2025 Board of Directors
The Board of Directors for Filoli Historic House and Garden is comprised of individuals of our region that are truly committed to the mission. The Board of Directors is responsible for governance and support of Filoli Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Executive Team
Board Chair
David Wessel is an architectural conservator with over 30 years of experience in the conservation and preservation of historic landmarks and cultural resources throughout the United States. David brings a deep understanding of architectural materials and a practical, but ethically rigorous perspective for the conservation of cultural heritage. Much of his career has focused on bridging technical architectural conservation methodology and theory with practical, hands-on field practice. As a Principal of Architectural Resources Group, a full-serve architectural firm, and CEO of ARG Conservation Services, a design-build conservation construction company, David recognizes the importance of close integration between design and conservation construction for achieving optimal results. He has also been actively involved with many professional organizations and foundations, as well as nonprofit organizations.
Board Vice Chair
Sydney Si Ning Leung was born and raised in Hong Kong. His career spans the fields of law, real estate, and entertainment, and he holds degrees in Architectural Engineering, Philosophy, and Law. Sydney’s community service is focused on the education and welfare of underserved children, and he is passionate about nature and the environment. Sydney resides in Woodside, California, with his partner and their parents along with a Jack Russell Terrier and three barn cats.
Board Secretary
Pulin Sanghvi is a speaker on purpose! He has led re-imaginings of career development at Princeton University and the Stanford Graduate School of Business and created and taught a model of hypothesis-driven exploration that has engaged thousands of members of the Princeton, Stanford, and Yale communities. Pulin was formerly a management consultant with McKinsey in Palo Alto and an investment banker with Morgan Stanley. He serves Yale in numerous capacities and also serves on the boards of several nonprofit organizations.
Board Treasurer
Melissa Lopez is an accomplished investment strategist and equity market analyst. Her 20‐year career spans investment banking, equity research, and investment management. Today, she leads the investment strategy for global equities at the James Irvine Foundation in San Francisco. Melissa’s investment selection and portfolio oversight enable the Foundation’s $200 million annual grantmaking capacity.
Prior to joining the Foundation, she was a Senior Research Analyst with Wetherby Asset Management. Previously, Melissa served as an Investment Professional at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Equity Research Associate at Citigroup Smith Barney, and Financial Analyst at Robertson Stephens. She received a master’s in business administration from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas at Austin. She holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Melissa lives in San Francisco and enjoys experiencing the natural beauty and cultural amenities of the greater Bay Area.
Past Board Chair
Carol Moran brings public relations experience to the board with a 25-year career as a public relations consultant to both software and hardware companies, news publications, and research labs. She is currently the Chief Operating Officer of Moran Manor Vineyards, a Sonoma boutique winery. Carol is also a member of the National Trust Council of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Board Members
Melanie Bonham Hoefer
Melanie Bonham Hoefer is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a career in sales and business development spanning over 30 years. She has worked in promotional product sales for Fortune 500 companies, product placement in the media, and served as the head of business development for a beauty-on-demand startup. Among the many charitable organizations she has supported, she most recently completed her term on the Mills Peninsula Hospital Foundation board. Whether forming key partnerships, organizing memorable events, or leading successful fundraisers, Melanie is passionate about creating meaningful connections and making an impact. In her free time, she enjoys golfing with her husband, playing bridge, and hitting the slopes.
Brian Byrd
Brian Byrd is an archaeologist and a proud Tribal Citizen of the federally recognized Shawnee Tribe in Oklahoma. With a career that has combined academic research and cultural resources management, he is a strong advocate for heritage preservation through inclusive collaboration with descendant communities, particularly Indigenous Native Americans.
Maryles Casto
Michelle Chang
Michelle Chang is a seasoned product executive with experience spanning technology, consulting, and non-profit organizations. At Strava, she runs the product team responsible for building safety features that instill a positive, empowered, and trustworthy experience to help people live their best active lives. For nearly a decade at Google, Michelle built and ran the global team responsible for Google Search, Shopping, and AI policies. Prior to that, Michelle worked in public radio and management consulting. A Bay Area native, Michelle holds a Masters of Public Policy from U.C. Berkeley and a B.S. from Cornell University. She has served on the Board of Directors of U.C. Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy, and is an assistant girls coach for the Woodside Beasts, a Peninsula-based National Interscholastic Cycling Association mountain biking team. Michelle lives on the Peninsula with her husband and two children and enjoys mountain sports, strong coffee, non-fiction books, and the great outdoors.
Donna Colson
Donna Wills Colson has served on the Filoli Board for over 17 years including roles on the executive leadership team and as past president. Her career spanned 25 years in the investment management industry as a senior client service executive and partner at Callan Associates, Baring Asset Management and Tukman Capital Management. She currently serves on the Burlingame City Council and was Mayor in 2019. She is also on the Board of Directors at OneShoreline and Peninsula Clean Energy where she is focused on climate change impacts.
