Board of Directors

Susan Wampler, President & Chair

Susan Wampler has been an active community volunteer in Orange County for more than 14 years. She currently holds volunteer leadership positions with the Charter Development Alliance, Hoag Hospital, the Department of Education and the University of California, Irvine. Wampler initially served on the Girls Incorporated of Orange County Board from 1995-1999 (including service as Board President and Chair) and joined the Board a second time in August, 2008. She also served as interim volunteer Executive Director of Girls Incorporated of Orange County from February to July 2006. Wampler has served on a variety of Orange County non-profit advisory councils and planning committees, including service on the Board of Directors of Orange County's United Way. She graduated from Indiana University with a BS in Business with a double concentration in Management and Marketing. Wampler was recognized as one of OC Metro's 1997 "Hottest 25 People of Orange County," by Honorary Life Membership to the Texas Congress of Parents and Teachers, by the 1997 American Red Cross Clara Barton Spectrum Award, and as the Conservative Women's Leadership Association's 1997 "Woman of Distinction."

Gianna Drake-Kerrison, President-Elect & Vice Chair/Vice President Fund Development

Gianna Drake-Kerrison has been with Merrill Lynch for more than six years, currently serving as First Vice President. She has more than 25 years experience in the financial services field. Her focus is in the area of qualified and non-qualified retirement plans for corporations, non-profit organizations and individual retirement. The consulting services Drake-Kerrison provides include the selection of providers, plan monitoring, fiduciary compliance (Fiduciary Audit File), investment selection and employee education. Currently the Vice President of Fund Development for Girls Incorporated of Orange County, Drake-Kerrison and her husband co-chaired Girls Inc.'s Strong, Smart, and Bold annual event in 2007 and 2008, raising more than $800,000. In 2009 she co-chaired with four Girls Inc. Guild members, raising another $450,000. Drake-Kerrison also founded Women to Watch, a local CEO/CFO roundtable which is active in the local business community. She is a graduate of Pace University where she received her BA.

Jane Ballback, Secretary

Before retiring, Jane Ballback enjoyed a 30 year career in human resources and training. She created and managed career development systems and centers for such diverse clients as Transamerica Insurance Company, Lockheed Martin, The City of Irvine, and Sempra Energy. An active member of several professional associations, Ballback served as President of the Orange County Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development and was a sought-after speaker at local, regional, and national conferences. She is the co-author of a series of career development books: Managing Your Career in a Changing Workplace, Marketing Yourself and Your Career, Unlocking Your Career Potential, and Making Career Transitions. Ballback has been featured on several local radio shows and was interviewed on the CBS Early Morning Show. Her academic credentials include a Masters Degree in Education from California State University at Fullerton and a BA in History, also from CSUF. Today Ballbeck spends her time with several non-profit organizations, doing organizational development and fund development work.

Anne L. Bohn, Treasurer

Anne Bohn is President of Bonsall Enterprises, Inc., an organization providing financial leadership and management to companies requiring the expertise of a CFO on a consulting basis. She has more than 25 years of experience in strategic management, finance and accounting and is a skilled leader and mentor in helping companies design and build systems and processes that support rapid company growth and improved profitability. Bohn gained her business experience by working as CFO for several medical technology companies, including one that received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award. She also spent 10 years with the public accounting firms of Ernst & Young and Coopers & Lybrand and is a Certified Public Accountant. Anne earned a degree in Accounting and Business Administration in 1976 and received her MBA from Pepperdine University in 1984.

Pam Policano, Vice President Board Development

Pam Policano enjoyed a 20-year career in higher education before moving to Orange County in 2004. At the University of Wisconsin, Madison School of Business, Policano began her career as Alumni Director, later becoming Assistant Dean of External Relations and then Assistant Dean of Marketing and Corporate Relations. She has extensive experience building and maintaining relationships with donors, boards of directors, students, faculty, businesses, government officials and the community. Policano also served as President of the Center for Advanced Studies in Business, Inc., a non-profit executive education corporation, for 14 years. Her role included strategic planning, acquiring financing, and overseeing construction of the Fluno Center, a $24 million executive education facility. In Wisconsin, she served as mentor for many students, as academic advisor for numerous university student organizations and as a board member for various community organizations. She is a current member of the Dean's Leadership Circle of The Paul Merage School of Business, University of California, Irvine and a past member of the Women's Philanthropy Fund of Orange County's United Way.

