Staff
Board of Directors

Staff



Julie Gustafson, Wonder Program Coordinator
is pleased to put her passion, efforts, and experience forth as Program Coordinator. Julie worked previously as the Program Director for Camp Fire USA happily managing volunteers, staff, and outstanding youth development programs throughout the Sacramento region. She is a graduate of California State University, Sacramento and was engaged in the Sac-MENTORING program while a student, both as a mentor, team leader, recruiter, and Program Coordinator. Her previous experience lends itself greatly to the wonderful work of Wonder.

Kecia Sakazaki, Wonder Program Assistant
is a graduate of UC Berkeley. While in college, she became involved in the Health & Sexuality Peer Education Program as a Peer Educator and Student Coordinator. After graduation, she was employed by Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, in Fresno County, as a Community Educator. She worked with youth in a variety of settings and developed a Peer Education Team of high school students. After almost four years, Kecia relocated to the Central Coast and was employed as a Program Manager of a boys’ group home in Arroyo Grande. Kecia took time off from work to become a mother and raise her family. We are excited to welcome her back to the workforce and to Wonder.

Board

Jay Cohen
is a Development Director for the UC Davis Medical Center. After 20 years of success in sales, marketing, management, and business ownership, he decided to follow his heart and seek a position in the nonprofit world in 2005. He has a newborn daughter, which serves as further motivation to help fulfill the Mission of both the UC Davis Medical Center and Wonder, Inc.!

Dee Hartzog, J.D.
is a retired attorney, having practiced 23 years with a Sacramento law firm. Even before retirement, she began to realize the difference it makes, both to the child and to society as a whole, if he or she can grow up in a caring environment. She now serves on a number of non-profit boards, most of which are involved in helping children get a positive start in life. As the grandmother of three small children, she sees first hand what nurturing can do for young children.

Katie Newell, M.D.
is a physician at UC Davis Medical Center and is currently the Director of the Internal Medicine Faculty Practice. She manages her busy primary care practice while educating medical students and residents in both the clinic and hospital setting. While attending medical school at Columbia University in New York City, she participated in a 2 year public school program where she acted as a mentor and role model to an underprivileged 6 year old girl. During this experience she came to appreciate the value of mentoring in strengthening the confidence and well-being of children. Now as a mother of 2 young daughters and one who feels that she has benefited greatly from a supportive upbringing, she joins Wonder, Inc. with the strong desire to give back to the community by supporting and furthering the mentoring of foster children.

Gregory Brown
is an information system designer with over 20 years of financial service in the government sector. He began his career auditing for the California legislature where he earned his license to practice as a Certified Public Accountant. Currently, he works for the California Highway Patrol and is one of the coordinators for their Mentoring Program. Inspirational stories shared by guides motivated Greg to embrace Wonder, Inc. He joined the Board in May 2008.

Roderick Venter
is a Student Assistant to the Foster Care Ombudsman for the State of California. After spending seven years in the foster care system, he decided to become an advocate for children in foster care in California. He has served as a youth member of the Sacramento Chapter of California Youth Connection, and as Chair Person for the last five years. Currently, he is pursuing college degrees in the Social Work area and continuing his work and dream of improving the foster care system.

Mauriah Conway-Spatola, Esq.
is the senior associate of Legacy Law Group. She assists clients in the areas of estate planning; business planning; trust and probate administration; special needs trusts; and limited conservatorships. Mauriah is the Vice Chair of the Sacramento County Bar Association, Probate and Estate Planning Section. She is a member of the State Bar of California, Trust and Estates Section and Sacramento Estate Planning Council. She earned her law degree from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.


Previous Board Members
Patricia Charles-Heathers, Ph.D.
Leslie Cooley, Ph.D.
Shawn Downey-McFetridge
Dave Hunter, J.D.
Diane Knorr, Founder of Wonder, Inc.
Beth Kivel
Libbi Lepow, M.A.
Michael Parr, M.D.
Patty Prado
Georgann Turner
Suzanne Whittaker
Sandra Yingling, Ph.D.


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