FOCAS Board of Directors
FOCAS' volunteer board of directors meets monthly to set the strategic course and ensure the organization is fulfilling its mission. They represent a wide variety of skills, interests, backgrounds and expertise and like all FOCAS volunteers, have a passion for animals.
Lauren DiGeronimo, FOCAS President
Senior Account Executive: Nuffer, Smith, Tucker Public Relations
Lauren has been a FOCAS volunteer for more than seven years, lending a hand in a variety of ways, from dog handling to newsletter writing. She has more than nine years of event planning, brand development, publicity, and marketing communications experience. Lauren is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and psychology. She is the proud pet parent of Memphis, a pit bull, Labish mix, and would gladly have ten more if it weren’t for her husband!
Yvonne Dill, FOCAS Vice President
Yvonne became acquainted with FOCAS in 2001 when she and her husband went to adopt a shelter pet and were assisted in finding their new forever dog, Tasha, by a FOCAS adoption counselor. Yvonne was so impressed by the work FOCAS did that she made a commitment to become more involved. Yvonne joined the FOCAS Board of Directors in May, 2004.
Ms. Dill is a human resources professional who has held several HR analyst positions for local government and non-profit organizations such as: the City of Santee, the City of Carlsbad, The CSUSM Foundation and The Helen Woodward Animal Center. She has also worked in the private sector for the Coca-Cola Bottling Company, San Diego division.
Yvonne and her husband John are also proud owners of Romeo, a cat they rescued in 1995.
Ann Elise Ryder, FOCAS Treasurer
Ann Elise has extensive professional experience as Controller for several large non-profit organizations. She is now a financial executive for a private family-owned business located in downtown La Jolla.
Ms. Ryder served on the board of directors for Senior Community Centers from 2000-2006, and held the position of Board Treasurer for four years while serving on the board.
Ann Elise devotes much of her spare time to her FOCAS dog, Foxy Roxy, and her two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Charlie and Diana.
Amy Vadgama, FOCAS Secretary
Teacher, Webster Science and Research Academy
Amy became involved with FOCAS when she adopted her Catahoula Leopard dog mix, Cajun, from the group. Active as a board member and in helping to plan the FOCAS Bowlathon, Amy also has her fiancée involved making improvements at the FOCAS-AMC House. She has more than nine years experience in education and in working with English as a Second Language students. She holds a masters degree in education and received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. In addition to Cajun, she shares her home and her heart with Nikki, a husky she adopted from the San Diego Humane Society.
Dawn Danielson, FOCAS Honorary Director
Dawn is the director of the San Diego Department of Animal Services. She joined the department as an animal control officer, was promoted through the ranks and now oversees the strategy and day-to-day management of the department’s three facilities, which provide shelter and veterinary care to more than 28,000 animals annually. She lives in Ramona with three dogs, three cats, 12 chickens and a flock of parakeets.
Doreen Mulz, FOCAS Director
Doreen Mulz has a passion for animals - especially for helping animals in need - and joined FOCAS this year because she truly wanted to make a difference in the lives of animals.
Doreen graduated with her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from San Diego State University and currently works for a non profit organization where she provides administrative oversight in the areas of grant writing, contract compliance, personnel, and budget development and management. She has over 10 years nonprofit management experience.
Doreen's animal family includes a dog (Alley Dog), and three cats - Kitters, Katie, and Midnight - all are rescues.
Charles Mayes, FOCAS Director
Ruth MacPete, DVM, FOCAS Director
Dr. Ruth MacPete has been practicing companion animal medicine in San Diego since 1997. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley and received her doctorate of veterinary medicine from the University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. MacPete works part-time at La Jolla Veterinary Hospital and also at the San Diego County of Animal Services. Dr. MacPete has written articles for several pet magazines, including Cat Fancy, BARK, San Diego Pets Magazine, and Great Scots, as well as local newspapers and can be seen every other Sunday on KNSD 7/39. As NBC’s "PetVet" she discusses important animal-related issues. She shares her home with her husband Henry and daughter Siena, Ling the Siamese, Indy and Maddy the Abyssinians, and Coco an umbrella cockatoo.
Kate McSpadden, FOCAS Director
Attorney, Cooley Godward Kronish, LLP
Kate lends her time and her talents to various FOCAS programs, including handling dogs at adoption events, fostering dogs and orchestrating fundraisers. She fell so in love with one particular retriever mix in the program –now named Bailey - that she adopted her for her own. Kate currently focuses on a corporate transactional practice, representing both public and private companies, venture capital and private equity firms. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and her J.D. at Columbia University School of Law.