We are the CARE Foundation...

Formed in 1992, the CARE Foundation enhances the effectiveness of the Capistrano Unified School District by supporting a wide array of programs and services for CUSD’s 51,000+ students.

The mission of the CARE Foundation is to raise money by developing partnerships with businesses and the community to enhance the quality of education for every student in the Capistrano Unified School District.

The CARE Foundation is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors. Our Board Members are:

 

Executive Committee Officers

 

Larney fowler
ATTORNEY, PRIVATE PRACTICE
CARE FOUNDATION BOARD PRESIDENT

 A native New Yorker and a graduate of Princeton University and Fordham Law School, Larney moved to Orange County in 1983.  Since graduation from law school in 1979, Larney spent over 15 years with some of the nation’s leading law firms before going into business for himself.  Larney’s practice combines general business and transactional law with estate planning and asset protection.  Typical clients for Larney include small to medium sized businesses where he handles all business law matters as well as the estate planning for the business principals, and individuals and couples in Orange County looking to preserve their wealth and pass it on to their loved ones with the least expense and court involvement.

Larney has also owned several businesses in telecommunications and import/export. This gives him practical hands on appreciation for his clients’ everyday needs. 

Larney is single and has raised his daughter by himself since she was 8 years old. He considers his daughter, age 22 and a Junior at Columbia University in NYC, as his greatest accomplishment.

Larney loves the theatre, movies, reading, tennis, golf, dancing to rock ‘n roll, and singing at open-mike nights.

 

aNDREA ORTEGA
MANAGER MARKETING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, PATRIOTS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
CARE FOUNDATION BOARD VICE PRESIDENT

Andrea Ortega has lived all over the world but finds herself calling Dana Point her home.  She has studied in Nairobi, London and Guadalajara as well as taught English in Istanbul, Turkey. She holds a degree in International and Intercultural studies and finds traveling and adventure, her passion.

Currently she is the VP of Marketing and Business Development at Patriots Federal Credit Union located in Aliso Viejo. What draws Andrea to the credit union world is the essence of the culture and philosophy which is one of “people helping people” and “serving the underserved”.
Besides working in the financial field she also donates her time to the Big Brother/ Big Sister program by mentoring her “little sister”, Kimberly.

Other hobbies and interests include:  her golden doodle, Francesca, dancing, Pilates, music, theatre, concerts, reading but most of all traveling!

 

 

Barbara Culverhouse
MANAGER, OFFSITE EMERGENCY PLANNING & EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, SONGS
CARE FOUNDATION BOARD SECRETARY

Barbara Culverhouse manages offsite emergency planning, community outreach, public education and philanthropy for Southern California Edison's San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS).  A 25-year veteran of SONGS, Barbara is committed to the community where Edison employees live and raise their children and is an avid believer that knowledge is power.   She is very active in the community and dedicated to educating children and assisting the underserved community.  

 

Enzo Scognamiglio
OWNER, BRIO TUSCANY GRILL
CARE FOUNDATION BOARD TREASURER

From owning four national franchises for Subway Restaurants, founding several restaurants to managing several Apartment Complexes in Southern California, Mr. Scognamiglio is an active entrepreneur, philanthropist and an icon in the community he serves. As an entrepreneur, Mr. Scognamiglio has made is mark serving people in the hospitality industry. Since 1993 he has been the owner of Brio Tuscany Grille in Dana Point, California, a popular restaurant, martini bar and nightclub. He also owned Brio Mare in Laguna Beach as well as Brio Tuscany Grille in Corona Del Mar. Prior to opening this local hotspot, he owned the Madison Steakhouse in Long Beach, the largest steakhouse in the US. He has held the Director of Food and Beverage position at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach and served as the General Manager of the Arriba Restaurant Group in Los Angeles, California. He also served as the Director of Food and Beverage at the Mayfair Hotel during the Los Angeles Olympics of 1984. Having spent over 5 years in the cruise ship industry he has mastered the art of customer service and appreciation. Born and raised in Napoli, Italy, Mr. Scognamiglio grew up in a large family where he learned the value of relationships and the importance of building a strong business through empowering people. He and is wife Jill raise their two children in Laguna Hills, California where they work together in several business. He holds a degree in Restaurant & Hotel Management from Avellino College in Napoli, Italy.

