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Leadership

Leadership

Executive Team

Aubrey Merriman

Chief Executive Officer

Aubrey Merriman serves as the Chief Executive Officer of LifeMoves, which has become the leading provider of interim housing and support services in Silicon Valley under his leadership. During the 2024 fiscal year, LifeMoves supported more than 7,400 individuals experiencing homelessness across more than 25 sites and programs. In September, The New York Times profiled the organization’s innovative approach, which focuses on interim housing solutions designed to prioritize individual privacy and personalized case management.

Since Mr. Merriman joined the organization in 2021, LifeMoves has rapidly expanded its housing and services, opening three new interim supportive housing sites and additional programs that together serve more than 1,000 people annually. Gov. Gavin Newsom has praised LifeMoves’ approach, which prioritizes modular construction to deliver housing quickly and affordably. Three additional LifeMoves sites and programs serving an additional 1,000 individuals, families and veterans annually will open in 2025.

In recognition of his leadership, Mr. Merriman received Bank of America’s 2024 Neighborhood Builders Social Equality Award, which recognizes just six leaders nationally for their work advancing social equity and economic opportunity.

Mr. Merriman is a graduate of the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders at Stanford University School of Business and a Senior Fellow with the American Leadership Forum of Silicon Valley. He was one of 15 researchers nationwide selected to attend the prestigious Community Fellows Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Mr. Merriman graduated summa cum laude with an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Hawaii Pacific University and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Hawaii. He serves on the board of directors for Santa Clara County's Continuum of Care and Silicon Valley at Home (SV@Home

Aubrey Merriman

Chief Executive Officer

Andrew Niklaus

Chief Program Officer

Andrew is passionate about helping organizations fulfill their missions. In his consulting practice he is inspired by working across sectors, helping philanthropy, government agencies, and direct service organizations craft Strategic Plans, design intentional programming, assess and coach talent, and promote the importance of performance management as a cornerstone to sustainable and intended impact. Before joining VLC Andrew founded Pivot Consulting and was the Director of Impact and Learning at Tipping Point Community, a San Francisco Bay Area foundation that funds organizations in the fight against poverty and inequality. Prior to Tipping Point Andrew worked at several nationally recognized organizations, spearheading efforts to design and implement Theories of Change, replicate and scale services throughout the state of California, and lead efforts to secure and maintain funding for innovative and impactful programming. Andrew has been active in the performance management field, first as a member of Social Solutions’ National Advisory Board, and later as a part of Charity Navigator’s Advisory Panel, which was charged with helping to improve the way high-performing nonprofit organizations are evaluated and rated for excellence. Andrew is also a member of the Leap Ambassadors Community, whose members are from social, public, and private sectors, which focuses on the importance of high performance in the pursuit of lasting impact and a more just and sustainable world. Andrew lives and relaxes in Santa Cruz, enjoying the ocean as well as time with his three kids. He is passionate about art, music, and the pursuit of a great laugh.

Andrew Niklaus

Interim Chief Program Officer

Shannon Petrello

Chief Philanthropy Officer

Shannon Petrello, Chief Philanthropy Officer (CPO) of LifeMoves, is leading the development team to raise funds to end homelessness in Silicon Valley. Shannon has dedicated her career to partnering with pioneering philanthropists, volunteers, and business leaders to remove barriers to basic needs and close the Silicon Valley resource gap so our entire community can thrive.

For over 15 years, Shannon has been a development leader in Bay Area nonprofits. She started her career working for grassroots organizations as a direct service provider. Inspired by seeing the significant impact that a small group of people with shared values can have in their community, Shannon then set out to learn everything she could about building effective nonprofits. She went on to raise funds for social services, healthcare, civil liberties, arts, and education organizations across the Bay Area.

Shannon most recently served as the Campaign Director at Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, where she successfully helmed the most ambitious campaign in the organization’s history - a $150M capital campaign to expand and unify the agency’s operations. Prior to Second Harvest, Shannon served as Development Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, where she was part of a team that doubled revenue in three years to close the opportunity gap for students.

Shannon serves as Board President for the Redwood City Education Foundation. She led the evolution of their mission from equal resource distribution to students to equitable support focused on the district’s most under-resourced schools.

Shannon received her bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley and, with a full Presidential Scholarship, earned her master’s degree in mass communication and media arts from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Shannon Petrello

Chief Philanthropy Officer

Paul Simpson

Chief Financial Officer

Paul Simpson, CFO of LifeMoves, is building the operational and investment strategy needed to achieve the organizations new vision of ending homelessness in Silicon Valley. And, he has the track record to do it.

