How lucky are we?! These smart, passionate, and engaging individuals share our mission to empower nonprofits to achieve their missions. They share their expertise and time to provide consulting, lead workshops, and enhance Spokes’ services. It takes many hands to keep Spokes turning. These are the people that have invested their time in helping our community’s nonprofits grow.
Our Staff
Lesley Santos Dierks
Chief Executive Officer
Lesley comes to Spokes with a hands-on understanding of the unique perspectives and challenges facing both nonprofit and funding organizations. Lesley began her career as a development officer and grant writer for the California ScienCenter, California’s only free-admission, state-sponsored science and technology museum located in Los Angeles, and Menlo College, a private business college located in Menlo Park. She continued her work with the nonprofit sector as the Community Relations Manager for Adobe Systems, Inc., a software company located in San Jose, where she was responsible for the company’s corporate philanthropy and community relations programs including their cash, in-kind and employee volunteer grants programs. After moving to San Luis Obispo and taking a career hiatus to focus on her young daughters, Lesley joined Spokes’ predecessor organization, the Nonprofit Support Center (NSC), as Regional Manager and was responsible for NSC’s training programs in Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo. Lesley earned her undergraduate degrees from the University of Southern California.
Jenna Espinosa
Vision Weaver
Jenna has been in the nonprofit sector for several years, beginning in graduate school where she received a dual masters in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development from American University in Washington, D.C. and the United Nations University for Peace in Costa Rica. While abroad, she looked closely at how communities with limited resources develop in a meaningful way. She knew she wanted to bring her international experience back to her local community and focus on sustainable community development in the United States. For three years, that meant serving as the Executive Director of the San Luis Obispo-based 501c(3) Central Coast Grown. Jenna brings that first-hand experience with her as she supports a multitude of nonprofits in our Central Coast Community through her role at Spokes.
Jody Kocsis
Maestro of Services
Jody brings a dash of creative flair to Spokes. She hails from the Midwest, where she earned a BFA from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She has built a diverse career in art, nonprofit administration, and customer service. Most recently, Jody served as the Public Relations Manager and Capital Campaign Administrator at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. She enjoys a good challenge, and views laughter an excellent remedy for life’s unsolvable problems.
Board of Directors
Jeff Franklin
President
You could say that Jeff is a kid at heart — he loves anything that he can do with his girlfriend, Jessica and their four awesome kids. But Jeff has another side as well – a super star techie side. At 15, he built his first computer system and later went on to study electrical engineering in college where he worked as an automotive installation technician. And now, as a Consulting Associate, he brings not only technical cred but also excellent customer service skills to his role at TekTegrity. Jeff appreciates that Spokes supports many of the nonprofits that he works with every day. Serving Spokes helps him give back to several of his own customers, while at the same time, making a bigger impact than he could do on his own.
Erika Schuetze
Mark Corella
Mark Corella graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo’s School of Agriculture in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Recreation Administration. Mr. Corella has been in the field of Banking Management on the Central Coast for 25 years and is currently the Vice President and District Manager of the Central Coast for Wells Fargo. Current Community involvement includes Board Member for the YMCA of San Luis Obispo County, Committee Member for the Five Cities YMCA Advisory Committee, Advisory Board Member for the Children’s Resource Network of the Central Coast, and Advisory Board Member for the Lucia Mar Foundation for Innovation. Mark is the past Chair of the Latino Outreach Council and past Board Member of the Workforce Investment Board (WIB), also serving on the Youth Council. Mr. Corella has a passion for sports and youth and has been a youth basketball volunteer for over 20 years and continues to assist the 5 Cities Youth Basketball Program.
Michelle Starnes
Jami Fawcett
Jami has many years of experience in marketing, business organization and community outreach that she offers to numerous local businesses, including GH Sports, Circa Company, LLC and Hind Foundation. At GH Company, Inc. dba GH Sports, a designer and manufacturer of specialty run, cycle, swim, fitness and triathlon apparel (at the original headquarters in San Luis Obispo, CA), Jami works alongside a talented team to develop and implement marketing strategies for both existing and new apparel products. At Circa Company, LLC, Jami works with the management team to share the gift of the original fragrance, Circa23, with former and new customers alike and to introduce new products to market. At Hind Foundation, Jami manages updates to the nonprofit’s website, highlighting the good work of the Foundation and its grantees, and also works as a liaison, communicating the Board’s wishes to both potential and existing grantees. Jami has volunteered and collaborated with various nonprofits in SLO County and becomes more and more passionate about Spokes as she continues to see its positive ripple effects throughout our community.
Rachel Byrne
Rachel brings a problem-solving acumen to Spokes through her 15 years of managing the financial and operational matters of small-to-medium size businesses. She was born and raised in the greater San Luis Obispo area and is a graduate of Cal Poly where she studied Business Management. She maintains a great affinity for the area and now operates her own consulting business, the Klarheit Group where she is actively helping small business in all areas pertaining to finances. Rachel has a deep desire to give back to the very community that has granted her so much and looks forward to contributing to the philanthropic efforts of Spokes.
Volunteers and Faculty Members
- Adrienne Harris
- Ann Wassam
- Anna Boyd-Bucy
- Brad Koyak
- Bryn Smith
- Deanna Rutledge
- Debora Humphreys
- Dorene Cisneros
- Elise St. John
- Erica Morrison
- JayMe Phillips
- Jeremy Teitelbaum
- Kathleen Marcove
- Ken Miles
- Leslie Jones
- Marie Labbee
- Michael Simkins
- Piper Fedrow
- Rachel Cementina
- Sharon Kimball
- Susan Blais
- Suzanne Valery
- Whitney Szentesi
- Yvon Gresser
We help the organizations that help our community. You can, too!
Contribute by doing what you do best! If you are interested in volunteering with Spokes for Nonprofits, please let us know.
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