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
Board Secretary
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.
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.
Eugenia Gamble
Eugenia Gamble
The Rev. Eugenia Gamble is Pastor of Nipomo Community Presbyterian Church. She is an award winning author, speaker and retreat leader and has spoken at churches, colleges and conference centers around the world. She was the founding pastor of First Light, Inc., a shelter and service center for homeless women and children in Birmingham Alabama.
Eugenia led the capital campaign team for First Light and had the honor of burning the mortgage on the shelter’s 5th anniversary.
Fred Wolf
Fred Wolf
My academic background includes a BA in Chemistry, a MAD in Theatre, and a MA in Counseling & Guidance. I have worked most of life in the fields of Education, Theatre, and fundraising (use of computers, etc). I have been a South County resident since 1971. I am Co-founder of the county R.S.V.P. program. I am currently Junior Warden of St. Barnabas’ Episcopal Church. I am active in People’s Kitchen, County 4-H program, Literacy Program, Veteran’s Clinic, Central Coast Shakespeare Festival, Opera San Luis Obispo (formerly P.R.O.) and others. My favorite hobbies are: train travel, name derivations, theatre, and Italian cooking.
