Board of Directors

Officers/Chairs

Rochelle Hershfield

President

Rochelle Hershfield

Retired Attorney

Rochelle ("Rocky") joined SDWF in 2016. She received her B.A. in Political Science from San Diego State University and her J.D. from California Western School of Law. She practiced law in San Diego for 35 years, spending most of her legal career in her own civil litigation practice where she collaborated with other law firms. She also clerked for the San Diego Superior Court, was an associate in a private firm, and worked for the Social Security Administration as a senior attorney advisor.

Kathleen Lennard

President Elect & GEC Chair

Kathleen Lennard

President & CEO of Good Work Partnership

Kathleen Lennard has been an active member of SDWF since joining in 2021. She has held leadership and fundraising positions in several non-profits and is currently the President of Good Work Partnership, a consulting firm specializing in program evaluation, organization design and strategic planning for nonprofit organizations. Kathleen earned an Ed.D. from Vanderbilt University, a M.S. from Johns Hopkins University, and a B.A. from Boston College.

Rosette Garcia

Immediate Past President

Rosette Garcia

Community Leader

Rosette is a 30-year resident of North County San Diego, where she and her husband raised their two children. She has been an active member of the community, previously serving on the Cardiff School Board and as a volunteer and board member on several local nonprofits. She was recently appointed to the County of San Diego Independent Redistricting Commission. She supports the SDWF because of its commitment to equity and to improving the lives of historically marginalized or underserved San Diegans.

Carolyn Taylor

Treasurer & Finance Chair

Carolyn Taylor

President of Weatherly Asset Management

Carolyn leads Weatherly's ultra authentic culture of client service, lifelong learning, ethics, industry expertise, and community impact. Her B.S. and B.A. from Stanford and foundation in investment banking at Dean Witter and portfolio management at Neuberger Berman and Payden & Rygel enabled her successful launch of Weatherly in 1994, a team-based RIA providing best-in-class financial planning and investment management services to HNW and UHNW clients.

Kelsey Wadman

Secretary & GEC Vice Chair

Kelsey Wadman

Director of Foundation and Government Relations

Kelsey is the Director of Foundation and Government Relations at Outdoor Outreach where she enjoys connecting youth to the transformative power of the outdoors. She joined SDWF in 2021 as a Fellowship member and assisted the SDWF in converting their granting model to multi-year funding. Kelsey has 10 years experience working at local nonprofits, including Just in Time for Foster Youth, Center for Community Solutions, San Diego Audubon, and Champions for Health. She's an avid birder and loves all things nature.

Ellie Bucklin

Impact Chair

Ellie Bucklin

Vice President Change Manager

Ellie has worked for U.S Bank since 2007, most recently as Vice President Change Manager in Digital Banking. She holds a bachelor's degree from Washington State University in Social Sciences and Master's degree from Point Loma Nazarene University in Organizational Leadership. Ellie is passionate about working alongside the San Diego community to advocate and drive change that impacts future generations (along with yoga, tennis, hiking, reading, and traveling the world)!

Sabrina Carnell-Williams

Governance Chair

Sabrina Carnell-Williams

Grant Consultant/Writer

Sabrina Carnell-Williams, a San Diego native and 35-year government retiree, is a dedicated Grant Consultant/Writer with degrees in business administration and global management. Certified in Grant Writing and Training, she empowers organizations through her professional services and online grant training workshops. Married with one son and two dogs, Sabrina enjoys the outdoors, gardening, and entertaining. She prioritizes God, family, and career, and is grateful for the opportunity to give back to her community.

Kristine Kappel

Programs Chair

Kristine Kappel

Real Estate Expert & Advocate

Kristine Kappel is a REALTOR® with Kappel Realty Group at Compass San Diego, specializing in San Diego-area real estate. Recognized among the top 2% of REALTORS® in San Diego, she brings a strong background in client service, communications, and negotiation. Before relocating to San Diego, Kristine spent 18 years in Chicago working in C-suite public relations roles in nonprofit and government. She holds a degree in Communications from Minnesota State University Moorhead and an Executive MBA Certificate from Loyola University Chicago.