Paul is an Oakland, CA. native with strong and long-term ties to the Bay Area. He is a respected executive with outstanding interpersonal and consensus-building skills, capable of leading and motivating teams to deliver superior results. Recognized as a creative and effective strategic planner, facilitator, and problem solver.

In addition to strong financial acumen, Paul brings a wealth of leadership qualities from his 20-year career in advising companies on financial strategies, acquisitions, and technology rollouts. In addition to his deep financial acumen and experience, he has extensive experience in Technology/IT/Data, fundraising, strategy, and venture investing.

His dynamic leadership style that values and promotes diversity, collaboration, accountability, and teamwork carries over from his professional to community service activities. He currently serves on the UC Santa Cruz Foundation, The Compton Community College Foundation, and E3 – Education, Excellence & Equity boards. He has previously served on The Marin Academy Board of Trustees, and UC Santa Cruz Alumni Association. He is also the Founder and COO of Silicon Valley Soldiers and Prospects on Deck. Paul’s passion is in his belief that each person has amazing potential and systems need to be designed to propel people’s brilliance.

Paul’s education experience built the foundation for his professional journey with a BA from UC Santa Cruz in Business Management Economics and an MBA from the Haas School at UC Berkeley.

Paul Simpson

Chief Financial Officer

Jeff Galipeaux

Vice President, Human Resources

Jeff Galipeaux, SPHR, joined the LifeMoves team in 2018 to lead Talent Acquisition efforts. He now serves as the Vice President of Human Resources, overseeing all aspects of the people functions at LifeMoves, including employee relations, benefits, and talent strategy. Prior to joining LifeMoves, Jeff worked as the Director of Employee Benefits for the California Association of Nonprofits’ insurance subsidiary. Jeff is passionate about collaboratively crafting efficient, mission-driven, happy workplaces; and with helping people who are doing remarkable things to do those things with less risk and greater support. In his volunteering life, Jeff serves on several nonprofit boards, and is a founding board member of Indexical, a performing arts organization that showcases the work of new & emerging composers and musicians. Jeff holds a B.S. from Palo Alto University, and is currently completing an MBA from the Quantic School of Business & Technology.

Jeff Galipeaux

Vice President, Human Resources

Philanthropy Leadership Team

Tina Burgelman

Vice President, Philanthropy

Tina Burgelman leads the Principal Gifts Team at LifeMoves, as Vice President of Philanthropy - Head of Team. She has a Master of Science in Organizational Development and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies.

Tina is a Certified Fundraising Executive who started her career over 20 years ago at Big Brothers Big Sisters in Northwest Washington. As Fund Development Manager at Big Brothers Big Sisters, she led the development team and was instrumental in significantly increasing funding to eliminate their debt. Before becoming Fund Development Manager, she was an intern, volunteer mentor, and Big Brothers Big Sisters board member. Tina also served as the Interim Chief Development Officer at SMASH. As Senior Director at the University of San Francisco, she established multiple new scholarships for first-generation students and teachers of color. As the San Francisco Executive Director at the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), she led a team that served over 2,500 Bay Area clients. She managed the development team and volunteer services team at Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco, creating their mid-level donor program and redesigning their volunteer strategy.
Tina served a mayoral appointment on the Oversight and Advisory Committee for the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families. She is a Philanthropy Committee member at Voice of Witness and was the 2nd Vice-President of the parent-teacher board at St. Thomas the Apostle School. Tina was previously named Big Sister of the Year, received a Helping Hands award from Big Brothers Big Sisters, and received the Seattle Jaycees Community Service award.

Tina Burgelman

Vice President, Philanthropy – Head of Principal Gifts Team

Denise Chilow

Vice President, Philanthropy

As Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Denise identifies strategic initiatives and partnerships, defines objectives and leads cross-functional teams to drive growth. In addition, she builds and grows the organization’s impact, visibility, value and thought leadership. With her strong community building skills, Denise identifies and engages with public and private financial and non-financial resources.

Prior to joining LifeMoves as a full-time employee, Denise consulted for LifeMoves and Silicon Valley Venture Fund (SV2). Denise spent over a decade at Legacy Venture, as Director of the Community where she built and managed Legacy’s diverse community of philanthropic individuals and foundations invested in Legacy funds. She worked with members to refine Legacy’s community strategy to provide effective ways to engage, connect and collaborate for a greater philanthropic impact.

