Scott Allison • Ralph Austin • Brent Baxter • Karen Brajkovich
Jon Campopiano• Steve Chappell • Jim McClelland • Kathy Frattini
John McMorris • Paula Molgaard • Kara Navolio • Mark Shone • Michael Stark

Rick Callaway • Rich Ergo • Tim Jochner • Gary Skrel • Kassie Wenzell

Scott Allison
In a time of dramatic change in both global markets and the PR industry, Scott Allison has built one of the fastest growing public relations and public affairs agencies in the nation. Allison, along with partners Andy Hardie-Brown and Scott Pansky, raised the capital to found the firm in 2001, just one week prior to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Nine years later, Allison & Partners continues to take the industry by storm, with eight full service offices, more than 100 employees and eight straight years of double-digit revenue growth. In 2010 MDC Partners acquired a majority interest in the firm, allowing it to maintain its management independence while providing additional resources and expertise to help the company grow at an accelerated rate. Today, as President and CEO, Scott Allison oversees the growth of the agency and remains actively involved in providing strategy to many high-profile executives and client accounts. His success has led to his recognition as a finalist for both the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® award and the American Business Awards Communications Executive of the Year. Prior to founding Allison & Partners, Scott served as West Coast president of Connors Communications. He began his public relations career at one of California’s largest independent public relations firms, The Gable Group, where he was responsible for launching its nationally recognized cause marketing practice. Before entering the public relations field, Allison served as a supervisor with Direct Communications, a San Diego-based political consulting group and as Deputy Communications Director with United States Senator Pete Wilson.

Ralph Austin,
Sports Complex Construction Manager
Ralph Austin has lived in Walnut Creek since 1972 and graduated from Del Valle High School in 1974. Ralph and his wife Sydney have 3 children who have attended Northgate. He has owned and operated Surebuilt Construction Company, a high-end residential construction firm, for 30 years and has been a partner in ProSiding, Inc., a siding installation company, for 8 years. He is very active in the local sports community, coaching soccer for 12 years and baseball for 10.

Brent Baxter
Brent has been a resident of Walnut Creek since 1993. Brent and his wife Kristin have two children who attend Northgate High School and Foothill Middle School. He is a Certified Public Accountant and is a partner in the firm of Comyns, Smith, McCleary & Deaver LLP in Lafayette, California.

Karen Brajkovich
Karen Brajkovich has been a Walnut Creek resident since 2002, and a Bay Area resident since 1995. She re-established the softball program for both Continental and Walnut Creek Little Leagues, building the program from one team to currently eleven teams. Karen has also coached softball teams for the past 7 years, and has served on the board of directors for the local Little Leagues for the past 9 years. She has been on several committees at Valle Verde Elementary, including the Tile Wall committee in 2006, and the Carnival committee in 2006 & 2007. Karen currently works at the California Farmers’ Market Association, which organizes the Diablo Valley Farmers’ Market in the Shadelands in Walnut Creek, as well as 15 other farmers’ markets across the Bay Area. Karen and her husband, Leo, have a son at Northgate High School, and a daughter at Foothill Middle School.

Jon Campopiano, Northgate High School Vice Principal

Steve Chappell, Northgate High School Athletic Director

Jim McClelland
Jim McClelland and his family moved to Walnut Creek in 1997, after relocating to the Bay Area from southern California in 1990 to open an architectural practice. Jim and his wife Shirley's two children graduated from Northgate in 2001 and 2004. Active in area and Northgate aquatics, Jim became involved with the aquatics center feasibility studies in 2003, became the boys varsity water polo head coach in 2005, and was elected to the Northgate Community Pride Board in 2008. Jim's experience with northern California aquatics competition allows him the clarity that for the Northgate aquatics programs to flourish and be competitive with the top area programs, they need an aquatics facilities on campus.

John McMorris, Northgate High School Principal

Paula Molgaard
Paula and her husband, Peter, have two students attending Northgate High School. Paula is an owner and CEO of a small insurance administration business in San Francisco. She currently is a board member of the non-profit organization, Defying Gravity Foundation, an after-school dramatic arts program. Previously, Paula donated her time for eight years as a Girl Scout Troop Leader in the Diablo Valley, and was also a volunteer for the Marin County Sheriff Search and Rescue Unit.