Max Cuellar
Max Cuellar is a Global Technology Operating Executive specializing in Sales, Marketing, and Data. With 20+ years of experience, he has restructured companies and built growth strategies. Currently at Adobe, Max previously served as Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s first Chief Data Officer and has held various executive roles at HPE and HP. Max also served as a Partner at Booz & Company, advising on technology, retail, and consumer firms, driving significant growth. A Harvard graduate with an MBA and BA, Max is a lead director for the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and previously served on various boards. Passionate about community, he enjoys diving, exploring the American West with his two children, cooking, and investing in local businesses.
Carolyn Daley
We are ecstatic to welcome Carolyn Daley back after a mandatory year off between terms! Carolyn has led Filoli in her roles as Board President, Chair of the Development Committee, and fundraising events sponsor. A CPA by training, Carolyn led an effort at Filoli to bring the financials accounting and reporting to a higher standard.
Lauren Foster
Lauren Foster has extensive education and experience in the Healthcare industry and is currently the Head of Clinical Product and Research at Bold, a digital eGenXcise platform for older adults. She is currently active in the Engagement Committee and was married at Filoli this summer.
Di Gao
Di Gao serves as the Senior Director of Research & Development at the National Trust, leading a team that provides technical and analytical support to strategic initiatives across the organization. Di’s team specializes in geospatial analysis, and is charged with identifying and executing initiatives that focus on the intersection of preservation and equity, inclusion, and social justice. Di is responsible for developing new preservation initiatives including the America’s Chinatowns program, supporting project execution on major projects including Preserve Route 66 and the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund initiatives, helping to grow the organization’s geospatial analytics practice, and identifying future growth areas for the National Trust. Di has an M.S. in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania, with a focus in planning policy and real estate.
Joyce Hammel
Joyce Hammel is a longtime member of Filoli and recently retired as the Director of Diversity, Inclusion & Strategic Organization Development from University of California, San Francisco. Joyce is a member of Filoli’s DEAI Task Force. She brings decades of experience in all aspects of human resources management and strategic organization development. Joyce has practiced and honed her approach of identifying risks and problem areas early, and either preventing issues from arising or facilitating mutually beneficial solutions. Joyce is a life coach, has served as a community mediator, professional facilitator, a certified investigator and a skilled trainer.She has a BA in Clinical/Medical Social Work from Kent State University Joyce loves to travel and is learning how to play the cello!
Deborah M. Hussey Freeland
Deborah M. Hussey Freeland is a San Francisco native for whom gorgeous days at Filoli are a family tradition spanning four generations. Deborah is an attorney, a scientist, and an academic with a varied career that includes teaching, research, and practice in fields ranging from environmental science and policy, to intellectual property, to immunology, to women’s studies, to legal ethics. Deborah’s community service has focused primarily on supporting students from underserved communities as they explore careers in the scientific and legal professions, and on environmental restoration. Deborah began her career as a freelancer with the San Francisco Ballet. She then earned her BA in Cognitive Science and Biochemistry from Vassar College, her PhD in Biophysics from Stanford University, and her JD from Stanford Law School.
Maggie Kennelly Hazelrig
Maggie Hazelrig is a seasoned executive recruiting and talent advisory leader with a passion for community engagement and the preservation of and connection to historical spaces. Her leadership experience spans various roles, including building high-performing teams and advising organizations on executive talent strategy, particularly across the ever-evolving landscape of tech. A dedicated advocate for women's health, education, and the arts, Maggie has served on the Advisory Boards of Dress for Success Bay Area and the San Francisco Symphony Symphonix Board. Deeply committed to community service, she sits on the Boards of the 2x4 Foundation and the Child & Family Institute. Beyond her professional endeavors, Maggie is an active volunteer and mentor, committed to fostering individual growth and creating positive change. A Bay Area native and alumna of Castilleja School, she holds a degree in Political Science, Business, and French from the University of Southern California. Maggie resides in Menlo Park with her husband, two young sons, and their beloved husky-corgi mix, Hamilton.
Victor M. Marquez
Victor M. Marquez is a partner at Intelink Law Group, focusing on real estate transactions, land use, commercial litigation, state and local government relations, regulatory work and cross-border sourcing, and international trade in Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. He is Vice-President (U.S.) and Chief Legal Officer for the Canada-US-Mexico International Chamber of Commerce ("CUSMEX"). He serves as a Governor on the American Bar Association’s Board of Governors. He also served as a former National President of the Hispanic National Bar Association and was the first openly LGBTQ+ member to serve in this role in the history of the organization.
