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Meet the 2023-2024 SMMC Board

MEET THE 2022-2023 SMMC BOARD

By: Celeste Ezell | April 7, 2023

KIMBERLY KADESH

President

A native to the Bay Area, Kimberly grew up on the Peninsula before heading to LA for college where she earned both a BA & MBA from UCLA. She eventually decided to return to the Bay Area to be closer to her family and currently lives in Greenbrae with her husband, 2.5 year old daughter Victoria, 6 month old daughter Isabelle and energetic dog Cooper.

Prior to becoming a mother, Kimberly held various finance and commercial real estate positions at Deutsche Bank and Starwood Capital Group. Once her first little daughter was born, she decided to make a career switch and is now a local realtor in Marin helping families find their perfect homes and allowing her more flexibility for her family.

Kimberly joined SMMC when she was pregnant with her first daughter and became the playgroup leader for her age group. She credits SMMC with making many lifelong mom friendships in Marin. Kimberly’s hobbies include traveling the world and hiking the many trails of Marin.

Why did you volunteer for the SMMC Board?

I've made so many great connections through SMMC and wanted to give back to a great organization!

What do you hope to accomplish this year?

I hope to increase the club's success by continuing to foster relationships between our members through our whatsapp chats and great educational, philanthropic and fun activities and events!

KATHLEEN

President Elect

Kathleen grew up in SoCal, pursued undergrad in NorCal then moved East for 8 years to volunteer in Baltimore, work in DC, and start/finish grad school. Her parents said she’d only return to this coast if work made her, which it did. After meeting her husband and future stepson, it was evident she’d remain. Kathleen joined SMMC the day before going into labor in 2022 and fully regrets not doing so sooner. She is grateful SMMC stewarded her through newborn craziness and provided a foundation in baby parenting she hadn’t experienced with her stepson. Her extraversion manifests as a working Mom who’s passionate about actively learning from and supporting Moms.

Why did you volunteer for the SMMC Board?

SMMC was integral to me learning how to mother and meeting people who are open to sharing parenting advice and forming friendships. It is my hope that I can help promote these dynamics for other families in our community by serving on the Board. It may sound cliche but to be blunt: I'm trying to give back in ways that likely can't match how my family and I have personally benefited from our Club. I'm indebted to SMMC.

What do you hope to accomplish this year?

I hope to continue promoting a strong sense of community through support of SMMC events and activities. I look forward to helping where help is needed and filling in the gaps when other Board members need anticipated and unanticipated support.

SEJAL IYER

Secretary

Sejal moved to San Francisco in 2018, and Marin in 2020 - right in the middle of the pandemic! She was born in Chicago, grew up in Houston, and lived in New York City for 11 years prior to moving out to the west coast.

She is very excited to continue being involved with SMMC, after having served as the Director of Community Partnerships in 2022-2023.

Sejal has extensive experience working in ecommerce, and is currently Head of Ecommerce at Quince. Prior to that, she led digital strategy at Old Navy and helped to launch H&M’s ecommerce businesses in the US and Canada. Sejal started her career working in the tech VC industry when she made frequent trips out to the west coast visiting start-ups. Little did she know that several years later, she'd be calling it home!

She lives in Tiburon with her husband Vivek, and their daughter Raina (2.5 years). When she’s not busy chasing her energetic toddler, Sejal enjoys binge watching HGTV shows (and dabbling in interior decorating), going on hikes in Marin and relaxing in wine country.

Why did you volunteer for the SMMC Board?

I had a great time last year and hope to be able to support in as many ways as possible this year as well.

What do you hope to accomplish this year?

I’d like to make our board time together as productive as possible, while facilitating opportunities for folks to get to know each other better.

