The Civil Society Working Group, made up of community leaders with a high level of expertise in community and civic affairs, oversees grantmaking and donor engagement strategies to meet the most critical needs of San Diego’s civil society nonprofits and creates partnerships and initiatives to support those strategies.

Current Members
Steve R. Smith	Lynn Owens
Jennifer Adams-Brooks	Felicia Shaw
Gordon Boerner	Edwina Welch
Christa Burke	Sharon Rhodes, PhD
James (Jim) Ziegler

Steve R. Smith, Chair
Steve Smith began working with the Civil Society Working Group in 2001 and was named Chair of the Working Group in 2004. He was appointed Dean of California Western Law School in 1996, following eight years as Dean at Cleveland-Marshall Law School. He had previously been a law professor at the University of Louisville, where he also served as Associate Dean and Acting Dean. Steve Smith has received awards for innovative teaching, research and creative activity, and distinguished service. Steve Smith has developed and taught courses and seminars on Health Law and Mental Health Law. He has published widely in law and psychology and law and medicine. Steve Smith served as Deputy Director of the Association of American Law Schools in 1987-88, and he remains active in Association of American Law Schools and in the work of the American Bar Association, in which he is a member of the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. Back to the top

Jennifer Adams-Brooks, Vice Chair
Jennifer Adams-Brooks was appointed to the Civil Society Working Group of the San Diego Foundation in 2003. In addition to the Civil Society Working Group, Jennifer serves as a San Diego Housing Commissioner and a member of the Board of Overseers for UCSD. She has been a member of the Board of Directors for Springall Academy, a private school for developmentally disabled children for eight years.

Prior to establishing Clark Consultants, an executive coaching and human resources consulting firm, in 2000, Jennifer served as Chief-of-Staff for a State Assembly member and a San Diego City Councilman. She has served as the Corporate Information Officer and Interim Executive Director for the City of San Diego Redevelopment Agency, Vice President for two small businesses specializing in intergovernmental and socioeconomic strategies, and Management Consultant for three medical practices.

Jennifer is a graduate of LEAD San Diego, Class of 1990. She earned a BA in Urban Planning and Communications from the University of California, San Diego and attended Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois. She also graduated from the Coach University post-graduate training program in Steamboat, Colorado. Back to the top

Gordon Boerner
Gordon joined the Civil Society Working Group in 2004. In his capacity as Senior Vice President at San Diego National Bank, he manages the Marketing & Public Relations, Sales & Service Training, Community Reinvestment,Complionce & Risk Managment, and Retail Lending departments. His 28 years in local banking have included positions as the Chief Administrative Officer for Home Savings’ SoCal Retail Banking Division, as well as Division Controller and Main Office Manager for First Interstate Bank.

Gordon has degrees in Finance from San Diego State University and Pacific Coast Graduate Banking School. Current professional and philanthropic affiliations include the boards of the following: Downtown SD Partnership; UCSD Cancer Center Foundation; SDSU Center for Community Economic Development; San Diego Kiwanis Foundation; Laurels for Leaders; Consumer Credit Counselors; the LEAD San Diego Leadership Trust; and appointment to the City/County Reinvestment Task Force. Gordon also serves as Chair of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Board, the ACCION San Diego Board, and the city of San Diego's Regional Revolving Loan Fund, as well as VP[Finance on the Habitat for Humanity Board. Back to the top

Christa Burke
Christa Burke has served on the Civil Society Working Group since 2002. In an attempt to identify her own philanthropic passion, as well as to be a good steward of the Fund she and her husband created with The San Diego Foundation four years ago, she has researched a number of areas. She recently concluded that the Smart Growth concept may be her passion, and that it is the goal of any civil society. In addition to these philanthropic and volunteer commitments, Christa serves on the boards of the Family Literacy Foundation and The San Diego Women’s Foundation.

Her days of community organizing began in 1962, when she established a Black History class in an all-white church. She then organized a community meeting to address concerns regarding a teachers’ strike. Christa believes that her 20-year career in corporate training taught her the importance of well-defined goals and clear communication in any problem-solving situation. Christa attended the University of California, Los Angeles School of Nursing and earned a BS in History from California State University Northridge. Back to the top

James (Jim) Ziegler
A community leader with over 25 years' experience in banking throughout California and as a small business owner, Jim contributes his expertise to The Foundation's Executive Committee, the Civil Society Working Group, and The San Diego Regional Disaster Task Force. His leadership extends to current service on the board of AIDS Foundation San Diego and as a member of The San Diego HIV Funding Collaborative housed at The Alliance Healthcare Foundation. Previous community affiliations include board service for the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce, Mission Beach Precise Planning Board, Diversionary Theatre, El Cajon Boulevard Businessmen's Association, and The San Diego Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Community Center for which he became board chair in 2000. Jim earned his bachelor's degree from Miami University in Ohio, and is a US Navy Viet Nam-era veteran.

