Board of Directors

Emma Epes

CPA and Partner at EY

Board Chair

Emma Epes is a licensed CPA and an Assurance partner at EY for the last 10 years.

Julianne Markow

Chief Operating Officer at Voice of San Diego

Board Treasurer

Julianne Markow is a high-impact, pragmatic leader with more than 25 years of experience at Fortune 500, start-up, and non-profit corporations.

Karen Henken

Professor of Practice at University of San Diego

Board Secretary

Karen has helped dozens of organizations establish a beachhead in new industries and geographies in the US and globally and is now a professor of social entrepreneurship at USD.

Mike Irwin

Founder Bottle Rocket Advisors

Mike is founder of Bottle Rocket Advisors, a business consultancy focused on helping companies grow revenue, improve organizational effectiveness and profitability, and scale up.

Bobby has over thirty years in the hospitality industry and now oversees overseeing the procurement, production, preparation, service and sale of food and refreshments at the San Diego Convention Center.

Sergio Alvarez

Chief Operating Officer of Duchateau

Sergio Alvarez is an accomplished executive with strong entrepreneurial spirit, having led many business to grow their market dramatically.

Jess Yuen

Campaign Director, Rady’s Children Hospital

Jess brings a unique perspective to our board of directors from her varied career at the intersection of social enterprise, philanthropy, and politics.

Jeff Johnson

EVP McKellar McGowan Real Estate Development

Jeff earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1980 and in 1983 earned a J.D. from Hastings College of Law.

Howard Solomon

Founder of Solomon 2.0

Howard Solomon is a renowned leader, advisor, presenter and keynote speaker for the hospitality industry.

Chuck Samuelson

Founder and Board Member, Kitchens for Good

Former Chef and Restaurateur, Chuck leveraged his 45 years of culinary and hospitality experience into founding Kitchens for Good.

Catherine Blair

Retired Educator

Catherine has extensive experience with the nonprofit sector as a volunteer, committee member, board member and fundraiser.

Shawn Parr

CEO and Guvner of Bulldog Drummond

Shawn Parr, The Guvner of Bulldog Drummond, an internationally recognized Innovation & Design consultancy, brings twenty-plus years of innovation, design, brand and business-building experience to companies from Fortune 500s to purpose-driven startups.