Natasha Quel-Vronsky

Treasurer

Natasha grew up in Orange County and moved to San Francisco in 2007. In 2017, she and her husband moved to Mill Valley to enjoy the warmer weather, hiking and wine tasting on weekends. In February 2020, they welcomed their 1st daughter Anastasia. In November 2022, their 2nd daughter Penelope was born. Joining SMMC was recommended by one of her husband’s friends who talked of lifelong friendships for parents and kids alike. It has been an amazing group, helping to navigate the ins and outs of motherhood in Marin. Natasha worked at Gap Inc for 14 years before deciding to be a stay at home mom. She enjoys cooking, doing Pilates and volunteering.

Why did you volunteer for the SMMC Board?

I made the decision to volunteer after leaning on the SMMC community when I became a mom. As a volunteer run organization, I saw how critical it was to have parents volunteer, so I wanted to give back.

What do you hope to accomplish this year?

This will be my third term on the board, and I look forward to continuing to support the growth of SMMC.

NEDA GHAFFARI

Director of Advertising

Neda grew up in New Jersey and first moved to the Bay Area to attend college at Cal (Go Bears!). Once she became a mom, Marin was a natural fit as she and her husband, Alex, love hiking, biking & being outdoors. Neda moved to Marin and joined SMMC just one month after the birth of her daughter, Eva. SMMC was instrumental in helping her family settle in and build community. She is enthusiastic about helping support the club as the Director of Advertising.

Why did you volunteer for the SMMC Board?

The families I met through my SMMC playgroup helped me develop my identity as a mom and helped our family feel at home in Marin. Through volunteering, I hope to help the club continue to support other local families.

What do you hope to accomplish this year?

I look forward to partnering with and showcasing our amazing local small businesses who support Marin mothers and families.

KAYLIN FOX

Director of Events

Born and raised in Larkspur, Kaylin spent the majority of her adult years in beautiful, sunny Santa Barbara—12 years to be exact—where she attended college and started her jewelry business. A Blonde and Her Bag is now 10 years strong. After meeting her husband, Eric, at a Christmas party in Marin he eventually convinced her to move back. The two were married in Spain and now reside in Mill Valley with George, the boxer, and BEVMO, the 3lb Pomeranian.

Kaylin joined SMMC in 2022 while pregnant with her son, Conrad. Unfortunately, she lost him to a stillbirth far along. It was the strength of the women of SMMC that pulled her from the darkness into the light and she is now trying for baby number two.

She says, “Entertaining and party planning is in my blood.” Kaylin plans events from 40-person dog parties to 130-person annual Christmas parties. She led one of the largest meetups in Santa Barbara for five years, organizing monthly parties with attendance ranging from 30-350 people. Kaylin looks forward to bringing her knowledge and expertise in party planning to the SMMC. “Live like tomorrow doesn't exist and a little party never hurt anybody,” she says.

Kaylin’s favorite things include traveling the world (she’s on 62 countries and counting), gardening, entertaining, party planning, boating, wine tasting and fashion.

Why did you volunteer for the SMMC Board?

Simply put, I love to plan a party! SMMC has brought me so much joy and happiness from connecting with all the members through a difficult pregnancy. It felt like it was the perfect fit to be on the Board and bring all the members together through celebration and activities.

What do you hope to accomplish this year?

As Director of Events this year I am excited to take the existing four events that have been created and elevate the members' experience with a new perspective. This will include strong event themes, convenient but unique locations and a variety of kid friendly and adult only events. The overall goal is to bring all SMMC members together to meet, play and party.

MARTINA STELLMASZEK

Director of Membership

Martina is originally from Munich, Germany. She has a double-degree in Business Administration from the European School of Business in Reutlingen, Germany and the Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid, Spain and earned her MBA from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Most recently, she served as President & CEO of the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern US.

Martina has been a working mom, a full-time mom, a pro-bono working mom and is currently establishing her own business. She has a passion for global travel, languages, and the outdoors, especially sailing and skiing.

She joined SMMC in August 2020, when she and her family moved to Mill Valley.
Martina serves as Director of Membership as well as Town Leader for Mill Valley.

