Board of directors
Alissa Everett
Founder and Executive Director
Alissa is an American photojournalist known for creating beautiful images in the world’s most troubled areas. She has focused on the humanity and dignity of people in places such as Darfur, Gaza, the West Bank, Pakistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Alissa co-founded Care Through Action in 2008 to bring awareness to human rights abuses neglected by the mainstream media through photography and raise funds for the subjects of her photography. She was recently featured in “O” the Oprah Magazine and Popular Photography, and in 2009 starred in “In Harm’s Way” a reality documentary show about war photographers on the CW. She served in the Peace Corps in Senegal, West Africa, and worked as an investment banker in San Francisco, CA.
Ken Harootunian
Chairman of the Board
Ken brings to CTA his significant expertise and long history in non-profit management and development. Ken has been the Director of Development or the Director of Major Gifts for numerous high profile organizations including The Commonwealth Fund (NY, 1982-1988), Planned Parenthood of Bergen County (NJ, 1988-1990), Harootunian & Sons (NY, where he was a VP, 1990-1995), Planned Parenthood Golden Gate (SF, 1996-1999), Stanford University School of Engineering (SF, 1999-2001), and The San Francisco Botanical Garden Society (SF, 2001-2005). He is current servicing as the Sr. Associate Director for the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania’s San Francisco Campus, a position he has held since 2005.
Matt Nugent
Board Development
Matt works in private equity and specializes in the retail, restaurant, and other consumer facing industries. Prior to working in PE, Matt was a management consultant in the New York office of The Boston Consulting Group. He holds a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania.
Karen E. Lynn
Chief Financial Officer
Karen graduated from Old Dominion University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and began her accounting career in San Francisco. She has been assisting the nonprofit community with their accounting, exemption applications and tax compliance both as an accountant and as a volunteer ever since. Besides human rights issues, her interests include sustainable agriculture (she is an avid gardener) and the environment.
Allison Metcalfe
Board Secretary
Allison Metcalfe is the Director of Customer Success at DemandBase in San Francisco, CA. She previously lead customer success teams at Jigsaw (acquired by Saleforce.com) and Equilar. Prior to moving to San Francisco, Allison taught English in Japan and Prague, as well as in Oxford, England. Originally from Anoka, Minnesota, Allison attended the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN and received a BA in Journalism. In her spare time, Allison enjoys running with her dog Cleo, working on her house in Russian River and partnering with Alissa Everett to help Care Through Action achieve its exciting and important goals.
Advisory board
Aubrey Yee
Born and raised in Hawaii, Aubrey has traveled the world with her husband Brady to seek out experiences with indigenous cultures and remaining areas rich in biodiversity. Founder of Pacific Home, a furniture and interior design showroom in Honolulu, she also devotes time and energy to a variety of social causes. At Care Through Action she hopes to use on-line communications and social media channels to spread awareness of the organization’s important work in the Congo and other areas of the world where human rights are at stake.
Claudia was born and raised in Austria, and moved to San Francisco in 1984. She holds a Bachelor in Fine Arts and is the founder of Adeeni Design Group, an interior design firm with projects around the country and abroad. Human rights, health, housing and education are causes close to her her heart. For the past 10 years Claudia has been on the San Francisco DIFFA committee, raising funds for AIDS/HIV patients. She is also a member of the Vanguard at the MoAD (Museum of the African Diaspora) and part of the mentorship program at MetWest High School in Oakland.
Claudia Castillo Ross
Claudia Castillo Ross is the founder of Cross Marketing, a public relations firm dedicated to pursue the cross between marketing and philanthropy. Cross Marketing serves its clients through marketing, advertising, special events and philanthropic platforms. In addition, Claudia is also a Marketing Instructor at FIDM, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. She is an active community volunteer and has served as chair for several large-scale fundraising organizations. Claudia and her husband live in the Bay Area with their two children.
Kathy Vizas
Kathy spent a year as a Rotary International Fellow at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland after obtaining her biology degree from Bucknell University. She then graduated cum laude from law school at the University of Pennsylvania. Kathy served as the chief litigation attorney for a $2 billion division of Raychem as well as at Levi Strauss & Co. As General Counsel at Peregrine Systems, Inc. in San Diego, Kathy was part of a three-person turn-around team, hired to direct the floundering company through recovery from a massive fraud. In 2005 Kathy and her husband relocated back to the Berkeley, where she is active with several non-profit organizations. She enjoys playing golf, biking and traveling, as well as playing with her two exceptional dogs, Lucy and Mikey.
Kathryn Johnson
Kathryn E. Johnson served as the CEO of Health Forum for twenty-five years. She is the Co Founder of the Center for Global Service and an active consultant on global health issues. She has served on numerous Boards, including chairing the Boards of the Institute for Research on Learning and the American Society of Association Executives. She is a former W. K Kellogg Foundation Fellow. Currently, Ms. Johnson serves on Boards of the UN’s World Food Program-USA, Global Women’s Leadership Program at Santa Clara University’s Business School, the Health Technology Center, the International Leadership Association, Omni Med, and RENEW. In addition, she serves on the MedShare Western Advisory Board.
