Sandra Ainslie
CEO
Leadership
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Sandra Ainslie
Sandra Ainslie is CEO of Girls Inc. of San Diego County. She is a strong advocate for youth and committed to creating equity for young people in San Diego. Sandra’s responsibilities at Girls Inc. of San Diego County (GISD) include increasing impact, developing organizational strategy and driving financial growth.
Sandra brings 20 years of experience building and leading innovative youth organizations and programs. She has spent the majority of her career working with underserved and multi-cultural communities, who often face compounded and complex challenges. She is deeply committed to working with youth through asset-based approaches, which enable young people to harness their power, confidence and potential. She is a collaborative leader who believes that community partnerships and connected ecosystems are the best path toward sustainable social change efforts. As a leader she enjoys creating an environment of support, growth and learning.
Prior to joining GISD, Sandra served as Executive Director of the AjA Project, an organization utilizing participatory photography with refugee and immigrant youth. Her work at AjA Project earned Sandra the, Coming Up Taller Presidential award for excellence in youth programming.
Following her work at AjA Project, Sandra served as Senior Director for the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation where she developed a college and career pipeline for disconnected youth.
Sandra holds a bachelor’s degree from University of California San Diego in Cultural Anthropology and a master’s degree in Leadership and Nonprofit Management from the University of San Diego. In addition to her academic work she has done field work with youth in Africa, Central America and Asia. Sandra immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico at age 8.
Erin Tucker
Program Facilitator
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Erin Tucker
Erin Tucker, the Program Facilitator for Girls Inc. of San Diego County, is a graduate of Azusa Pacific University and earned her B.A. in Sociology. She has worked with youth and college students throughout Los Angeles county to promote arts education, college readiness and mentorship.
Throughout her Undergraduate studies and time working in Los Angeles, Erin learned about and saw the great disparities that exist in education today and how students living in low-income communities often fall through the cracks, not receiving the support they need. She grew passionate about advocating for and working towards educational equity for women and girls. Erin joined Girls Inc. of San Diego County because she believes that the programming and mentorship provided by Girls Inc. provides girls with the supplemental support they need to see their worth and power to overcome barriers and achieve their dreams!
Rosa Alvarado
Program Coordinator
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Rosa Alvarado
Rosa Alvarado, the Program Coordinator for Girls Inc. of San Diego County, is a graduate of Cal State San Marcos and earned her B.A. in Human Development with an emphasis in Counseling Services. She has worked with high school youth all over San Diego County to promote gang prevention, student leadership and academic improvement.
Before joining Girls Inc., Rosa has worked with AmeriCorps in Oak Glen High School focusing on academic support and gang prevention. She also supervised and implemented an experiential and academic focused after-school program in five of San Diego Unified School District’s high schools.
A former Girls Inc. participant, Rosa’s work with youth has led her back to Girls Inc. where she can serve young girls of San Diego County.
“The first time I felt empowered and took ownership of my own choices was when I was a participant in Girls Inc. at Vista High School ten years ago,” says Rosa. “Now I get to serve as a role model to the girls in the same community I grew up in and teach them the same life skills I benefited from.”
Melissa Seipel
Board of Directors
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Melissa Seipel
Melissa Seipel is an accomplished human resources and organizational development professional. Prior to the 2018 launch of her coaching and consulting firm, she spent over a decade at The Nature Conservancy, the world’s leading conservation organization. While there, Melissa helped build the organizations global recruitment functions from the ground up, refining the hiring process and working with key stakeholders to uncover pain points and instill best practices. In her consulting work, she loves helping mission driven leaders empower their teams and develop their most critical skills in order to make an even bigger impact. The majority of her coaching clients are successful women who are interested in developing their leadership acumen on their own terms. At her core, she is motivated by the belief that if more women step into leadership roles and do work they love, the entire planet will benefit.
Melissa thrives in nature and enjoys exploring the beaches and trails in her adopted hometown of Solana Beach with her husband Bill and dog Zoe. She’s a self-proclaimed travel junkie with the need to get her passport stamped a minimum of once a year.
She received a BA in Psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia and is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), an ICF certified professional coach (CPC) and holds a certification in mediation and conflict resolution from Cal State University.
Lynette Harris
Board of Directors
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Lynette Harris
“Living a healthy lifestyle starts by enjoying what you do every single day!” This quote has been a guiding force in Lynette’s mind, heart, and life. Since graduating with a Master’s in Public Health, Lynette’s worked at a federally qualified health center, San Ysidro Health, where their mission is to improve the health and well-being of the communities they serve with access for all. Growing up in the community where she works, Lynette feels grateful to have the opportunity to work within the community that gave so much to her while she was growing up. Outside of work Lynette continues her personal mission of giving back by sitting on the Alumni Board of Directors at National University. When Lynette isn’t giving back to the community, she enjoys living a healthy mind and lifestyle. Lynette loves taking Pilates, ballet and spin classes, enjoys reading and most of all loves living in San Diego where she often makes the most of the beautiful weather by hanging out at the beach and riding bikes.
Andrea Gilman
Treasurer
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Andrea Gilman
Andrea Salazar is a successful businesswoman and Director of Operations & Integrated Projects at Biosero. She is a strong and passionate leader, who leads the company’s vision to impact the world by integrating people and automation technologies.
