Business Management Team
District Council Leadership Staff
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a nonprofit organization that provides direct assistance to needy men, women and children in Sonoma County. Starting with compassion and basic needs, SVdP aims to improve life opportunities for our community’s most vulnerable residents.
St. Vincent de Paul of Sonoma County served over 89,000 meals in our free Dining Room while more than 64,000 purchases were made in our Thrift Store in 2010. We made a difference for over 145,000 needy residents in Sonoma County who utilized our services, and countless others who received comfort and support through a person to person visit from our volunteers.
The District Council of Sonoma County, celebrating more than 50 years of service, exists to meet the needs of the poor and the homeless. Following the tradition of Frederic Ozanam, founder of the International Society of St. Vincent de Paul, SVdP serves anyone in need, regardless of race, creed or origin.
We are part of a worldwide family of independent St. Vincent de Paul Society chapters which, inspired by Gospel values, leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering.
Working from offices co-located with the Thrift Store and Warehouse, the Business Management Team supports the Sonoma County District Council with organizational management, finance, marketing, fund raising, donation management, constituent relationship management, communications, human resources, Board support, physical and technical infrastructure, etc.
The District Council of SVdP Sonoma is responsible for:
- Operating the Free Dining Room in Santa Rosa where volunteers prepare and serve a nutritious lunch 365 days a year. During the fiscal year ended 9/30/10 we served over 89,000 meals to the hungry and homeless men, women and children of Sonoma County.
- Operating the Rohnert Park Warehouse &Thrift Store where profits from the store support our Dining Room while providing bargain prices to shoppers on clothing, furniture, and house wares. In addition we coordinate the donations to particularly needy families, based on a referral from case managers at partner agencies and SVdP neighborhood / Parish Conferences, who receive clothing, furniture and house wares at no cost to them.
- Operating the Job Training Program with West County Community Services which provides an opportunity for hard to place and disabled adults to develop critical job skills while providing much needed staffing to the St. Vincent de Paul warehouse, sorting and testing facility.
- Providing the financial, marketing, fundraising, facilities and management infrastructure to the SVdP neighborhood / Parish Conferences.
Leadership Team
| Dana Luce Executive Director |
707.584.1579, x202 dluce@svdp-sonoma.org |
| Dana Luce has over 40 years of successful management experience and has had a passion for helping people all of his life. He started his working career as a fire fighter with the San Anselmo Fire Department where he retired after an injury. Dana went on to work in sales and sales management for several companies including: The Duo-Fast Corporation, as Northwestern Regional Sales Manager, where he oversaw 12 offices and 40 plus sales and management persona; and FP International, an international polystyrene recycling company, as National Sales Administration Manager, where he managed the Sales, Customer Service, and Telemarketing Departments for the U.S Division. Dana holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Business Administration, from Trinity University, and has been active in many non-profits including; Habitat for Humanity, Caledonia Club of San Francisco, Travis Air Museum, and The Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Pipes & Drums Band. |
|
| Cherie Walker Office Manager |
707.584.1579, x200 cwalker@svdp-sonoma.org |
 Cherie grew up in Sonoma County. She began working at Winchells Donuts in Ventura, California at the age of 15 and by the age of 18 was managing an Orange Julius in Vancouver, Washington. She moved to Hawaii, married/divorced and ended up single with a baby and decided it was time to get her GED. She received a certificate for clerical training through a “Welfare to Work” program and a clerical entry position as a purchasing clerk for S.E. Rykoff & Company.In 1992 Cherie moved back to Sonoma County and in 1999 was offered a job at St. Vincent de Paul. She worked her way around the Thrift Store until she was placed in the office as a backup clerk. Thanks to her excellent work and can do attitude, Cherie was promoted to Office Manager. She loves working with people and has volunteered in her children’s Head Start & kindergarten classes and also trained to answer phones for the YWCA Women’s shelter. She’s found a special place at St. Vincent de Paul helping others. “It’s not just giving a helping hand but also a compassionate ear to those in need.” |
|
| Lonnie Rivas Warehouse & Store Manager |
707.584.1579, x201 lrivas@svdp-sonoma.org |
| Lonnie has been a member of the St. Vincent de Paul family for over 6 years. Store sales have increased significantly during under his leadership, with August 2011 setting a record for the highest revenue since the store opened. Lonnie developed partnerships with West County Community Services, the Department of Rehabilitation, and others to provide a work site for disabled workers to receive on the job training and job skill assessments, while providing much needed staffing for the warehouse & Thrift Store. Lonnie’s work in providing job training to the disabled and disadvantaged resulted in his being nominated for the service provider award at the 8th Annual Employers Best Practices Awards Presentation sponsored by the Sonoma County Mayors’ Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities. |
|
| Jim Kelly Dining Room Manager |
707.528.7580 |
Volunteer in our District Office in Rohnert Park:
5671 Redwood Drive (map)Rohnert Park, CA
Contact: Cherie Walker, Office Manager, at 707.548.1579, x200 or click to volunteer.
Hours: Monday – Friday from 9:00 am to 5 pm
We need help with:
- Answering phones and coordinating requests for donation pick-ups
- Data Management (requires knowledge of Microsoft Word & Excel)
- Filing
Join our Board of Directors or a Leadership Committee:
If you want to truly make a difference, then a position on our Board of Directors or one of our Leadership Committees may be a good match. St. Vincent de Paul of Sonoma County is committed to alleviating poverty, helping our less fortunate neighbors, and being a voice for the poor and disenfranchised. If you are committed to making a real impact in your neighborhood:
- To be considered for a position on our Board of Directors:
Contact: Dana Luce, Executive Director at 707.548.1579 x202 or click to volunteer. - To participate in one of our Leadership Committees (Fundraising, Marketing, Conference Outreach, Facilities):
Contact: Dana Luce, Executive Director at 707.548.1579, x201 or click to volunteer.