Her days of community organizing began in 1962, when she established a Black History class in an all-white church. She then organized a community meeting to address concerns regarding a teachers’ strike. Christa believes that her 20-year career in corporate training taught her the importance of well-defined goals and clear communication in any problem-solving situation. Christa attended the University of California, Los Angeles School of Nursing and earned a BS in History from California State University Northridge.
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Lynn Owens
Lynn Owens joined the Civil Society Working Group in 2002, after establishing an advised fund with The San Diego Foundation in the mid-1990’s. She is recently retired from a 30-year career in the computer software industry, during which she worked with large companies such as IBM, small companies such as Peregrine Systems, startups, and university research programs. Her roles have included programmer, analyst, manager, database specialist, knowledge analyst, trainer, writer, consultant and systems engineer.

Born and raised in Westchester County, New York, Lynn has been a resident of eight local neighborhoods since 1978, including East San Diego, Linda Vista, and Mira Mesa.
She was a volunteer mediator with the Mediation Training Institute from 1986 to 1987. From 1984 to 1986, Owens worked as Poway Office Manager for Harmonium, Inc., a social services agency with programs throughout San Diego County serving children and their families. Based on her belief in “out-of-the-box” practices, such as meditation, for increasing flexibility, happiness, and success, she worked as a transcendental meditation instructor from 1973 to 1978.

Lynn graduated cum laude, with honors, from Brown University with a BA in History. She received her MS in Computer Science from Washington State University. Back to the top

Felicia Shaw
Felicia has worked as Program Manager for the City of San Diego Commission of Arts & Culture since 1995. She has served on the Civil Society Working Group since 2001.

Felicia began her career in the arts in 1985 as an art consultant for community-based nonprofit arts and culture organizations, including Sushi Performance and Visual Arts. Later, as the first cultural arts coordinator for the City of Chula Vista, she organized special events and other arts related programs for residents and visitors. Her responsibilities at the Commission include strategic planning and organizational development, oversight of the agency's allocations programs, and the implementation of special initiatives.

A graduate of LEAD San Diego, Felicia also shares her expertise on a number of boards and advisory committees such as Partners for Livable Places, San Diego, the California Cultural Tourism Coalition and the Carlsbad Arts Commission. She is a frequent panelist and juror with other nonprofit and governmental agencies such as the National Endowment for the Arts and California Arts Council.

Felicia received her BA in Communications from Northwestern University and completed post-graduated studies at the University of California, San Diego. Back to the top

Edwina Welch
Edwina Welch joined the Civil Society Working Group in 2001. She had previously worked on The San Diego Foundation Inter-Group Relations Project.

She has served as the Director of the UCSD Cross-Cultural Center since spring of 1996. In this capacity she works with students, staff and faculty on issues of climate and multiculturalism for UCSD and the surrounding San Diego community. Prior to coming to UCSD, Edwina worked for the University of Oregon as the Director of the ASUO Women's Center. She also worked in Multicultural Recruitment and Academic Advising for the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Admissions Office, and provides diversity training throughout San Diego.

Edwina has served on the Executive Board of the California Council of Cultural Centers in Higher Education, where she was a past-president. At UCSD, she is a member of the Staff Association, Black Staff Association, Cezar Chavez Committee, MLK Parade Committee, Ujima Network, SOHR Human Relations Advisory Board and numerous search committees.

Edwina received her BA in Communication Studies and Business Administration from California State University Sacramento and a MS in Higher Education Administration from the University of Oregon. Back to the top

Sharon Rhodes, PhD
Dr. Sharon Lee Rhodes joined the Office of Instruction, Planning and Technology in August of 2005 as the Dean of Economic and Workforce Development for the San Diego Community College District. She comes to the college district from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where she was the Director of Corporate Relations.

In her position, Dean Rhodes provides leadership and oversight for the workforce and economic development programs for the San Diego Community College District, which is the largest provider of workforce training in San Diego County. Her responsibilities include interacting with local business leaders, workforce organizations and industries to maintain and expand connections with the District, its colleges-San Diego City College, Mesa College, Miramar College-and the Continuing Education centers located throughout San Diego. The San Diego Community College District serves more than 126,000 students each year, or nearly one in every 20 people in San Diego County.

During Dr. Rhodes' tenure as Director of Corporate Relations at UMBC from 1999 to 2004, the Corporate Relations Team lead the fundraising efforts for the Campus, bringing in over 75% of the private funds raised. Through scholarships and sponsored research, Dr. Rhodes successfully cultivated and established multi-level partnerships between corporations and the University.

Prior to joining UMBC, Dr. Rhodes was at Pepsi-Cola Research Headquarters in Valhalla, New York from 1991 to 1999. As group manager, Dr. Rhodes lead a new product development team responsible for tea and soft drink development in domestic and international markets. She was also adjunct professor of Chemistry at the University of Connecticut, and prior to joining Pepsi-Cola, a senior scientist at Clorox in Pleasanton, California

Dr. Rhodes received her B.S. in Chemistry in 1984 from California State University, Los Angeles and her Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry in 1990 from the University of California, Los Angeles. A native of Hong Kong, Dr. Rhodes is married to Dr. Christopher A. Rhodes, a pharmaceutical chemist and graduate school classmate. The couple lives in Carmel Valley with their four children. Back to the top