BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Board of Directors
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Paul and his wife, Erin, have lived in El Dorado County since 1979. They raised their daughter, Gianna, here. Paul has been involved with numerous local nonprofits, schools, and service organizations. He is back after a previous stint on the Foundation Board from 2009-2020, including two years as Board President. His family is a fund holder at the EDCF, and he and his wife strongly believe that everyone can find a way to support and improve our local communities.
Paul Zappettini
Board Officer
Lynnee has been an active resident of El Dorado County since moving to the Lotus/ Coloma area 35 years ago. Once retired from Intel, and with degrees in Environmental Biology and Botany, she applied her professional skills and personal interests to fundraising projects for a few local nonprofits, which led to a passion to make our community a better place. Lynnee has served on Boards and committees for several nonprofits and as the Program Officer for El Dorado Community Foundation. She serves on the Foundation’s Grants Committee. Lynnee and her husband raised their daughter, Becca, in Shingle Springs and still reside there today.
Lynnee Boyes
Board Officer
Pam is the Community Affairs Manager for Corporate Social Responsibility at U.S. Bank. Having worked in the California banking industry for over 28 years, her current role perfectly balances her passion for supporting community philanthropy. Pam serves as a board member on eight other nonprofit organizations and resides in Shingle Springs with her husband and two daughters. Pam also serves on the Foundation's Grants, Finance, & Audit Committees.
Pam Maxwell
Board Officer
Margie Kovarik-Maxhimer has lived in Tahoe since 1987, has a BA in Accounting and Business from Carroll College and has been the owner and operator of Tahoe Summers, Inc. since 1992. In addition to her business acumen, Margie brings her ten years of experience serving on the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority Marketing Committee and her thirty-one years of experience as a member of the Kiwanis Club of Lake Tahoe, including several leadership roles within the Club. Margie has also been a member of Soroptimist of Tahoe Sierra and involved with Bread and Broth for four years. Margie serves as a member of the Give Tahoe Cabinet and serves on the Foundation's Finance Committee.
Margie Kovarik-Maxhimer
Board Officer
Allan, his wife Jen and two children have lived in El Dorado County since 2000 in El Dorado Hills for ~20 years and now in Placerville. He is involved and serves as an active member on the El Dorado Community Foundation’s EDH Area Foundation (EDHAF) and the ED Assistance League’s Advisory Council. He was active in youth sports programs, school organizations, and is a currently member of the EDH Chamber of Commerce and ED County Association of Realtors. In addition to owning a real estate brokerage as well as a custom home construction business in ED County, Allan is very involved in county-wide philanthropy.
Allan Priest
Board Officer
Shelbi’s association with the Foundation began with the Buy-A-Day charity golf tournament that she and her family began. Besides her service on our Board, she also serves as the new Chair of the El Dorado Hills Cabinet and is involved in other nonprofit work as well.
Shelbi Bennett
Board Member
Tara Christian grew up in Chico, California and moved to the Sacramento area after high school. She put herself through college by working at Safeway and eventually earned degrees in both American History and Ethics from Arizona State University. By then she’d had enough of managing grocery stores, so she enrolled in law school at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. She graduated from McGeorge with distinction and spent a year in sunny Santa Barbara before she and her wife, Alexis, moved back to Alexis’s hometown of South Lake Tahoe. Together, they started their own law firm, Holmes Christian. Tara’s practice focuses primarily on estate planning and administration, charitable gift planning and land trusts. She is licensed in California and Nevada. In order to increase her expertise on the subject, and because she is apparently a glutton for punishment, Tara has recently returned to school to earn an LLM in Tax Law from Villanova University. Tara is very passionate about the Lake Tahoe community, and serves the board of the Lake Tahoe Wildlife Center, and the Tahoe Learning Haven. She is also a member of the El Dorado Community Foundation’s Legacy Planning Committee.
Tara Christian
Board Member
David Cooke has served as the Lead Pastor of Cold Springs Church in Placerville since 1998, guiding the congregation through seasons of conflict into health, growth, and community impact. With a background in Business Administration from Oregon State University and a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, David combines organizational insight with deep spiritual formation. He is also a Professional Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation and the International Director of The Leadership Connection, where he mentors and equips leaders locally and globally including extensive work in East Africa. David’s passion is to encourage and connect leaders so they can live and lead from a place of strength and wholeness. Having personally walked through burnout and renewal, he brings authenticity and practical wisdom to helping others flourish.
