Our People

John Fanestil, Executive Director, is a graduate of La Jolla High School, Dartmouth College, Oxford University – where he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics as a Rhodes Scholar – and the Claremont School of Theology. A longtime activist for peace and justice, John worked from 1992-2005 as a pastor at United Methodist Churches in Southern California, including four years at a small bi-lingual church in Calexico. In Calexico he also served as President of the Neighborhood House, a community-based social services agency on the U.S./Mexico border. Doubleday published John’s first book, Mrs. Hunter’s Happy Death, in 2006. His writing has also appeared in The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, The Christian Century, The Guardian (London) and A&U Magazine.

OUR FOUNDER

Victoria Danzig, Founder, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a private practice in La Jolla. After first awarding grants in 1983, Victoria and others worked for ten years as a chapter of the Los Angeles-based Liberty Hill Foundation. In 1994, when the San Diego Foundation for Change became its own non-profit corporation, Victoria became President of the Board, a position she occupied until the year 2000. Currently she chairs the Foundation’s Honorary Committee. Each year the Foundation for Change recognizes an exceptional community organizing effort in San Diego with the “Danzig Award,” given in Victoria’s honor.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Michael Brau is the principal of the Elliot Consulting Group. A graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, Michael is the co-founder of the Baltimore Bagel Co., a regional chain of San Diego bakery-cafes sold in 1995 to the corporation now operating as Einstein Bros. Bagels. Michael has served on the Boards of Congregation Beth El, the United Jewish Federation, the American Jewish Committee, and the M. Larry Lawrence Jewish Community Center.

Gordon Clanton has taught sociology at San Diego State University since 1975. A graduate of Louisiana State University and U.C. Berkeley, where he earned a Ph.D. in sociology and religion, Gordon was active in support of the black civil rights movement and the United Farm Workers, and in opposing the Vietnam War. For over ten years Gordon wrote a column of political and social commentary for the Del Mar Citizen, the Blade-Citizen, and the North County Times.

Michelle Ciccarelli is a partner with Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP, the nation's preeminent law firm representing consumers, workers and shareholders victimized by corporate fraud. Michelle was a key member of the team that won some of the most significant legal victories against the world's most powerful corporations -- she helped recover over $7 billion for victims of the Enron fraud and millions for women in the Mariana Islands forced to perform slave labor in sweatshops for the Gap.  Michelle has trained lawyers and law students to represent immigrants, pro bono, in deportation proceedings at the Federal Penitentiary in Kentucky, assisted Haitian refugees seeking asylum in Miami, and served as an intern to former Congressman Joe Kennedy.

Jeff Duby received his B.A. in Economics from Pepperdine University in 1990 and his Juris Doctor degree from Boston University School of Law in 1995. Jeff has worked for Arthur Andersen from 1996 through 2001 and is currently employed by Deloitte Tax LLP where he specializes in corporate taxation. He now chairs the Foundation for Change Board Development Committee.

Jayme Fagan, Secretary, is a Quality Engineer for Hewlett-Packard. Jayme earned a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of California, San Diego in 2001 and an MBA from the University of Phoenix in 2006. In addition to her engineering duties, Jayme is one of the leaders of the San Diego PRIDE Employee Resource Group at HP.

Eric A. Isaacson, President, is a San Diego lawyer with Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP. Eric's practice with the leading plaintiffs’ firm focuses primarily on civil appeals. He earned his A.B. summa cum laude from Ohio University in 1982, and a Juris Doctor degree with high honors from the Duke University School of Law in 1985. Eric has filed “friend of the court” briefs on behalf of a variety of organizations opposing institutionalized discrimination.

Curtis Lubben, Treasurer, works as an Analyst at JP Morgan Chase. He earned a bachelor's degree in Management Science from the University of California San Diego in 2001. Curtis also designs custom jewelry and is a Graduate Gemologist and an Accredited Jewelry Professional.

Leiana Naholowaa is a Technical Publications Editor for NextWave Broadband in Del Mar. A native of Guam who has lived in San Diego since 1996, Leiana works with San Diego Food Not Lawns, a group advocating for local food justice, and Famoksaiyan, a network of Guam activists. She chairs the Foundation for Change Grantmaking Committee, and serves on the national Advisory Board of the Funding Exchange, a national network of which the Foundation for Change is a part.

Madelyne J. Pfeiffer is Vice President of Communities Advocating for Resident Empowerment (C.A.R.E.). A graduate of Claremont McKenna College, Madelyne holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California (USC). She serves on numerous committees working to improve the system of care for youth and families in the counties of San Diego and Orange. Madelyne is also Vice President of the HUD California Neighborhood Networks Consortium.

