Connie Martinez, Board Chair
Currently Managing Director of 1stACT Silicon Valley, Connie Martinez was the Executive Director for Children's Discovery Museum(CDM) of San Jose during a seven year period of growth and expansion. CDM is considered one of the top ten children's museums in the nation and provides over 150 interactive exhibits and holds several award winning programs for the local community. Connie has lived in California since 1986, holding several leadership positions within the community including Director of Strategic Initiatives for University of California Santa Cruz, Vice President for Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network and Deputy City Manager, Planning Director and General Services Director for the City of Mountain View, CA. Connie has a BS in Finance and an MBA in Information Systems from the University of Colorado.
Judy Koch, Founder
Prior to founding Bring Me A Book in 1997, Judy was President, CEO, and Board Chair of RSP Manufacturing Corporation from 1990 to 1997. RSP provided electro-mechanical contract manufacturing services to companies in Silicon Valley. Bring Me A Book grew out of a benefit program she had provided employees of her company. Judy began her career as an English teacher in California public schools. In 2004, she co-founded Fortune8Ventures LLC, a global business development company with offices in Shanghai and San Francisco. She is a member of The Committee of 200, Women’s Forum West, University Rotary Club of Palo Alto, and a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum. Judy received the Philanthropic Innovator Award in 2004 from the Committee of 200, and the 2003 Early Intervention for School Success Educator of the Year Award.
Christine Z. Loker, Secretary
Chris has had a 25 year career in Human Resources working with a number of Fortune 500 organizations. Most recently Senior Vice President, Human Resources at Charles Schwab & Co., Chris also has held senior management HR positions with Universal Studios, Levi Strauss & Company, and Bank of America. She is currently a Partner with her husband at John Windle Antiquarian Bookseller in San Francisco, specializing in buying and selling rare, antique children's books. Chris serves on a variety of national and international nonprofit boards, where she is active in HR, strategic planning, leadership, and board governance work. She received a BA from Stanford University and attended the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Noni Allwood, Board Member
Noni Allwood is founder and principal of Noni Allwood & Associates, a San Francisco-based management consulting services firm focused on business growth through optimization strategies for diverse talent and increased efficiency in business operations. Her career spans more than twenty years as an executive and consultant with Fortune 500 companies, including Cisco, Tandem Computers and Exxon Corporation. Ms. Allwood is currently an advisor to the Hidden Brain Drain Task Force and the Glide Women’s Center. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Geographic Expeditions and is Co-Chair of the Advisory Board for Professional Business Women of California. She previously served on the board of directors of the Stanford University School of Business Alumni Association and Peninsula Habitat for Humanity and was co-chair for the Women of Color Action Network. In 2008 she was named one of the “Most Influential Latinos in Silicon Valley” by Mexican American Community Services Agency of San Jose.
Maryles Casto, Board Member
Maryles Casto founded Casto Travel Agency in 1974. Drawing from her early experience as manager of in-flight services for Philippine Airlines, Maryles turned her company into the largest privately owned travel management agency in the Western United States. Casto has consistently been ranked in the Top 100 Fastest Growing Businesses in both Silicon Valley and San Francisco and has won numerous entreprenurial and service awards. In May 2006, Silicon Valley Business Journal ranked Casto second in revenue among Silicon Valley Women Owned Businesses. Active in several civic, philanthropic, and service organizations over the course of her career, Maryles currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Common Wealth Club of California, the International Museum of Women, and the Philippine International Aid Children's Fund and serves on the Advisory Board for the Leading Hotels of the World. She is also a member of the Committee of 200, a global organization of leading businesswomen, and the Women's Forum West.
Kristine Schray Erving, Board Member
Kristine is a community leader with strong experience in non-profit board development, community project development and resource utilization. As Community Relations Coordinator for Stanford University Hospital, she co-founded and directed Stanford Hospital's Health Library, a medical library for the lay public. In her community work, she served as President of the Junior League of Palo Alto Mid Peninsula and has chaired boards of the YMCA Mid-Peninsula, Peninsula Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (VISTA), Palo Alto Senior Coordinating Council (Avenidas), and served on the Experience Corp and East Palo Alto YMCA boards. Kristine conceived and co-chaired Peninsula Habitat for Humanity's first accelerated build and fundraiser and chaired the private/public partnership with the City of Palo Alto to create the Heritage Park playground.
