Contact Sonoma SERVES
California Institute on Human Services
Sonoma State University
1801 E. Cotati Avenue
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
(707) 664-4205
Fax: (707) 664-2418
Contact Our Staff
Sonoma SERVES Director
Julie McClure
Administrative and Events Specialist
Debra Harris
Administrative Support
Kathleen Chosa
Evaluation Specialist
Sara Phillips
Fiscal Support
Stephanie Boyd
Program Coordinators
Michele Craig, Family Program
Briana Downey, After School Program
Callen Kurpinsky, Promise Fellow
Francesca Soriano Hersh, Reading Program
Project Assistant
Emily Clawson
Supervising Teachers
Joan Bessone, Kawana Elementary School
Caroline Hubbard, Wright Elementary School
Craig Jacques, Meadow View Elementary School
Amber MacLean, Bellevue Elementary School
Cherie Melchiori, RL Stevens Elementary
Kristen Mowers, Roseland Elementary School
Annette Zucconi-Montez, Sheppard Elementary
Training Coordinators
Margo Addison
Tracy Nevill
Margo Addison, Training Coordinator
mhanna4@aol.com
(707) 491-8616
As the training coordinator for Project SCHOLARS, I help make sure the tutors receive the information they need to become the most effective tutors they can be. I work closely with the Site Support staff and the Team Leaders to provide materials and support. In addition to the job of training coordinator, I am also the Title One Reading Teacher at R.L. Stevens School in Santa Rosa, CA. I have a B.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Child Development and a California Teaching Credential. Over the past 5 years I have enjoyed volunteering at my 2 children's' school and taking many classes on the reading process. I find the theory and practice of learning to read to be endlessly fascinating. It is a privilege to work with the people associated with this program. Their energy and enthusiasm are inspirational.
Joan Bessone, Supervising Teacher, Kawana Elementary School
joanbesssone@hotmail.com
707) 217-5268
I have been a teacher for twenty years and began my relationship with the Project SCHOLARS program as a site liaison seven years ago. I was impressed with the progress children made in the area of language arts and with the dedication of the AmeriCorps members. Currently, I am working as a supervising teacher with the Cool School, Project SCHOLARS and Cool Families programs. It's exciting to see what a difference we're making in the lives of our children and with our community.
Stephanie Boyd, Fiscal Support Assistant
stephanie.boyd@sonoma.edu
(707) 664-3336
I have been with Sonoma SERVES since 2003. In my first year I served as an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow in our after-school programs. I went on to become a fiscal support assistant for our wonderful programs. Among my various duties I help process reimbursements and invoices, order equipment and supplies for our programs as well as tracking costs and budgeting. I have enjoyed watching the programs grow and am excited about my role in making sure the children and families have what they need to be successful.
Kathleen Chosa, Administrative Support
kathleen.chosa@sonoma.edu
(707) 664-2043
I am the Administrative Support Assistant for all the Sonoma SERVES programs. I was an AmeriCorps VISTA Team Leader for two years service for Project SCHOLARS at Kawana Elementary School in Santa Rosa. It was a wonderful learning experience and I really enjoyed working in the educational field. I have been thrilled to have the opportunity to work on the SSU campus and to learn more about the management of grant funded programs.
Emily Clawson, Project Assistant
clawsone@sonoma.edu
(707) 664-3956
I do a great deal of work in the recruitment of mentors, enrolling AmeriCorps members, and coordinating National Days of Service. I also work with the PE program that is implemented in the after school programs of over 20 schools in 3 counties. Prior to working as a project assistant, I served for 2 years as an AmeriCorps Team Leader for Project SCHOLARS at Wright Elementary School. I graduated from UC Riverside with a degree in Psychology and a passion for learning and children. I love to be involved in a program that supports learning and growth throughout our community.
Michele Craig, COOL Families Coordinator
Michele.Craig@sonoma.edu
(707) 664-4339
As the COOL Families Coordinator, I provide training, coaching and support to members and Team Leaders at participating school sites. I enjoy the opportunity to work with many community partners to ensure our program’s success. With a degree in psychology, I was naturally drawn to do a year of service as a Team Leader with the programs of Sonoma SERVES, later joining the Sonoma SERVES staff. Everyday I am inspired to see what an amazing difference our members and our programs make in the lives of the children and families we serve.
Briana Downey, COOL School Coordinator
briana.downey@sonoma.edu
(707) 664-2243
I am the coordinator for COOL School and provide support to the program at our seven schools, plan and facilitate training for mentors and Team Leaders, and provide individual coaching at our sites. After graduating from Sonoma State, I was a VISTA Team Leaders for two years with Project SCHOLARS at Wright School before joining the staff of Sonoma SERVES.
Debra Harris, Administrative and Events Specialist
harrisde@sonoma.edu
Phone: (707) 664-2956
I am the Administrative and Events Specialist for the Sonoma SERVES programs. I came to this project in 1998. My Bachelors Degree in Human Development supports my strong desire to serve children and families in Sonoma County. One of the primary ways I contribute to this team is coordinating the National Day of Service through volunteerism and serving community needs. My involvement also includes enrolling over 200 AmeriCorps volunteers and managing the day-by-day operations of the program. Our service programs build a strong sense of community, centered on supporting children and their families.
