Board Members

The Conejo Schools Foundation Board is comprised of volunteers from our community including parents, teachers, PTA & PFA presidents, business & civic leaders and school administrators.

Their biographical information is below:

Officers

MIKE SOULES  -  President

Mike Soules is the President of Corwin Press, an educational publishing company dedicated to "Helping Educators Do Their Work Better".   Mike recently held the position of General Manager for Teachscape, a for-profit, private educational Professional Services company.  Having also served in senior executive positions at Laureate Online Education and the Channel One Network, Mike has focused his career on marrying innovative technology with practical applications for educators nationwide.  He received B.A.’s in History and Political Science from UCLA, is a life member of the UCLA Alumni Association, serves on the CVUSD District Advisory Council, member of the Lang Ranch School Site Council, served on the USC Rossier School of Education Board of Councilors, is active at St. Maximillian Kolbe and the Conjeo Valley YMCA Indian Guides.  Mike and his wife, Michelle, have three sons in the CVUSD.

DIANNE BADOUD MCKAY -  Vice-President

After earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing, Dianne Badoud McKay joined her father, the late Gary Badoud, in the satellite television industry. They founded Strategic Television in 1986 as a small, high-end consulting company.  After successfully turning the company into an internationally recognized team of experts in broadcasting events around the globe, Dianne sold the company in 2004.  Dianne has been very involved in local PTA leadership, with school site councils, on the Bond District Advisory Committee, past chair of the District Advisory Council, and on the advisory board of the College of Business at CSU Chico, her alma mater. She is the 2005 recipient of the Gold Award, Outstanding Citizen from the California Teachers Association and the Ed Masry Integrity in Community Service Award, and is serving a four-year term on the Thousand Oaks Traffic and Transportation Commission.  Dianne herself is a graduate of the CVUSD.  Her four children carry on this tradition: one is a graduate of UC Davis, one is a student at UCLA, and her two younger children are currently enrolled in the district.

SUE WELLS - Secretary

Sue Wells has been a volunteer in Conejo Valley schools since 1997.  She has been involved in PTA leadership serving as past president of Ladera Elementary School and Conejo Council of PTAs.  She currently serves on the 12th District PTA and Conejo Council of PTAs Boards, as well as the District Advisory Council Board and District Budget Committee. She has also been an active parent on the Thousand Oaks High School Soccer Boosters and in the AYSO Soccer Program.  

 In 2004, Sue became a Realtor currently with Troop Real Estate in Thousand Oaks.  Before becoming a Realtor, she owned and operated a wholesale/retail company in Thousand Oaks with clients throughout the state of California. Sue resides in Thousand Oaks with her husband and two sons.  Christopher, a TOHS graduate, is a freshman at Cal State Channel Islands and Matthew is a sophomore at TOHS.

LAURIE LAM - Treasurer

Board Members

DARLENE BUTSCHER

Darlene began her career with Arthur Andersen on the Washington DC office and has over 15 years of experience in both auditing and consulting. A former CPA she earned a BS in Accounting from the University of Maryland in 1986. She relocated to Los Angeles in 1990, and joined First Interstate Bank. Her clients and industry experience included financial institutions, entertainment companies, and fortune 50 corporations.   After retiring from public accounting, she opened a local restaurant with her husband. She is active in the Chamber of Commerce, PTA leadership, school site councils, Youth Soccer and Reagan Library. She has two daughters currently enrolled in the district.

LINDA BEKENY

DR. JEFF  DAVIS

RANDI DENNEN

CHERYL MOORE

Cheryl is the executive director of Workforce Investment Board of Ventura County.  Prior to her work at the county, she was an organization and employee development executive in entertainment, food manufacturing, and managed healthcare businesses.  She also held administrative and teaching positions in California public education at the school, district, and county levels.  Cheryl served on the Board of Regents of the University of California and in leadership positions for the All-UC Alumni Association and the UC Irvine Foundation.  Currently, she is a member of the board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County.  She received a B.A. in Spanish, an M.S. in Education, and a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship in Education.  Residents of Thousand Oaks since 1999, Cheryl and her husband, Steve, are the parents of two sons.  Both are graduates of Thousand Oaks High school. 

