KATHY AROLA
Board Chair
Kathy graduated from U.C.S.B. and has a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership. She was a teacher and school administrator for 25 years in P.V.U.S.D. She currently works part time for the Santa Cruz County Office of Education and for the Association of California School Administrators as a School Leadership Coach mentoring new school administrators.
Kathy is a strong advocate for safe and affordable housing and brings her passion, energy, and a focused work ethic to the organization. During her many years of work in public education, she has seen firsthand how poverty and homelessness affect children and their families. She believes that Habitat can help strengthen families, affect generational change, and revitalize our communities by building “simple, decent, and affordable housing” and helping families to become self-reliant through homeownership. She recognizes the great need for affordable housing for all public sector employees in the Monterey Bay area and wants to work to find solutions.
Kathy has been married to her husband Rockne for 43 years. She enjoys activities with her four grandchildren on her farm in Corralitos, exploring the beautiful west coast, and traveling abroad.
KEVIN DONNELLY
Board Treasurer
Kevin has been on the Board of Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay since 2019, where he currently serves as Treasurer and Chairman of the Finance Committee. He is a strong supporter of Habitat, and he is passionate about the role of Habitat in providing affordable housing and making home ownership a reality for so many deserving families.
Kevin currently works at Eliyan Corporation as VP of Strategic Marketing, and previously held executive roles managing technology development and business operations at Cypress Semiconductor and Rambus, Inc. Kevin holds a BS in EECS from the University of California, Berkeley and a MSEE from San Jose State University.
In his free time, he likes to spend time with friends and family and enjoys attending concerts.
DOUG MAHONE
Member at Large
Doug Mahone is a retired research architect, trained at MIT. He moved to Santa Cruz following a 40-year career consulting on energy efficiency codes and programs, and as co-founder of a 45-person consulting firm.
He enjoys giving back to his community as a Board member at Habitat for Humanity, and he says he continues to be amazed by the complexities and challenges of building a home in Santa Cruz, and by the amount of resources and talent that Habitat marshals to overcome those challenges.
He also serves as a Board member for Ecology Action.
.png)
ED GAGNE
Board Member
Ed Gagne has always believed that a good life is built around family, community, hard work and a willingness to lend a hand.
Ed married his high school sweetheart, Virginia Hennessey and after 49 years they are still happily together. They are the proud parents of two wonderful daughters Katelyn and Julia who remain among has greatest joys. Ed spent many years working in the trades as a complete wall finisher, painter, and cabinet finisher. In 1989, he took a new direction and became an Equipment Engineer in a 6-inch wafer fabrication clean room beginning a career that challenged him in new and rewarding ways.
In 2004, Ed made another important career change, entering the real estate industry in Santa Cruz County. As a real estate professional, his goal has never been simply to buy and sell houses. He enjoys helping people navigate what can often be an overwhelming process and takes pride in guiding them toward decisions that are right for their families and their futures.
Community involvement has always been important to Ed, inspired in large part by the example of his parents. He was an original board member involved in bringing Leo's Haven Neighborhood Park to life, the park was designed so that children of all capabilities could play, explore and enjoy their community.
Away from work and community activities, Ed finds some of his greatest enjoyment outdoors. He loves being on a trout stream, where he spends time fishing and sometimes catching. Music is another passion. Around a campfire, Ed can be found banging on a percussion instrument happily accompanying other musicians in his circle of friends.
Through nearly five decades of marriage, a varied career, community service and a lifelong appreciation for the outdoors and music, Ed has built a life centered on the people and places that matter most to him.
GABE SANDERS
Board Secretary
Gabriel grew up in Sonoma County and spent the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic serving his home county working with community-based organizations to administer CARES Act funding to low-income community members in need of gap income and emergency services. He earned his Master’s in Public Administration from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey and now calls Monterey home.
Gabriel has held many posts advocating for affordable housing and land use advocacy. From his time with the California Department of Housing and Community Development to his current position as Director of Housing and Community Development Policy at the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership.
He loves tasting wine, is an active patron of the arts, enjoys Esports, powerlifting, he speaks fluent Spanish, and is conversational in French and Arabic.
MARK THOMAS
Board Vice Chair
Mark comes to Habitat with a wide world of experience in land development, real estate, environmental law, environmental education, and nonprofit leadership. He has served as a rafting ambassador in Siberia, a national park developer in Mongolia and an environmental surf activist in Mexico.
Though retired after teaching for 40 years, Mark continues to enjoy working as a realtor and property developer. His favorite moments are at home as a father of three wonderful kids and an incredible wife.
