Monday June 5th:
Writers and authors of children's books Chiori Santiago, Abby Wasserman and Barbara Meislin


The three authors will read and answer questions about their respective titles.
Ms. Meislin, Marin County community activist/philanthropist, singer and former French teacher, will read from her children's book :"No One Can Ever Steal Your Rainbow," recipient of a Bay Area Independent Publisher's Association award. Barbara has written in this book about loss and the most extraordinary power of hope and love in healing and giving meaning to our lives. Much of the proceeds of her book goes to causes such as the Arab-Jewish community near Jerusalem: Neve Shalom/Wahat Al-Salaam.
Ms. Santiago is a freelance writer who focuses on art, music, and history. Chiori has written for the S.F. Chronicle, the Smithsonian and the Oakland Museum. She will read from her children's book, "Home to Medicine Mountain." This book, illustrated by Judith Lowry, is about 2 boys who escape Indian Boarding Schools in the 1930s. Among other accolades, the book received a 1999 American Book Award, Award, the Skipp Tones Honor Award as well as recognition from the American Library Association.

NOTE: We are saddened to report the untimely death of Chiori Santiago, 54, from kidney cancer on April 14, 2007. "Chiori will be remembered for her passion for music and dance," writes Farha Rizvi in The Daily Californian

Ms. Wasserman is a literary and visual artist, a writing teacher. and also a well-known community activist in the Arts. Abby will read from her recently published, well-received children's book that she both wrote and illustrated, Tosca's Paris. This love/adventure story has been translated into French by Aurelie A.Vincent. Abby also is known for a number of other publications including the highly acclaimed book she compiled and contributed to of her brother John's writings, Praise, Vilification and Sexual Innuendo or How to Be a Critic.

June 19, 2006:
Ministry congregation members Deborah Alvarez, CEO of Goodwill Industries, and independent consultant Willa Seldon

Our presenters will speak about their life and times, including adventures with their adopted toddler.
Members of the Noe Valley Ministry Congregation and mothers of an adopted daughter, both Deborah and Willa are highly visible in the business and non-profit sectors of the Bay Area and beyond.
Deborah Alvarez-Rodriguez joined Goodwill Industries as President and CEO in March 2004. Prior to joining Goodwill, Ms. Alvarez-Rodriguez was Vice President of Silicon Valley's Omidyar Foundation, the family foundation created by the founder of E-Bay. Previously, as the Director of San Francisco's Department of Children, Youth and Their Families (DCYF), she helped build one of the most comprehensive early childhood education and care systems in the nation. Before joining DCYF, Ms. Alvarez-Rodriguez specialized in evaluation, strategic planning and health system redesign at the Lewin Group, an internationally recognized health care consulting firm. Previous to that position, she was Founder and CEO of San Francisco's Every Child Can Learn Foundation, Executive Director of Intergovernmental and School-linked Services at the San Francisco Unified School District, and Assistant Director for Budget and Planning for the San Francisco Department of Public Health. Ms. Alvarez-Rodriguez is a graduate of Harvard-Radcliffe College.
Willa Seldon is executive director of Tides Center, which provides financial, human resources, and administrative services to 250 charitable projects with combined budgets of $50 million. As co-founder and general partner of Milepost Ventures, a San Francisco-based venture capital fund investing in technology and life sciences companies, Ms. Seldon established one of the first women-focused venture capital funds. Prior to Milepost, she was an executive at AirTouch Communications, a multi-billion dollar wireless company. She currently serves on the boards of Bryn Mawr College and The Foundation Incubator, and she is a member of the Young Presidents' Organization. She holds an M.B.A. from Harvard University, a J.D. from Yale Law School, and an A.B. from Bryn Mawr College.