LAURIE WISHARD
PRESIDENT
A seasoned human services executive with extensive experience in social service program development, Laurie is currently celebrating her 25th year with Family Service. Originally joining Family Service in 1984 as director of senior services, Laurie was promoted to vice president in 1986 and assumed her current role as president in 1997. As President, Laurie oversees Family Service's 200+ employees at 22 locations who serve over 19,500 children, families and older adults annually. Before she assumed her responsibilities as President, Laurie co-authored four books including: Sixty Plus in America: A Sourcebook of Senior Benefits and Services; Adoption: The Grafted Tree; Sixty Plus in California: Making the Most of Senior Benefits and Services; and Men's Rights: A Handbook for the 80's. Active in the community, Laurie serves on the Board of Directors for the national Ways to Work organization and San Francisco nonprofit Joey’s Corner, and is involved in the Workforce Investment Board of San Mateo County. In recent years she helped ensure the financial sustainability of Family Service by completing its $7.5 million dollar building capital campaign, and spearheaded the organization’s relocation to a new, state-of-the-art headquarters in downtown San Mateo. Laurie holds a B.A. Degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a M.S.W. from California State University, Sacramento. A San Mateo resident, in her spare time Laurie enjoys walking, reading and practicing to improve her Spanish.
JOHN BORSELLA
VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE
John joined Family Service as vice president of finance in August of 2008 after expertly advising the organization as a consultant. A Peninsula native born in Redwood City, John attended San Francisco State University and earned a B.S. Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. He additionally earned his M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix and is a C.P.A. Prior to assuming his role at Family Service, John worked for nearly two decades as an auditor for various C.P.A. firms throughout the Bay Area, as a CFO for a local nonprofit and as a consultant with Robert Half Management Resources. John’s career is earmarked by the successful management of numerous nonprofit accounts and a reputation for cost-effectiveness. As vice president of finance, John is responsible for Family Service’s internal controls; annual budget preparation, audit and tax returns; the management of external auditors and brokers; and the preparation of monthly financial statements/investment information for the board of directors and organization committees. In his down time, John enjoys playing the guitar, reading and spending time with his wife at home in Modesto.
DEBORAH MILLER
VICE PRESIDENT OF PROGRAMS AND CLIENT SERVICES
Deb Miller signed on with Family Service in 2006. A native of Honolulu, Hawaii, Deb’s educational background includes a B.A. in Business from San Francisco State University and an M.B.A. in International Economics from the University of Washington. Following her studies, Deb spent over twenty years working in a for-profit environment, including time as an independent consultant and as a Silicon Valley executive. These experiences cultivated Deb’s broad perspective on operational efficiency and her strong commitment to creating an environment of continuous improvement. Eventually, Deb transitioned to a career in the non-profit realm, working in a senior level position for a Peninsula social service organization before joining Family Service. She brings a wealth of business-savvy and leadership skills to her role as vice president of programs and client services, a newly created position. At Family Service, Deb cultivates external relationships, develops new business opportunities for programs and services, and spearheads the overall strategic planning. A current resident of San Mateo, Deb enjoys exploring the culinary arts with her friends in her free time.
SUSAN HOUSTON
DIRECTOR, SENIOR SERVICES
A native of Denver, Colorado, Susan holds a bachelor of arts in both Social Work and Spanish from Chico State and has completed one year of graduate school. Her past experience includes extensive time working with people with disabilities. Employed by Family Service since 1984, as Division Director of Senior Services Susan's responsibilities include overseeing the operation of six programs (at the agency's headquarters and its Fair Oaks Intergenerational Senior Center); direct services; second careers programs; senior center programs; and coordinating with funding sources. The founding member and former president of Northern California's Forum on Older Workers, Susan also is involved in California's Coalition for Older Working Women; San Mateo County's Fall Prevention Program; the Steering Committee of the New Beginnings Coalition; and is a participating partner in Peninsula Works. In the past, Susan authored a popular weekly column on senior issues called "Senior Savvy" that appeared in several local newspapers, including the San Mateo Daily News. She is also the 2006 recipient of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and Commission on Disabilities “People Who Care Award.” A current resident of Burlingame, Susan enjoys flamenco dancing, gardening, yoga and exercise in her spare time.
KIMBERLY PESAVENTO
DIRECTOR OF VISITATION SERVICES
A native of Lockport, Illinois, Kimberly joined Family Service as director of visitation services in February 2008. She holds a B.A. Degree in English from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where she was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies, and is a graduate of Stanford Law School. A member of the State Bar Association of California, Kimberly brings a wealth of legal, educational and volunteer experience to the table at Family Service. One highlight of her distinguished career was representing low-income families while working as a family law attorney at the Community Law Center in Oakland. In her current role supervising the Visitation Services program, Kimberly manages a staff of 17 people, oversees Children’s Waiting Rooms at two court houses, spearheads community outreach and collaborative partnerships, and coordinates funding sources. Additional to her work at Family Service, Kimberly is active in the local community, serving as a volunteer organizer and member of the Board of Trustees and Development Committee at the Keys School in Palo Alto. She has fundraised significantly for the school and has assisted in its efforts to locate and construct a new campus. Making her home in Atherton, Kimberly enjoys running, playing the flute, and participating in a book club in her off time.
ANN TORRES
DIRECTOR, CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION
A resident of Brisbane and native San Franciscan, Ann studied Elementary Education and Liberal Studies at San Francisco State University. Her past career experience includes time working as a teacher in the San Francisco Unified School District before moving on to a position at the Leo J. Ryan Child Development Center in 1981. Ann later joined the Family Service team when it assumed management of the Leo J. Ryan Center in 1989. As part of her responsibilities for Family Service, Ann manages the division's budgeting and contracts; oversees the child development leadership team; six child care sites; as well as the Neighborhood Child Care Program's network of 12 homes. One of Ann's missions for her division is to not only insure that they provide quality care for children, but also help them become school-ready. A recipient of the San Mateo Association for the Education of Young Children's (AEYC) 2000 award, Ann is also a past president and a current member of the organization. In addition, she is actively involved in the San Mateo Consortium for Quality Program; the Cañada College-based Mentor Selection Committee which matches students with mentors in San Mateo County; and sits on several committees for the national arm of the AEYC. Ann counts scrapbook-making and family-related social gatherings as some of her favorite extracurricular activities.