Thomas A. Delaney, Member at Large

Thomas A. Delaney is a partner in the Orange County law office of Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold, LLP. He concentrates his practice in the areas of product and general liability and employment litigation. He defends employees and non-profit corporations against claims of workplace safety violations, employment discrimination, and sexual molestation by employees and volunteers. Delaney, who has tried several criminal and civil cases to verdict, also has experience defending and prosecuting commercial claims, including allegations of unfair business practices and false advertising. He earned his JD from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles; during law school, he served a judicial externship for the Honorable Dickran Tevrizian, United States District Court Judge in the Central District of California. Delaney earned his BA in Political Science from Loyola Marymount University, and spent a semester studying at St. John's College, Oxford University, in Oxford, England. He is a member of the California State Bar, the American Bar Association, and the Defense Research Institute. He is also a member and past Co- Chair of the Product Liability Section of the Orange County Bar Association.

Kim Shepherd, Member at Large

As CEO of Decision Toolbox, Kim Shepherd leads the company's growth strategy, primarily by developing partnerships, alliances and as an active member of the Los Angeles and Orange County human resources community. A recognized "thought leader" by human resources organizations nationwide, Shepherd is a regular speaker at national and regional events on the topics of recruitment best practices, recruitment process outsourcing, leadership, and the "virtual" business. Shepherd joined Decision Toolbox in 2000, and brought her unconventional approach to the company she had admired as a client. Calling Shepherd unconventional is an understatement – her past life includes 10 years as a TV and foreign correspondent, a stint at Club Med and a near miss at a spot on the Olympic ski team. Previously, she was Vice President of Recruitment at South Coast Rehabilitation Services, where she expanded revenues from $3 million to $100 million; founder and director of Profile Strategies, a specialized recruitment firm; and National Director of Recruitment Services at Strategic HR Services, a $60 million outsourced human resources group. Shepherd is a member of the Orange County United Way's Women's Philanthropy Fund, and serves on the Board of Directors for the American Heart Association of California's Go Red for Women Movement. In 2010, Kim published her first book, The Bite Me School of Management - Taking a Bite Out of Conventional Thinking, sharing leadership lessons that are funny, non-traditional and can be applied to all industries.

Pam Adams, Director

Pamela M. Adams, Certified Financial Planner™ professional and University of California at Irvine MBA graduate works with mid–level executives and medium sized business owners. She offers comprehensive wealth management solutions, services and implemented risk management strategies based on the current economic environment. Her clients recognize they need help with their retirement and estate investment planning goals. In addition to serving on the Girl's Inc. of Orange County board, she's actively involved in her community with UC Irvine's Paul Merage School of Business as the Founding Chair of the Dean's Leadership Circle and member of the Dean's Advisory Board. As well, she is an active member of the National Association of Women Business Owners of Orange County.

Tina Aldatz, Director

Tina Aldatz is the President and Founder of Foot Petals, Inc., the brand that offers fashionable solution-oriented products for women who have a love/hate relationship with their shoes. Tina has used her savvy business acumen, Latina background, and entrepreneurial drive to build a brand that has become a staple in the footwear industry and valued by women worldwide.

It was an unfortunate childhood injury that ultimately inspired the idea for her multimillion dollar brand. After suffering burns to the soles of her feet as a child, Tina began searching for ways to make her shoes fit more comfortably.

In 2001, she decided to tackle this problem herself and launched Foot Petals designer insoles.

Forbes magazine recognized Tina as an entrepreneur to watch in 2008. In January 2011, after a decade of being in business, Foot Petals was acquired by RG Barry Corporation.

A Certified Pedorthist, Tina is widely regarded as a comfort expert while Foot Petals is embraced by the medical community. The American Podiatric Medical Association has given its Seal of Acceptance to all of the Foot Petals cushions and top podiatrists refer patients to Foot Petals products.

Mary Sue Allen, Director

Mary Sue Allen, Vice President of Human Resources for UPS West Region, leads a Human Resources Department that serves over 81,000 employees in 16 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.vCommitted to maintaining UPS's reputation as an employer of choice, Allen oversees the company's strategy in training, developing and retaining a diverse and highly-skilled workforce. Allen received her B.A. degree in Human Resources Management from Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia, and she is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management. A native of Hayward, California, Allen began her UPS career in 1980 as a part-time package handler in Los Angeles. She has held positions of increasing responsibility in operations, business development, and human resources. Over the span of her career, Allen has served UPS in numerous locations around the country, including Arizona, Pennsylvania, Atlanta, and Miami. Allen has served in several leadership positions, most notably as Director of Human Resources in the Metro Los Angeles and South Florida districts and as Vice President of Human Resources for UPS Supply Chain Solutions, and the East Central, Americas and Pacific regions. With AllenÕs leadership, the company implemented a Global Philanthropic Strategy throughout Canada and Latin America. She has donated her time and expertise to the community by serving on several community boards.