Why did you volunteer for the SMMC Board?

Especially the birth of my fourth child made me truly appreciate the wonderful community and wealth of knowledge SMMC provides. For me, serving on the board is a unique opportunity to give back and support other families as they navigate the years of early childhood.

What do you hope to accomplish this year?

As Director of Membership, I would like to increase our overall number of members, gain a better understanding of our members’ needs, and improve member engagement. I think it is important that we continue to tailor our offerings and that members know of all the great benefits SMMC has to offer, from our interactive WhatsApp chats to the wide spectrum of fun events. The Town Leader program, which was launched last year, will play a vital role in making this happen.

SARAH SMITH

Director of Philanthropy

Sarah moved to San Francisco from her tiny Northern California town in 2011. Her plan was to attend college before she ventured out and conquered the world. Life, however, had different plans for her. She met the love of her life junior year and now lives in quiet Mill Valley with her husband Andy, daughter Lucy and Kitty (that’s their cat, in case it wasn’t obvious).

Prior to motherhood Sarah spent 8 years in the dental field in both chairside care and office management. Although she still dabbles in the field, she has plunged into motherhood full time. Sarah plans to take full advantage of her time away from work by giving back and fostering relationships among members. In the relatively short time that Sarah has been a member of SMMC she has found peace of mind, fellowship, and confidence as a new mother. It’s her hope that she can meaningfully contribute to the community while creating opportunities for others to do so as well.

Why did you volunteer for the SMMC Board?

I moved to Marin a year ago and I wanted to get involved with the community and meet other moms. Being on the board helps me accomplish both of those things, and it gives me an opportunity to do some “work” since I’m not working full time right now. I constantly need 100 things going on at once or I don’t know what to do with myself!

What do you hope to accomplish this year?

This year I would like to mirror a lot of what SMMC was able to accomplish with philanthropy last year, as well as introduce an in-person fundraiser or two. Due to the generosity of SMMC members, Janet was able to make some very wonderful donations to local charities and I hope we can do that again this year!

SHANNON KAISER

Director of Play & Special Interest Groups

Shannon served as the 2021/22 SMMC President, Director of Membership Services 2018-2021, a member of the General Council and has been a member for over nine years and is now looking forward to serving as the Director of Play & Special Interest Groups.

Shannon lives in Tiburon with her husband, Rolf; four kids, Will (10), Isla (8), Luke (6) and Dylan (baby); and a crazy dog, Teddy. When Shannon is not busy volunteering or chauffeuring her kids around she enjoys getting out on the water sailing, reading, napping, and drinking wine, while enjoying the beauty of life in Marin.

Why did you volunteer for the SMMC Board?

SMMC is very special to me and has played such a huge part in my motherhood journey and being a part of the board I can continue to help drive the organization forward in supporting families in Marin as they navigate these early years and build their community.

What do you hope to accomplish this year?

This year I hope to help members find their tribe through their playgroup and special interest groups. I have met so many of my closest friends through SMMC and I hope to help support and improve upon the Play and Special Interest Groups platforms so that others can find connections in the community.

MELISSA KING

Director of Activities

Melissa King joins as Director of Activities. As a native southerner, Melissa enjoys a tight-knit community environment and enjoys the camaraderie that SMMC provides. In her free-time you can find her cooking, hiking, or spending time with friends outside. She lives in Sausalito with her partner, Rick, and their 9 month old son Beckett.

Why did you volunteer for the SMMC Board?

I volunteered to become more involved socially in our community of mothers and philanthropically within the Marin community.

What do you hope to accomplish this year?

I hope to offer a broad range of events for our members so that everyone has an opportunity to get involved regardless of their schedules or work. There is something for everyone whether it’s a social event, physical activity, or educational event!

