40 Under 40

North Bay Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 celebrates young talent in our business community. Of this year’s inductees, only one was from the Sonoma Valley. Lauren Kershner, 32, owner of Goodness Gracious Catering, Songbird Parlor and Valley of the Moon Kombucha Co. in Glen Ellen, will be honored at the April 19 event.

Quarry cafe

Sponsored by Sutter Health and River Rock Casino, the Press Democrat will host a Career Cafe on Tuesday, March 29 from 4-7 p.m. The event offers a chance to connect with local employers and executives and learn more about employment opportunities in the region. Attendees can also receive up-to-date professional portraits, receive personalized presentations from human resources specialists and enjoy a coffee tasting from local roasters. Attendance is free, but registration is required at eventbrite.com/e/career-cafe-tickets-265527990367. The event takes place at coLAB at 427 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa.

First time home buyers

Young Professionals from the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce will host the “What to Expect When Buying Your First Home” virtual webinar, which will focus on demystifying the process of financing and buying a home . In such an expensive business, tipping can help get a buyer off on the right track. The discussion will be led by real estate agent Nicola Roualdes of Vanguard Properties and Thomas Bodell, loan originator for Cross Country Mortgage. It is scheduled for Tuesday, March 29 at 6 p.m. Find the link to log in on sonomachamber.org.

New Pets Lifeline Board Members

Pets Lifeline recently brought in five new board members to the current management team.

Frank Espina’s professional experience spans over four decades as the founder of his own CPA firm as an audit and tax partner. He retired in 2018. Over the years, he has served on the board of directors for the Family Service Agency, the San Mateo Chamber of Commerce, and the Suicide Prevention and Crisis Center. Additionally, for 20 years he was a board member and chief financial officer of Pets in Need. He has two dogs, Hambone and Coco Chanel. He currently sits on the Finance Committee of Pets Lifeline.

Cynthia Frank is now chair of the program’s development committee focused on greater community involvement. She brings more than 30 years of nonprofit experience to the board, including for Friends of San Francisco Animal Care & Control, the Gaucher Community Alliance and The Cultural Conservancy. She lives in Sonoma with her husband Lars Asbjornsen and their beloved cat Mia (aka Creamy).

Jane Hutchinson also sits on the Program Development Committee. During her professional career, she served as president of Cal-ISBOA, a trade association of 250 California independent school business leaders. She was the founding president of the Hawaiian Association of Independent School Business Leaders and a former member of the Independent School Business Leader Association. In 2018, she retired, moved to Sonoma, and married her husband, Bill.

Larry Krieger brings his expertise to the finance committee and is co-chair of the strategic planning committee. Larry has worked with The Bay Club Company, The WellBridge Company and Boston-based Virgin Lifecare Company. He also sits on the board of the Sonoma Valley Boys & Girls Club and was their sweetheart in 2017. He lives in Sonoma with his wife Virginia and has two Pets Lifeline rescues: Baxter and Lulu.

Laura Zimmerman sits on the program development committee. For 20 years, she graced northern and central California television screens as a newscaster and reporter. For five years, she was the news anchor at KTVU in Oakland during the Mornings On 2 newscast. She then joined KGO-TV in San Francisco to serve as co-anchor of the station’s Marketplace financial program. Prior to Pets Lifeline, she served as Executive Director of the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation.

“We are so lucky to have professionals of this caliber joining us. Collectively, we have an incredible array of talent on our board, and I’m honored to work alongside this group of dedicated animal lovers. exclaimed Nancy King, CEO of the nonprofit animal shelter.

first birthday

Sonoma Valley Family Therapy recently celebrated its first year of operation. Co-owned by Victoria Rohrer, LMFT with Kimmy Peterson, LMFT, this Broadway-based practice is looking to grow. “We all live here in Sonoma and are actively looking for more therapists to hire to support the mental health needs of our community. We provide mental health counseling to children, adolescents, adults, couples and families. We are passionate about breaking the stigma around mental health and our goal is to continue to expand access to therapy services in the valley,” Rohrer wrote in an email. To learn more, visit SonomaValleyFamilyTherapy.com.

Observatory Council

The Robert Ferguson Observatory today announced the appointment of Michael O’Shea, a 40-year veteran of radio management, to the Board of Directors.

“We are delighted to have Michael O’Shea join our Board of Trustees,” said Eric McHenry, current Chairman of the Robert Ferguson Observatory Board of Trustees. “Many people call the Observatory Sonoma County’s hidden gem. We’re confident that Michael will help us take this important 25-year-old Sonoma County institution from best-kept secret to star status. .

O’Shea’s accomplishments are many, from being named Billboard magazine’s Program Director of the Year twice, serving on the board of directors of the National Association of Broadcasters, being honored for lifetime achievement. accomplishments by Puget Sound broadcasters, inducted into the Texas Radio Hall-of-Fame in 2008 and honored as a Marconi Prize winner in 2018.

O’Shea already has extensive knowledge of the Robert Ferguson Observatory, having started volunteering for the organization in 2017.

Realtor Honors

Sonoma Realtor Leo Merle has been named the Emerald Elite Award Winner for 2021 at Better Homes and Gardens Realty, ranking him in the top 1% in the company.

Emily Charrier is always on the lookout for business news – share your birthdays, new products or special services and more at emily.charrier@sonomanews.com.