ProBono Marin Consultation
We offer three ways to meet the needs of the nonprofit community. Services are free for Members of the Center. For Membership information click here.
Project Consulting: Our lead program which offers full project consultation.
Free Advice Consults: A one-hour session that offers advice to Center Members.
Consultants on Call: A service where experienced ProBono Advisors provide a brief phone consultation.
Meet the ProBono Marin Team
Jack Alotto
Jack has more than 25 years in non-profit management as Director of Development and Executive Director. His experience includes working with small start-up and larger organizations in the arts, healthcare and human service non-profits. Jack has worked in all aspects of fundraising, including major gifts, annual giving, special events, deferred giving, capital campaigns and corporate and foundation funding. He is knowledgeable in board development, creating and growing programs, strategic planning, mission development, donor identification and retention and using social networking to increase support. Jack has a BA and MA in Psychology.
Marlene J. Berkoff, FAIA
Marlene is a licensed architect and economic analyst with a 30-year career developing architecture and strategic planning projects for healthcare and academic clients. She provides project management, strategic planning, and decision-making support services to non-profit agencies. As a ProBono Marin consultant, she also addresses facilities issues and plans, and facilitates board and staff retreats for member non-profits.
Marlene has held executive positions in national architecture firms. She is Past President of the national AIA Academy of Architecture for Health, former President of the Board of Governors for the Architectural College of the University of Michigan, and a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects.
Marlene holds a B.A. in Math and Economics, a B. Arch., and a M. Arch.
Jonathan Bernstein
Jonathan has over twenty years experience managing and marketing nonprofit organizations. As Executive Director of Not In Our Town, he developed a national anti-hate public affairs campaign to expand awareness and financial support for this organization. For seventeen years as Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League, Jonathan positioned that organization as the leading NPO countering anti-Semitism. He has experience in communication and media relations, board governance and executive leadership. Jonathan received an MBA in marketing and MA in from the University of Texas at Austin and BA from the University of California, Berkeley.
Peter Boam
Peter has more than 10 years experience in employee relations, human resources, and organizational development. He has served as Marketing Services Training Manager for Discover Card, and Communication and Compliance Manager of California Harley-Davidson. Peter also had a 25-year career in radio broadcasting at stations in the West.
He is a member of ProBono Marin’s marketing initiative to recruit professionals to serve as pro bono consultants. He is also a member of BoardMatch at the Center, placing skilled volunteers on non-profit boards. Peter currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Mill Valley Philharmonic and LITA. He is also the stadium voice of Terra Linda High School football and basketball.
Peter has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Professional Communication.
Bob Canepa
Bob has more than 25 years experience in marketing and merchandising, human resources, and business management. As a ProBono Marin consultant, he has worked with over 30 nonprofit organizations on such topics as sales, marketing, strategic planning, board issues, development, and recruitment.
Bob was President and Partner of Mill Valley Market until his retirement in 2006. Prior to his business career, Bob was an artillery officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. He has served on several for-profit and non-profit boards and committees, including Unified Western Grocers, Rotary, Kiddo, and The Redwoods.
Bob has a B.A. in History, a secondary teaching credential from Dominican University, and USMC specialized training.
Bob Davisson
Bob has over 20 years experience in financial services to corporations and non-profit mental health organizations. His expertise includes executive leadership, strategic planning, finance, and stakeholder relations. In addition to participating in ProBono Marin, Bob currently volunteers as a BoardMatch Coordinator at the Center, and is a veteran non-profit board member.
As a Corporate VP and Commercial Loan Officer, he managed $120 million at a local community bank. He also served as executive director of several mental health non-profits, and as Director of National Contributions for the Levi Strauss Foundation. Bob helped grow Bay Area Community Resources from a small agency to a $30 million agency, today serving more than 27,000 at-risk youth and their families.
Bob has a B.A. in History, a Bachelor of Divinity and a post-graduate Fellowship in Urban Affairs.
Stan Gassman
Stan has a 20 year professional career as an independent consultant and corporate executive, including notable successes with a diverse range of clients. He is an innovator and skilled communicator, excelling at strategy, business development and sustainable business operations. Stan has a BS in Economics from City College, New York and has graduate certifications in Sustainable Design from Boston Architectural College and Sustainability Business Management from Cal State, East Bay.
Stan Green
Stan is a Certified Financial Planner who has operated a private practice for the past six years. As a solo practitioner, he focuses on small business marketing and operations, and assists individual clients with budgeting, taxes, insurance, investing, retirement plans and estate planning. Prior to his independent business, Stan had a 30-year career with Morgan Stanley and PaineWebber (UBS). He retired as SVP-Investments with Morgan Stanley.
In addition to his ProBono Marin work, he has been treasurer on the boards of the Osher Marin JCC and the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership, and served for five years on the Marin County Commission on Aging,
Stan has a B.S. in Mechanical & Aerospace Sciences and an M.E. in Mechanical Engineering.
Mark Hoffman
Mark has over 25 years experience in strategic planning, executive recruiting, program evaluation, group facilitation and executive coaching. As a ProBono Marin consultant, he has conducted program evaluations, advised in strategic plan development and facilitated board meetings.
In addition to owning his own executive search firm for 20 years, Mark has consulted in the energy and environmental arenas, advised Bank of America in developing socially responsible corporate policies, and was employed by local, state and federal agencies to develop innovative approaches to criminal justice.
Mark has a B.A. in Economics, a Masters of City and Regional Planning and a Masters of Public Policy.
John Kikuchi
John has more than 25 years experience in product marketing, strategic planning, competitive analysis and market research. As a ProBono Marin member, he serves as a community volunteer helping non-profit organizations in marketing, public relations and strategic planning. John has also served on the marketing committee and helps the organization with WEB and IT support. He is a board member of Marin Advocates for Children.
