Board of Directors

The Los Angeles

Challenge

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Board of Directors

Gordana Swanson - Chairman of the Board/President
Gordana Swanson is a community, civic and business leader and a founding director and Chairman of the Board of the Los Angeles Challenge. She attended DePaul University in Chicago, IL. Ms. Swanson was elected to the Rolling Hills, California, City Council and served three terms as Mayor. She also served as a Director and as the President of the Board of the Southern California Rapid Transit District, an agency (now MTA) with 8,000 employees. Swanson also served as appointee of Governor Gray Davis on the Fair Political Practices Commission of California.

Donne Moen - Vice President
Donne P. Moen is the retired Vice Chairman of Union Bank of California, where he served in a variety of executive positions from 1965 to 1992. Subsequent to his retirement be became Board Chairman of Burnham Pacific Properties, Inc. Mr. Moen is also a Board Member of a number of civic and nonprofit organizations including the Los Angeles Library Foundation, Los Angeles Education Partnership, and Chadwick School in Rolling Hills Estates, California where he served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

Greg Alessandra - Chief Financial Officer
Gregory P. Alessandra attended parochial elementary school, a Swiss boarding school, a public high school, and a private university. After graduating from Stanford University with a degree in Economics, Greg worked as a trader for Cargill, Inc. in the United States and Europe. In 1999, Greg founded Alessandra Capital Management, LLC, a portfolio management and investment advisory firm.

Greg has served as President of the Palos Verdes Sunset Rotary Club, where he co-founded the Career Path Explorers program, and is a founding Director of the Los Angeles Challenge. He has taught various age groups in his church's religious education program and has been an active volunteer in several organizations including Mt. Carmel Alumni Foundation, Bishop Montgomery High School, and St. John Fisher Parish School.

Olivia Reissig - Secretary

Olivia Reissig grew up in the South Bay attending Santa Monica Business College. Working as an office administrator and bookkeeper, she raised two children. Volunteering with a wide variety of charitable organizations, she was a fundraiser for the Hermosa Beach Education Foundation and a Girl Scout Leader for many years. Olivia brings her extensive office skills to our program to lower our administrative costs allowing us to maximize contributions being used for the benefit of our families.

Carolyn Elliott - Board Member at Large

Carolyn Elliott was born and raised in Fullerton, California where she attended Parochial schools. Her major was in Elementary Education at La Sierra College. She was the owner and director of a pre-school and kindergarten for 20 years.

Carolyn served as Trustee on the Little Company of Mary Hospital Foundation Board for 9 years. She chaired the Capital Campaign to raise funds for the construction of the Hannon Tower at the hospital. Her current activities include the Trinity Care Hospice Foundation, The Peninsula Committee for the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, and The Asia America Symphony Guild.

Carolyn and her husband Julian open their home for many community causes.

David Gesseck - Board Member at Large

David received a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Mary’s College, and later received a Master’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance from Pepperdine University. As a Senior Portfolio Manager at HighMark Capital, David is responsible for managing investment portfolios. He holds the designations of a CFA charter-holder and a Certified Financial Planner®.

David brings his enthusiasm for better education for the economically disadvantaged, as well as his strong financial background to the Los Angeles Challenge Board.

Barbara Addleman – Board Member at Large

Barbara Addleman is a recently retired teacher who taught for LAUSD for 32 years, serving in South Los Angeles for the last 30 years. In addition to her Master’s Degree in Education, she holds credentials in Elementary Education, Bilingual Crosscultural Education, Reading Specialist, and Multiple Subject. She earned her National Board Certification for the Teaching Profession in 1999. During her career she served as a mentor teacher as well as supervising student teachers. She was a Lead Support Advisor for BTSA (Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment) during her last five years of teaching and trained other support advisors as well as supporting new teachers who were in the process of clearing their California Teaching Credentials.

Kathleen Penberthy- Board Member at Large

Kathleen Penberthy is recent graduate from the University of Oregon where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Economics. Prior to attending college she graduated from South High School in Torrance, California where she played soccer and enjoyed participating in community service activities. Currently working in the financial services industry, Kathleen is able to see the importance of a quality education and the successes it can bring you in life.

In addition to being a board member of the Los Angeles Challenge, Kathleen recently finished her second year as an assistant soccer coach at her high school alma matter.