Allison Engel, Author/Producer

Allison Engel is a writer/producer who has written articles and produced photographs for Apartment Life, Metropolitan Home, Traditional Home, Country Home, American Patchwork & Quilting, Quilt Sampler, Home Garden, Country Gardens, Midwest Living, and others. She was a longtime columnist for Saveur, and her freelance articles have appeared in Esquire, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times. She and her twin sister wrote three editions of a book on family-run food producers (Food Finds: America’s Best Local Foods and the People Who Produce Them) for HarperCollins, which they turned into the show Food Finds for Food Network that ran for seven years.       

She holds a dual bachelor’s degree in textiles/clothing and journalism from Iowa State University, a master’s degree in screenwriting from the University of Southern California and was a Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University. The first play she wrote (with twin sister Margaret Engel), Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins, attracted Kathleen Turner as its star, and has received several record-breaking Equity productions around the nation in the last three years.  A second play, Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End, had its premiere at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., last year, an Equity production in Cincinnati this past spring, and several more upcoming productions lined up.  For five years, she was senior editor of the USC alumni magazine and web editor for USC News, and she currently is the associate director of the Los Angeles Institute for the Humanities @ USC.  Published in September 2017, Alison co-authored ThriftStyle: The Ultimate Bargain Shopper’s Guide to Smart Fashion, written with Maricia Moore and Margaret Engel. 

Maricia Moore, Author/Producer

Maricia “Reise” Moore has more than 16 years of experience producing and managing productions, including shows for Animal Planet and A&E’s Biography. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts with an emphasis in production, and holds a master’s degree in communication management from the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at USC. She is currently an executive in charge of production for the Campus Filming Office at USC, overseeing major production companies on feature films, network and cable television and national commercial shoots.

Reise is a thrift store fanatic. What started out six years ago as a grudging trip to a thrift store swiftly became a passion for quality and beautiful, unique clothes at a rock bottom prices. She prides herself on dressing head to toe every day —including accessories—in fabulous thrifted finds. When she is not combing the aisles of thrift stores, she is happily being mom to three kids and wife to her writer husband in Los Angeles.

Her first book, ThriftStyle: The Ultimate Bargain Shopper’s Guide to Smart Fashion, written with Allison Engel and Margaret Engel, was published in September 2017. Reise and the Engels currently are working with a production company to turn the book into a television show starring Hollywood costume designers who shop at thrift stores to help everyday consumers solve fashion problems. 

Eve E. Fromberg-Edelstein, Esq.

Eve E. Fromberg-Edelstein was raised the Palm Springs area. Eve has been a member of the California Bar since December 1997. Ms. Fromberg-Edelstein graduated from the University of San Diego in 1994 and California Western Law School in 1997.  Ms. Fromberg-Edelstein has practiced real estate, business and corporate law.  In 2008, Eve was the CEO of Smile Factory, a local non-profit agency which provides free dental screenings and treatment to public school children. This experience gave her invaluable experience in working with non-profit organizations and knowledge of the day-to-day operational challenges they face. 

Ms. Fromberg-Edelstein has provided corporate and governance counsel to several nonprofit clients. Ms. Fromberg-Edelstein other areas of practice include real estate, estate planning and general business law.  Eve is a member of the Desert Bar Association, California Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.  Ms. Fromberg-Edelstein resides with her husband Mark and son Jack in Rancho Mirage. 

Eve is involved with many local organizations.  She currently serves as President for Pathfinder Ranch, as the current board president for the Cielo Vista Charter School, and as the past board president of Palm Springs Pathfinders, a woman’s auxiliary organization.

John Epps, Director, Center for Nonprofit Advancement  

Mr. John Epps has served the Coachella Valley for the last six years as a Consultant and Trainer for the Regional Access Project Foundation and is now on staff as Director of the Center for Nonprofit Advancement (CNA).  In his role as CNA Director he works with large and small nonprofit organizations in the area to facilitate their strategic planning, organizational development, and capacity building efforts.  He has helped several Boards to successfully plan for their future in the fast-moving and evolving communities of eastern Riverside County. CNA has provided training and consulting on Professional, Funding, Technology, and Personal Development topics.

Mr. Epps was an Instructor for the University of California, Riverside Extension for the past 15 years where his duties included the development and delivery of training courses and classes.  He taught a wide range of classes including Management and Leadership Development, Nonprofit Development, Team Building, Communications, Personal Computer Applications, and, Information Technologies. He has worked to incorporate a high level of student interaction in each class to encourage students to connect knowledge and practice so that they become more valuable assets to themselves and their employers. Students are encouraged to focus on the application of the course materials on the job.  His background as a user, trainer, and consultant gives him a unique perspective for the subjects he teaches.

