Volunteer Connection Board of Directors
Each Board member works to strengthen and support Volunteer
Connection programs. Board members come from a variety of professional and
service backgrounds.
Chris
Benham
Chris has more than 20 years of marketing experience
and was most recently Vice President of Marketing at Boulder-based Webroot Software
Inc. Chris has a BS in Marketing and a BA in English from the University of
Kansas. Chris is a Colorado native and lives with his wife and two daughters
in Superior.
Shavonne
Blades
Shavonne Blades has been publisher/founder of Yellow
Scene Magazine since inception in late 2000. Shavonne has worked in media since
1984 starting in Santa Cruz California. Shavonne has held many volunteer positions
within the community and with local schools as well as helping coordinate small
non-profit fundraisers. Shavonne lives in Erie, where the home office of Yellow
Scene Magazine is located and is enjoying the new opportunities of living within
bicycle distance to work. Yellow Scene Magazine serves the 14 communities of
the North Metro market and publishes 69,000 copies monthly.
Niles
Emerick
Niles moved from Indiana to Boulder along with 12 others to begin a faith community.
He brings business acumen and team-building experience to the Board. He is the
Senior Manager of the Apple Store in Boulder's 29th Street Mall, as well as
the Founder of real estate consulting firm Emerick & Associates. His personal
desire and passion for volunteerism have taken him to Uganda, East Africa on
two occasions, and led him to work closely with Volunteer Connection. He continues
to serve meals at the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless and organizes other volunteer
efforts within his faith community. Niles has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics
from Hillsdale College.
Angie
Jeffords
Angie Jeffords joined the Volunteer Connection board
in 2009. Angie grew up in Boulder and has been a volunteer in the community
for most of her life. She has served on numerous boards including; the City
of Boulder’s Children’s Services Advisory Board, Cystic Fibrosis
Foundation, and Boulder Valley School District Parent Advisory Council. Angie
also has extensive professional experience in non-profit program management,
fundraising, grant writing, event planning, community organizing, and volunteer
management. Angie has worked for both public and non profit agencies such as
the Boulder Valley Schools, the Boulder Police Department Victim Services unit,
the Center for People with Disabilities, The Community Foundation Serving Boulder
County, Philanthropiece Foundation, and Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence.
She is certified as a mediator, Restorative Justice facilitator, and coach with
alternative conflict resolution.
Chris
Nelson
Chris Nelson is the Director of Finance for Webroot Software
Inc. Chris has 10 years of finance and accounting experience in Boulder county
software companies. Chris has a MBA from Regis University, a BS in Business
Administration from Colorado State University, and is a graduate of the University
of Denver Executive Leadership Program. Chris lives with his wife, Kelly, in
Boulder, and together they enjoy cooking, traveling, reading, and working on
their home.
Lynn
Shook
Lynn has more than 30 years experience in the Financial
Services Industry. She is a Financial Advisor/ CRPC® for Morgan Stanley
Smith Barney in Broomfield. She’s been an active member of the volunteer
community in Boulder and Broomfield counties working with various organizations
including: SPAN, American Cancer Society, the Broomfield Community Foundation,
Boulder County Family to Family, and Boulder County Parks and Open Space Adopt-a-Trail
program. Lynn and her husband Barry are “semi” natives, living in
Boulder County for more than 40 years. They have 1 daughter (a true Native)
who lives in Boulder. If free time is available Lynn and her hubby like to ride
their tandem, work in the yard, and socialize with friends.
Jane
Morton Sovndal - Treasurer
Jane Morton Sovndal grew up in San Francisco and graduated
from the University of California at Davis with a double major in French and
English. While in California, she volunteered for many organizations in the
San Francisco area such as the SPCA, St. Anthony's Soup Kitchen, Glide Memorial
Church and the Parks and Recreation Department. After college, she moved to
New York City for five years, where she worked as an editor and writer for various
educational publishers and trade magazines. She also volunteered at the ASPCA
in New York. She took some time off from her professional endeavors and had
two boys, who now are nine and six. She and her family have lived in Boulder
since June of 2003. Jane also spent the past three years volunteering for and
eventually working as the Executive Director of the Community of Sudanese and
American Women here in Boulder. In conjunction with three local synagogues,
the organization helped resettle 16 orphaned refugee "Lost Girls of Sudan"
here in Boulder. She resigned from her position as Executive Director in August
2008 and went back to school. She is currently a student at Regis University
in the Master of Nonprofit Management Program. She also volunteers for Blue
Sky Bridge and Reading to End Racism.
Ann
Tinkham - Vice President
Ann Tinkham has worked in the private and non-profit
sectors in small, medium and large organizations. She has been a consultant
and a freelance professional. Her positions have included educational programming,
human resources, facilitation, instructional design, writing, and marketing.
All of the positions and projects shared a focus in training, professional development,
and learning. Ann has also co-authored a nonfiction book, Climbing Mountains
in Stilettos (SourceBooks, 2007). In addition to her professional experience,
Ann served on the Board of Directors of Voices for Children and on the marketing
committee of the Boulder International Film Festival.
Rachel
Weinberg - President
Rachel, born and raised in the Cincinnati, Ohio area,
has been in Colorado since 2001. After receiving a BA in Marketing from Ohio
University she moved to Boulder. Rachel was Director of Events & Strategic
Alliances for a training company for the past five years until she left in January
of 2006 to launch a career in real estate. Rachel is a Realtor with Stellar
Properties, a local company serving the residential and investment market in
Boulder and Broomfield counties. In addition to working and volunteering, Rachel
enjoys hiking, biking, swimming, backpacking, skiing and live music!