Sierra Service Project is guided by a qualified and active board of directors. All board members have past experience working with youth and a close association with Sierra Service Project, often as a youth participant, staff member, or adult leader. Board members possess a very diverse range of professional qualifications and bring expertise to the board from the areas of youth ministry, education, accounting and finance, business management, and engineering. All board members contribute financially to SSP, and all give generously of their time.
Meet SSP’s Board
Bri Dennison
Chair
Running Springs, CA
Bri is a former SSP youth participant and former staff member of several years. She has a background in politics and non-profit work. She enjoys snuggling her cats, attempting to snuggle her puppy, and enjoying the outdoors!
Debbie Oshman
Scottsdale, AZ
Debbie worked for over 30 years in Information Technology at Chevron before retiring in 2020. She has been volunteering with SSP since 2004, when she first attended as a very reluctant,camping-averse adult counselor, expecting to attend the summer program only once with Lynnewood UMC in Pleasanton, CA. After seeing the amazing work SSP does and learning that she can indeed sleep on the floor and “kind-of” do construction, she attended nearly every year as an adult volunteer and SSP liaison until 2017 when she temporarily relocated to Manila, Philippines. Originally from San Jose, CA, she is a graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and now lives happily in the Phoenix, AZ area where she is becoming active in her new church, Desert Mission United Methodist.
Sterling Kedelty
Albuquerque, NM
Community liaison for the Navajo Nation.
Helen Mansfield
Lincoln, CA
Helen is a retired United Methodist pastor and a 30 plus year veteran of Sierra Service Project as both a volunteer and a liaison for summer program teams . She just relocated to the Sacramento area (Lincoln) from Washington to be closer to their first grandchild and adult children, both of whom have been volunteers and staff with the SSP summer program. She is a voracious reader, loves anything to do with the outdoors and is excited to serve on the board for the first time.
Tony Gnecco
Vice Chair
Livermore, CA
Tony is a 20-year veteran of SSP participation as an Adult Leader and Group Liaison for Asbury UMC in Livermore, CA. Though the amazing youth and adult volunteers he’s been blessed to serve with, he’s learned that a week at SSP is, “the one week a year that makes the other fifty-one better”. Being able to share a week of service with his two children multiple times has truly been a highlight. A graduate of Harvey Mudd College, Tony works as an Operations Supervisor at ScannX in Livermore, CA.
Mark Henry
Elk Grove, CA
Mark was born and raised in Sacramento, California; but for college, he has lived in Sacramento his entire life. Mark worked for the State of California with Youth Authority and California State Parole from 1996 – 2019. He enjoys travel, cooking, gardening, jazz music, and photography. “Any place that has good jazz music, food, and a nice beach – I’m there. “
Chris Kelley
Bio coming soon!
JT Greenleaf
Bio coming soon!
Pablo delAguila
Bio coming soon!
Greg Van Kirk
Treasurer
Santa Monica, CA
Greg is an Audit Manager at KPMG in Los Angeles. He previously served as a youth volunteer with SSP in 2013 through 2015 with Church of the Good Shepherd UMC in Arcadia, CA.
Raeanne Passantino
Pleasanton, CA
Raeanne worked in the field of domestic and family violence, and sexual assault fields for over 30 years. During this time she helped create a camping program for children and youth exposed to family violence. This lit the spark to become more involved with SSP through her church in Pleasanton, CA. Now, as a certified substitute teacher, she loves helping students build confidence and recognize their full potential. Raeanne is excited to join SSP and use her program development skills in any way she can!
Jacey Pickens-Jones
Davis, CA
Rev. Jacey Pickens-Jones is originally from Western Pennsylvania and has participated with ASP. She moved to California after marrying her wife and finishing seminary, 8 years ago. Jacey and her wife Emily are both ordained Elders in the United Methodist Church. Jacey currently serves on staff of the California-Nevada Conference of the United Methodist Church. She works with people of all ages to do faith formation, leadership development, and camping ministries. Rev. Jacey is the Associate Director of Intergenerational Ministries. When she isn’t working, she loves spending time with her pets, (dogs: Henry and Radar, cats: Aslan and Lucy), playing board games, spending time with friends, and exploring more of California. She is excited to be a part of the SSP community.
Megan Blasko
Secretary
Reno, NV
Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Megan Blasko is a lifelong United Methodist who served on summer trips with the Appalachia Service Project multiple times as both a youth and adult volunteer. She now lives in Reno, NV with her husband, Kevin. Megan is on staff at Reno First United Methodist Church serving as the Director of Connectional Ministries. As a part of her role, she leads youth ministry and has served as an SSP adult volunteer and group liaison for two summers. When not working Megan enjoys camping, visiting craft breweries, and playing board games.
Tricia Guerrero
Santa Monica, CA
Tricia Guerrero is the Pastoral Associate at First UMC Santa Monica. She began her journey with SSP in 2016 as the church’s leader for the youth service trip to Smith River. She has continued to take groups on summer service trips because she believes in the power of service and community as transformative for all ages, but young people especially. She is excited to serve on the board to forward the mission and work of SSP!
Eric Scott
Santa Maria, CA
Eric has served as an adult volunteer and group liaison for SSP’s summer program for many years. During the rest of the year, he serves as the pastor for St Andrew United Methodist Church in Santa Maria, CA. He has been married to Desiree for nearly 25 years. They have 3 adult children and 2 grandchildren.
Youth Board Members
Sierra Service Project has 3-5 youth board members each year who are active participants in our programs. These outstanding youth make an important contribution to our organization. They also serve on SSP’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC).
Every year, 3-5 YAC members are invited to join the SSP Board of Directors as a youth member for a 1-year term, acting as a liaison between YAC and SSP’s Board. Youth board members have the same voting privileges and responsibilities as adult board members.
All high school aged youth are invited to sign-up to serve on YAC.
Sarah Veeraraj
Arcadia, CA
Sarah’s journey with SSP began when she was very young. Being very active in the Church of the Good Shepherd in Arcadia, CA, she grew up watching the older youth go on the trip every summer and looked forward to when she could join. She’s participated in five SSP summers since, including on zoom! Sarah has a strong passion for volunteer work, being inspired by the adults around her, and loves the construction aspect of SSP. She’s serving her second year on the Youth Advisory Council and is looking forward to her first year of board service!
Isabella Montenegro
Saint Helena, CA
Isabella is serving her second year on the Youth Advisory Council and first year on the board.
Savanna Cohen
Bio coming soon!
Miriam Spencer
Bio coming soon!
Mia Mueck
Bio coming soon!
Board Meetings & Committees
Sierra Service Project’s Board of Directors meets four times annually for one or two-day sessions. Between meetings, board business is conducted via Zoom. Standing board committees include: Outreach; Resource Development; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging; Personnel; Nominations & Governance; Long Range Planning; and Finance.
We also invite individuals to join committees as non-board members to aid in progressing the work and mission of SSP! The committee interest form is reviewed on a rolling basis.
Interested in Board Service?
SSP is always looking for individuals to serve on our board of directors. Candidates must be passionate about SSP’s mission and purpose.
The SSP Board focuses on fundraising, strategy, and governance. Our organization needs diversity in its board – diversity of life experience, background, skills, religious affiliation, age, gender, and ethnicity. If you live in the western United States and are passionate about SSP’s work, this could be a great volunteer opportunity for you. Terms are three years generally beginning October 1.
If you would like more information about Board service, responsibilities, and time commitments, please contact Megan Taylor, SSP’s Executive Director, at 916-488-6441.