Laura Baratta, Director

Laura Baratta was born in Managua Nicaragua. She moved to the United States when she was 14.

She has been happily married to James Baratta for over 25 years. In 1999 they moved from Los Angeles with their five children and made Orange County their home. Laura has served as a community volunteer for over 30 years. She began her passion of giving by chairing a school fundraiser. Since then, Laura has served as event co–chair for each of her children's school fundraisers, including Sage Hill High School's first Spring Event. She founded the Sage Hill Multicultural Fair; which is now a tradition. Not only did she serve as president of the PTA for each of her children's school, Laura served as Founding Member and President of Sage Hill's Parent Teachers' Association. Most recently she served for the USC Parent's Club as Vice President of the IFPC (Inter-Fraternity Parents Council) and served as USC's Parent Ambassador.

Her service as a community volunteer is strongly supported through her hours of dedication and proven results with S.A.D.S. (Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome), the Assistance League, the Los Angeles Orphanage, Orange County Performing Arts Center, Orange County Community Courts Foundation and currently is serving a three–year commitment as the Girls Inc. Guild Board President where she co-chaired the 2010 annual event imagineÉ and helped raise $300,000 to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.

In her spare time, Laura enjoys traveling with her husband, kids and friends. When at home, she takes pleasure in entertaining friends and family. To relax, she enjoys needlepoint and takes much pride in her garden where she was selected for the San Juan Capistrano 2010 garden tour; but most of all, she loves taking care of her family.

Marta S. Bhathal, Director

Marta Bhathal serves as Director at Raj Manufacturing LLC, a swimwear manufacturing company partnering with fashion designers such as Athena, GUESS?, O'Neill, Tommy Hilfiger, Hurley and St. John. She also served as a Director of the Bank of OC Bankcorp for nine years. Bhathal has been involved with Girls Incorporated of Orange County since 2002, and served as President & Chair prior to her current position. She also serves as Chairman of Chapman University's Board of Governors, as a member of the Orange County Performing Arts Center Board of Directors, and as an Angel of the Arts. Bhathal earned a BS from UCLA.

Scharrell Jackson, Director

Scharrell Jackson is the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of Squar Milner, one of largest regional Southern California CPA firms with approximately 200 employees, including 28 partners. Jackson is directly responsible for the corporate finance, accounting, technology and administrative operations. She has played a major role in the growth and success of the firm and manages the Accounting, Human Resource, Information Technology and Administrative departments. Prior to joining Squar Milner in 2000, Jackson worked as a controller, VP of Finance and Chief Financial Officer for more than 20 years. She held positions in a variety of industries, including real estate, construction, manufacturing and professional services. Jackson also serves as a board member for Human Options and leads Squar Milner's Philanthropic Committee, which supports Girls Incorporated of Orange County, Working Wardrobes, Boys and Girls Club of America, Human Options, Orangewood Children's Foundation and Monarch Schools. Ms. Jackson is a member of Saddleback Church, hosts a weekly small group for women in her home, and serves as a mentor for women and children.

Susan J. Merritt, Director

Susan Merritt is a Vice President with Northern Trust in their Wealth Transfer Division. In this role, she is responsible for helping to oversee and integrate the practices and procedures of the West Region and she continues to provide guidance to the high net worth individuals, families, foundations and non profit relationships serviced by Northern Trust. Prior to this, Ms. Merritt was the Managing Director for the Orange County region's Private Client Service's division and was responsible for the management of a group of interdisciplinary professionals who administered the private banking, trust and investment needs of the individuals and families served by Northern Trust.

Susan is originally from Canada and prior to her move to Orange County eight years ago, she was a practicing attorney with a large business law firm in Vancouver, British Columbia wherein her practiced focused on domestic and offshore tax and estate planning for high net worth individuals and families.

Melissa Pollard, Director

Melissa Pollard is the Senior Vice President and Group Manager for North Orange County Middle Market Lending for Comerica Bank. Pollard has been in banking since 1988 and with Comerica Bank since 1998. During her tenure she has led such initiatives as co-founding and chairing Comerica Bank's Western Market Women's Initiative and creating the Comerica Bank Women's Business Symposium benefiting Girls Inc. of Orange County. Pollard earned a BS in Psychology and BA in Communications with a minor in Business from the University of Richmond in Virginia. She has been a member of Girls Incorporated of Orange County's Board of Trustees since 2008.

