Eva Casey-Velasquez, longtime CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, announced her impending retirement after a remarkable tenure that transformed the organization into a nationally recognized leader in identity crime victim support. Under her leadership, the ITRC grew significantly while never losing sight of its core mission: helping victims navigate some of the most disorienting experiences of their lives. We are grateful for everything Eva has contributed to this community and wish her a well-earned retirement.

Eva is a graduate of the Executive Learning Group and Coaching Program.

Stephanie Cook, Executive Director of the San Diego Women's Foundation, has been named the September Voice of the Month by Women Speak Up. The recognition comes alongside a reflection on leadership that is very much in line with the values we celebrate in this network: that leadership isn't about platform or position, but about creating space for others, connecting people and ideas, and contributing to something bigger than yourself. It's a philosophy Stephanie lives out every day in her work building collective philanthropy and community across San Diego.

Stephanie is a graduate of the Executive Learning Group.

Serge Dedina, Executive Director of WILDCOAST, was honored with the Ohana Festival's Inspiring Activism Award at this year's festival in Dana Point. The award, presented by Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam's Ohana Festival, recognizes leaders who have committed their lives to activism and environmental impact. Serge was invited to participate in the festival's Storytellers gathering, sharing the recognition alongside fellow honorees Captain Paul Watson and George Sutherland. It's a meaningful acknowledgment of the ocean conservation work Serge and the WILDCOAST team pour themselves into every day.

Serge is a graduate of the Executive Learning Group.

We are thrilled to welcome Rachel Peniche as Fieldstone Network's new Director of Development. Rachel's connection to Fieldstone goes back more than a decade, when she participated in our Executive Learning Group as a first-time nonprofit Executive Director. Now, she returns in a new role, helping ensure that Fieldstone can continue making that same kind of investment in leaders across our community. She brings more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and entrepreneurial experience to the position, including her long tenure as Executive Director of Friends of Vista Hill. We are so glad to have her on the team.

Rachel is a graduate of the Executive Learning Group and is currently a member of the Circle and the Leadership Reading Group.

Ana Gonzalez Seda, Center Director of Braille Institute of America San Diego, has been appointed as a Commissioner for the City of La Mesa's Community Relations and Veterans Commission. The role is a personal milestone years in the making, and a natural extension of the work Ana does every day ensuring people of all abilities have access, independence, and a voice in their community. In this new capacity, she will help address the needs of older adults, people with disabilities, veterans, and the broader La Mesa community. We love seeing network members take their commitment to service beyond their organizations and into civic leadership.

Ana is a graduate of the Nonprofit Leaders Learning Group and Coaching Program.

We are thrilled to celebrate the many Network Members named in this year's finalists for San Diego Business Journal's 2026 Nonprofit Leadership Award. This award recognizes the people advancing missions, strengthening organizations and improving lives throughout San Diego County and we are proud to see Fieldstone represented so well in the list of finalists.

We'd also like to give a special shout out to Lisa Turner from True Care for being given the Nonprofit/Corporate Partnership Award, to Ben Moraga from the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation for winning the Nonprofit Leader Award, and Rebecca Nussbaum for her service at Community Resource Center which was also given the Nonprofit/Corporate Partnership Award!

Congratulations to each and everyone one of you!

Welcome back Jen Nation and Ben McCue, the recipients of this year's Clare Rose Sabbatical. For three months, these two nonprofit leaders had the rare gift of stepping away from the day-to-day to rest, reflect, and renew, and we hope it was everything they needed. A special acknowledgment goes to the dedicated teams at both of their organizations who held things together with care and commitment while they were away. That kind of organizational resilience is its own testament to strong leadership. Welcome back, Jen and Ben!

Jen is a graduate of the Executive Learning Group and a member of the Circle.

Ben is a graduate of the Executive Learning Group and Coaching Program.

Congratulations to the Fieldstone network members nominated for this year's RISE ILIA Awards, which recognize individuals and organizations making a real difference across San Diego. Among the nominees are Kimberly Grady, Executive Director of Think Dignity, nominated as both an individual and alongside her organization; Risa Bell, Executive Director of Paddle for Peace; and Karen Org, represented by Executive Director Nao Kabashima and Operations Manager April Moo. Community Resource Center's Chief Program Officer Rebecca Nussbaum rounds out an impressive group of network nominees. We're proud to see so many familiar names in this list and wish them all the best at the October awards celebration.

I Love A Clean San Diego, led by CEO Steve Morris, brought together more than 3,200 volunteers for its 42nd Annual Coastal Cleanup Day, diverting over 56,000 pounds of trash and recycling from neighborhoods, parks, beaches, and waterways across San Diego County. It's a testament to the power of community mobilization and the kind of large-scale environmental action that Steve and his team have built over decades. San Diego is cleaner because of the work happening at I Love A Clean San Diego.

Steve is a graduate of the Coaching Program, Leadership Reading Group, and is a member of the Executive Forum.

A big congratulations to our friends at the San Diego Foundation on a sold-out 2026 San Diego Fundraising Conference. The team pulled together two days of learning and connection for nonprofit professionals and philanthropic partners from across the region, and by all accounts it was a tremendous success. Many Fieldstone network members were among the attendees, and we're proud to celebrate the SDF team who made it all happen.

Stephanie Cook, Jon Haber, Danny Kim, Kenzie Leas, Pauline Martinson, Katie Sawyer, Jeff Spitko, Bridget Strickland, and Candace Wo are all Fieldstone Network Members.

Dean Wakeham and the team at Agape Helpers recently hosted their Champion's Luncheon, which was marked by a special moment of recognition, as Agape Helpers received a Certificate of Recognition from the California State Senate. Agape Helpers' work focuses on bringing together community members around a compelling and urgent vision: ensuring San Diego's most isolated seniors don't fall through the cracks. With one million seniors projected in San Diego by 2030, the need for volunteers, businesses, faith communities, and nonprofits to show up together has never been clearer. We're proud to see Dean building something meaningful for one of our most vulnerable communities.

Dean is a graduate of LAUNCH.

Access Youth Academy, led by CEO Renato Paiva, recently celebrated a major milestone: 20 years of creating opportunities for students across San Diego. The anniversary was marked with a gala celebration and a special message of recognition from Mayor Todd Gloria, honoring the organization's two decades of impact on students, families, and the broader community. It's a testament to the sustained, mission-driven leadership Renato and his team have brought to this work year after year. Congratulations to the entire Access Youth Academy community on this milestone.

Renato is a graduate of the Executive Learning Group and Leadership Reading Group and is currently a member of the Executive Forum. He also received a Clare Rose Sabbatical and is a Creative Encounters Facilitator.

Teresa Stivers Liong, CEO of Walden Family Services, was recognized by the Japanese American Citizens League at their Never Forget Gala for 25 years of dedicated work on behalf of foster youth. The JACL, known for its commitment to civil rights and community, chose Teresa to honor at one of their events in acknowledgment of a career defined by showing up for some of San Diego's most vulnerable children and families. Twenty-five years is a milestone worth celebrating.

Teresa is a graduate of the Executive Learning Group and is a Fieldstone Coach.