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UKIAH, Calif. – With the start of the new year, the Mendocino College Foundation board of directors welcomed six new members, elected by unanimous vote during the board’s December meeting.
Tom Allman, Brian Carter, Katharine “Kit” Elliott, John Goldsmith and Donald McMullen, all of Ukiah, and Chris Dewey of Redwood Valley were recommended by sitting members of the foundation board prior to the meeting in December and confirmed to start their stints at the beginning of the year.
They join Foundation President Channing Cornell, who was re-elected to the post by vote of the directors at the same December meeting, newly-elected Vice President Gary Smith, Mendocino College Superintendent/President Kathy Lehner who serves as the foundation’s secretary/treasurer, and board members Kristi Barrington, Donna Berry, Harry Bistrin, John Bogner, Richard Cooper, Peggy Campbell-DeBolt, Paul Conrado, Jerilyn Harris, Tom Herman, Tod Kong, Neelam Salmen, Joan Schlienger, Christy Scollin and Tommy Thornhill.
In announcing the new directors’ confirmation, President Cornell welcomed the individuals to the board and thanked them for their willingness to be involved with the foundation.
“You just joined one of the most important organizations in the area because we support education,” he said to the six new members. “Education will help this country move forward.”
He cited statistics that support a correlation between education and employment before telling the group, “We appreciate you coming on to this board.”
The foundation provides student scholarships, funds improvements to educational programs and staff development at the College district’s campuses in Mendocino and Lake counties, and works to cultivate additional support for the College.
Each of the new board members expressed a willingness to assist the Foundation in achieving its goals.
“I am a firm believer in Mendocino College’s commitment to the pursuit of educational excellence and feel that, along with other like-minded board members, I can help the college achieve its mission objectives,” said John Goldsmith, a financial advisor who serves on the executive board of the Economic Development and Financing Corporation for Mendocino County, is a member of Rotary, and is on the Steering Committee of Leadership Mendocino.
Having relocated from San Diego in 2008, Goldsmith added, “I feel fortunate to live in this community, and I have a strong personal commitment to making it an even better place to live. I believe that a key fundamental piece of the success of any community is the strength of its education infrastructure. I welcome the opportunity and challenge to help the foundation continue to be an integral part to the college's success as a great institution of higher learning.”
New board member Chris Dewey, city of Ukiah’s director of Public Safety, said he is happy to be “giving back” to Mendocino College. An alumnus who also taught law enforcement courses, Dewey has other ties to the College. His son is a Mendocino College student and athlete.
“I hope that my past experiences as a member of the Leadership Mendocino Steering Committee, Mendocino County Public Health Advisory Board, South Ukiah Little League Board of Directors, and Ukiah Rotary will assist me in this new role,” said Dewey. “Over the years I have looked forward to my participation on nonprofit boards and working with very dedicated and committed members. I found the work of these boards and its members to be an extremely rewarding experience, one where I felt we were helping to improve the quality of life of everyone who lives within our community.”
Law enforcement is further represented on the Foundation board by Mendocino County Sheriff-Coroner Thomas Allman, also a graduate of Mendocino College. “I have seen the results of the good work which the Foundation does on many occasions,” said Allman. “I look forward to working with other community leaders toward this very valuable endeavor.” Allman is a former director of the Little Lake Fire Protection District and is currently a member of Rotary International, the Masonic Lodge, and the Willits Lions Club.
Calling the college one of the greatest assets to the community and county, Brian Carter wrote in his letter of interest that he would “like to offer whatever modest assistance I can to the foundation’s efforts to support the college’s continued excellence and improvement.”
The attorney noted that Ukiah is his family’s home, that he graduated from Ukiah High School and that he has practiced real estate and business law in the area. “My three young children are likely to attend the College in the future,” he added.
Two other attorneys are among the newly-elected members of the foundation.
Katharine “Kit” Elliott, with experience as a member of the Mendocino County Youth Project and a commissioner of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Committee, currently serves as a board member for the Mendo-Lake Alternative Services and the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice.
“I have been a criminal defense attorney for more than 22 years and know how important it is for young adults to develop skills and self-esteem. This is why I became interested in serving on your board,” Elliott stated in her letter to the foundation directors.
Donald McMullen, born and raised in Ukiah, joins the foundation board with the intent to contribute to the Foundation’s purpose and objectives. “The campus environment is positive, and it serves as a catalyst for even higher education. These are functions with which I maintain a strong affinity,” he said.
In nominating McMullen for membership, Foundation Secretary/Treasurer Kathryn G. Lehner, called him “energetic and enthusiastic” and added that he, along with Elliott and Carter, will bring “much needed legal expertise” to the board.
The new board members will be invited to work on various committees of the foundation. They have indicated their interests in serving on the finance, land, scholarship, and special events/marketing committees. The latter is meeting regularly to plan its annual major fundraiser, Gala on the Green. The committee has selected a date, June 18, and place, Campovida in Hopland, for this year’s event. Information about committee meetings, board meetings, and special events may be found on the foundation’s Web site, http://foundation.mendocino.edu.
For additional information about the Mendocino College Foundation and the efforts of the board of directors, call the Foundation Office at 707-467-1018 or send an email to Katie Wojcieszak, executive director for the foundation, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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