CCHS Staff
KATY DEBASA, Managing Director
MADISON HAMPTON, Programs Manager
Madison is originally from Florida but moved to Pleasant Hill in 2017. Her background is in communications and non-profit administration. While her degree is in Legal Studies and Journalism, she is invested in animal welfare. Madison originally joined the CCHS team in 2017 as the Cat Adoption Center Manager at the Pet Food Express location in Danville and assumed the Programs Manager position in 2018.
SUZANNE COWHERD, Cat Adoption Center Manager
Suzanne was born and raised in Pleasant Hill. She earned her Bachelors degree in Organizational Communication Studies from California State University, Sacramento and has since worked in the non-profit sector with a background in behavioral therapy and support for people on the Autism spectrum. She is passionate about animal rescue in hopes to reduce animal homelessness within our community. Suzanne began her work volunteering for CCHS in kitty corner and now manages our cat adoption center at Pet Food Express in Danville.
Board Members
Officers
KEVIN KOSIK, President
Originally from New York, Kevin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from State University of New York (SUNY) College at Buffalo and a Masters degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Illinois in Chicago. He has more than 25 years of experience working in the nonprofit sector. Kevin is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and has held senior leadership and resource development positions with the Chicago Youth Symphony and the Navy Pier in that city. He was executive director of the American Lung Association in California (Greater Bay Area and Sacramento), President/CEO of Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) in San Francisco, Vice-President/Chief Development Officer for the YMCA of the Central Bay Area and Deputy Chief Development Officer for the Sierra Club. Kevin joined the CCHS Board of Directors in 2011 and was elected president of the board in 2015.
NICOLE HANEY, Vice President
Born and raised in Pleasant Hill, Nicole is a graduate of San Francisco State University where she earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Philosophy and wrote her thesis on animal welfare in politics. She has been in the insurance industry for over 15 years and is currently a management liability underwriter for Nationwide Insurance. Nicole joined the CCHS Board of Directors in 2015 and sits on the Animal Welfare and Advocacy committees. In addition to her role on the board she is also a foster and foster mentor for CCHS, a State District Leader for The Humane Society of the United States, a vegan, and a pit bull advocate.
TEMMA ROBY, Vice President
Temma is the Chief Financial Officer and law firm Administrator for Angius and Terry LLP in Walnut Creek. She has over 15 years of experience in Human Resources Management and is Chair of the CCHS Personnel Committee. Temma earned her BA in Political Science from San Francisco State University and is the past Board President for the Benicia Stingrays Swim Team. Temma also served as a Commissioner for the City of Benicia, Civil Service Commission. Temma is a long time animal welfare advocate and has done some volunteering for the Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek and the Benicia/Vallejo Humane Society. Temma became a member of the CCHS board of directors in 2017.
JAN BONO, Secretary
Jan is a partner with Ernst & Young, LLP and is their West Coast Bay Area Advisory Leader assisting the company’s global clients with managing their governance, compliance and risk management programs. She earned a degree in BS Business Administration in organizational development emphasis at California State University, Fresno, and holds certification in both project management and information systems. Jan also serves as the Advisory Board chair for the YMCA in Pleasant Hill and is branch representative to the YMCA of the Central Bay Area Board of Directors. She is a volunteer and member of the Oakland Zoo where she leads Ernst &Young’s teams at annual volunteer events and she is also a longtime volunteer at Kitty Corner, CCHS’s on-site, free-roam cat shelter. Jan became a member of the CCHS board of directors in 2014.
CHRISTINE BURKE, Treasurer
Christine graduated from the University of San Diego with a Bachelor’s Degree in business administration and holds an MBA in finance from California State University East Bay. She has spent more than 20 years working in a variety of finance and accounting positions with Longs Drugstores, Central Garden and Pet and most recently with the CSAA Insurance Group. Christine joined the CCHS board in 2009 and has served as its Treasurer since 2012.
STEVE AMOS
Steve is in the financial sector and has extensive experience in companion animal welfare and professional leadership for nonprofits. He earned a BA in accounting from Portland State University. He has spent more than 10 years as a volunteer for Contra Costa Animal Services where he started and manages CCAS’s Running Dog program. The program involves a team of approximately 10 runners who schedule structured runs with the dogs on local trails providing them with much needed exercise and temporary freedom from confinement. Steve joined the CCHS Board of Directors in 2014.
TONY JAGODA
Tony is an art director and creative strategist who has worked on brand and advertising campaigns ranging from garage-based startups to some of the world’s largest Fortune 15 corporations. His work has been seen at the national and local level, from Super Bowl Sunday to the Coney Island Boardwalk. He holds a BFA in Graphic Design, an MBA in Design Strategy and makes it a priority to work with companies that equally consider people, planet and profit. After living in SF, LA and NYC, Tony returned to the Bay Area in 2012 when he joined CCHS as a pit bull foster. He is eager to further the emotional connection the community has with CCHS.
MIKE REEKERS
Mike graduated Magna Cum Laude from Golden Gate University with a BS degree in business management. He additionally holds a linguist degree in Korean from the Monterey Defense Language Institute and served with the Naval Security Group during the Vietnam era having received both land and sea assignments throughout the Far East. In a civilian capacity, Mike spent a 42-year career working as a financial and project manager for Chevron. He has served on both the Board of Directors for the Moraga Baseball Association and the 30 Fund providing marketing services for charitable organizations and was a longtime supporter of both CCHS and the Lindsay Wildlife Museum before joining the CCHS Board of Directors in 2015.
MYRNA SCHULTZ
Myrna has had a varied and progressive 30-year career in marketing, advertising, real estate and construction management working most recently in the food service industry as Vice President of Marketing & Development for a restaurant franchise group. She was on the Marketing Advisory Council for the restaurant brands they owned, representing franchisees and advising the Executive Team on strategic decisions. She has also worked in Brand Management with several Fortune 500 companies and at the largest Advertising Agency in Chicago. Myrna received her Masters of Arts degree from Michigan State University. She is a member of the Women’s Foodservice Forum and, as an animal lover and advocate, is currently a volunteer and member of Best Friends Animal Society and volunteers at the Contra Costa Animal Shelter in Martinez.
ANITA TAFF-RICE
Anita graduated Magna Cum Laude from Georgetown Law Center in Washington, D.C. and founded iCommLaw, specializing in technology and telecommunications matters for competitive and wireless carriers and broadband providers. Prior to obtaining her law degree she worked as a journalist in Washington D.C. covering public policy, technology and regulatory issues in the computer and technology industries. She joined the CCHS Board of Directors in 2010 and has helped develop the AniMeals program that distributes pet food to limited income companion animal owners in Contra Costa County. Anita also offers pro bono counsel to non-profits providing food and housing assistance for disadvantaged women.
