Cathy Smith brings extensive expertise and dedication to her role in the non-profit sector, particularly within the San Diego community. With over 15 years of professional experience, she has excelled as the Client Service Coordinator at a prominent health care non-profit organization. Cathy has assisted in organizing and supporting major fundraising initiatives, such as 10K Runs, Telethons, and Galas, enhancing community engagement and support.
Her leadership extends to advisory positions in educational institutions and a significant tenure on the Board of Directors for an organization dedicated to aiding the imprisoned and underserved populations in Tijuana, Mexico. Cathy’s unwavering commitment to social causes led her to join Crisis House in 2017. Since 2018, she has been an integral member of the Crisis House Board of Directors, serving as the Board Secretary for multiple years before assuming the position of Board Chair. Her leadership continues to drive impactful change and provide crucial support to the most vulnerable groups.
Rob Ransweiler, a dedicated professional hailing from El Cajon, California, boasts an impressive career in law enforcement spanning over several years. Currently serving as a Police Captain since May 2018, Rob leads and coordinates various activities within the El Cajon Police Department. In the Administrative Bureau, he oversees operations, coordinating with law enforcement and governmental agencies, while also managing divisions such as Inspections, Training, and Personnel, Internal Affairs, and Public Information.
Moreover, in the Operations Bureau, Rob effectively commands and coordinates activities including those of the Patrol Division, Metro Division, Communications Division, Crisis Negotiations Team, SWAT, K9, and Drone and Composite Platoon. Additionally, in the Support Bureau, he oversees investigations, crime lab, and property division activities. Notably, he has also taken on the role of acting Chief of Police as directed. Prior to his current position, Rob served as a Police Lieutenant from December 2013 to May 2018, where he held various crucial roles such as Patrol Watch Commander, Crisis Negotiations Team Commander, and oversaw policy implementation of Body Worn Cameras while managing social media. His earlier roles as Police Sergeant and Officer equipped him with diverse experiences, including leadership in patrol, traffic units, and crisis negotiations.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Rob actively engages in community service. As an Executive Board Member – Vice President of Crisis House since 2018, he supports efforts to address domestic violence, child abuse, and homelessness. Additionally, his role as a Governance Board Member at Escondido Christian School since 2015 highlights his commitment to educational leadership. Furthermore, as the Vice Chairman of the Run East County Foundation since September 2011, Rob organizes fundraising events to support local charities. He is also instrumental in organizing the annual Spookeasy event, a prohibition-themed Halloween fundraiser for St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center. Rob’s involvement extends to various community organizations, including the El Cajon Valley Host Lions Club, where he actively participates in fundraising events and served in various leadership positions. Moreover, his advocacy for people with developmental disabilities is evident through his participation in committees at the Home of Guiding Hands. Additionally, Rob’s active involvement in the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce Leadership East County program reflects his dedication to community leadership and development.
Josh grew up in East County San Diego and attended San Diego State University where he played baseball for 4 years. After college, he went into commercial banking and has been a commercial loan officer for over 15 years. He has been married since 2007 to his wife, Michelle and they have two children, Ashton and Scarlet. On the weekends, Josh enjoys loading up his family in his Jeep and taking them camping in remote areas or to the beach. He also enjoys woodworking or home improvement projects.
Josh serves as the Treasurer for the Crisis House Board of Directors and brings a diverse skill set, financial acumen, and passion for the community to his role.
Katrina Wilborn is a proud native of San Diego and equally proud board member for Crisis House. With a decade of experience in the marketing industry, Katrina brings a unique blend of skills and insights to her role on the board of Crisis House.
Having served on the board for seven years, Katrina’s commitment to Crisis House’s mission is unwavering. She passionately advocates for the organization’s initiatives aimed at providing essential services and support to those in need within the San Diego community.
Beyond her professional expertise, Katrina’s genuine empathy and compassion drive her to actively engage with Crisis House’s mission. Her leadership on the board reflects a steadfast commitment to creating positive change and fostering a stronger, more resilient community.
Small Business Owner
My name is Barbara, I am an ambitious child care provider here in the lovely City of San Diego. I am honored to provide my expertise in childcare to my community. I have a passion for knowledge and working with children.
Prior to providing childcare I was a program planner for a local youth center. I served at-risk youth ages 10 -17 for 6 years. After having two children of my own I decided to venture off and open my very own home childcare program. Flash forward, it’s been 14 years since I’ve opened my doors to the community. My heart has always been in teaching and providing a safe environment for children. Along my journey I became a part of Crisis House as a client. After a few years I became a member of their Board of Directors. I love having the chance to make a difference in the lives for those who are in need of change.