Paula Kennedy, Philanthropic Services Officer, The Community Foundation  

Ms. Kennedy is a skilled non-profit executive with a career spanning 35 years. She has substantial leadership experience at a variety of non-profit organizations including those for health and human services and independent schools. In each case, her responsibilities have been to build and strengthen relations throughout the community, develop unwavering support from donors, foundations and volunteers, form collaborative relationships with board members, staff and peers, and most of all to be an avid fundraiser with high ethical standards.

Paula was the Founding President/CEO of Gilda’s Club Desert Cities, a cancer support community located in Palm Desert, CA.  She served in this capacity from February 2003 until her retirement in January 2015. In November 2015, she was named Philanthropic Services Officer for The Community Foundation focusing on the Foundation’s asset growth and development efforts. She stewards current and prospective donor and agency relationships and planned giving services, in addition to ensuring that all experience high-quality interactions with the institution that foster long-term engagement.

Paula has been a proud member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals for over 30 years. She is a founding member of the AFP Desert Communities Chapter, a past AFP Board member, Membership and Ethics Committee chairperson and Co-Chair of National Philanthropy Day. She was selected to represent her Chapter as a Chamberlain Scholar in 2008 and voted by the AFP Chapter membership as the 2013 Outstanding Fundraising Professional.

Art Mattox, Director of Volunteer Services, Eisenhower Medical Center

Art has been fortunate enough to be able to do volunteer work along with his professional career. While working in the technology industry, and more recently at the Eisenhower Medical Center, Art was also able to serve his community in a variety of rewarding ways.

As a Volunteer Reserve Officer for Los Angeles Police Department, Member of the Police Commission and Ethics Commission for the City of Los Angeles, Getty Center and The Midnight Mission Homeless Center on Skid Row in L.A. When Art moved to the Coachella Valley and began working at the Betty Ford Center, he became a volunteer at the State Park. He has been a Nature Walk or Wilderness Patroller for Mt. San Jacinto State Park at the top of the tram for the past 9 years. These volunteer experiences have provided Art some of the most rewarding and memorable experiences in his life.

As the Director of Volunteer Services at Eisenhower Medical Center, Art combines his desire to help those around him and still practice his business and operational skills.

Eileen Packer, RD

Eileen Packer recently retired from her position as Chief Executive Officer of HARC, (Health Assessment and Research for Communities) which was founded in 2006.  Ms. Packer coordinated the development of the triennial needs assessment, oversaw the research design, survey tool development, data collection and analysis, data preparation and reports.  Ms. Packer coordinated the fundraising program which included the development of an innovative approach to providing research services to the community.

A Registered Dietitian and Certified Association Executive, Ms. Packer worked in the Los Angeles area as Director of Food and Nutrition Services at Tarzana Regional Medical Center.  After 11 years there, she took the CEO reins at the 7000 member California Dietetic Association.  She restructured the organization and its Foundation during her decade plus tenure there, restoring profitability and building a reserve fund to sustain future programs.  The Canadian educated professional moved to the Coachella Valley in 2000, serving in various management positions for the County’s Office on Aging.  Ms. Packer is a past President of the CA, Desert Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, member of the Riverside County Office on Aging Advisory Council, a member of the College of the Desert Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee, and a Board member at the Joslyn Center.

R. Scott Schroeder, CFRE

Since relocating to Palm Springs CA in 2005 with his wife Martha, Scott has served as Director of Development at the Palm Springs Art Museum, Capital Campaign Coordinator for Idyllwild Arts Foundation, President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals CA Desert Communities Chapter, and Chairperson of National Philanthropy Day in the Desert. 

Over the course of a 40-year career in fundraising, he has also been a consultant for Joseph Dermer & Associates in New York City and Director of Development for the Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art in Chadds Ford PA.  He is a two-time recipient of the National Philanthropy Day Outstanding Fundraising Professional Award from the AFP Brandywine DE Chapter in 1989 and the CA Desert Communities Chapter in 2011. 

Now retired, Scott volunteers his time and expertise to nonprofit organizations locally, including AFP, The Unforgettables Foundation, and Boo2Bullying.  He is a graduate of Boston University (B.A. in Economics) and University of Massachusetts (M.A. in Mass Communications) prior to service as an officer in the United States Navy from 1969-72.