David Cooke
Board Member
Janine has owned and operated her event planning business, It’s One Fine Day Events, since 2000. Over the course of her career in event planning, she coordinated and orchestrated countless weddings, public, community, and political events. Among the largest and favorite of her events is the 2016 World Championship Gold Panning Tournament in El Dorado County. The event lasted for 7 days and involved bringing 22 countries to El Dorado County. Janine has served on the Board of CASA, “Court Appointed Special Advocates,” PVFA “Pioneer Volunteer Fire Association.” She is currently the Vice President of ‘’How 2 Love Our Cops’’, a national organization serving, mentoring, equipping, and advocating for Law Enforcement and their families across the Nation, she had been serving in this position since 2019.
Janine D’Agostini
Board Member
Jana is an Estate Planning Attorney in Cameron Park. She has been an active member of the Foundation’s Planned Giving Committee for many years. Her vast knowledge of the community and the Foundation has been instrumental in educating professional advisors, our board, and the community at large about the work we do. In addition to being a Board Member, Jana also serves on the Grants, Planned Giving, and Bylaws Committees.
Jana Ellerman
Board Member
As an El Dorado County native, Gordon graduated from El Dorado High School and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science at Sacramento State University. Shortly after graduating, he founded Helm Technical Services (HTS). HTS has been recognized multiple times by the Sacramento Business Journal as one of the area’s Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies, a Top 25 Employer in El Dorado County, and a Top 25 Staffing Agency. Gordon has always believed in "giving back" to the community through his company and personal endeavors. Gordon serves on multiple community boards and committees.
Gordon Helm
Board Member
Mike Kuhlman has devoted 30 years to public education, serving as Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent of Educational Services, High School Principal, Mentor Teacher, and History Teacher. His career reflects a consistent commitment to student success, organizational excellence, and community partnership. Along the way, he has been recognized within the Santa Clarita Valley by the Association of California School Administrators for roles ranging from Teacher of the Year to District Superintendent of the Year, highlighting both his instructional and leadership impact. Beyond professional recognition, Mike is known for building strong relationships and championing initiatives that strengthen communities. At the William S. Hart Union High School District, he helped launch a districtwide Strategic Plan, expanded student wellness supports, and led efforts to enhance campus safety. Now serving as Superintendent of the El Dorado Union High School District, he continues to emphasize collaboration, transparency, and service.
Mike Kuhlman
Board Member
Donald P. Sacco is the retired CEO of Regence Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oregon. He was a co-founder and Executive Vice President of the Regence Group, an affiliation of several Blue plans in the Northwest. He has over 25 years of experience in the Blue Cross Blue Shield system, including 10 years as the CEO of a Washington based Blue Shield plan. Mr. Sacco was a member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Board of Directors and a long-term member of its Policy and Legislation Committee. Upon retirement, he moved to California and established a consulting services program. He worked with healthcare organizations as well as companies which provided products and services to the health industry. Mr. Sacco was a national leader in the formation of consumer directed healthcare products and services. He became the CEO of Active Diagnostics, Inc., a Sacramento based medical services company in order to position the company for acquisition which was accomplished within two years after he assumed the role.
Donald Sacco
Board Member
Dickson moved to El Dorado County with her husband Steve in 1979 to teach school in EDC. She soon transitioned to co-directing a school improvement program in the Governor’s Office. With the birth of her daughter Laurel and later her son Kirk, she began grant writing and consulting with schools statewide. She has had extensive experience in working with groups on inclusive problem solving, creating improvement programs, strategic planning and grant writing in education and health care. She has been very involved with Women’s Fund El Dorado as the chair and a founding member of the Education and Multi-Year Grants Committee.
Dickson Schwarzbach
Board Member
Born and raised in El Dorado County, Brian attended local elementary schools, El Dorado High School and then pursued his higher education goals. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a minor in Economics. Two years of law school, two Associate of Arts Degrees, one in Fire Technology and the other in General Studies. He also earned many advanced leadership, governance, management and finance training certificates.
Brian Veerkamp
Board Member