Olivia Puentes-Reynolds began her civic duties in high school as Red Cross President. She has since served on the Boards of Girl Scouts, San Diego Parks and Recreation, San Diego Mayoral Advisory, San Diego County Regional Health Advisory, UCSD Board of Overseers, San Diego MANA (a national Latina organization) and the San Diego County Commission on the Status of Women. Olivia has over 30 years of professional work experience in local municipal management.

Lou Terrell is a retired Professor at San Diego State University, where for twelve years he chaired the Political Science Department. A graduate of Williams College and Stanford University, where he earned his Ph.D. in Political Science, Lou has served as a City Councilman and Mayor of Del Mar. He has also served in leadership positions on the Boards of San Diego Association of Governments, Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Del Mar Foundation.

Nicole Trombley, Vice President, is a massage therapist and owner of Equilibrio Massage, specializing in prenatal and postpartum massage. Before launching her massage practice, Nicole worked for six years at the National Network of Grantmakers, a national membership organization of progressive funders committed to moving more funding dollars to social and economic justice.

Peter Zschiesche is the Founding Director of the Employee Rights Center, a non-profit program offering education and advocacy to all workers regarding their workplace rights. A former machinist, Peter served many years as a Machinist Union representative for workers in local shipyards and industrial sites. He now represents the Machinist Union Local 389 on the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council and is an elected Trustee of the San Diego Community College District.

GRANTMAKING COMMITTEE

Larry Baza is a native San Diegan of Mexican and Chamorro (Guam) heritage.  His work as a professional and as an activist for equality and social justice spans 40 years.

Aurora Cudal is a professional public health educator whose career spans more than forty years of community and academic work in the Philippines. She immigrated to the United States in 1993, eventually became a U.S. citizen and is greatly involved with local and national Filipino community groups as an advocate for community health development, political empowerment.and social justice.

Jill Holslin is a Lecturer in Rhetoric & Writing Studies at San Diego State.  She has worked on social justice issues in San Diego since 1988, primarily on issues of peace and education with Middle East Culture and Information Center and SDSU’s Center for Islamic & Arabic Studies.

Lisa Kove is a military veteran with approximately 30 years of progressive community involvement.  She has a wide range and depth of experience/ expertise in: leadership, management, logistics, analysis, and technology.  

Jesse Mills is a professor of Ethnic Studies at University of San Diego. His community organizing experience includes work with IRC Students Plus, La Resistencia San Diego, and Somali Family Services. Jesse brings networks in academia, East African communities, refugees and the arts and has expertise in writing, editing and research.

Vernon Mitchell is a life long Christian activist. He worked with Dr M. L. King, Jr and staff from 1965-1966 and in 1968. After serving as a pastoral minister for 30 years, he now is involved in interfaith, interracial peace and justice ministries.

Leiana Naholowaa was born and raised in Guam and has been chairing the Grant Making Committee since 2006. She became involved in the San Diego progressive community after teaching in France for two years where she experienced a political awakening. Leiana is actively committed to issues related to decolonization, food justice and social and economic rights.

Zach Negin’s professional background is in Engineering and green building.  Zach organized the successful Leap 4 Change Art Auction in support of the Foundation for Change.

Mary Niez has a long-time history in the progressive non-profit, activist and political communities, focusing on issues of homelessness, death penalty, immigration rights, the environment and green technologies.

Quynh Nguyen has been working at the Center on Policy Initiatives for 10 years – organizing, building a membership, and raising money to help build a movement for economic justice in San Diego.

Nancy Rodriguez is owner of Tochtli Angel Arts offering gatherings with "two spirit" (LGBT) indigenous elders and she and her life partner are Capitanas of Danza Coyolxahuqui. She has a lifetime of involvement in the arts as an advocate, a performer, writer, producer, director, patron and sponsor.

Trish Vasta is a self-employed independent contractor in San Diego and manages the financial accounts for Activist San Diego (ASD), a past Foundation for Change grantee. She has done major community organizing on different levels with ASD, Puppet Insurgency, CIRCA, TranscenDANCE, and No Border Camp.

Anthony White is an assistant director at Family Health Centers of San Diego. His community organizing experience includes work with the San Diego HIV Funding Collaborative, San Diego LGBT Leadership Council, Immigration Equality, and Equality California/San Diego. Anthony lives in Tijuana.