Staff
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Anne Ehresman—Executive Director Anne joined Project Cornerstone in January, 2008, bringing 20 years of non-profit leadership that includes fighting childhood hunger, preventing child abuse and developing housing and programs to help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. Anne is a frequent keynote speaker and presenter at youth development conferences. She is a member of the advisory committee for the newly launched YUSA Character Development Learning Institute and was named one of the 100 Women of Influence by Silicon Valley Business Journal in 2014. Anne received her Master’s in Social Welfare from University of California at Berkeley and Bachelor’s degree from Brown University. Anne is an avid reader, loves spending time with her family and has been an active volunteer in her children’s schools. |
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Ziem Nguyen Neubert—Director of School Partnerships Ziem joined Project Cornerstone in May 2015, after serving in the public school system for over 20 years as classroom teacher, Educational Services coordinator, assistant principal, and principal. Currently, Ziem collaborates with schools and partners to help them build Developmental Assets for their communities. She trains administrators, faculty, staff, parents, and community members in various workshops, including the “Take It Personally” series. Ziem holds a Master of Arts in Education (Administration and Supervision) from San Jose State University, a K-12 Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Music from the University of California at Santa Cruz. She is a graduate of the Silicon Valley Organization’s “Leadership San Jose 2017” class, a cohort of professionals who explore a range of sectors that together create a vibrant community, with the goal of expanding their own civic engagement. Ziem is a mother of two children and enjoys cooking, Pilates, learning, volunteering, and spending time with her family. |
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Lori Maitski—ABC Program Coordinator, Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Coordinator Lori Maitski first became involved with Project Cornerstone as a parent facilitator for Taking Asset Building Personally (now known as Take It Personally) study groups in 2002, and joined our staff in 2004. She works with adult volunteers in the Asset Building Champions (ABC), Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten, and FUNvisor programs and is a facilitator for Take It Personally study groups. Lori’s prior experience includes teaching a bilingual kindergarten/first grade classroom and more than ten years of active volunteerism in her children’s schools. Lori enjoys helping other parents learn more about the asset approach to parenting, keeping track of her two adult children and spending time with her husband.
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Brenda Serna—Los Dichos Program Coordinator, Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Trainer Brenda manages the Los Dichos program and our ever-growing work in supporting the Spanish-speaking community. She facilitates Take It Personally parent groups and conducts presentations in Spanish and English. Brenda holds a Master's Degree in Social Work from San Jose State University and a double bachelor's degree in Behavioral Science and Psychology from San Jose State University. She is passionate about serving the Silicon Valley Communities and being a positive role model for youth. Brenda has prior experience in the non-profit sector and working with the Latino population, as an after school program coordinator for the Cesar Chavez Foundation.
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Mary Crum—Youth Services Coordinator Mary's professional career began with an extensive background in high tech sales and marketing, but when she began to volunteer in elementary, middle, and high schools, she found her passion in mentorship with youth in health, fitness and educational access in the nonprofit world. Inspired by the potential to be unleashed via partnerships between youth and their adult and peer mentors, Crum believes strongly in the developmental asset model. Mary joined Project Cornerstone in 2013 and her primary responsibilities are focused on the Expect Respect anti-bullying workshops. In these workshops, Mary helps students understand how to identify and address bullying, and work together to create a supportive environment on their campus. She also is a Take It Personally facilitator. Mary earned her BA and Master of Public Administration degrees from Texas A&M University.
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Kelly Noftz—School Support Specialist Kelly first became involved with Project Cornerstone as a member of the first parent study group in 2003. In 2006, Kelly joined the School Partnerships team as a facilitator for Expect Respect. In 2014, she transitioned to the role of School Support Specialist where she works with elementary and middle schools to support the ABC program and the Middle School program. Additionally she is a Take It Personally(TIP) facilitator and trains and supports TIP volunteers.
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Elizabeth Franco - Director of Development and Communications |
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Michelle Onishi—Director of Administration michelle@projectcornerstone.org — 408-351-6482 Michelle joined Project Cornerstone after serving as the ABC lead volunteer at her children's elementary school for five years. With a degree in business administration and twelve years of experience in database management and customer support, her skills help keep Project Cornerstone's countywide programs running smoothly. In her free time, Michelle enjoys spending time with her husband and two teenage sons. |