Ruth Tadesse

DIG Vice Chair

Ruth Teseyem Tadesse

Research Analyst

Ruth Teseyem Tadesse is a Research Analyst with the Refugee & Immigrant Health Unit at UC San Diego’s Center for Community Health. Her work focuses on evaluation, community-engaged research, and culturally responsive public health initiatives supporting refugee and immigrant communities. She leads and contributes to the evaluation of projects spanning behavioral health, maternal health, youth programming, and health communication, translating data into actionable insights. Ruth collaborates with community-based organizations, healthcare systems, and academic partners to advance equitable, culturally grounded care. She holds an MPH from San Diego State University and was a San Diego Women’s Foundation Philanthropy Fellow.

Members At-Large

Marisol Alvarado

Member At-Large

Marisol Alvarado

Chief Programs Officer

Marisol has been in education for 25 years, working in San Diego and New York City. Marisol was most recently the Chief Program Officer at Monarch School Project, serving unhoused students, families and alumni. She oversaw comprehensive academic, social and emotional support programs, wrap-around services and tailored classes to empower youth and families to build skill and influence their own learning. With a strong commitment to a strength based, trauma informed approach, Marisol is invested in uplifting children and their families.

Beth Davenport

Member At-Large

Beth Davenport

Chief Operating Officer

Dr. Beth Davenport is the Chief Operating Officer at The San Diego LGBT Community Center. In this role, she oversees the organization's operations, including community programming, facilities management across seven sites, and the development of funding proposals and philanthropic partnerships. With over 25 years of experience in program development, evaluation, and organizational leadership, Dr. Davenport brings a deep commitment to equity, impact, and community well-being. She is a licensed Clinical Social Worker and holds a Doctorate in Social Work from Tulane University and an MBA from San Diego State University.

Kim Heinle

Member At-Large

Kim Heinle

Executive Director

Kim is the Executive Director at Bayside Community Center and has been working in the non-profit sector and local communities for over 20 years. She joined the San Diego Women's Foundation in 2016 as a fellow and has been an active member ever since. Kim previously worked at the University of San Diego under the Justice in Mexico Project and Trans-Border Institute. She holds a B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature and an M.A. in International Relations.

Amanda Lopez

Member At-Large

Amanda Lopez

Marketing Professional

Amanda Lopez (she/her) is a nonprofit marketing professional with over a decade of experience in digital marketing, social media content strategy, and campaign management. Her past community involvement has included serving as the Marketing Co-Chair on the Board of the San Diego Emerging Museum Professionals, being a member of the Museum Council, and more. Today, Amanda utilizes what she knows to move the mission forward at The San Diego LGBT Community Center, advocating for the LGBTQ+ community in San Diego and beyond as the Communications and Marketing Manager.

Deborah Martin

Member At-Large

Deborah Martin

CEO/Executive Director

Deborah brings thirteen years of leadership experience as CEO/Executive Director of ElderHelp of San Diego, along with twenty-five years of experience in corporate meeting and event planning where she helped developed a nationwide franchise model, industry standards, best practices, and course materials for professional certifications. Recognized in the community as a dedicated thought leader in organizational collaboration and change management, Deborah's consistent passion for advocacy and social issues – especially around aging – aligns perfectly with SDWF's mission and values.

TD Smith

Member At-Large

TD Smith

Vice President of Development

With over a decade of leadership experience, TD Smith is dedicated to supporting marginalized communities and excels in fundraising and team building. As the Development Director for the YMCA of San Diego County, she secured over $500,000 for flood relief. Previously, she obtained over $4.1 million in grants for Mama's Kitchen. TD holds a business administration degree and a grant writing certification. Her primary objective is to establish sustainable solutions for our communities' most pressing issues.

Kelly Wilkinson

Member At-Large

Kelly Wilkinson

Manager, CI Operations

Kelly is a fourth-generation San Diegan and serves as Manager of Community Impact Operations at San Diego Foundation. In this role, she supports the development and implementation of operational strategies and systems that advance SDF’s grantmaking initiatives in alignment with the Foundation’s strategic vision. Kelly first joined the San Diego Women’s Foundation in 2019 as a member of its Fellowship program, deepening her connection to philanthropy and community impact in the San Diego region. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Vassar College and a master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from the University of San Diego.

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Board of Directors

Officers/Chairs

Rochelle Hershfield

Kathleen Lennard

Rosette Garcia

Carolyn Taylor

Kelsey Wadman

Ellie Bucklin

Sabrina Carnell-Williams

Kristine Kappel

Ruth Tadesse

Members At-Large

Marisol Alvarado

Beth Davenport

Kim Heinle

Amanda Lopez

Deborah Martin

TD Smith

Kelly Wilkinson

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