Eve Ruffatto, Director

Eve Ruffatto was born and raised in Budapest, Hungary, emigrating to the U.S. in late 1960’s. She received a degree from Cal Poly Pomona and taught school for several years before relocating to Orange County in 1981.

She has been involved with a variety of Orange County nonprofits, including: the Assessment and Treatment Services Center; Christina Nobel Children’s Foundation; the Children's Bureau of Southern California; Chapman University; Dream Catcher; Laura’s House; Orange County Museum of Art; Oceana where she has been involved for five years and co-chair for three; and Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

In addition to serving on the Board of Girls Inc., she also serves on the Board of Directors for Segerstrom Center of the Arts. Eve was a founder of both the Girls Inc. Guild and Divas of the Balboa Arts Theater; a guild to support renovation of the Balboa Theater.

Along with her husband, they support higher education through Stanford University and the University of Denver. In addition to their educational support, they also contribute to health related causes like the Lupus Foundation.

Eve enjoys spending time with her husband Mike, who owns and operates energy- related companies in California, Colorado and Wyoming. Together, they enjoy spending time between their two homes in Colorado and Southern California, dining with friends and talking walks with their beloved dogs.

Gena H. Reed, Director

Gena Reed is President and CEO of Paragon Biomedical, Inc., a privately held contract research organization that specializes in the management of clinical trials and clinical services. Previously, she worked in the pharmaceutical industry, holding various positions in sales and human resources management with Merrell National, Merrell Dow and Marion Merrell Dow. While at Merrell Dow, she was one of five individuals selected to start a new health promotion business. Reed holds a BS in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati and received the 1998 Orange County Ernst and Young Entrepreneurs of the Year Award for Healthcare.

Lynn Salo, Director

Lynn Salo is a 25-year veteran of Allergan whose career has provided her with strong strategic and commercial experience across global healthcare pharmaceutical, biologic, and device markets in Canada, Europe, and the United States. She is currently Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Plastic Surgery Division of Allergan Medical, leading a growth strategy through strategic business development acquisitions in post-mastectomy reconstruction, augmentation, imaging, and innovative device technologies.

Prior to her current position Ms. Salo has held various business unit leadership positions throughout her years at Allergan. Highlights include leading the 250-person U.S. Neurosciences Division as Vice President of Sales and Marketing overseeing BOTOX® therapeutic applications for patients with neurologic conditions resulting in movement disorders and upper limb spasticity, spearheading the creation and expansion of a new 226-person Urology business vertical as Vice President of Sales and Marketing – U.S. Urologics, developing the Glaucoma Ophthalmic commercial strategy for Europe, Middle East, and Africa as Strategic Marketing Director EMEA, and leading Allergan's commercial UK/Eire organization as Business Unit Head of Allergan Ophthalmics. Ms. Salo has launched several important products for Allergan including BOTOX®, Vectra®XT, ALPHAGAN®, LUMIGAN®, SANCTURA XR®, and numerous dry eye products.

Ms. Salo sits on the Boards of the Allergan Foundation, the Medical Device Manufacturer's Association, Girls Inc. Orange County, and is a member of Orange County United Way Women's Philanthropy Society. Ms. Salo was recently nominated for an Orange County Business Journal 'Women in Business' Award, and is now the recipient of Girls Inc. Member of the Year Award for her philanthropic contributions.

She holds an Honors Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from the University of Toronto, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California.

Harriet Sandhu, Director

Harriet Sandhu has held many philanthropic positions within the Orange County community. She has a strong sense of giving back to the community and has demonstrated this perspective by serving with many charitable groups. Sandhu has served as President of the PTA and Women's Council and as Vice President of Special Events for the Orange County Performing Arts Center's Sound of Music Guild. She has also been the Membership Chair for Sound of Music, committee member for Chapman University's American Celebration and a member of the Philharmonic Symphony Society. She has been a member of the Girls Incorporated of Orange County Board of Trustees since 2006.

Kimberly Sentovich, Director

Kim Curtin Sentovich recently joined WalMart as its California Regional Manager, following a successful 15-year career at The Home Depot. She began her career at Behr Paint. Sentovich received her BA from Bryn Mawr College and an MBA from the University of California, Irvine. She was born in Illinois, attended high school in New York and lived overseas for seven years in London, England and Den Haag, Netherlands. Sentovich resides in Orange County with her husband, Michael and their daughter, Nikolina. In her free time, she enjoys sailing and cooking. Sentovich also volunteers with the Glass Slipper Guild at the Children's Hospital of Orange County.