Denise pursues broad and active philanthropic interests and is excited to focus on the great local need and help address the crisis of homelessness.

Denise is a native of Highland Park, IL and holds a B.S. in Business from Indiana University, Bloomington. She lives in the bay area with her husband and has two adult children.

Denise Chilow

Vice President, Philanthropy

Michelle Epstein

Vice President, Philanthropy

For over 20 years, Michelle Epstein has led collaborative, high-performing, revenue generating teams in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. Michelle most recently served as Deputy Chief Advancement Officer, Membership + Direct Response Fundraising at the Sierra Club, where she spearheaded a large-scale multi-channel fundraising, donation processing, order fulfillment, and in-house member care operation. During her tenure at Sierra Club, her team cumulatively raised over $500 million in small dollar donations. Her team scaled the organization’s unrestricted funding by reinvigorating a range of fundraising programs with a strategic focus on monthly donor and mid-level donor program growth.

Prior to Sierra Club, Michelle was the Chief Development Officer for ValleyPBS, the PBS affiliate broadcasting from Merced to Bakersfield, where she collaborated on strategy, fundraising, and content decisions as an executive team member of the station. Before moving into the nonprofit arena, Michelle spent a decade in a range of marketing and new product development roles at BookSpan, the largest direct response bookseller in the US prior to the emergence of Amazon.

Michelle holds an MBA (with a Marketing concentration) from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) and a B.S. in Finance + Management Information Systems from State University of New York at Albany.

Michelle Epstein

Vice President, Philanthropy

Alexander Fang

Vice President, Philanthropy

Alex Fang is a serial social impact entrepreneur with extensive experience in both nonprofit and for-profit social impact enterprises. Before joining LifeMoves, Alex oversaw the implementation of the first non-profit accelerator at OneValley, a Silicon Valley-based accelerator and venture fund.

Alex is an OnDeck Fellow, a Berkeley Skydeck Key Advisor, and advises social impact companies on how to achieve and scale their missions. He is completing his master’s thesis at the Frankfurt School of Finance in Germany, where he is researching the use of Donor Advised Funds for impact investment, and holds an MBA from Quantic School of Business.

Before joining LifeMoves, Alex founded Surf For Life. This international development organization has completed over 62 brick-and-mortar projects in developing nations that have helped over 600,000 children access clean water, shelter, health care, and education. In addition, he has raised over $28 Million in Venture Capital and has exited a company for $43 million.

Alexander Fang

Vice President, Philanthropy

Daan Giron

Vice President, Philanthropy

Daan holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Science, with a minor in Economics.

With over ten years of frontline fundraising experience, in both the higher education and the non-profit sectors, Daan has had the experience of working firsthand with donors across all giving levels and most recently was the Senior Director of Development for Principal Gifts at San Jose State University where he built the giving program for seven-figure+ donors. His solutions-driven approach combined with a passion for working collaboratively to strengthen our community makes LifeMoves and its mission of ending homelessness a natural fit, both personally and professionally.

Daan is a Bay Area native who resides in San Jose with his wife, son, dog, and cat.

Daan Giron

Vice President, Philanthropy

Programs | Data | Operations Team

Rosa Cervantes

Director of Housing

Rosa Cervantes, a dedicated advocate for stable housing and self-sufficiency, currently serves as the Director of Housing at LifeMoves, an organization committed to aiding households experiencing homelessness. Drawing on her extensive background in fair housing and a genuine passion for community change, Rosa works tirelessly to empower individuals and families on their journey toward a secure and stable living environment.

Before joining LifeMoves, Rosa contributed her expertise as a Fair Housing Counselor at Project Sentinel. In this role, she provided invaluable assistance and counseling, guided by a deep understanding of fair housing laws. Rosa's commitment to ensuring equal housing opportunities emerged from her early experiences in property management and her academic pursuits in Sociology.

A proud first-generation college graduate, Rosa embodies the spirit of curiosity and a relentless motivation to understand the world around her. Her belief in the transformative power of passion fuels her commitment to community change and equity. Rosa exemplifies how individual drive and dedication can make a significant impact, proving that passion truly makes a world of difference.

In her role at LifeMoves, Rosa Cervantes continues to be a beacon of hope and positive change for those facing housing insecurity. Her journey is a testament to the profound impact that compassionate leadership can have on communities and individuals striving for a brighter future.