Sheri K. Cole, Executive Director, Career Wardrobe

Sheri Cole is Executive Director of Career Wardrobe, a founding ACDN member that provides professional clothing and job search education to 5,000 people in the Philadelphia region annually.  Career Wardrobe’s services are a critical part of the path to employment for the people they serve.  97% of those assisted by Career Wardrobe report an immediate increase their confidence and professionalism leading to 95% remaining engaged in their job search.  This support ultimately lead to employment that helps 71% transition off of public assistance benefits within a year of their appointment.

Sheri started with the organization in 2000, and under her leadership, Career Wardrobe has grown from a small, grassroots organization run mostly by volunteers to a regional organization providing or overseeing services in 6 counties including Philadelphia.   While managing a staff of 16 and budget of $1.4M, she oversees the organization’s strategic planning, program development, outcomes management and fundraising.

        Timeline of Growth:

• In 2009, Career Wardrobe opened The Wardrobe, a resale store benefiting Career Wardrobe, and today the store generates nearly $150,000 in earned income along with being their main headquarters where women can shop, receive clothing with a referral and gain valuable work experience in retail and customer service. 
• In 2014, the organization responded to community needs by starting Make It Work, a men’s dressing program which outfits 500 men annually. 
• In 2016, Career Wardrobe was asked by the State of Pennsylvania to expand its services to the 5 counties surrounding Philadelphia (Bucks, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Berks Counties).

Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Sheri is a graduate of Miami University (Ohio) and University of Cincinnati, holds a Master of Arts in Women’s Studies and a graduate of the Bryn Mawr School of Social Work’s Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute.

Lizett Trujillo, Volunteer Manager, WHW

Lizet recruits, trains, coordinates and manages the over 1,000 Volunteers that support all aspects of WHW program and administrative needs.  Lizet is responsible for assessing organizational needs and capacity for volunteers, creating volunteer program materials and developing volunteer position descriptions.  She oversees the matching of volunteers to organizational needs and opportunities, training, scheduling and incorporating volunteer recognition programs. Lizet who came to WHW as a College Intern also invests valuable time and focus to ensure the engagement of countless college and university Interns throughout Orange County helping WHW build leaders of tomorrow through multidisciplinary service learning opportunities.

Lizet is the Controller of the Non-Profit Professionals Chapter of the California State University Fullerton Alumni Association, an organization that is focused on reacquainting fellow Cal State Fullerton alumni to further their network and career opportunities through professional development, social activities and community service.  Lizet also assists with the organization of an annual networking event for Non-Profit Professionals in the Community.

In 2014, Lizet was designated an Everyday Hero by the Orange County Register where she was featured on the front page of the publication’s Local section for her journey of being a participant in one of WHW’s programs, which opened her eyes to the importance of self-esteem and self-acceptance.  The lasting effect was a catalyst to her internship with WHW and eventual hiring as a permanent staff member.  In 2016, Lizet was chosen by Orange Coast Magazine as one of 10 Remarkable Orange County Women.  Designated as an Agent of Empowerment, the magazine story focused on Lizet’s drive to make a difference in the underserved areas of Orange County.

Alison Zaccone, Director of Communications, Bottomless Closet

Alison M. Zaccone is a seasoned Public Relations and Communications Professional with more than 12 years of experience in the field. Before joining Bottomless Closet as Director of Communications in January 2017, Alison spent nearly 10 years at the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) where she handled public relations and media outreach for many of the ASPCA’s national programs as Director of Media & Communications.

Alison also authors the bargain shopping and fashion blog NYC Recessionista in her spare time, as well as manages the blog’s corresponding social media channels. Her work has been featured on Huffington Post Style, Racked, and more.

Alison is a graduate of Pace University in Pleasantville, N.Y., where she graduated Cum Laude from the Pforzheimer Honors College with a B.A. in English & Communications in 2004. Alison has also worked as an adjunct professor of Public Relations and Event Planning at her alma mater, where she has taught courses in Writing for Public Relations Copy and Event Planning for PR to undergraduate students in the Media & Communication Arts major. A life-long resident of New York, Alison currently lives in Long Island City, Queens.

Bill Ballas, M.S., CFRE

Bill has a master’s degree in management and leadership from Western Governors University and holds post-graduate certificates in nonprofit management from Virginia Commonwealth University and strategic marketing from Cornell University. He is a Certified Fund Raising Executive and an instructor in the nonprofit management program at the University of California, Riverside’s Palm Desert campus.

Bill consults with businesses and nonprofit organizations in the areas of Leadership Development, Strategic Marketing, Nonprofit Management, and Fund Development. More information about Bill, his clients, and services is available at www.wsballas.com.