Now I have three children, my oldest a Sophomore in college, my daughter a Jr. in high school, and youngest who is turning 10 this year. Raising my children has taught me so many life lessons, along with compassion, and patience. I adore all the opportunities I have been given in life. Dreams are possible only if you just believe in them. I look forward to the opportunities that are yet to come my way. God Bless, Barbara
President – Anderson Heating and Air
Mary Jean Anderson is owner and president of Anderson Plumbing, Heating and Air serving all of San Diego County. Since 1978 the company has grown to over 200 employees specializing in residential plumbing installations/repairs; drain and sewer services; and heating/air conditioning installation/repairs.
Fundamental to Mary Jean’s success is her commitment to the good of the community. She is an annual supporter of Susan G. Komen San Diego Chapter with fundraising and promotional support for the Race for the Cure. She is a national leader in training women and military establishing lucrative careers for them in the plumbing, heating and air conditioning trades through her own scholarships and unique school, Anderson Career Builder Institute. The San Diego Police Foundation, Girl Scouts of America, Clear the Shelters – finding forever homes for the thousands of pets in local shelters, TFK, a foundation helping to stop youth violence in the city schools, are also organizations she supports.
Mary Jean began her career as a nurse and believes that her natural instincts as a caretaker set the stage for her commitment to exceptional customer service in the plumbing, heating and air conditioning business. The company slogan is “Nobody Wows Clients Like We Do!” and the concept of going the extra mile for the customer is part of all employee training. By the same token, Mary Jean is committed to providing a positive culture and work environment where co-workers can grow and thrive. As a result, many of Anderson’s employees have been at the company for many years and their adult children now also work at Anderson Plumbing, Heating & Air.
Anderson Plumbing Heating & Air won the BBB Torch Award for Marketplace Excellence multiple times, most recent 2020 and also the International BBB Award for Marketplace Ethics. Mary Jean was named Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC) National Contractor of the Year; San Diego Magazine’s Women Who Move the City Honoree; San Diego Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business; and San Diego Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO. She is featured in many trade magazines as a success story within the industry and was just awarded HVAC Contractor of Excellence 2018 by Contracting Magazine. She sits on the Executive Board for Nexstar, an International independent residential service for contractors, improving their businesses and their and lives and has also served on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for the BBB of San Diego, Orange and Imperial Counties.
Programs Operations Manager – Blue Shield of California
Patricia Brown is the Community Programs Operations Manager at Blue Shield of California, Promise Health Plan. She provides information and support to current and eligible Medi-Cal members and underserved populations throughout San Diego to ensure that healthcare is affordable and accessible for all.
While focusing on social drivers of health, identifying community needs and trends, her role enables her to provide resources and healthcare information to vulnerable populations throughout San Diego. Prior to Blue Shield, Patricia was a Program Director at a local non-profit that supports foster youth in San Diego from infancy to post-secondary education. Patty also has an extensive background managing and developing high quality, youth programs at the YMCA of San Diego County for more than 10 years. Serving at 4 different Y locations along her professional journey, she has worked with diverse communities and staff teams. Her experience includes the oversight of full-scale teams that supported youth in after school care (ASES), summer and day camps, child watch and sports. She has also successfully managed fundraising campaigns, engagement initiatives, family events, interns and volunteer programs. In June of 2022, she graduated from Arizona Global Campus with a master’s in healthcare administration (and a 4.0 GPA!). As a recent newlywed in November of 2022, Patty can be found at Padres games with her husband Tom. She also enjoys live comedy, concerts, CrossFit, spending time with her two dogs, paddleboarding, hiking, snowboarding, attending live sporting events, and a good cup of coffee. To give back to the community, Patty volunteers regularly and sits on the board of Crisis House and The Boys and Girls Club of Greater San Diego. She passionately believes that regardless of anyone’s past or current circumstances, everyone deserves the resources, support, and services to live a healthy, safe, and happy life.
Soroptimist International of Poway
Lynn Dover has been a member of Soroptimist International Poway since 2022, actively contributing to the Soroptimist International Poway and North Inland San Diego Transitional Housing Committee. She has served as a committee member since 2022 and is the Committee Chair for the terms 2023/24 and 2024/25.
Since joining, she has also been mentoring women in transitional housing. In 2024, she joined the Board of Directors of Crisis House. Her professional background includes serving as the Managing Partner of the Fair Housing Practice Group at Kimball, Tirey & St. John LLP from 2002 to 2021. In this role, she conducted fair housing trainings for clients and rental housing industry groups throughout California, and she frequently spoke and participated as a panelist on fair housing laws and regulations. Additionally, she advised clients on a wide range of fair housing issues related to rental housing, including transitional housing, affordable housing (such as HUD, LIHTC, bond, MHP, MHSA), and federal and state disability laws and regulations.
Representative – Soroptimist International of North San Diego
Pam Warnock was raised in Nebraska but moved to San Diego in 1972 where she began a career in the design center business. She initially worked for the homebuilder that orginally developed Scripps Ranch and went on to work for and or manage other design centers throughout San Diego for over 33 years.