Rosa Cervantes

Director of Housing

Heather Griffin

Director of Shelter and Services, Santa Clara County

Heather started at LifeMoves over 8 years ago as a Case Manager. She has brought guidance, direction, and enthusiasm to every site she has worked at - whether a Case Manager, Associate Program Director, or Program Director! She now serves as Director of Santa Clara County Shelters & Services. Before LifeMoves, Heather worked as a Community Support Specialist at Crider Health Center and served in the Peace Corps for two years in Belize. Heather holds a Bachelor’s degree from Augustana College and a Masters in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis.

Heather Griffin

Director of Shelter and Services, Santa Clara County

Anat Leonard-Wookey

Vice President of Programs

Anat Leonard-Wookey, an LCSW and a seasoned leader, brings over two decades of experience in the nonprofit sector. Recognized as a system simplifier, curious explorer, and a root cause sleuth, Anat is known for her ability to make sense of complex data and for her relentless pursuit of improvement. Anat joined LifeMoves as our Vice President of Programs in August 2024, and she has been a vocal advocate for justice and transparency, deeply committed to driving structural changes to uplift marginalized communities.

Anat's dedication to creating robust, client-focused programs that cater to the most vulnerable in our society is a hallmark of her career. She has held senior leadership roles at HomeRise, San Francisco and Bowery Residents’ Committee, New York City, where she has managed a broad spectrum of services, from emergency shelters to workforce development programs. Her work consistently aims to create sustainable, replicable models that address the needs of those experiencing homelessness and offers support to the dedicated staff on the ground.

Anat is a licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York and California and holds a Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University. She is a fervent advocate for harm reduction and social justice and is deeply invested in recognizing and nurturing the wisdom within each individual. Anat's passion extends beyond her work, as she actively contributes to non-profits through her Board Service, currently with the Harm Reduction Therapy Center in San Francisco, and previously at Mission Action (Dolores Street Community Services). Anat is a mom to a creative and kind kid and volunteers as a Crew Leader with the Sutro Stewards, keeping her connected with nature.

Anat Leonard-Wookey

Vice President of Programs

Jocelyn Michelsen

Associate Vice President of Impact + Learning

Jocelyn Michelsen’s work sits at the intersection of research, strategy, and talent. Jocelyn joined LifeMoves in August 2023 as Associate VP of Impact + Learning, where she’s helping unlock LifeMoves’ vision of using forward-looking data to deliver maximum positive impact to our clients. Prior to LifeMoves, she was VP of Impact at HomeRise, San Francisco’s oldest and largest provider of Permanent Supportive Housing for homeless adults and families. She brings more than fifteen years of data expertise in direct service nonprofits, NGOs, and consulting firms, including at Doctors Without Borders and the UN Population Fund. A Bay Area native, Jocelyn holds a Master’s of Public Administration from NYU, a Master’s in French from Université François Rabelais/Bowling Green State University, and Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and French from UC Berkeley.

Jocelyn Michelsen

Vice President of Impact + Learning

Eve Stoller, LCSW

Senior Director, Clinical Services and Training

Eve Stoller, LCSW, joined the LifeMoves team in 2017 to build and manage its Master of Social Work (MSW) Internship Program, providing supervision and education to a large cohort of MSW students. She currently serves as the Senior Director of Clinical Services and Training, overseeing two graduate-level internship programs and the Education Department, and providing clinical support and training to program staff. Prior to joining LifeMoves, Eve was a therapist and then clinical supervisor for an evidenced-based therapeutic team addressing teenage delinquent behavior and psychiatric issues on family and systems levels. She received her undergraduate degree from UCLA and her MSW from Columbia University.

Eve Stoller, LCSW

Senior Director, Clinical Services and Training

Hannah Sinoway

Director of Regional Outreach Initiatives

Hannah Sinoway is a seasoned nonprofit executive with 15+ years of dedicated experience in client services, program management, and operational leadership. Renowned for her advocacy for veterans and vulnerable populations, she has crafted impactful programs, built high-performing teams, and engaged strategically with donors, media partners, and decision-makers.
Throughout her career, Hannah has excelled in mobilizing resources, fostering partnerships, and aligning strategies with long-term goals. Her journey spans impactful roles such as professional counselor, case manager, communications expert, and Chief Services Officer. At Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America, Hannah served as Chief of Staff, overseeing operations and driving significant legislative victories, securing $275B in emergency healthcare and benefits legislation for 3.5M veterans. Her leadership yielded a 25% increase in operational efficiency, a 400%+ growth in digital revenue, and a 500% increase in program capacity.