Sue Stern, Director

An enthusiastic and long-time supporter of Girls Incorporated of Orange County, Sue Stern initially became involved with children's charities through her volunteer work with the Vista Del Mar orphanage. This experience was the catalyst for wanting to work and support youth-in-need programs. She has since become involved with Children's Home Society and served as president of the Santa Ana Auxiliary. She is also involved in the Dean's Advisory Council (Humanities) at UC Irvine. Stern also serves on the Board of Trustees of South Coast Repertory and as a volunteer mentor for Girls Incorporated of Orange County. She has served on the board for Girls Incorporated of Orange County since 2001.

Elizabeth Weldon, Director

Elizabeth Weldon is a partner in the law firm of Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. She concentrates her practice on business litigation, franchise litigation, and intellectual property litigation. She is one of two marketing partners for the Orange County office of Snell & Wilmer. Currently, she is co-chair of the Southern California chapter of the International Franchise Association's Women's Franchise Network. Prior to her efforts with Girls Inc., she served on the board and was president of Friends of Read/Orange County. She received her J.D. from the school of law at the College of William & Mary in Virginia.

Valarie Van Cleave, Director

Valarie Van Cleave's business career encompasses work in mergers and acquisitions, sales and marketing, and new business development. Whiting co-founded the Girls Inc. Guild and serves on that board. She has also spearheaded successful environmental conservation fundraising efforts. Whiting is a member of the Board of Directors of OCEANA and a member of Women in Leadership. She graduated with Highest Honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a BA in Psychology. Whiting enjoys travel for cultural enrichment and adventure, history, golf, scuba diving, skiing and hiking.

Tammy Wong

Dr. Tammy Wong is founder and CEO of Fostering Executive Leadership, Inc., working with companies that want to become an employer of choice by developing, advancing and retaining women. Her career spans more than three decades of sales, marketing, and strategy experience in Fortune 500 companies, including IBM, Xerox and Sun Microsystems. At Sun, she founded and was president of the women's organization, with more than 2,000 women members worldwide. She is known for her demonstrated leadership abilities and her commitment to developing leadership in others. Dr. Wong's education includes a BS in Economics from St. Mary's College and an MBA from Pepperdine University. She earned her PhD in Business Organization and Management in 2005 with an emphasis in leadership; her doctoral dissertation was titled "Fostering Executive Leadership in Women." Dr. Wong has served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations and is a member of a select group of executive women who meet regularly to discuss leadership and business issues. She resides in Irvine, California with her husband and five children.

Karen Ziccardi

Karen Ziccardi, ASID, CID, has become well known and respected by clients worldwide for her sensitivity in providing interior design solutions that typify excellence. Practicing for over 30 years, her clientele includes royalty, entertainment figures, entrepreneurs, hoteliers and international families with projects in the USA and abroad. Her trademark style (in residential, model home, hospitality, or commercial work) is understated elegance, be it contemporary or traditional, incorporating influences as appropriate from an extensive travel vocabulary.

A member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), a California Certified Interior Designer (CID), as well as the Orange County Building Industry Association (BIA), Ms. Ziccardi holds Doctoral and Masters degrees in Environmental Design from UCLA, and has also studied Architecture and Design at the University of Copenhagen, Fine Arts at the Art Students League of New York and graduated Magna Cum Laude in Art Education from New Jersey City University. A sought–after lecturer, Ms. Ziccardi is also a renowned author of articles on contemporary interior design issues as well as a guest appearing on interior design television programs. Her outstanding efforts in the interior design industry have earned her numerous honors, including: MAME, MIRM and ELAN awards for Model Home Merchandising; First Prize for the ASID Celebrity Suites Competition, Award of Excellence from Halo Lighting; ASID project award for her distinguished handling of El Camino Bank, Architectural Woodworking Award and the Reynolds Aluminum National Creative Award for innovative design.

In addition, the National Association of Home Builders awarded Ms. Ziccardi the First Prize for interior design of La Jolla Village towers, a Seniors Facility. Ms. Ziccardi is Past President of the Orange County Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers and currently sits on the boards of two well–respected Southern California interior design schools. She is also the founder and a principal of Ziccardi Designs, Inc.