Caroline Hubbard, Supervising Teacher, Wright Elementary School
(707) 477-3929
I became part of AmeriCorps in 1998 as a Project Scholars Reading Tutor, where I completed one year of service, while attending Santa Rosa Junior College. I have gone on to receive my Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology at Sonoma State University and my Multiple Subject Credential at Dominican University in San Rafael. I am thrilled to be back with this outstanding program as a Supervising Teacher for Wright Elementary School!
Craig Jacques, Supervising Teacher, Meadow View Elementary School
craig.jacques@sonoma.edu
(707) 327-7294
Working with children, helping them learn and feel good about themselves, and in turn growing from my experiences brings great joy to my life. I have been a part of Sonoma SERVES for the last three years providing service to the children and families in this community. I strive to be a positive agent of love for others around me.
Callen Kurpinsky, Promise Fellow Coordinator
callen.kurpinsky@sonoma.edu
(707) 664-2471
I am the Promise Fellow Coordinator and I’m also involved with coordinating the state program, California’s Promise. As a former graduate of Sonoma State University, I naturally become involved with Sonoma SERVES as a ProjectSCHOLARS tutor. I also served as a leader with the Promise Fellow program during my second year of service.
Amber MacLean, Supervising Teacher, Bellevue Elementary School
ambermhansen@hotmail.com
(707) 217-4112
My name is Amber Hansen and I am the Supervising Teacher for COOL School and Project SCHOLARS at Bellevue Elementary School. Being a part of this program has been a wonderful opportunity for me because I have the chance to work with great students, fabulous teachers and staff and creative mentors.
Julie McClure, Director
julie.mcclure@sonoma.edu
(707) 664-4232
I am the director of the Sonoma SERVES programs at the California Institute on Human Services at Sonoma State University. These programs provide experiential learning opportunities for college students and over 60,000 hours of tutoring and mentoring a year to students reading below grade level. I enjoy the community connections as well as the diversity of my work, as it allows me to participate in the delivery of services to children on a variety of levels. I have a deep interest in connecting the University to the community in meaningful ways. I have my Masters in Public Administration from Sonoma State University with an emphasis in educational policy and program evaluation, which builds on the B.A. that I received from the University of California at Berkeley.
Cherie Melchiori, Supervising Teacher, RL Stevens Elementary
cheriechan10@yahoo.com
(707) 217-7092
Prior to becoming the Supervising Teacher at R.L. Stevens, I served as a Project SCHOLARS mentor for over two years at Bellevue Elementary. I graduated from Sonoma State University with a B.A. in Liberal Studies and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. I am very excited to be working with such a wonderful staff and be apart of a program that enriches the lives of mentors and students.
Kristen Mowers, Supervising Teacher, Roseland Elementary School
missmowers@yahoo.com
(707) 217-9461
I am Kristen Mowers, the Supervising Teacher at Roseland School for the Sonoma SERVES programs. I joined the program six years ago as a COOL SCHOOL mentor and have been given the amazing opportunity to learn and grow with the programs over the years. Each day brings new joys and challenges.
Tracy Nevill, Training Coordinator
TLCTracy@earthlink.net
707) 246-6088
I am the Training Coordinator for the COOL School after school program, which is a collaborative between Sonoma State University and Santa Rosa Elementary Schools. I graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Latin American Studies in 1993 and later obtained my Multiple Subject teaching Credential and Master's in Education from the Claremont University. In my position here at the California Institute on Human Services, I am fortunate enough to help train and work with AmeriCorps college students and elementary age students. I enjoy being a part of a team that is committed to providing services to at-risk children.
Sara Phillips, Evaluation Specialist
sara.phillips@sonoma.edu
(707) 664-2022
I am the Evaluation Specialist for the Sonoma SERVES programs. I have a BA in Political Science from SSU, and am completing a Masters of Science in Criminal Justice Administration from CSU Sacramento. It is rewarding and exciting to see and report the progress of the students to whom the programs provide services.
Francesca Soriano Hersh, Project SCHOLARS Coordinator
francesca.hersh@sonoma.edu
(707) 664-2022
I am the coordinator for Project SCHOLARS. I oversee the program at our seven schools, plan and facilitate training for mentors and Team Leaders, and provide individual coaching and support at our sites. Before joining the staff of Sonoma SERVES, I enjoyed two years as the Project SCHOLARS VISTA Team Leader at Bellevue School. I love to see the bond that develops between students and our mentors and the excitement that our AmeriCorps members feel when they see the difference they are making in the lives of children.
Annette Zucconi-Montez, Supervising Teacher
zucconia@sonoma.edu
(707) 236-0604
I am the Supervising Teacher at Sheppard Elementary. I was drawn to Sonoma SERVES by the desire to participate in an organization where children and families are the heart of the vision. I graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1991 with a B.A. in Liberal Studies, and from Sonoma State University's Multiple-Subject Teaching Credential Program in 2000. It is my privilege and honor to work with the phenomenal staff of Sonoma SERVES in pursuit of creating enrichment and service opportunities for youth and community members in Sonoma County.
