships, raising awareness, fund development, stewardship, and enhancing understanding of the Great Valley Center’s mission and programs among supporters and potential donors. She works with individual donors, corporate and foundation relations, and GVC friends and supporters in the President’s Circle.  Ellen oversees the Annual Fund campaign and is also responsible for sponsorships, direct mail, and developing a strong base of annual and future giving.

Prior to coming to the Great Valley Center in 2001, Ellen worked for fifteen years as an Executive Recruiter for firms in San Francisco and New York City.  She is a lifetime Valley resident and a graduate from Chico State University.

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Desiree C. Holden
Web and Graphic Designer


Desiree Cervantes Holden is the Web and Graphic Designer. She manages the Great Valley Center's websites and provides graphic design services for the variety of programs. Desiree has a background in systems and web administration and worked as a web design consultant for small business and non-profit clients. She is a specialist in web technology, information architecture, and creative problem-solving.

Desiree was born in Modesto, and has lived here the past ten years with her family. She is active in the Modesto community, as well as a served as a Board member for three years of the Young Women Social Entrepreneurs - a young women's leadership organization based in San Francisco.

Desiree has an extensive history with the GVC, as a past employee and as an IDEAL alum (2004).

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Lila McIver
Research and Communications Specialist


Lila works on the Great Valley Center's outreach and research projects, including efforts for the San Joaquin Valley Blueprint Regional Planning Project and the Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley.

Prior to joining staff at GVC, Lila concentrated on strategic nonprofit capacity building, coordinating trainings for nonprofit organizations and professionals in Orange County. Lila also served as an AmeriCorps*VISTA member where she successfully developed and funded a school readiness pilot program and continued with the First 5 Service Corps program as the VISTA Leader, coordinating member/volunteer services for the statewide First 5 VISTA program. Lila is a native of the Northern Sacramento Valley city of Red Bluff and a graduate of the University of California, San Diego.

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Michelle Mitchell
Accountant

Michelle Mitchell joined the Great Valley Center in 2008 as an Accountant.  She is responsible for monitoring, analyzing, and reporting financial data.      

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Amy Moffat
Director of Research and Communications


Amy Moffat is the Director of Research and Communications for the Great Valley Center.  She strives to bridge academic theory with solutions to practical social, economic, and environmental problems.   

Prior to joining the Great Valley Center in 2008, Amy served as a project director for Healthy House within a MATCH Coalition, a non-profit organization focused on building respect and understanding between ethnicities, languages, and cultures, and a consultant with the Alliance for Community Research and Development. 

Curriculum Vitae (pdf)

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Dejeune Shelton
Senior Program Manager


Dejeuné M. Shelton is the Senior Program Manager responsible for all aspects of program design and implementation including ensuring the quality of the programs, products, and communications produced meet the high standard of excellence of the organization. 

Before joining the Great Valley Center in 2008, Dejeuné served as President of the Westside Community Alliance (WCA), a grass roots organization focused on improving communities and families residing on the Westside of Stanislaus County with a focus on the City of Patterson.

Dejeuné is very active in her community, serving as a City Council Member for the City of Patterson (2006-2010), and is a member of the Westside Health Task Force, the California League of Cities Community Services Policy Committee, and a Board Member for the Stanislaus County Red Cross.

Dejeuné earned her B.A. in sociology from California State University Stanislaus.

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Stacey Shepard
South Valley Energy Program Representative


Stacey Shepard is the southern valley representative for the Energy Program and also runs the Great Valley Center's Bakersfield office, which opened in May 2009. She works with local governments, industry and utility companies to boost energy efficiency and promote renewable energy use throughout the southern valley. As part of her work, Stacey is also researching the potential for energy independence in the valley and a green regional economy.

Before joining the Center, Stacey was the environment and energy reporter for The Bakersfield Californian newspaper for three years. Her reporting covered topics ranging from the area's severe air pollution problem to water shortages, shrinking habitat for endangered species and the burgeoning renewable energy sector. In 2008, she received the George F. Gruner Prize for Public Service in Journalism for an investigative series on groundwater contamination at a Bakersfield refinery.

Stacey grew up in the rural community of Batavia in Western New York. She earned a degree in journalism from Buffalo State College and moved to Bakersfield in 2006 after working several years a reporter in Buffalo. Outside of work, Stacey is a literacy volunteer and amateur botanist, and spends her free time cooking and

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Lori Smith
Executive Assistant


Lori Smith serves as Executive Assistant to Great Valley Center’s President and assists with projects involving design and layout. She has over 20 years’ experience in nonprofit and publishing environments and most recently was the administrative assistant at an environmental consulting firm.

Lori is a life-long resident of California’s Central Valley and currently resides in Modesto with her school-age son. She enjoys theater and film, music, books, writing, and exploring California’s many diverse regions.

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Maria G. Velázquez began coordinating the Computer Technology Center through the Pixley Connect Project in 2008.  Maria helps communities to be advocates for themselves and their families by developing leadership skills and engaging in civic participation.  Her role includes offering a wide range of programs and services, from leadership development to computer literacy classes for youth and parents.

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As the Chief Operating Officer, Jami Westervelt works to ensure that the administrative functions of the Great Valley Center operate smoothly and efficiently.    She also oversees the financial functions, such as working with UC Merced staff on accounting, grants, and contracts. Jami has held both program and administrative posts since joining the Center in 2006.

Prior to the Great Valley Center, Jami held positions at Merced County Association of Governments and California State University, Stanislaus. In addition to experience both managing a non-profit organization and administration, her background includes experience in the fields of transportation planning, journalism, and public relations.  She also worked in summer migrant education programs on the west side of the Central Valley while in college.  

Jami is a third-generation Central Valley native raised in Gustine.  She holds a degree in organizational communication from California State University Stanislaus and has returned to live in her hometown with her husband and their son.

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