Bio: Kirsten Dees is a communications and development professional with over a decade of experience in nonprofit fundraising, advocacy, and strategic outreach. She currently leads marketing and communications at the Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation, where she is responsible for advancing the organization’s mission through donor engagement, public relations, and community partnerships. Kirsten holds a Master’s in Social Work from Boston University and a B.S. in Child and Family Development from San Diego State University. Prior to her current role, she held positions with organizations including the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, the Washington State Democratic Campaign Committee, and Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest.

A Northern California native, Kirsten has lived in Grass Valley since 2019 and has served on the Community Beyond Violence Board of Directors since 2021. She is also a member of the Deer Creek Elementary School Site Council and the Community Advisory Council for the Nevada County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA). Outside of work, Kirsten enjoys spending time with her partner and two young children exploring the beauty of the Sierra foothills.

Bio: Lydia Stuart is the Assistant District Attorney of Nevada County and a seasoned advocate for child and family justice.  Two decades ago, Lydia volunteered as a sexual assault victim advocate for an organization similar to CBV and this experience solidified her commitment to the collective response to interpersonal violence.Lydia holds a juris doctor degree with an emphasis in child rights from the University of San Diego School of Law. She has served as a domestic violence and sexual assault prosecutor for the Nevada County Office of the District Attorney, the El Dorado County Office of the District Attorney, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. In addition, she has served as a juvenile dependency attorney for the Placer County Office of County Counsel. Lydia is Chair of the Nevada County Interpersonal Violence Response Group and is honored to be a part of CBV’s Board of Directors.

Secretary

Bio: Amanda is a long time local to Nevada County. She works as a Physician Assistant in Family Practice medicine. Amanda studied at Menlo College and UC Davis. She has a strong and growing interest in social justice and finds herself volunteering in these areas. In her free time she likes cooking for her loved ones, reading, hiking, camping, skiing, paddling and traveling. Amanda loves comedy, has an irrational fear of moths.

She has held multiple roles at Community Legal, including office manager, pro bono attorney coordinator, and board president—supporting grant reporting, policy development, legal clinics, and community education.

Joining CBV’s board is a full-circle moment for Faith. She brings a strong foundation in nonprofit operations and a deep commitment to supporting survivors and giving back to the organization that helped her.

Bio: Tine has worked in the public sector for the County of Nevada since 2015 and serves the community by providing support to the county governing body and the public. Tine delights in the particulars of governance and recognizes the many ways in which the alignment of statute and values/vision/mission can drive an organization. Tine holds a BA in Leadership Studies from Humboldt State, where Tine fostered a love of program development, project management, and strategic planning and forecasting. Tine is also passionate about youth recreation and loves playing around with kids of all ages.

Bio: Amy is a practicing attorney with over seventeen years of legal experience. She has worked with the California Department of Managed Health Care for the past ten years, and currently leads key regulatory and compliance initiatives focused on ensuring access to health care for Californians. Earlier in her career, she handled complex litigation matters and provided strategic counsel to large and small companies and other organizations. Amy is a graduate of UC Davis, and UC Davis School of Law.

Prior to law school, Amy worked for a local domestic violence and sexual assault agency serving North Lake Tahoe and Truckee, providing domestic violence prevention education to K-12 students and community members.

Amy is committed to public service, and enjoys mentoring and sharing knowledge to support the next generation of public service attorneys. Outside of her professional work Amy enjoys hiking, exploring local arts and music, and spending time with family and friends.

Bio: Tara is a public health professional, community advocate, and mom of four adventurous boys. Originally from the East Coast, Tara has been fortunate to travel all over the world and live with her family outside of the US in several different countries. These experiences have deepened her belief in the power of community, resilience, and the importance of looking out for one another—wherever you are in the world.

Always focusing on how to make life equitable for our neighbors, Tara is passionate about building safer, healthier and more connected communities. Whether volunteering at her kids’ school, supporting local events, or simply helping a neighbor in need, Tara believes in showing up and making a difference.

Outside of work and volunteering, Tara enjoys being outdoors – camping with her family, digging around in her garden or watching her boys play soccer!