Executive Leadership

Joe Clark is a retired business manager. After growing up in Ohio, he started his business career in Chicago. Corporate relocations took him to Florida, Texas, New Jersey and, 23 years ago, to Livermore, CA. He and his wife of thirty years have two grown children and a dog. Joe divides his time between outdoor activities (bicycling, hiking, swimming and kayaking) and working for several local non-profits that provide or support human services, most recently including The Taylor Family Foundation, Livermore Valley Winegrowers Foundation, and Turning Wheels for Kids.

Sheria Johnson is an Executive Office Manager for a CEO of a Health System in Oakland, CA. She’s lived in the Tri-Valley for over 10 years. Her first love is music. As an independent artist singing soulful Jazz/R&B in the Bay Area, she’s performed at Yoshi’s SF and opened for En Vogue at Oakland Pride. Sheria is a 2x cancer survivor who is thriving! “When I’m singing, I convey messages of love, empowerment, triumph, peace and perseverance”. She’s an avid reader and enjoys working with young children learning how to read.

Jake Kazakevich is the Associate Pastor of Valley Community Church. He is passionate about creating spaces where people can participate and flourish in a good and abundant life. He has had the joy of working with local nonprofits to raise support and awareness of their efforts to care for those in the Tri-Valley and around the world. He lives in Pleasanton with his wife and two children. In his down time he is a reader, a writer, and a mildly competent musician.

The Reverend Kathy La Point-Collup joined the Asbury UMC staff in July 2018. Pastor Kathy has also served United Methodist Churches in Elk Grove, Sutter Creek, Linden and Modesto–all in California. She experienced a call to ordained ministry in High School and completed her B.A. at University of the Pacific in Stockton, Ca and Masters of Divinity at Drew University School of Theology in Madison, New Jersey. Throughout her ministry Kathy has had a passion for small group ministry, mission trips, preaching, walking with people through difficult times, justice ministries and helping the church be in service to the local community. Kathy was primary organizer in the NetworX program in Elk Grove and is delighted to be volunteering with Partners for Change.Kathy is married to Steve Collup who is a retired helicopter and airplane mechanic. In her free time, Kathy enjoys traveling, snorkeling, walking, reading, going to movies/live theater and baking/gourmet cooking.

Liz Marpuri is a District Manager for an international eyewear brand. She has over 15 years experience managing large teams. As a former Regional Manager, Liz was responsible for the weekly execution of all the Non-Food Demos in 41 Costco locations in Northern California. She’s lived in Pleasanton since 2005 with her husband and their two boys. Liz loves the outdoors, catching up with close friends, her big extended family, making a difference and the idea of being present. Favorite quote: “Don’t let the urgent get in the way of the important.” – Kay Yow

Nan Osborne has been a registered nurse for 35 years and a community service volunteer for even longer. She has lived all over the country and twice overseas working as a nurse and a volunteer in each city. Her favorite spot was the five years in Beijing, China where she learned Chinese and worked to train medical staff at the Olympics and volunteered in a medical orphanage. She is married with five children and eight grandchildren, and loves all outdoor activities, especially running. This picture comes from the marathon she ran on the Great Wall of China!

Shana Peete serves as the first Executive Director of Partners for Change. She has a B.S. in International Business and a Doctor of Jurisprudence. She practiced law for eight years prior to moving to the Tri-Valley and has professional experience that includes managing a Child Development Center, serving as a Program Coordinator for Read Aloud America, and managing a 30-person customer fulfillment team for Amazon. In her spare time, she enjoys teaching the game of tennis to students of all ages and using her gifts of communication and connection to bring people together.

Jacky Poulsen has lived with her husband in Livermore for 36 years. She retired from a career as a Project Manager for several large corporations in the Information Technology area. She then started volunteering for various organizations including the Livermore Police Department. Her work there raised her awareness of the local homeless situation, and she started working in different capacities to help make a difference. She is currently the volunteer coordinator for the laundry program, sponsored by two local churches, and providing laundry facilities to those who have no other way to clean their belongings.

Arturo (Art) Rosas is a Police Officer with the Livermore Police Department. Art has worked in the field of Law Enforcement since 1999, beginning his career with the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department, spending 5 years with the East Bay Regional Parks Police Department and most recently working in Livermore since 2005. Having grown up in Albany California, Art attended the University of California, Davis as an undergraduate. He received his Masters in Leadership from Saint Mary’s College of California, and is currently working toward a PhD in Transformative Studies from the California Institute of Integral Studies. Art and his wife of 20 years have two school-aged children and two dogs. When not working, Art spends his time coaching basketball, mentoring undergraduates at Las Positas College and volunteering for organizational groups in search of empowering the disenfranchised.