Bob Nibbi
Bob Nibbi is president of Nibbi Brothers General Contractors, a San Francisco-based commercial construction firm. The company was founded by Bob’s grandfather, Marino, in 1950 and Bob and his brother Michael represent the third generation of company management. Notable projects include the Exploratorium at Pier 15, the Cliff House restaurant and numerous mixed-use projects in Mission Bay. Bob received a Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering and a Masters of Science in Construction Engineering and Management from Stanford University in 1984. Bob is former board president of Rebuilding Together Peninsula and former board president of Family House. He is currently a trustee on the Carpenters Vacation Trust Fund. Bob and his wife Meg live on the Peninsula and have three children.
Michelle Taite
Michelle Taite is the Chief Marketing Officer of Intuit Mailchimp, helping businesses globally solve their biggest marketing challenges. Previously, Michelle was the VP of Global Marketing for QuickBooks where she was responsible for global communications, market research, and product marketing. Before joining Intuit, Michelle served in a variety of roles at Unilever, most notably, leading the iconic core Dove Global Body Wash business. Prior, Michelle worked at New Balance and also spent the early years of her career in the Israeli Intelligence Force. Michelle studied product design at Kingston University London and earned an MBA from the Wharton School of Management.
Kristen Van Dam
Kristen Van Dam is a restoration ecologist with the East Bay Regional Park District. She has over 20 years of experience in ecological restoration, planning and assessment, and has managed restoration projects throughout California. She has authored several studies and assessments, including a novel reference methodology for riparian vegetation produced as her thesis for her Master’s degree in Forestry, at University of California Berkeley. Kristen serves Filoli as the chair of the Property Committee (2023-2024).
Guillermo Viveros
Guillermo Viveros is a senior finance leader with experience in leading global finance and treasury teams. Guillermo has a track record of strengthening financial and operational processes and infrastructures to maximize business performance and profitability. Guillermo most recently led the Treasury and Financial Operations team at Infoblox for four years. Prior to Infoblox, Guillermo spent three years at TiVo as the finance business partner to the Business Unit General Managers and the Chief Revenue Officer and their leadership teams. Guillermo holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and an MBA from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA.
Barry Wellins
Guiding people toward a brighter financial tomorrow is a lifelong goal for Barry Wellins, Market Leader for U.S. Bank Private Wealth Management in Northern California. With a desire to do right by every client, Barry manages a team of financial professionals responsible for providing clients with personalized service and tailored financial solutions. Barry earned his bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. A big proponent of the arts, Barry has served on the board of directors for arts-focused boards in his community; for the past eight years, he has also served as a big brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Leslie Witt
Leslie Witt is a product and design leader with deep expertise in shaping strategies that drive growth, scalability, and innovation across diverse markets and industries, most recently as the Chief Product Officer at Headspace. She excels in crafting exceptional user experiences. Leslie is adept at navigating complex ecosystems, developing new offerings, and scaling operations in fast-growing markets.
Her strengths include financial strategy, customer-centered design, and organizational growth, with experience spanning financial services, wellness, retail, and healthcare. Leslie’s background as an architect and educator informs her creative and analytical problem-solving approach. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, gardening, and playing piano with her twins.
Matthew Worby
Matthew Worby is a seasoned and accomplished HR leader, currently serving as Chief Human Resources Officer at Wish. With a wealth of experience in shaping and optimizing people strategies, Matthew also advises many global startups on Human Resources. Previously holding the role as the Vice President of People at Lyft, he also spent over a decade working as a leader in Human Resources at Google and Alphabet Inc. Matthew brings expertise in HR transformation and strategy, organizational design and development, and talent management to drive success and innovation in the ever-evolving world of human resources.
Martin Yan
Chef Martin Yan is a well-known celebrity chef who starred in the cooking show, Yan Can Cook, which featured recipes for stir fried foods and an assortment of various other traditional Chinese meals and cooking techniques. He is involved in the bay area community and recently created 27 video segments of him exploring San Francisco Chinatown’s food and culture scene. Martin attended the Filoli Vegetable Garden Preview Brunch and is especially excited about Filoli’s interest in interpreting food culture. He will be filming an upcoming YouTube show at Filoli.
Alan Zafran
Alan Zafran is a Founding Partner and Co-CEO of IEQ Capital and has served as a financial adviser to wealthy families and institutional investors for nearly three decades. Mr. Zafran also sits on the Investment Committee at IEQ Capital. Alan was listed as one of Barron’s Top 100 Independent Wealth Advisors in 2014 and 2016 and one of Barron’s Top 100 Financial Advisors in 2018 and 2019. Active in the community, Mr. Zafran is a Board Member for the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Taube Philanthropies, Shuchman Lesser Foundation, and also serves on the Investment Committee for the Board of Trustees of the Portola Valley School Foundation Endowment. Among many nonprofit organizations, Mr. Zafran actively supports the Riekes Center for Human Enhancement, the Friendship Circle, the Youth Angels Foundation, and Mercado Global.
Taylor Glatt
Intergenerational Board Advisor