In recent years, Andrea has served as a key member of the Biosero executive team, helping to bring about a significant shift from being an equipment reseller, to a software company. Andrea has contributed to this successful transition by encouraging collaboration among the Biosero team members, fostering a positive company culture and empowering each team member to succeed.
In 2018, Andrea helped implement the Biosero “WHY Project.” A program wherein, Biosero employees nominate and vote for a philanthropic cause to receive a contribution from the company.
Andrea is a member of the Del Mar Women’s Giving Collective (DMWGC), an organization committed impacting the financial needs of various local nonprofit organizations. In 2019, the collective selected three organizations and charities benefiting women and children for a $10,000 grant.
In her personal time, Andrea volunteers at Del Mar Heights Elementary School. She assists in various school events, including the annual gala. She is also an active volunteer for Feeding San Diego and Feeding America.
Maeve Clifford
Board of Directors
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Maeve Clifford
Maeve is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Pearl Street Collective, a national, woman-owned executive search and talent strategy firm serving the social sector.
With more than ten years’ experience in executive search, Maeve brings a deep commitment to an exceptional client experience and an orientation around continuous learning and reflection to both her work and our clients’ needs. In addition to carrying a portfolio of search engagements for our clients, Maeve co-leads strategic business development efforts and facilitates the sharing of learning, tools and outcomes among Pearl Street staff and partners. She also provides operational leadership, overseeing the strategic development of the firm’s business lines, infrastructure, and Collective Partners.
Maeve has notable nonprofit experience, having held roles with Harvard University’s Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, renowned STEM charter school network DSST Public Schools, and several historic preservation entities. She is energized by her work with mission-driven organizations across the spectrum and is particularly drawn to those seeking to dismantle structural inequity, and those employing innovative pathways to improve the lives of others.
Her drive for advancing the common good is rooted in an upbringing by longtime activist parents, and further deepened by her time as a student at Wellesley College, whose motto is Non Ministrari sed Ministrare, or “not to be ministered unto, but to minister.” She holds a bachelor’s in American History from Wellesley College.
Carla Vallone
Board of Directors
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Carla Vallone
Carla has served on the Board of Directors for Girls Inc. of San Diego County since 2014. She served as President of the Board of Directors from Fall of 2016 through 2019. In 2017, she was voted one of the top three "Leading Ladies in Non-profit" by Locale Magazine and was nominated for an ATHENA Pinnacle Award in the Individual Service category in 2018 and 2019 for her work with Girls Inc. of San Diego County.
Carla graduated from New York University with a Bachelor's in Mass Communications. She is a public relations and communications professional who specializes in bringing a voice to brands via strategic communications and integrated marketing campaigns. During her 20 years in public relations and marketing Carla has worked for and represented Fortune 100 companies as well as dynamic start-up companies. She is the Founder and President of Portavoce PR, a boutique public relations agency in North County San Diego that provides integrated marketing communications services to business-to-business clients in a variety of sectors.
Alexandra Rendon
Secretary
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Alexandra Rendon
Alexandra Rendon is a higher education professional with experience working in both public and private universities. She specializes in the areas of student affairs enrollment management. She is dedicated to improving college access and providing guidance to all students who aspire to earn a college degree. Alexandra received dual Bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration and History from the University of San Diego and is currently finishing up her Masters in History at the University of Edinburgh. When she’s not meeting with students or in the library herself, she enjoys traveling and spending time exploring new hiking trails.
Wynter Deagle
President
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Wynter Deagle
Wynter is a Business Litigation partner at Troutman Sanders, LLP. She helps clients craft business solutions to a wide range of complex legal problems. Her practice includes fiduciary duty and corporate governance disputes, cybersecurity and data breach litigation, shareholder disputes, commercial litigation, and First Amendment claims.
In addition to her litigation practice, Wynter also counsels companies and boards in the areas of corporate governance, fiduciary duties, and managing the risks associated with privacy, data security, and information management practices.
Wynter volunteers her time and pro bono services to a variety of non-profit organizations dedicated to the empowerment and professional advancement of women and girls. In her free time, Wynter enjoys going to the beach, working on her classic mustang, playing with her two rescue dogs, and reading. She is a graduate of Roger Williams University and Northeastern University School of Law.
Natalie Smith
Board of Directors
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Natalie Smith
Natalie Smith is a highly resourceful senior environmental planner with over 18 years of experience throughout the southwestern US and Australia. She has extensive experience working on a broad range of complex and highly controversial environmental issues with an emphasis on regulatory compliance and natural resource management in the private, public and non-profit sectors.
In addition to her strong scientific and regulatory background, Ms. Smith’s interests include the human dimension of the environment and the important role that social and economic considerations play in solving environmental problems.
Through her work, she leads and supports agency collaboration and public participation processes including stakeholder engagement and public outreach efforts for multidisciplinary planning projects. She has also led and supported several advocacy campaigns, including the Agua4All campaign to increase safe drinking water access and consumption in California's rural communities. She previously served as the Communications Director for the Superior Chapter of the California Association of Environmental Professionals.
She oversees every aspect of project management, including proposal, grant and scope of work preparation, request for proposal preparation, fundraising and marketing, subcontracting, transnational subcontracting, contract negotiations, budget tracking and forecasting for publicly traded and non-profit organizations, and quality assurance/quality control procedures in accordance with ISO 9001. Her financial management responsibilities have involved projects with multiple task orders, teaming partners, and revenues exceeding several million dollars.