| Jim Johnson Roger Francis Tricia Gardella Gary Dambacher Clark Segerstrom William Polley Bill Coffill Pete Kerns Bob Ozbirn |
President SAF Vice President Secretary/Treasurer Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member |
Program Manager |
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James L. Johnson, retired from a career of nearly 40 years in the medical equipment industry, and has been a leader in numerous Twain Harte organizations. He is a Director on the Twain Harte Community Services District Board, was instrumental in founding the Partners for Twain Harte, served as President and is a Director on the Twain Harte Homeowners Board, served as President and Director of the Twain Harte Lake Association, and as President of the Twain Harte SIRS (Sons in Retirement).
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Roger J. Francis is a retired teacher and school administrator, having spent over thirty-four years in education, the last twenty-nine with the Sonora Union High School District . He graduated from Sonora High and then earned a B.A. Degree and teaching credential from the University of the Pacific. He later earned an M.A. in Education Administration from California State University , Stanislaus. Roger is retired Lieutenant Colonel of the U.S. Army Reserve which included an active duty tour in the DMZ in Korea . A long time clarinetist, he is a member of the Great Mother Lode Brass and Reed Band and has played with the Symphony of the Sierra and participated in the Sonora Bach Festival. He is active with the Association of California School Administrators and the Tuolumne County Master Gardeners. In addition, he belongs to the Tuolumne County Historical Society, Vietnam Veterans of America, V.F.W., and the Sonora United Methodist Church . Roger and his wife, Kathy, also a retired teacher, have four children and three grandchildren.
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Tricia Gardella is a business owner, writer, and Tuolumne County native. She graduated from Sonora Elementary and High Schools and has been involved in various organizations throughout the years. At present she serves on the boards of the Tuolumne County Visitors’ Bureau and the Promotion Club of Jamestown. She is married to fifth generation rancher Jack Gardella. They have three children and seven grandchildren all living in the Jamestown area.
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Gary P. Dambacher, President of The Irving J. Symons Foundation for Tuolumne County, a Supporting Organization to Sonora Area Foundation, is a local attorney and Tuolumne County native. Gary attended Sonora Elementary and Sonora High Schools. He has practiced law in Sonora since 1980, and previously served as President of the Tuolumne County Bar Association. He currently serves as a trustee of the Tuolumne County Law Library, and as a mentor attorney for Peer Court. Mr. Dambacher is also a Founding Director of Mother Lode Bank. He has previously served as a director for Sentinel Community Bank and four years on the Board of Trustees for Sonora Elementary School. Gary and his wife, Charlene, a Sonora High School counselor, have three daughters.
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W. Clark Segerstrom, a California licensed real estate broker is the owner of real estate offices in Sonora and Copperopolis California. Clark was born in Sonora, and is a 5th generation Sonora resident, with his grandmother's family (descendents of C. H. Burden) residing in Sonora since 1852. A 1974 graduate of Stanford University, Clark also attended elementary and high school in Sonora. He has served on the Columbia Elementary School Board for 8 years and as president for 4 of those years. He has been a member of the City of Sonora Planning Commission for 14 years, and chair for the last 8 years. He has twice served as president of the Tuolumne County Association of Realtors, and twice as a director of the California Association of Realtors. He is married to Julie, and they have 4 children.
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William G. Polley is a retired Superior Court Judge. He received his J.D. from Santa Clara University in 1969 and his B.S. in Business Administration from California State University, San Jose, in 1964. He has lived and worked in Tuolumne County since 1970 and has served as an officer and director of foundations, churches, service clubs, a hospital and a mutual water company. He and his wife, Carol, have four children and nine grandchildren.
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William J. Coffill has practiced law in Sonora since 1976, principally in the field of estates and trusts and related litigation. He is a fourth generation Tuolumne County resident, who attended local schools and received degrees from Occidental College and McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific. He has been involved in numerous organizations, including the American Red Cross, Friends of the Tuolumne County Library, Sonora Lions Club, and the Tuolumne County and California State Republican Central Committees. Other community service includes the board of directors of the Tuolumne General Hospital Foundation and the Hospital's Community Advisory Board.
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Peter J. Kerns has been a resident of Tuolumne County since 1945, and been very active in the local community. He is Chair of Yosemite Title Company and President of Cold Springs Water and Cold Springs Development Companies. His community service includes serving as past Chairman of the Tuolumne County Republican Central Committee, past President of the Tuolumne Board of Realtors, former Director and past Chairman of the Tuolumne Utilities District, past Member of the Tuolumne County Planning Commission, and the Tuolumne County Airport Land Use Committee. Pete is also Secretary for The Irving J. Symons Foundation of Tuolumne County, a supporting organization to the Sonora Area Foundation.
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Robert L. Ozbirn is a Land Surveyor and owner of Golden State Surveying Engineering. Bob grew up in Oakdale and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Land Surveying from California State University, Fresno in 1985. Bob is a member and past President of the Mother Lode Chapter of the California Land Surveyor’s Association and also a member of the Mother Lode Chapter of the Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors of California. Bob and his wife Sharon have lived in Sonora since 1985. They started Golden State Surveying Engineering in 1988. They have two children.
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Lin Freer manages the grant programs of the Sonora Area Foundation. She provides information and assistance to grant applicants and recipients, helping them with the granting process from initial contact, through grant evaluation, and final reporting. Along with scholarship administration, Lin is also responsible for managing grants that the Foundation receives from large private funders, which are re-granted for “Community Needs.” Lin has an extensive background in commercial banking, marketing coordination, and office management with an investment-banking firm. Lin, a native New Yorker, is married to John and has two children.
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After a brief attempt at retirement, Cathi Nies has returned to the Foundation as Finance & Administration Manager. Cathi started her career as a bookkeeper with John's Sierra Market and moved into the banking world as chief teller for Security Pacific Bank. She has an extensive background in banking, accounting and office management. Born in San Jose and raised in Sonora, Cathi has one daughter. 
