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Newsletter

November, 2025

Letter from Our Board Chair

As Thanksgiving draws near, I can’t help but think of how grateful I am for the incredible women who serve on the Executive Board and the Governing Board. A tremendous amount of work goes on both in the forefront and behind the scenes, and I want the members to know just how much our Board members are contributing to our success. Here is an overview of what has been done since the Kick-off Meeting.

I have to start with the very visible work of the Grant Co-Chairs Maritia Walper and Sara Bennett, and their Work Group Leaders Joanne Marks and Lisa Hwang. The Grant Co-Chairs have led the Monday and Tuesday grant groups through the LOI review phase, and have decided to move 47 applications forward to the next stage, the Request for Proposal(“RFP”) phase. Twenty-two (22) organizations from the Monday group and twenty-five (25) organizations from the Tuesday group will be submitting their RFP applications in the upcoming month. The RFP phase involves a more thorough financial evaluation of the applicant and a budget review of the program. 
 
This year, we were fortunate to have Candise Holmlund, our Investment Chair, give the Monday and Tuesday grant groups a refresher course on our Grant Guidelines and protocols. This enabled us to double down on our review processes and resulted in many helpful comments for improving our processes going forward.  
 
The work of our Programs Chair Muffy Walker has also been very visible. Muffy secured two great speakers for our last two meetings. Dr. Dimitri Deheyn from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, who spoke about microplastics in the environment, and Dr. Paul Aisen, from USC’s Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute. Many who attended Dr. Aisen’s talk on Alzheimer’s research expressed an interest in an online opportunity he discussed which enables adults over the age of 50 to track their memory through a series of online, no cost tests. We have posted information about this study on the home page of the Members’ Only section of our website. 
 
Membership Co-Chairs Marilyn Tedesco and Dina Lieber, with help from Irene Pimentel, held a very successful Member Orientation and Engagement event at the Del Rayo Downs Clubhouse. Marilyn and Dina recruited long-standing members to serve as ambassadors to the new and returning members. Over wine and lite bites, the Membership committee provided an overview of the Women’s Fund, our history and how our grant cycle and schedule works to bring much needed funding to local non-profits. Those present were able to get to know one another in an informal setting while learning about the nuts and bolts of the Women’s Fund.
 
Social Chair Robin Fantin secured a favorable year-long contract at the Lomas Santa Fe Country Club for all of the 2025-26 General Meetings. Everyone who attended the November General Membership Meeting raved about the menu options, food and service at the event. Robin also organized an Exclusive Shopping Event with Finnia Fine Clothing Boutique. The event raised $3,000 for the Above and Beyond Campaign. Please be on the look out for another shopping event that Robin is currently planning. She is also planning a very special Bubbles event, scheduled for January 29th, so stay tuned.  
 
In the holiday spirit, our Volunteer Co-Chairs Lynn LaRue and Lisa Hwang held an extremely successful food drive for the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank in conjunction with our November General Membership Meeting. Lynn and Lisa have also organized a Toy Drive and Wrap-A-Thon on December 3rd to benefit recent grantee, the Mitchell Thorp Foundation. Please look out for information on how to participate.  
 
And there has also been a significant amount of “behind the scenes” work. Cathy Burch, our Secretary, and Cynthia Hudson, our Audit and Compliance Chair, prepared and filed the paperwork to secure our 501(c)(3) status for the upcoming year. For Cynthia, this meant leading the initiative to prepare and file our first full year federal and state tax returns. She was assisted by Diane Solomon, Mara Buchholz, Cathy Burch, Nikki Carmody Ream.  
 
The importance of the “behind the scenes” work of Mara Buchholz, Technology Chair to keep the site updated and fresh, and to keep all of us on schedule and on message, and the work of Diane Solomon, Treasurer and Finance Co-Chair, to keep the bills paid and the accounts settled, cannot be underestimated.
 
Our Executive and Governing Boards are comprised of very accomplished women with expertise in many different fields, and they bring this expertise, dedication and hard work to the Women’s Fund every day. I am tremendously grateful for the work and humbled by their talent and experience. I know that I am fortunate to be able to work with this group of women, and I want to recognize and thank them during this season.
 
Thank you, and I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Mary Consalvi

RSF Women’s Fund Board Chair

New Members

As word of our good deeds grows, so does our membership! This fall, we’ve welcomed four new members and celebrated the return of three former members!