Scott Hayes, Board Member
Scott joined Wells Fargo Private Bank in 2009 as a Senior Vice President and Wealth Advisor working with high-net worth individuals in Silicon Valley. He began his career in financial services in 1992 and previously held management positions with Citi Private Bank, Bankers Trust Company, Bank of Hawaii, and The Spectrem Group. At Wells Fargo Private Bank, Scott provides Wealth Advisory services to ‘c level’ executives, venture capitalists and serial entrepreneurs, real estate entrepreneurs, and private companies worldwide. He has been recognized by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the top investment advisors in the San Francisco Bay Area. Scott resides in Palo Alto, CA with his children and serves on the Board of Directors for Stanford Athletics Buck/Cardinal Club, Executive Committee for the Menlo Charity Horse Show, Professional Advisory Committee for The Asian Pacific Fund, and a Director for the Gold Star Memorial Fund. He previously served on the Board of Palo Alto Partners in Education, Palo Alto Art Center Foundation, Citi Microfinance Donor Fund, Symphonix (a San Francisco Symphony affiliate), Water.org Advisory Council and two private school boards in Honolulu. Scott graduated from Villanova University.
Mike Knych, CFO, AMC, Board Member
Mike oversees accounting, financial analysis, risk management and cash management for Asset Management Company and its portfolio. He focuses on financial transactions, policies and procedures related to Asset Management Company's family office operations. Mike is responsible for funding the venture, non-profit and wealth management functions of AMC. He has over twenty years of experience in venture capital, private equity, startup company management and investment banking. Prior to joining Asset Management Company, Mike worked with Trimingham, Inc. where he provided special services to underperforming and distressed middle market companies. He holds a B.A. in Economics from Colgate University.
Cathy McMurtry, Board Member
A long time fundraiser for several Bay Area based organizations, Cathy focuses her volunteer efforts with organizations providing enhanced access to educational opportunities for youth. In her role as trustee of the McMurtry Family Foundation, Cathy provides support and assistance to organizations focused on education and literacy. Locally, Cathy has been on Stanford University's Board of Membership for the Cantor Arts Center, the Athletic Board, and the Parents Advisory Board. In addition, Cathy assists with fundraising efforts for the Global Heritage Fund, an International Conservation nonprofit focused on the preservation of endangered cultural heritage sites in developing countries. Cathy holds a BA in Developmental Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Jon Porter, Board Member
Jon Porter is currently a Director at Three Bridge Wealth Advisors and works directly with both entrepreneurs and venture capital and private equity firm partners. He was previously a Financial Advisor in the Venture Group at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney's Menlo Park office and also spent five years heading the global licensing group at Apple, Inc. Prior to Apple, Jon was the Director of Business Development for Lambda Optics and worked in the corporate finance group for international law firm Morrison and Foerster, LLP. He holds a Juris Doctor, Magna Cum Laude, from the Santa Clara University School of Law and a BA, with honors, in Political Science and English from the University of Washington. He is a member of the California State Bar Association and holds Series 7, 66, and multiple state insurance licenses. Jon is actively involved with both the University of Washington and the Santa Clara University School of Law, frequently guest lecturing on topics relevant to his role as a private wealth advisor.
Brian Rogers, Board Member
Brian Rogers, an Oakland native, is currently the Executive Director of The Rogers Family Foundation, an organization that supports and enables the development of Oakland education and youth development organizations. The Rogers Family Foundation currently works with over 100 Oakland organizations in order to create systematic change as well as nurture innovative educational strategies. Previous to his current position, Brian was the manager of the Lair of the Bear, a family summer camp run by the UC Berkeley Alumni Association, as well as an English teacher and tennis coach at Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland. Brian graduated from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business as an undergraduate in 1995 and received his California teaching credential from St. Mary’s College in 2000.
Jeanne Rosner, M.D., Board Member
Dr. Jeanne Rosner is a Pediatric Anesthesiologist at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, where she helps children and their families get through the difficult process of surgical procedures. She recently joined the Board of Directors of Bring Me A Book Foundation after serving on the Fund Development Committee for three years. Jeanne’s interest in children’s literacy needs, reading, and her passion for philanthropy led her to Bring Me A Book. She is a mother of three whose eldest son was in the “Book Buddies” program, which donated a Bring Me A Book Library to a local underserved preschool. The boys in the “Book Buddies” group still read monthly to the preschoolers. Jeanne is also involved with teaching Pediatric Advance Life Support and other classes at her local elementary school. She is a graduate of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Deborah J. Stipek, Board Member
Deborah J. Stipek, Ph.D. is the James Quillen Dean and Professor of Education at Stanford University. Her doctorate is from Yale University in developmental psychology. Her scholarship concerns instructional effects on children’s achievement motivation, early childhood education, elementary education and school reform. In addition to her scholarship, she served for five years on the Board on Children, Youth, and Families of the National Academy of Sciences and is a member of the National Academy of Education. She also chaired the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Increasing High School Students’ Engagement & Motivation to Learn and the MacArthur Foundation Network on Teaching and Learning. Dr. Stipek served 10 of her 23 years at UCLA as Director of the Corinne Seeds University Elementary School and the Urban Education Studies Center. She joined the Stanford School of Education as Dean and Professor of Education in January 2001.