With a commitment to fostering diverse teams and innovative problem-solving, Hannah has played pivotal roles in national case management programs and large-scale advocacy campaigns. Her mission-driven approach continues as the Director of Regional Outreach Initiatives at LifeMoves, where she focuses on program development, strategic planning, financial management, operations, and community relations for the agency's diverse portfolio of homeless outreach programs in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.

Hannah holds a Master of Science in Counselor Education from Queens College, City University of New York, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Hannah Sinoway

Director of Regional Outreach Initiatives

Jacob Stone

DIRECTOR OF SHELTER AND SERVICES, SAN MATEO COUNTY

Jacob began his career with LifeMoves in 2008 as Facility Coordinator at First Step for Families. Since then, Jacob has held the role of Program Director at multiple shelter sites. Prior to his current position, Jacob held the role of Director of Impact & Learning, where he led the agency's data-related initiatives and managed cross-functional efforts to evaluate programmatic outcomes. Jacob holds a Bachelor’s degree from Quincy University in Illinois.

Jacob Stone

Director of Shelter and Services, San Mateo County

Melissa Selcher

Chair
LifeMoves Board
Former Vice President, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, LinkedIn

Lori Castillo Martinez

1st Vice Chair
LifeMoves Board
EVP, Talent Growth & Development

Lauren Koenig

2nd Vice Chair
LifeMoves Board
Philanthropist, Mentor, and Volunteer

Greg Eckert

Treasurer
LifeMoves Board
Retired Partner, PwC

Pamela Weiss

Secretary
LifeMoves Board
Philanthropist, Writer, Community Activist

Pastor Paul Bains

President and Co-Founder, WeHOPE

Christina Corpus

Sheriff, San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office

Danielle Fontaine

Assistant Controller, ServiceNow, Inc.

Laura Green

Supervisory Nurse at El Camino Health

Ahmed Khatib

Senior Vice President, Private Wealth Advisor

Carrie Owen Plietz

Regional President, Northern California Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals

Ajwang Rading

Entrepreneur-Investor, Lawyer, and Policy Advisor

May Topper

Marketing Consultant, Former VP of Marketing,    Oral-B

William L. Butler

CEO and Founder, W. L. Butler

Joe Stockwell

Chair | Odyssey Management Capital

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo

U.S. Representative, California’s 18th

Rod Ferguson

Co-founder and Venture Capitalist, Panorama Capital

Monica Ip

Partner, Evidentia Consulting, LLP

Christine Krolik

Former Board Chair, InnVision Shelter Network

David Lichtenger

Managing Partner, Intrepid Capital

Stevan Luzaich

Secretary | Partner, Corey, Luzaich, Pliska, De Ghetaldi, & Nastari

Jillian Manus

Managing Partner, Structure Capital

Marcia Pade

Former Board Chair, LifeMoves

William V. Regan, III

Former Board Chair, LifeMoves

Christina Dickerson

Chair Emeritus | Vice President Corporate Development, Corium Inc.

Jackie Speier

Former Congresswoman & Founder, The Jackie Speier Foundation

Senior Administrative Assistant, Human Resources

Brandi Andino

Outreach Housing Specialist

Sylvia Bambra

Program Manager

Dolores Del Carmen Ruiz

Human Resources

Johnathan Hill

HR Administrative & Talent Associate

Tammie Hussar-Whiteman

Case Manager

Toni Lynch

Vocational Specialist | Villa

DeLoria White

DEI & Belonging Definitions

Diversity

Everything that makes us who we are, seen and unseen

The full range of staff differences both visible and invisible including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, generation, socioeconomic status, education, citizenship status, religious affiliations & beliefs, mental or physical ability, communication styles, national origin, political beliefs, language, and cultural norms, traditions, and values.

Inclusion

Celebrating & embracing all backgrounds

The active practice of celebrating and embracing staff of all backgrounds, identities, abilities, and perspectives to feel accepted, safe, empowered, supported, and affirmed to be their authentic selves at work.

Equity

Eliminating barriers

Eliminating barriers that have prevented the full participation of communities and individuals most impacted by systemic oppression. We achieve equity by ensuring that everyone has support and access to the resources they need to be successful.

Belonging

A culture of trust, where all voices are heard

Fostering a workplace where all people are recognized for their inherent worth and dignity, talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of living without feeling the need to change, alter, or assimilate. Belonging is a real sense of fitting in as yourself and feeling like you are an important member of the team.

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