Allison Williams — Returning Member since September 17th

Colleen Peterson — New Member since October 1st

Debbie Torbati — Returning Member since October 1st

Elizabeth Tresp — New Member since October 10th

Marina Pastor — Returning Member since October 22nd

Lauren Fields — New Member since November 2nd

Lee Ann Allman — New Member since November 7th

Spotlight on a Recent Grantee

Blue Star Families, San Diego — Welcome 365

$30,000

In honor of Veteran’s Day, this month’s spotlight is on Blue Star Families, San Diego Chapter and their Welcome 365 program — an initiative designed to strengthen community connection and resilience among military and veteran families in the San Diego region. 

Military families often face frequent relocations, social isolation, and challenges accessing local resources. Welcome 365 responds to these needs through year-round programming and events that help families build relationships, access essential support, and feel truly welcomed in their new communities. 

Our funding supports a range of impactful activities, including:

  • Outdoor Explorers for All program – promoting physical and mental well-being through local outdoor adventures
  • Month of the Military Child celebration – honoring and celebrating military children
  • Welcome Week and family-friendly outings – creating social opportunities that reduce isolation

 

Additional supported initiatives include:

  • Nourish the Service – wellness workshops and cooking classes that promote family well-being.
  • Enhanced Digital Outreach – helping families connect with resources even before they arrive in the San Diego area.
  • Purple Up Week and community projects – fostering peer connection and easing transitions into new schools and neighborhoods.

 

Together, these programs help military families feel supported, connected and empowered to thrive year-round. 

Out and About with RSF Women’s Fund Members

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities

This year, thanks to the coordination efforts of our Volunteer Co-Chairs, we have enjoyed several opportunities to engage with a some of our recent grantees.

In October, RSFWF members were invited to participate in Pro Kids, First Tee’s fall golf outing in October, where participants were paired with talented young golfers from Pro Kids’program, and had the chance to experience first-hand the program’s impact.

Members also supported the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank’s Annual Holiday Food Drive by bringing food donations to our November General Membership Meeting. Through our collective efforts, we donated 567 pounds of food and contributed $2,170 in virtual cash donations!

Looking ahead, the Mitchell Thorp Foundation, has requested volunteer support on December 3rd to help wrap holiday toys for families facing life-threatening illnesses.

Nothing get you in the holiday spirit quite like wrapping presents. Interested in participating? CLICK HERE to register.

In addition, The Elizabeth Hospice is seeking volunteers to help with their Educators Training Seminar on March 5th. 

This 4-hour seminar will include both in-person and virtual participation for school counselors and front-line staff.

Volunteers will be asked to arrive by 7:30 am to assist with setup, and then stay for the training. The workshop is scheduled to conclude at 12:00 PM. 

Additional details will be shared as the seminar date approaches. 

Important Upcoming Events

December 3rd

January 29th

February 10th

March 2nd – 27th

March 5th

Volunteer Opportunity at Mitchell Thorp Foundation

Annual Members Bubbles Celebration

Galentine’s and Site Visit Sign Up Meeting

Site Visits

Volunteer Opportunity at The Elizabeth Hospice

1:00 – 4:00 PM

5:00 – 7:00 PM

11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Various Times

7:30 AM – 12:30 PM

2025-26 Executive Board of Directors

President and Board Chair — Mary Consalvi

Secretary — Cathy Burch

Treasurer and Finance Committee Co-Chair — Diane Solomon

Grant Committee Co-Chair — Maritia Walper

Grant Committee Co-Chair — Sara Bennett

Sr. Membership Chair — Marilyn Tedesco

Nominations and Governance Chair — Nikki Carmody Ream

Member-at-Large — Sandra Coufal, MD

Member-at-Large/Audit Chair — Cynthia Hudson

Member-at-Large/Programs Chair — Muffy Walker

Member-at-Large/Technology Chair — Mara Buchholz

2025-26 Governing Board of Directors

Incoming Grant Committee Co-Chair — Staci Fournier

Incoming Grant Committee Co-Chair — Laura Froelich

Investment Committee Chair — Candise Holmlund

Jr. Membership Chair — Dina Lieber

Social Chair — Robin Fantin

Social Media Chair — Pilar Meza

Volunteer Co-Chair — Lisa Hwang

Volunteer Co-Chair — Lynn LaRue

Member-at-Large — Donna Vance

plus all Executive Board Members