Patti Diefenderfer
Board President
Patti Diefenderfer
I have experienced homelessness first hand and I didn’t like the way it made me feel. In my first life I was a beautician for almost 20 years. I left an abusive marriage and moved 3,000 miles from Maryland to California to “start over”!
Since moving to California I lived on the streets, lived in a shelter, went back to college for a second degree, worked for the Santa Barbara County Housing Authority for 14 years and have since been with the Community Health Centers of the Central Coast; first as a member of the Board of Directors and currently as an employee in charge of the Special Populations Programs.
I have found that there is a tremendous need for programs to be centralized in one place for those who do not have the means for help.
From this premise, the 5Cities Homeless Coalition was born. We have been blessed with the ability to make this a reality and with the assistance of the community and the elected officials…this will happen.
Valerie Valle
Board Vice President
Valerie Valle
Reverend Valerie A. Valle, Ph.D. is the rector at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Arroyo Grande. She has a Ph.D. in psychology and has over 15 years’ experience working in private practice as a therapist. Valerie was ordained into the Episcopal priesthood in 1992 and then answered the call to St. Barnabas in 2006. Through the years she has published a number of professional articles in psychology, marketing, and pastoral care.
As Valerie became more involved in the community she became concerned by the lack of coordination of services in the area and has come to believe in the vision of a one stop center for people to get help. She serves on the board to share the gifts and experience that she has had in administration, working with not-for-profit boards and compassion for those who are most needy in the society. “I also feel that I serve to represent not only St. Barnabas, but also the faith community that is called to be a voice for justice and compassion.”
Betsy Ehrler
Secretary/Treasurer
Betsy Ehrler
Betsy Ehrler spends her day-time as a reading teacher at a local elementary school. In her spare time, she serves as the secretary for the 5Cities Homeless Coalition and President of South County People’s Kitchen. She takes her responsibilities very seriously and has worked to improve communication within the People’s Kitchen family of 300 volunteers and other agencies that work to support the homeless population in the 5 Cities area. In 2008, she was the recipient of the first Community Impact Award — Outstanding Volunteer of the Year for San Luis Obispo County.
Steve Adams
Steve Adams
Steven Adams has been the City Manager for the City of Arroyo Grande since 2000. Mr. Adams formerly worked for the cities of Westlake Village, Glendale, Temple City and San Luis Obispo. Steve has a Bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in Political Science and a Master’s of Public Administration from the University of Southern California. He has been involved in leadership and volunteer positions in a variety of local community organizations, which include Rotary, YMCA, Harvest Festival Association, Five Cities Basketball and Jr. Achievement. Steve lives in Arroyo Grande with his wife and two daughters.
Brian Beck
Brian Beck
Brian J. Beck, PHR, M.H.R.O.D., has worked in the human resources field for nearly 20 years, focusing on HR strategic planning, retention strategies, and organizational and leadership development. He is currently the Director of Human Resources for Community Health Centers Of The Central Coast in California. Mr. Beck has served in human resource senior leadership roles in the health care and staffing industry sectors. He has been PHR certified since 1995 through the Certification Institute of the Society for Human Resource Management. Mr. Beck holds a Masters Degree in Human Resources and Organization Development from the University of San Francisco. He was also an adjunct faculty member for three years at the University of New Mexico’s Anderson School of Management teaching both graduate and undergraduate courses in management and HR theory, was an instructor in the PHR/SPHR learning development program through UNM, and has published several articles related to human resource strategy, management, and theory.
Tom Clough
Tom Clough
Tom Clough is an Intellectual Property Attorney and has been active with many profit and nonprofit organizations in planning and policy development. He is currently Board President for the Center for Restorative Justice Works and was former Board Chairman for the Newman Community serving Cal Poly and Cuesta College. His board membership with non-profits include the development of both overall strategic plans as well as short, intermediate, and long-term plans including team organizing/building, planning. His current volunteer activities include South County People’s Kitchen, Habitat for Humanity, Get OnThe Bus and St. Patrick’s Outreach/Social Justice Programs.
Jose Guzman
Jose Guzman
Jose Guzman is the Work Site Health Promotion Coordinator for Community Health Centers of the Central Coast. Under this program Jose also helps to coordinate Mobile Flu Clinics and Health Ed. presentations at various work sites in SLO & SB Counties. He also works to promote CHC’s Mental Health Services to residents in N. SB County, with special emphasis to the Spanish and Mixteco speaking immigrants from the state of Oaxaca in Mexico. Jose recently assisted in producing and filming a video documentary titled “Small Steps: Social Justice in American Healthcare,” which was selected for an award of $2,500 to support CHC.
Shelly Higginbotham
Shelly Higginbotham
Shelly Higginbotham currently serves as the Mayor of Pismo Beach, and on the County-wide Homeless Services Oversight Council. She (along with her husband) was recently recognized as the 2012 Pismo Beach Citizens of the Year. She holds a B.S. in Child development and a M.S. in Psychology from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She has been active in many civic activities during her 33 years on the Central Coast.
Abby Lassen
Abby Lassen
Abby Lassen is a public interest law attorney who received her J.D. from U.C. Hastings College of the Law and a B.A. in Anthropology from Stanford University. She has been involved in many community organizations related to youth, child care, health care, education, poverty, and homelessness during the twenty two years she has resided on the Central Coast. Abby currently serves as vice chair of the San Luis Obispo Anti-Defamation League Advisory Board, co-chair of Benefits-ARCH, and co-secretary of the South County Youth Coalition.
Fred Wolf
Fred Wolf
Fred, a veteran, holds degrees in Chemistry, Theatre, and Education. Most of his life has been involved with Education, teaching, administration (Cal Poly), and fund raising – particularly using computers. His final position at Cal Poly was Director of Annual Giving. He co-founded the county’s RSVP program. A South County resident since 1971, he has worked with the 4H program, Peoples Kitchen, SLO Literacy Program, and Veterans’ Clinic. His theatre activities include Opera San Luis Obispo, Central Coast Shakespeare Festival, and many other theatre organizations including Arroyo Grande High School and Nipomo High School. Spare time activities include train travel (worldwide) as well as his five children and four grandchildren (so far).