She has a passion for volunteering and has done so all of her life starting with school and sports for her two sons, Dan and Ryan. She was ever active serving on the board of PTA, reading specialist for second graders, or the boys‘ sports from elementary through high school. Her greatest passion has been soroptimist where she has been a member of Soroptimist International of north San Diego for 25 years. For the majority of those years she has worked on SinSD and Soroptimist International of Poway’s annual fundraiser by garnering sponsorships. Those funds support their transitional housing program for domestic violence victims as well as educational grants to women and girls. She loves working with like- minded women who have a passion for empowering women who face obstacles.
Her greatest pride is being “Grammy Pammy” to her four grandchildren who range in age from 23-1.
Journeyman Plumber – UA Local 230
With only her small children at her side after leaving a Domestic Violence situation, Alexis reached out to Crisis House and was enrolled into the Domestic Violence Transitional Housing Program. As she made her way to a new life that she never could have imagined possible, Alexis came to find a new family at Crisis House.
She completed a 5-year apprenticeship in a male-dominated field, became a first-generation homeowner, and most importantly has succeeded in raising 3 amazing souls in her children despite beginning in difficult circumstances.
Alexis brings an incredible personal touch to our Board of Directors with her story that is crucial for everyone to understand. Although she’s achieved some incredible goals already, she’s nowhere near done. One day she hopes to open a women owned and operated plumbing company specializing in Medical Gas systems with the dream of helping more women like herself become a vision of hope and strength they never thought possible before.
Estate Planning Attorney – McGovern Law Group
Taylor Castro is an estate planning attorney who was born and raised in El Centro, CA. She attended California State University San Marcos and earned a degree in Literature, and a minor in Political Science. Taylor earned her Juris Doctor degree from California Western School of Law and graduated with a 4.01, ranking 3rd in her class of 210 students.
During law school, Taylor earned a distinguished advocate award, and ultimately earned a spot on California Western’s competitive trial team. Additionally, Taylor was a law review member and interned at the District Attorney’s Office.
After passing the bar, Taylor became a Deputy District Attorney with the San Diego District Attorney’s Office, where she managed a vast caseload and appeared in court on numerous hearings and motions. Taylor’s experience at the District Attorney’s Office exposed her to a variety of nuanced legal issues, including holding a position in the Family Protection Unit, which specializes in domestic violence and elder abuse.
After being a prosecutor for several years, Taylor had her first child and decided to pursue a career in estate planning. Being an estate planning attorney has given her the ability to sit down with clients one-on-one and learn about their life story, while protecting their legacy. There’s nothing better than seeing a client feel overcome with a sense of relief that their affairs are in order and that their legacy will be protected.
Although Taylor no longer works at the District Attorney’s Office, she wants to continue to stand behind victims of abuse and provide support while they face many obstacles that come with leaving an abusive relationship, and is excited to serve her community.
Executive Director – Crisis House
As a business professional with over 18 years of experience, Kelcie Parra has provided innovative ideas and strategic thinking to organizations of various sizes and industries, delivering robust results using limited resources. Her areas of strength include leadership, management, conflict resolution, community engagement, budget administration, strategic planning, fundraising, program administration, and marketing and communication.
At San Diego Pride, Kelcie served as the Deputy Executive Director serving as the lead staff member in the absence of the Executive Director and working closely with the Executive Director and the Board of Directors in all development, fundraising, strategic, and operational endeavors. During her tenure, Kelcie oversaw all areas of the organization’s development efforts, including sponsorships, individual donations, and grant writing. She was responsible for a 67% increase in revenue within the first year. She was also responsible for developing and implementing the organization’s strategy to diversify revenue to support San Diego Pride’s year-round programming and operational expenses.
Prior to that, Kelcie served as the Senior Director of Employment Services at The Arc of San Diego, where she directed and provided leadership for simultaneous work streams and projects that provided employment services for individuals with disabilities. Kelcie oversaw a $16 million budget and 300 staff through a particularly trying time during the pandemic, utilizing her servant-leadership style to support staff and clients.
From 2015 to 2020, Kelcie served as the Supervisor of the Poway Center for the Performing Arts at the City of Poway. In this role, she managed all aspects of theatre operations, including staffing, fiscal oversight, identifying operational efficiencies, day-to-day operations, and preparing and presenting staff reports for City Council. She was responsible for creating and maintaining community partnerships as well as liaising with the Poway Unified School District on pivotal joint-use agreements.
Overall, she is a results-driven business professional with proven success in leadership, strategic planning, program administration, and fundraising. She is adept at building and maintaining relationships with
stakeholders, providing sound fiscal oversight, and implementing programs that drive growth and success while providing vital services for the community.
Former Mayor
City of El Cajon
Estate Planning Attorney
McGovern Law Group
Volunteer
Soroptimist International
Attorney
Bravo Law Group
Attorney
Law Offices of Dan Bacal
In Loving Memory
Crisis House
Bookkeeping and HR Specialist
jennifer@crisishouse.org
Homeless Services Program Manager
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