MIRA GUIDI

Director of Social Media

Mira is an attorney and lifelong Marin County resident who is deeply passionate about advancing equity and racial justice, leading a life of service, and building community. This is precisely what led her to make a recent career shift from litigation and clerking for various judges to accepting a position as Director of Development/Operations of a local nonprofit, the Marin County Cooperation Team (MCCT). MCCT is focused on supporting Marin’s Black community–and particularly Marin City–through three pillars: Safety Net Services, Youth Empowerment, and Community Coalitions.

Mira’s passion for building community is also why she joined SMMC after the birth of her daughter in the Fall of 2022. Finding much needed support through her daughter’s age-based playgroup, Mira quickly became her playgroup co-lead, and is now ecstatic to be serving on the SMMC board. Mira believes the SMMC community is invaluable and she looks forward to enhancing SMMC’s social media presence this year!

Mira lives in Greenbrae with her high school sweetheart and husband, Colin; their daughter, Niyah; and their Boxer/Rhodesian Ridgeback, Jax! In whatever spare time she has, you can catch Mira at a local soccer field playing co-ed with her husband - which is how they met at Redwood High School.

Why did you volunteer for the SMMC Board?

I joined the SMMC board because SMMC has already been such an amazing support system for me in the first 5 months of motherhood, so I wanted to give back!

What do you hope to accomplish this year?

I hope to implement effective systems to streamline our internal social media processes and build our social media following!

DOROTHY GEBALA

Director of Community Partnerships

Dorothy grew up in Toronto, and moved out to the West Coast in 2002, quickly becoming a Californian soul :) Her house is always full of life and activity, with her husband Evan, her toddler Maverick, her teenage stepson Aristotle, and a stepdaughter Valentini, who is away studying at UCLA. Dorothy's job keeps the fast pace going throughout the day, working in the tech industry at AWS (Amazon Web Services) in a role leading up Partner Channel alliances. In spare moments, her family can always be found at the beach, doing watersports (surfing, kiteboarding, paddling, SUPing, swimming, or even just building sand castles). They are often traveling and most recently spent a month in the Dominican Republic with stints in French Polynesia, Thailand, and Australia prior to that.

Why did you volunteer for the SMMC Board?

I love building and growing community. As a parent, they say it takes a village. SMMC is my village! Being a new mom, having the support of the community has been instrumental for me.

What do you hope to accomplish this year?

I hope to connect with as many community partners as possible! SMMC will gain visibility and access to all the wonderful parent resources we have in Marin.

CELESTE EZELL

Director of The Crier

Celeste and her husband Daniel moved to Mill Valley in 2004 to pursue their masters degree and loved it so much they decided to stay. She first became a member of SMMC when she had her first baby in 2007. They moved to San Anselmo, had a second child and started Chronos Academy, a TK-8 school for gifted and talented students. Seven years later she had a surprise third child, moved to Kentfield and rejoined SMMC! Now that she's back in the group, she's excited to bring her English teacher skills to The Crier as Editor-in-Chief. She keeps busy running the school and recording memorable songs to help her students memorize history, geography & math facts. She often shares tips and anecdotes from her classroom in her column Live & Learn. She volunteered to the Board to network with SMMC members and hopes to find some fresh perspectives on parenting & life in Marin for The Crier!

Why did you volunteer for the SMMC Board?

When we moved our school to Larkspur, I wanted to find a new network of mom-friends. I’m especially thrilled to work with the talented leadership on the Board.

What do you hope to accomplish this year?

Everyone has a story. I love sharing my stories, and I want to read many new perspectives from new writers in The Crier. Also, I’m looking forward to publishing another print yearbook in March and plan to gather content each month throughout the year!

Celeste & Daniel Ezell are parents to three children who have attended, attend or soon will attend their accelerated K-8 Micro-school. They founded Chronos Academy to integrate all subjects to a timeline with creativity, music and making. You can reach Celeste by email at celeste@chronos.academy. Follow Chronos Academy at @chronoscohorts or learn more at chronos.academy