 

General Board Members

 

FEYZI FATEHI
CEO, CORENT TECHNOLOGY

Feyzi has over twenty years of experience in building high-performance businesses including multiple business units at HP and four innovative software companies in Silicon Valley and in Southern California. He was elected to the board of the Technology Council of Southern California in 2007 and the Chairman of its Orange County chapter in 2008.

Feyzi is an avid education fan. After graduating from Norman High as a national honor society member, he went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Solar Engineering, a master’s degree in Computer Science and an MBA in International Management. He also received his Director Certification from UCLA and is a graduate of Anderson School of Management’s M&A program.

Feyzi has been a published author of several leading edge business and management articles and has been a keynote speaker around the globe including speaking at Harvard Business School, Stanford, Wharton, Pepperdine, and UCLA Anderson School of Management. Feyzi currently serves on the Leadership Council at Henry Samueli School of Engineering at UCI. He lives in Laguna Niguel with his wife and two daughters both of whom are students within the CUSD.

 

 

BAO-Ngoc Liu

District Manager, South Coast District

WELLS FARGO & COMPANY

 

Bao-Ngoc Liu manages the South Coast District for Wells Fargo in Orange County  which represents 10 banking stores, nearly $1.5 billion in deposits and more than 165 team members. An eight-year veteran of the company, Bao assumed her current role in 2010.  Previously, she was District Manager for North Coast District.

She began her career at Wells Fargo in 2002 as a business development officer and in 2004 assumed the role of  branch manager.  In 2008 she became district manager.

She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of California San Diego in urban studies and planning with a minor in economics.

 

Marilyn Amato
PRESIDENT, CAPISTRANO UNIFIED COUNCIL OF PTSA’s

Marilyn Amato has had a variety of carefully chosen careers since graduating from Brigham Young University in the late 1960s.  Earning a MA in educational psychology, she taught for many years creating and sharing much of her own curriculum.  She also earned a credential in health and physical care services and related technologies which opened the doors for teaching on the community college level.   Prior to teaching, Marilyn was a certified radiologic technologist at both St. Joseph’s Hospital in Burbank and at Digital and Radiologic Imaging in Mission Viejo. After retiring from teaching, Marilyn entered the business world as CFO of Cabot Auto Center in Laguna Hills and as a partner in the Monarch Cove Development Company, which is currently developing a 300 Unit condominium communityon the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.  She and her husband also created a strip mall, and a storage facility in Lake Ozark, Missouri.

Marilyn’s passion, however, has been volunteer work, especially for the Capistrano Unified School District.   Having served as PTA president of her youngest son’s middle, and senior high schools, she now is currently the CUCPTSA President presiding over CUSD’s 53 schools.   Some of her many responsibilities included Mentor for the Dana Hills Family consisting of nine schools where she trained and worked with their PTA presidents; Parent Education Chairman where, among other things, she help to develop an Anti-Bullying Resource Guide that was distributed to all PTA presidents and school principals in CUSD; lobbyist in Sacrament as a member of the PTA’s Legislation Team; co-author of Measure H that appeared on the November 2010 ballot which created the “By-District” election method for CUSD, and a School Site Council committee member since 1997.  Marilyn received both the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Family-School Partnership Award of Merit in 2009 and the CA PTA Spotlight Awards for Collaboration and Student Support in 2010.  This year she was a nominee for Citizen of the Year for the city of Laguna Niguel.

 

 

 

sTEPH rAMSEY
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST, MICROSOFT STORE

Steph Ramsey has been with Microsoft Store for two years and serves as the Community Development Specialist in Mission Viejo.  Prior to Microsoft, she ran two of her own companies for a over a decade.  Steph has been a resident of South Orange County since 1984.  She is a proud motherof three wonderful children who all attend CUSD schools.  Volunteering has been an elemental focus in her life and she has contributed to the community in several capacities including PTA, AYSO, Ladera Ranch Community Services and the Ladera Rancho Chamber of Commerce.  Professionally, Steph has a background that consists of event logistics and planning, marketing, photography and technology.  Steph’s hobbies include cooking, reading, auto racing and wine club.