John was a product manager for Hewlett Packard and Agilest Technologies, where he identified new product opportunities, established product strategies, and created market messaging for communication test equipment.
John has a B.S. degree in Bioengineering
Bob Kopelman
For more than 25 years, Bob has helped for-profit and non-profit organizations of all sizes define their needs for technology solutions. In his consulting practice, Bob has handled such projects as management databases, client management systems, online knowledge bases, hardware networking, and accounting systems. As a ProBono Marin consultant, he has helped non-profits improve existing systems or transition to new ones.
Bob has worked for several Bay Area and Silicon Valley software companies on client projects for HP, Cisco, Adobe, Wells Fargo, Levi Strauss and Blue Cross. Prior to his tech career, he was the Executive Director of two non-profits.
Bob studied Electrical Engineering and Mathematics.
Mel Matsumoto
Mel Matsumoto has 35 years of experience in non-profit management, principally in the field of aging services. As a ProBono Marin member, he has facilitated a non-profit board retreat and is currently helping develop a non-profit’s strategic plan.
Mel is Executive Vice President and Chief Staff Officer for Masonic Homes of California. Previously, he was VP of Project Development for New Life Management & Development, helping clients build or rebuild retirement communities. He was also VP of Operations for Northern California Presbyterian Homes & Services, and Executive Director of The Redwoods in Mill Valley.
Mel has served on the board of Aging Services of California and is now sits on the board of its national affiliate, LeadingAge.
Mel holds a B.A. in English.
Pam Nichols
Pam is a sales and fundraising consultant with more than 20 years of experience. As VP of Development for the United Way of the Bay Area, she led development teams and worked with high-level volunteers and corporate sponsors to meet development goals, including surpassing her team’s $5 million campaign goal. Pam has worked for major corporations selling complex technical marketing and risk solutions into financial services, high-tech, and consumer goods companies.
In addition to her participation in ProBono Marin, Pam currently volunteers as a BoardMatch Coordinator for the Center. She has also participated in Major Gifts training seminars through the Institute for Charitable Giving.
Pam has a B.S. in Communications.
Ira Okun
Ira has a lifetime of experience in government and non-profit service. He is currently a non-profit management consultant. As a ProBono Marin volunteer, he specializes in strategic planning and positioning, board development, CEO coaching, non-profit mergers, and crisis management.
Ira retired from full-time employment after 28 years as CEO of small and large non-profits whose services included youth advocacy, elder and child abuse prevention, child care, juvenile delinquency, teen pregnancy prevention, Youth Corps, National Service and mental health. He has extensive experience as a board member and consultant to many non-profits in the Bay Area and western states.
Ira has a B.B.A. and an M.S. in Psychology.
Ruth Rakosky
Ruth has over 20 years of business and volunteer experience specializing in non-profit community relations. As a ProBono Marin member, she has supported non-profits in such areas as marketing, promotion, and fundraising.
Ruth was VP of Community Relations at Westamerica Bank, where she helped non-profits in such areas as board governance, marketing, executive management, coaching, fundraising, and community relations. Ruth also spearheaded community events and fundraising campaigns on behalf of the corporation. She has served on the boards of many Bay Area non-profits, including the Center and the Marin Arts Council.
Ruth has a B.A. in French and Spanish.
Stephen Reimann
Stephen has over 30 years experience in providing management and organizational development services for governmental, non-governmental, and commercial organizations of all sizes. His expertise includes strategic planning, management and leadership training, human resource management, and project management. He has provided technical assistance for USAID, the World Bank, and the UK Department of International Development for the health sectors in developing countries around the world. For the past 20 years he has held the posts of Senior Fellow, Principal Consultant, and Director of Management Training for Management Sciences for Health (MSH) a Boston-based health management consulting organization. Stephen holds an MBA and a BA (Honors) in Social Science.
Marci Rinkoff, CPCC, CC
Marci is Executive Coach and Founder of MBR Coaching. She has 15 years experience in coaching, business consulting, fundraising, and sales for organizations from non-profits to Fortune 500 companies. She specializes in coaching for women in leadership roles in the non-profit sector.
In addition to consulting for ProBono Marin, she is President-Emeritus of the North Bay Chapter of the International Coaching Federation and on the faculty at San Jose State University and the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership. She is certified as a coach through the International Coach Federation and Coaches Training Institute.
Marci holds a B.A. in Sociology and has completed advanced studies in Organizational Development.
Judith Saffran
Judith has more than 20 years experience in commercial and residential real estate. She currently manages a small residential portfolio. As a ProBono Marin consultant, she advices non-profits on real estate issues, and has co-chaired two community awareness and physician appreciation events for the Marin Community Clinic. Judith has also been a board member of Ecology House.
Previously, Judith was Property Supervisor for Ecumenical Association for Housing, responsible for opening, leasing, program compliance and personnel supervision. She was also VP of Lexington Associates, a San Francisco multi-family apartment developer; and Assistant to the Property Manager at Levi’s Plaza during construction and commercial leasing.
She holds a B.A. degree in English and Journalism and a California Real Estate license.
Karen Schellhorn
Karen has over 30 years experience in corporate communications and public relations, specializing in issues and reputation management, and marketing communications. She currently leads ProBono Marin’s marketing initiative, sourcing professionals in the community to serve as pro bono non-profit consultants.
Karen was VP of Corporate Communications at Jack in the Box Inc., where she was responsible for media relations and financial, employee, and executive communications. She was also President of the Jack in the Box Foundation. In addition, she has held communications positions at Levi Strauss, Del Monte Foods, RJR Nabisco and the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.
Karen holds a B.A. degree in Journalism and Psychology.
