Sunny Hills Services Establishes Sonoma County Advisory Council

February 25, 2014

San Anselmo, CA. February 25, 2014. Sunny Hills Services, a child welfare agency that has been serving youth and families in Sonoma County for two decades, recently appointed eight Sonoma County community leaders to its newly established Sonoma County Advisory Council (“Council”).

The Council will provide Sunny Hills Services, which currently serves more than 1,000 Sonoma County youth through six programs in two local offices, with greater understanding and access to the local child welfare, education and health and mental health systems.

Each Council member will share expertise and provide introduction to constituents within their area of leadership (banking, publishing, law enforcement, business development, etc.), to help Sunny Hills further its mission to engage vulnerable children and youth, enrich their connection with family and community and empower them to lead healthy, rewarding lives. Each Council member has a demonstrated commitment to advocating for the needs of children and youth of Sonoma County. Board terms are three years, and members may be reappointed.

Sunny Hills Services Sonoma County Advisory Council:

  • Brad Bollinger, Publisher and Editor in Chief, North Bay Business Journal
  • Steve Freitas, Sonoma County Sheriff
  • Gioia Hershey, Sonoma County Human Services
  • Nancy Maushardt, Community Leader – Sonoma Valley
  • George Ortiz, Community Leader
  • Bill Schrader, President and CEO Exchange Bank
  • Marilyn Segal, Executive Director of Petaluma Community Foundation
  • Tom Joynt, Petaluma School District Assistant Superintendent (retired); Sonoma County Court and School Liaison (retired).
  • Donna Zapata, Business Development Representative Redwood Credit Union; formerly Executive Director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Sonoma County

About the newly formed Council, Mary Denton, Sunny Hills’ CEO said, “We are extremely grateful to have the support and guidance of a group of outstanding Sonoma County leaders. As an agency, we have always believed that child welfare needs are best assessed and met locally. With the expertise and dedication of our new Board of Advisors, Sunny Hills will continue to be a valued partner and an agent for change for youth and families throughout Sonoma County.”


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About Sunny Hills Services

The mission of Sunny Hills Services is to engage vulnerable children and youth, enrich their connections with their families and communities, and empower them to lead healthy, rewarding lives. Founded in 1895 as an orphanage and farm, Sunny Hills Services has since grown to become a regional organization widely recognized as being at the forefront of best practices in child welfare. Today Sunny Hills operates a variety of distinct programs in Sonoma, Marin and Alameda counties and strives to address the needs of at-risk children to help them function productively in society. The agency serves youth from age 6 through 24 and in 2013, 1600 children / youth and approximately 1000 of their family members and caregivers will receive help through one or more Sunny Hills Services’ programs. www.sunnyhillsservices.org