Leadership committed to making an impact 

Leadership Council

Officers

Laurel Severt

Chair

Hirsch Philanthropy Partners

Associate Director

Laurel is currently an Associate Director at Hirsch Philanthropy Partners, where she helps clients identify and carry out their philanthropic goals, from conceptualization and start-up to ongoing management. Laurel joined the Compass Family Services Leadership Council in 2014, motivated by the organization's commitment to providing comprehensive and personalized support to homeless families. Laurel also sits on the Compass Family Services Board of Directors as Chair of Leadership Council.

Dustin Durham

Vice Chair

Alzheimer's Association

Walk to End Alzheimer's Manager

As Director of Sales for Boudin, Dustin leads the sales and marketing efforts for Boudin at Fisherman's Wharf, Bistro Boudin, Boudin Bakery Museum, Baker's Hall, Chowder Hut, Boudin Bakery and Cafe at Pier 39 and Boudin Bakery and Cafe at SFO. Dustin has been an instrumental partner for Compass' annual Toast & Taste event through his leadership in the San Francisco Private Dining Venues Association.

Eric Zeiner

Secretary

S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.

Director - Project Management, Commercialization

Eric currently leads the Project Management team at SCJ’s Lifestyles Business Unit in San Francisco. He handles all phases of product introduction from ideation through commercialization for the brands Method, Babyganics®, Mrs. Meyers® and Ecover. Eric also leads the philanthropic arm of the organization. Along with his team they performed an exhaustive search of charitable partners and landed on Compass Family Services whose vision and values closely align with the SCJ principles of family and community support. Eric joined the leadership council in 2020 to help continue and support the amazing work of the organization.

Members

Alex Mandel

Omada Health

Senior Interaction Designer

Alex is an interaction designer at Google. He is deeply passionate about the social issues San Francisco is facing and joined the leadership council in 2017 to help support Compass and its mission.

Gretchen Hollstein

Litman Gregory Asset Management

Partner and Senior Wealth Advisor

Gretchen Hollstein, CFP®, is a Partner and Senior Wealth Advisor with Litman Gregory Asset Management, a proud corporate sponsor of Compass Family Services. Gretchen has over 20 years of experience in her field, and is passionate about helping educate her clients and others on financial and investment issues. She is also a pro bono educator and public speaker on those topics, and joined the Compass Leadership Council in January 2017 to support the work and mission of the organization and to help in the efforts to halt the cycle of family homelessness.

Katie Randolph

Plaid

Business Development

Katie Randolph is a member of Plaid's Business Development team. Previously, she worked at BlackRock, where she was an active member of BlackRock Gives, BlackRock’s philanthropy network, serving as a non-profit ambassador & frequently coordinating volunteer events for the San Francisco office. She started volunteering with Compass in 2018 through BlackRock Gives, and was immediately impressed by Compass’ breadth of services & commitment to ending family homelessness in San Francisco. Katie joined the Leadership Council in 2019.

Timothy Marks

Twitter

Ads Engineering Leader

Timothy is an Engineering Leader for Twitter Ads. He grew up in Australia and moved to San Francisco in 2014. He joined the Leadership Council and Build.org Bay Area Associate Board in 2018 to utilize his passion, entrepreneurial and leadership skills to address issues of homelessness and wealth inequality.

Christine Keener

Verizon

Director of Government and Community Affairs, Northern California

Christine is responsible for developing and implementing Verizon’s local government and community affairs strategy which includes public policy, community engagement and philanthropic work. Prior to joining Verizon, Keener was the Manager of Policy and Community Affairs for San Francisco's Department of Recreation and Park where she managed government relations and community affairs for over 220 parks. Previously, she worked for the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. Keener currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Museum of the African Diaspora.

Julia Russo

500 Startups

Program Marketing Specialist, Global Market Development

Julia supports early-stage entrepreneurs around the world through digital marketing and website design. She has worked on accelerators and bootcamps across Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, North America, and more. In her previous roles, she worked in impact investing in Latin America and Eastern Europe, as well as program marketing for the Haas School of Business. She joined Compass as she is passionate about serving homeless communities in the Bay Area, particularly after experiencing housing insecurity herself as a child.

Laura (Chan) Pytlarz

Twitter

Senior Events Coordinator

Laura (Chan) Pytlarz is a Senior Events Coordinator at Twitter, a Louisiana native, and a proud cat mom, who is passionate about creating memorable experiences that bring people together. Laura joined the Leadership Council in 2017 to support Compass Family Services’ inspirational work.

Grace Lee

Wells Fargo

Marketing Manager

Grace Lee is a marketing manager at Wells Fargo. Prior to joining the Leadership Council in Jan 2017, she participated in Compass's corporate engagement events and volunteered individually at Clara House. She believes in the importance of empowering at risk families to reach stability through customized hands-on approaches.

Kathleen Hegyesi

Flexport

Flexport.org Program Management

Kathleen works at Flexport, a technology-based freight forwarder who moves goods globally for international brands. She manages Flexport.org programs, Flexport's environmental and social impact team, including nonprofit partnerships and global volunteering. Kathleen joined the leadership council in 2018, inspired by Compass' comprehensive approach to empower homeless and at-risk families.

Lauren Thornhill

The Hamlin School

Executive Director of Institutional Advancement

Lauren Wildberger Thornhill leads The Hamlin School’s fundraising and communications efforts. She has volunteered with Compass in various ways, over the years, but it was ultimately the COVID-19 crisis and the devastating impact on families in our city that compelled her to get more deeply involved. As a member of the Leadership Council, Lauren continues to be inspired by the work of the Compass staff and humbled by the generosity of the community.