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KATHLEEN WOODWARD

The Woodwards moved their children from private school to the Conejo Valley public school system in 2005, seeking the academic, athletic and social opportunities available in the larger, competitive environment of the Conejo Valley schools.  “It is a decision the family has never regretted."  Kathleen offered her experience and energy as Colina Middle School PTSA Treasurer, PTSA President, District Advisory Representative (DAC) and School Site Council Chairperson. In addition, she spent many years in the Westlake Girls Softball (WAGS) league as a manager, coach and board member. Kathleen currently serves as DAC Executive Board Vice Chair, Westlake High School (WHS) DAC, and WHS PTA auditor.

Kathleen earned her Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Southern California and her Master of Accounting in Taxation, from Pace University, NYC. Past employment includes Senior Manager at Ernst & Young, International Tax Department, New York City.  She relocated to Ernst & Young’s LA office to assist in the expansion of the firm’s Southern California International Tax practice. She is currently co-owner of J & K Land Development. Kathleen and her husband, John, of nineteen years reside in Westlake Village with their children, Jack and Katie, who attend Westlake High School.

Stakeholder Council

DR. JEFF BAARSTAD -  CVUSD Superintendent
 
ASHLEY COOPER - Teacher Representative, High School

KRIS OLSEN - Teacher Representative, Middle School

JANET DOMAN - Teacher Representative, Elementary School

DENISE READER - Conjeo Council PTA

Advisory Committee

This is a committee that was developed from a partnership of business and civic leaders greatly interested in the Conejo Valley Unified School District and its continued success.

Individuals may become a part of the Advisory Committee at any time by committing to a gift of $5,000. Tax-deductible gifts may be made in one of four ways:

• Donate a lump sum of $5,000
• Pledge $2,500 a year over the next two years
• Donate stock with a market value of $5,000

As an Advisory Committee member, you will be recognized publicly (with your permission), and invited to the fun and interesting programs planned for Advisory Committee members throughout the year. You will have opportunities to meet other community leaders who are committed to Conejo Valley's standards for a world class education.

Specifically, Advisory Committee, receive many forms of public recognition for their leadership and commitment to Conejo's public schools.

 JACQUI IRWIN

Jacqui V. Irwin, Mayor of Thousand Oaks, earned her Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering with a Minor, in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego.  She was Academic All-American in swimming, water polo, and crew.  During her career, Jacqui worked as a Systems Engineer for Applied Physics Lab and Teledyne Systems.  She was appointed to the Planning Commission in 2003, and elected to the Thousand Oaks City Council in 2004.  She served on several City Council Committees including the Crime Prevention Task Force, Lynn/Olsen Road Traffic and Pedestrian Committee, California State University, Channel Islands Dean’s Leadership Advisory Committee, Conejo Coalition for Youth and Family Intergovernmental Relations Committee, Ventura Council of Governments.

Jacqui Irwin has played an integral part in community activities by serving as President of the Thousand Oaks Titans Football Association, Vice President of Membership of the Thousand Oaks High School and Redwood Middle School Fundraising, Chair of the American Diabetes Association Bike Ride. Jacqui has worked tirelessly with the Conejo Schools Foundation, PTAs and Site Councils for Madrona Elementary and Redwood Middle Schools, and the Conejo Council PTA.  Jacqui and her husband, Jon Irwin, have three children

JUDY LAZAR

Twice the mayor of Thousand Oaks and a councilwoman from 1990 to 1998, Judy Lazar has embraced many Conejo civic organizations with service and leadership since settling here in 1971 with her husband, Roger. An economics/political science graduate of Albertus Magnus College, Judy is a past chair of the Thousand Oaks Planning Commission, past president of the Southeast Ventura County YMCA, and a board member for the Thousand Oaks Rotary Club. She was executive director of Conejo Valley Senior Concerns from 1983 to 1989 and is a board member of the Conejo Future Foundation.  While their three sons were growing up, Judy served on the CVUSD District Advisory Council and chaired the Thousand Oaks High School site council.  Today she owns Community Consulting Services, providing land use and non-profit expertise.
 
RICK LEMMO

A longtime Conejo Valley resident and community leader, Rick Lemmo currently serves as vice president for community relations at Caruso Affiliated Holdings, which is developing the new shopping, dining, and entertainment center adjacent to the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza . Rick spent 27 years in broadcasting, most recently as vice president and general manager for Lite 92.7 in Thousand Oaks . He was the 1997 Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year, and is currently its chair emeritus, and is past president of the T.O. Rotary Club, which feted Rick in 1998-99 as Rotarian of the Year. He serves on the board of the Alliance for the Arts Foundation and the Ventura County Discovery Center . Rick and his wife, Lou Ann, have three sons; the youngest, Zachary, is making his way through Conejo Valley schools in Newbury Park.
 