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Kathy Frattini

Kara Navolio
Kara has been an active volunteer in the Northgate area schools for 14 years. She has held PTA board positions and committee chair positions at Valle Verde Elementary. She was a girl scout leader for 7 years. She has been active in the parent-taught drug prevention program (PEP) at the elementary and middle school levels, teaching for 11 years and recruiting and coordinating the program for 9 years. Her business background is in marketing research, and she holds a B.S. in business from U.C. Berkeley. She has been involved with Northgate Community Pride Foundation since 2005 writing grant applications and fundraising in the community. She has lived in Walnut Creek for 20 years.

Mark Shone
Mark has lived in Walnut Creek since 1988, He and his wife Kathleen have two children who both attend Northgate High School. He has owned and operated Shone Asset Management since 2005 and was a Managing Director at Neuberger Berman and Lehman Brothers prior to starting his own business. He has been active in local sports as a coach, fan and volunteer since 1994.

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Michael Stark
Chair, Marketing Committee
Michael Stark is the owner of The Marcom Group, a full service marketing, advertising and design services firm in Walnut Creek. Established in 1998, The Marcom Group is a boutique shop committed to serving clients with a comprehensive approach to marketing from research and strategic planning to complete design concepts and advertising campaigns to media buying and web development and e-marketing solutions.
Prior to establishing The Marcom Group Mike served as Vice President of Account Services at Compass Marketing where he was responsible for business development and account service for some of the firm's leading accounts.
Prior to working on the agency side, Mike was Director of Marketing Communications at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, one of Westin Hotel and Resorts flagship properties. As Director, he was responsible for advertising, promotions, public relations and community relations. Prior to this role, Mike was also the Director of Public Relations and Marketing Manager for the St. Francis. He also served as the Director of Public Relations for the San Francisco Hilton.
Mike and his wife Susan have lived in the Northgate neighborhood for over 20 years and have been very active with coaching, schools and the community. Their oldest daughter Katie is part of Northgate High School's class of 2012 and younger daughter Meghan will graduate with the class of 2014.

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Rick Callaway

Rich Ergo
Rich Ergo has been on the NCPF board since its inception. Rich and his wife Linda have lived in Walnut Creek since 1984 and have four children. Rich has served on the board for Walnut Creek Little League and the Walnut Creek Fountain for Youth Foundation. He has coached youth soccer, baseball and basketball teams in the community since 1986. Rich is a partner with the Walnut Creek law firm of Bowles & Verna.

Tim Jochner
Tim Jochner was born and raised in Walnut Creek and has resided in Walnut Creek ever since. He and his wife Courtney attended Walnut Acres, Valle Verde, Foothill and Northgate. While at Northgate Tim lettered in baseball and wrestling and sat first chair on the Jazz band as a senior. Tim and Courtney have two girls; one attends Northgate and one is a Northgate graduate. Tim is currently President and Chairman of Superior Financial Group LLC, Walnut Creek, California. He owns and operates Shadowbrook Winery in Walnut Creek, California as well as Diablo Vineyards, a vineyard planting and management company. Tim has owned and operated 3 successful businesses in the financial services industry, two of which were separately honored by Entrepreneurial magazine as top 100 fastest growing companies. Tim has volunteered in many of his children's school functions and serves as Chairman of the board of the Northgate Baseball dugout club (www.northgatebaseball.com). Having enjoyed much business success Tim is dedicated to improving the Northgate area schools so that the current and future students can have the best opportunities for success. Tim's goal for the Northgate Community Pride Foundation and the reason he joined the Board is to improve all of the school's "outside the classroom" activities that he believes are just as important as the "in classroom" activities in a young person's growth and development. "Producing good citizens will enhance our community and give our children a foundation for success."

Gary Skrel
Gary Skrel is one of the co-founders of the NCPF. He has been on the Board since its inception in 1998. His initial focus area on the Board was the successful renovation of the Northgate Gymnasium, which was completed in 2001. Gary is a Walnut Creek City Council member, currently serving as Mayor Pro Tem. He is a professional engineer and founding principal with The Covello Group, Inc., a construction management consulting firm.

Kassie Wenzell
Kassie and her husband Mike have been Walnut Creek residents since 1995; relocating from New Jersey. The three Wenzell children graduated from Northgate High School in 2005, 2007 and 2009. Kassie served on the Sports Complex project committee since its inception until 2011. Her belief that strong extra curricular programs build pride among the student body motivated her to work to improve facilities at Northgate High School and its feeder schools. A corresponding belief that community members should invest in the youth from their neighborhoods kept her involved after her children graduated. Kassie has a BS in Business Administration from Rider University.

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