He joined the Habitat Board to make Santa Cruz a better, more inclusive place to live and to provide affordable housing to as many people as possible. He has a special place in his heart for those who share this calling to serve the public good.
FRANK HALASZ
Board Member
Frank Halasz is a retired technology and business leader. He started his career as a researcher at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, before moving on to co-found and manage three technology-based start-ups as well as spending too many years as a General Manager at Microsoft TV. He holds a PhD in Cognitive Psychology and an MS in Statistics from Stanford University.
Frank has been a regular construction volunteer with Habitat Monterey Bay on and off since 2011. He moved up to the Board in 2025, but continues his weekly stint working at our construction sites. To Frank, Habitat represents the pure joy of building something with his hands after a career spent in front of a computer screen. More importantly, it is a chance to give back to his community by helping to solve the biggest issue facing our Monterey Bay community - affordable housing.
Frank has lived in Santa Cruz with his wife Maureen since 1989. He has two adult children, neither of whom live in Santa Cruz - in part because of the lack of affordable housing.
MAXWELL SINCLAIR
Board Member
Maxwell serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer at Santa Cruz County Bank and has a strong background in finance, HR, and risk management. He earned his MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business.
He has served on multiple Boards in a volunteer capacity and loves giving back. Habitat is extremely grateful for the level of strategic thinking Maxwell brings to our organization. And his commitment to the mission is strong - he has volunteered several times at Habitat build sites because he loves being connected to the work.
His personal interests are golf, fishing, and volunteering.
CHAPS PODURI
Board Member
Chaps Poduri is a Pacific Grove City Councilman and Director of Commercial Payments at Bank of America, where his two-decade career has centered on serving public-sector institutions and commercial clients. He also chairs Charitable Giving for the Bank of America Foundation across the Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz markets.
Elected to the Pacific Grove City Council in 2020 and re-elected in 2024, Chaps brings hands-on governance experience to every board he serves. He holds a Master's degree in Computer Science and sits on the Transportation Agency for Monterey County's Board and Executive Board. He also serves as a Board Member of ReGen Monterey and as Board Treasurer of the Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust, spanning regional waste management and coastal fisheries sustainability.
A resident of Pacific Grove since 2016, Chaps lives with his wife, mother, and three children. This combination of financial expertise, elected-office experience, and hands-on regional board service shapes his commitment to expanding affordable homeownership access across Monterey Bay
MICHAEL SMITH
Board Member
Michael Smith joined Bay Federal Credit Union in 2022, bringing nearly two decades of experience in the financial industry. His background includes expertise in mortgage lending, operations and risk management, and customer service.
Prior to joining Bay Federal, Michael served as Assistant Vice President of Real Estate Lending at SAFE Credit Union, where he oversaw a growing mortgage team similar to Bay Federal’s.
Michael holds a master’s degree in business administration from California State University, Sacramento, where he also earned his bachelor’s degree in government. Outside of work, Michael enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.
Join Our Board of Directors
Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay is poised for future growth with a solid financial foundation, an experienced Board, committed volunteer base, and top tier brand recognition.
Help build strength, stability, and self-reliance! Join other Board members as we help guide the organization towards its key strategic goals:
-
Increase the footprint of Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay
-
Build organization strength and resilience
-
Elevate advocacy and community engagement
Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay Board of Directors meet the fourth Wednesday of each month.
Interested parties should email Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay Interim CEO, Tracy New at tracy@habitatmontereybay.org. Qualified applicants will receive an invitation to apply.
WHAT WE LOOK FOR
-
A strong dedication to Habitat for Humanity’s mission.
-
Effective communication skills, including listening, articulating ideas clearly, and advocating for Habitat for Humanity's mission.
-
Time and commitment to attend and participate in monthly Board Meetings, annual retreat, and to join at least one committee.
-
Commitment to attend and promote Habitat events.
-
Collaboration with staff and other Board Members, networking in the community, and providing counsel in areas of expertise.
-
Contribute to fundraising efforts, whether through personaldonations, soliciting donations, or leveraging personal and professional networks.
-
Familiarity with region, building industry, local government.
BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES
-
Attend new board member orientation.
-
Attend and participate at board meetings:
11 meetings a year on the 4th Wednesday of each month, with a few exceptions. -
Participate on at least one committee.
-
Attend and promote Habitat Events, such as Galas, Dinners, Auctions, etc.
-
Attend Board Retreat(s).
-
Represent Habitat in our community.
-
Make a personal gift annually.
-
Provide counsel and advice in areas of expertise.
-
Support staff in carrying out Board policies and activities.
