Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce

Leadership Sonoma Valley

Launched in 1997, the highly popular Leadership Sonoma Valley program is designed to identify, train, and motivate the finest current and future leaders from all business segments and to prepare them for community involvement. The goals of the program are to develop leadership skills, to educate future leaders on a broad range of community issues, needs, and resources, to introduce future leaders to each other and to current leaders, and to encourage informed people to serve in community leadership positions.

 

Each year’s class of 12 to 15 participants convenes in October for weekend team-building retreat, and then meets on the third Friday of each month for nine months, culminating with graduation in August. Each all-day session comprises panels, presentations, and field tours covering a different topic—such as education, agribusiness, local government, or health care—in depth. Alumni from the previous year serve on the steering committee that coordinates the current year’s program. A reception each May enables prospective participants to meet alumni and learn more about the program before applying. Applications are due in August, and participants are selected by a committee of Chamber leaders.

 

Class of 2005

Thomas E. Anderson, Thomas Anderson & Co.

Julie M. Carlson, Wine Country Wellness

Linda J. Daube, Attorney at Law

Kathryn “Kathie” Grimes Guhl, Institute of Bioenergetic Arts & Science

Amanda Krauss, Arts Guild of Sonoma

Marie Lambert, Lambert Vitamin Merchant Services

Ryan Lynch, The Sonoma Index-Tribune

Marti Murray, Murray Insurance Services

Carole Peccorini, Breakthrough Technologies in Wellness

David S. Pier, Hanna Boys Center

Rebecca Zyskowski, Sonoma Developmental Center


Class of 2004

Carl “Chip” Allen, Attorney at Law

Judith Elaine Anna, Retired, Self-employed

Karen J. Barrett, California State Parks

Michael Crain, Blakeslee & Crain Land Services

Molly Fedorchak, Sonoma National Bank

Sharon Garell, Self-employed/Counseling & Seminars

Rebecca Lee, Self-employed/Real Estate Development

Geralyne Mahoney, Burr, Pilger & Mayer CPA

Elizabeth “Lisa” Murray

Harry “Bucky” Peterson, Sonoma State University

Silvia Ramirez, La Luz Bilingual Center

Barrie K. Robinson, University of California, Berkeley

Jenaro Robledo, Robledo Vineyard Management

Susan Scarbrough, Scarbrough Affaires


Class of 2003

L. Tom Benton, Sonoma Post Office, retired

Carolyn Brians, The Sonoma Index-Tribune

Anya Crain, Cultural & Fine Arts Commission

Molly Detwiler, Writer/Editor

Chuck Fortlage, Fortlage Insurance

Kim Jamieson, Sonoma Valley Unified School District

Steve Lawrence

Wendy Peterson, Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau

Sony Randazzo

Pam Teixeira, Edward Jones Investments

Ron Vaughn, Eugene Burger Management

Paco Villasenor, Sonoma Valley Bank


Class of 2002

Elena Alioto, Self Employed/Parkpoint Club

Bianca Banash, Coldwell Banker DeAnza

David Goodison, City of Sonoma

James Lynch, The Sonoma Index-Tribune

Danette McCarns, Sonoma Developmental Center

Kathy McKenna Perry, Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce

Nedra Peterson

Miguel Rivera, Vintage Chem Dry

Everardo Robledo, Robledo Vineyard Management

Vanessa Robledo, Robledo Family Winery

Marcie Becker Waldron, Waldron Landscaping

Catherine Wilson, Boys & Girls Club Valley of the Moon


Class of 2001

Barbara Aliza

Garry Baker, GLB Architects

Michael Caselli, Century 21

Raul Cuevars-Garcia, Green Is Life

Gloria Eelkema, Sonoma Valley Unified School District

Bob Guglielmino, Fathers and Families

Allyn Brooke Lee, City of Sonoma

Chris Oscar, The Sonoma Index-Tribune

Paula Reid Parks, Frank Howard Allen

Jacqueline Scott, Coldwell Banker DeAnza

Vance Sharp, Haileys Creek Vineyard

Sharon Somogyi, Boys & Girls Club Valley of the Moon

Willi Vaughn, Real Estate Appraiser

Class of 2000

Bettie Crossfield Allen

Judy Baker, Completely Creative

Stephen Cox, Winzler & Kelly Consulting Engineers

Edward DuFault

Jean Hopeman, Sonoma Valley Bank, retired

Ellen LaBruce, La Luz Bilingual Center

Elwanda LeMay, Coldwell Banker DeAnza

Lillian Meyers, Meyers Financial Services

Pat Stevens, City of Sonoma

Gerrett Snedaker, Frank Howard Allen

Robert Wedell, St. Helena Police Department

Jennifer Yankovich, Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce

Julie Zak


Class of 1999

Eileen Adams, Computer Tamer

Brenda Lee Brooks, Pacific Union

John LemMon, Attorney

Stephen Marler, Sonoma Fire Department

Roger Mayer, United Way of Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake Counties

Cynthia Scarborough, Vintage House

Cathy Sevenau, Century 21-Wine Country

Catherine Wade Shepard, Pacific Union

Lynn Sherard-Stuhr, El Nido Teen Center

Kathy Witkowicki, Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance


Class of 1998

Alis Arrowood, Arrowood Vineyards

Barbara Bamberg, Sonoma Valley Hospital, retired

Chris Benziger, Benziger Family Winery

Gina Cuclis, Cuclis Communications

Cheryl Diehm, District Representative - Congressman Mike Thompson

Art Fichtenberg, Arthur Fichtenberg & Associates

John Gurney, Sonoma Police Department, retired

Charles Henning

Bonnie Joy Kaslan, Kaslan & Associates, Inc.

Fran Meininger, Boys & Girls Club Valley of the Moon

Mary Neilan, City of Sonoma

Patricia Talbot, Sonoma Valley Community Health Center