BOB NUNN

Bob Nunn is president and chief executive officer of Fulcrum Microsystems, a fabless semiconductor start-up company located in Calabasas, CA. A graduate of UCLA and the Harvard Business School, Bob is a proven leader with experience in establishing strategic direction and in successfully communicating his vision. Prior to joining Fulcrum, Bob served for 10 years with Vitesse Semiconductor, most recently as general manager of Vitesse's Telecom Products Division. He is involved as a board member of many civic and industry organizations, including E20 Communications, Oluma, and the American Red Cross of Ventura County. Bob and his wife, Renee, have two daughters, one a high school senior and the other a freshman at Bryn Mawr College. Both daughters attended Conejo Valley schools in the Newbury Park area.

PATRICIA H. PHELPS

Since being elected to the School Board in 1998, Pat has served twice as president, multiple times as clerk to the Board and representative to the Family Life Committee, the Conejo Coalition for Youth and Families and the Committee on School District Organization.  She currently serves on the boards of the Tri-county Education Coalition and the Ventura County School Boards Association.  Last spring Pat was inducted into Delta Kappa Gamma, the education honorary.  

Pat lives n Thousand Oaks with her husband, Barry.  They have three children, all graduates of Conejo Valley schools.  Pat began her career as a software programmer for IBM and ended as a systems analyst for Mobil Chemical Company.

Since its inception, Pat has been a strong supporter of the Conejo Schools Foundation. She has always been an active volunteer in her children’s schools, serving at various times as secretary, treasurer, auditor and president for PFA or PTA. She currently serves on the executive board for Conejo Council and the Twelfth District PTA.  

JAMES D. POWER IV

Jamey Power is the former Executive Vice President-International Operations, J.D. Power and Associates.   As the son of J. David Power III, founder of J.D. Power and Associates, Jamey literally grew up with the business. He, like the other Power children, worked at the company in a variety of jobs throughout their early school years and into college. For a period of time, he served as Chairman of J.D. Power Asia Pacific.  In the mid 1990s, Mr. Power directed the J.D. Power and Associates regional office in Troy, MI.  He also managed the Canadian operations and established the first office in Toronto in 1996.   Mr. Power launched his career at the advertising agency Foote, Cone and Belding.  He fulfilled a dream to work directly for an automobile company when he joined the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Corporation as Geo marketing development manager for the region covering Southern California, Arizona, southern Nevada and New Mexico.  Mr. Power received a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of San Diego. The university honored him with an alumni achievement award in 2006.

Mr. Power also manages several of the Power family’s community and philanthropic activities that focus on education and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. In particular he serves as Vice-chairman of the Board of Regents of California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA.  He was recently elected to the University of San Diego Alumni Board.

 PATTI YOMANTAS

Patti Yomantas, Director, Advancement Communications at Pepperdine University, has been a volunteer leader in Conejo Valley schools since 1990.  She is past president of the Weathersfield School, Thousand Oaks High School, and Conejo Council PTAs, and currently serves as vice president, programs for both Conejo Council and 12th District PTA.  She co-chaired the 1997-98 school bond campaigns and was a founding member of the Bond-DAC executive board.  Patti’s entire professional career has been in educational advancement.  She was director of public information at Pepperdine University from 1979-85, director of foundation communications from 1985-90, and now is the principal fund-raising writer for Pepperdine’s advancement division.  A journalism graduate of CSU Long Beach, Patti resides in Thousand Oaks with her husband, Gary. Her son, Eric and daughter Megan, are both TOHS honors and Pepperdine graduates. 

CSF Staff

CINDY  GOLDBERG - Executive Director

Cindy Goldberg joined the Conejo Schools Foundation in 2007 as Executive Director. After many years as a director of development in the entertainment industry, Cindy focused her talents and energy on the educational realm, managing the Development Department of a private university. There, her public relations and grant writing skills helped build the prestige of the school’s undergraduate liberal arts college and graduate programs. She is a respected writer and editor with a talent for putting vision into words. Cindy is a UCLA graduate and an active member of the Thousand Oaks community. She has served on the School Site Council for her children’s elementary school, GATE DAC, and PTA Executive Board. Cindy has been a member of Temple Etz Chaim’s Education Committee for the past 8 years. Cindy and her husband are the proud parents of three CVUSD students.

ANDREA LAMBERT - Office Manager