 

carol mCCORMICK

Carol McCormick has lived in Southern California since she was 2.5 years old.  she is a graduate of the University of Southern California with at degree in International Relations.  Carol has been married for 27 years and has 3 children.  For the past 23 years, She has been a stay at home mom.  Since her move to Ladera Ranch 11 years ago, Carol has been involved in a variety of volunteer organizations.
She has just completed 3 years as the President of LARCS (Ladera Ranch Community Services).  She was the inaugural PTA President for Chaparral Elementary School.  Carol was an initial board member for Ladera Ranch Little League, Ladera Ranch Middle School and Cub Scout Pack 689. She was also appointed to serve on two boundary committees for CAPOUSD.  At this time, Carol is still a member of the LARCS Board and also involved with the San Juan Hills High School Boosters. 

 

 

Advisory Board Members

CHARLIE WARE
DIRECTOR, RANCHO MISSION VIEJO COMPANY

Charlie has lived in Laguna Niguel with his wife and three children for over 30 years and a South Orange County resident since 1965. All three children have attended CUSD schools and his daughter is currently pursuing a Masters Degree and teaching credentials with hopes of teaching in the district one day. He has been employed by the Rancho Mission Viejo Co. as the Director of Governmental and Community Relations for over 15 years and represent the company to the CARE Foundation Board as well as several other local community service organizations. He enjoy volunteering in my community as well as traveling and boating with family and friends.

 

Staff

Victoria Jakovich
VALTORIA INSURANCE & FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Victoria Jakovich started her career selling high end staffing solutions to Fortune 100 & 500 organizations in the US.   In a one year time frame Victoria and the Major Accounts sales team went from 8 on-site contracts to 40 on-site contracts totaling an increase over $80 Million in revenue.  During the time Victoria started the first complete on-site implementation and technology team for Adecco, North America.   The team not only standardized the process for implementation of all major accounts nationwide, but also developed operations, technology and, account measurement systems.   Later Victoria was promoted to the Western Division VP of Operations managing six states the West Coast totaling $750Million in revenue and 120 branch offices. 
After retiring from the industry Victoria started her second career in the Financial Industry.  Victoria put her talents to work helping people develop business and personal strategies for their financial future.   Victoria believes that one of the keys to a happy life is having a sound financial picture.  Victoria has assisted hundreds of people create financial stability andt happiness through structured goal setting and formal written financial plans. 
After working for a national planning firm Victoria decided to start up her own Insurance and Planning Firm , Valtoria Insurance & Financial Service, Inc. with her partner Valerie Acevez.   The firm focuses on Wealth Management for all levels of financial health.  So often those that need it most do not seek out assistance as they think they don’t have enough money.  Victoria and Valerie would like to change that because the best strategy for anyone looking for financial health is to seek affordable help.   “From my own experience, I met with a planner at the age of 28 and it changed the course of my life.  I want to give that back to others….”  It is her hope that one day Valtoria can provide non-profit counseling for those in financial need.   Valtoria also recently added Property and Casualty to its business line in order to provide a one stop shop for all their clients. 
Victoria has an MBA from Pepperdine University and a BS in Psychology from Iowa State University.  Victoria is also working on a PhD in Educational Technology from Pepperdine University
She has been involved in a number of charities through the years, but now dedicates her time to Valiant Women of the Mission Hospital Foundation and the Social Justice Committee at Saint Edwards Church in Dana Point. 

 

SHEILA SHARIFI
FOUNDATION MANAGER

Sheila has been an education advocate for her entire adult life. She conducted summer camps for students in Massachusetts when her college was in recess and volunteered as tutor in multiple local schools when she worked in Silicon Valley.  She has been assisting the CARE Foundation for the past few years after she and her family moved to SoCal. Sheila graduated from Sacred Hearts in Newton, MA with honors and earned a BS and MS in Electrical Engineering from Boston University. She worked as an Engineer and Manager for GTE, Apple Computer and HP.  Sheila and her husband live in CUSD where their two daughters attend CUSD schools.

 

BETH WEBER
CPA

A long-time CPA, Beth has been self employed for almost 20 years.  She and her husband, Tom have been Laguna Niguel residents for 15 years where their both of their children were educated at CUSD schools.  An advocate of community involvement in education, she is also a school volunteer and active PTA member.  She specializes in income tax preparation and accounting assistance to individuals, small businesses and tax exempt organizations.