Jennifer Cullenbine, Queen Elf & Executive Director

Raised in Palo Alto, California, Jennifer received a BS and MBA from San Jose State University. She is married to Dan, and mom to Connor (2000) and Princess Elf Kinsey (2001). Jennifer loves cats and has a Ragdoll named Fezzik along with a brother sister pair of rescued cats, Nala and Sylvester.  In the past two years, while working with a animal shelter, she and her family have helped socialize over 100 rescued kittens to ready them for adoption.  She is a scrapbooking fanatic, and enjoys escaping 4 times a year to create scrapbooks for her family. Her favorite food is pizza, and anything chocolate and she never eats bonbons while watching television...she doesn’t have time to watch television… actually, she doesn’t have time to sit.  She is affiliated with many organizations, some of which include the Young Entrepreneurs Organization, the Center for Excellence in Non-profits, the Milpitas Chamber of Commerce, and the Rotary Club of Milpitas. Jennifer’s favorite volunteer activities include helping out with the Cancer Society’s annual Cattle Barron’s Ball, PTA functions and face-painting for local charitable causes.

David Bratton-Kearns, Chief Operating Officer

David is a former Family Giving Tree Board Member and volunteer, and comes to the position after more than 25 years in various management positions in the transportation industry. In a prior life, David spent three years as an elementary school teacher in Southern California. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Irvine and has an MBA in marketing and logistics from Temple University, Philadelphia. As part of his COE duties, David will be managing office and warehouse operations.  David was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia, is a California native, and has been happily married to his wife Donna for more than 30 years and enjoys spending time with his two daughters.

Jess Gutierrez, Chief Financial Officer

Jess is a San Jose native. A Graduate of Santa Clara University (BSC) and Pepperdine (MBA), he has over 25 years of experience with non-profit governance and financial management and joined the Family Giving Tree in 2008. He is currently serving on the board of the Boy Scouts of America, Santa Clara County Coucil and serves on the finance committee at Grail Family Services.  Jess is married with three boys and enjoys golf and traveling.

Al Galan, Program Manager

Originally from Chicago, IL, Al graduated with a BS in Mathematics from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI.  He served in the U.S. Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer for 8 years in San Diego, left the Navy and found employment in San Jose.  He received a Masters in Organization Development from the University of San Francisco, and has worked for Integrated Device Technology and Intel as a Supply Chain planner and manager.  Al is an avid hockey fan and roots for Chicago sports team and the SJ Sharks.  He enjoys running and commuting to work on his bike.  He and his wife, Jenny, enjoy spending time visiting lighthouses on the coast.

Jeanne Clabaugh, Director of Development

Jeanne graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Sociology and worked as a social worker in Long Beach and Hawaii.  She loves to spend time with her friends and two daughters, ages 25 and 28.  While they live close by, most of her family resides in Canada.  Her furry friend Sophie, a Tabby cat, is the most spoiled creature in her home.  Jeanne loves to garden and travel; she is active in yoga and pilates and every Thursday night you can find her sizzling on the dance floor in Salsa class!  Jeanne worked for Hope Services for 4 years before joining the Family Giving Tree as the Development Associate in October, 2006.

Ashley Gilmer, Office Manager

Ashley was raised in Shaver Lake, CA. Her family instilled in her a strong belief in community support that continues to drive her today. She met her husband Chris through her brother Colt; they were wed in 2006 and have two “Fur Baby” pugs named Coco and Kona. Ashley graduated in 2008 from The University of Maryland with a B.A. in Communication Studies and a minor in Criminal Justice. She has a background in non-profit and volunteer work including the Susan B. Komen Foundation, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and as a U.S. Marine Corps Key Volunteer. Ashley loves to travel and has had the opportunity to live in many
different places including Okinawa, Japan, Stockholm, Sweden, Alexandria, Virginia, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz, California. She enjoys working out with her husband, reading, cooking, scrapbooking, quoting movies and spending time with her loved ones.

Cristi French, Communications Specialist

Cristi has been with the Family Giving Tree since 2004.  She was born in Ontario, Canada and grew up in Campbell, California.  Currently attending college at San Jose State University, Cristi is working her way towards a degree in Sociology.  In keeping with the office trend of being crafty, Cristi enjoys designing mosaics, canning and gardening. As Webmaster, Cristi is in charge of updating the Family Giving Tree's website, and she is the creator/editor of the organization's email newsletter and social media strategy. Become a fan of our Facebook page!

Katie Honegger, Executive Assistant/Event Coordinator

Katie was born and raised in the Island City of Alameda and, after attending San Diego State University earning a B.A. in Psychology and minor in Women’s Studies, returned to the Bay Area to attend graduate school at Saint Mary’s College of California, earning a Master’s degree and credential. Married to her high school sweetheart, Katie (and Travis) enjoy spending time with their cat, Princess Buttercup (and have since learned never to name their cat “Princess”-anything) and their large families, trying new restaurants and silver-smithing. In her spare time, Katie enjoys volunteering as president of Alameda Family Services League, baking, traveling, and is a bit of a techie (Travis is so proud). Her event planning experience, organization, and love of anything and everything kids and Christmas make Family Giving
Tree a perfect match!

Dawn Frownfelter, Host Coordinator

Born into a family of sport and nature lovers, Dawn spent her youth in the mountains and rivers of the Colorado Rocky Mountains before receiving a BS degree from Colorado State University. Craving more adventure, she signed up with the Peace Corps to teach as a volunteer in Namibia, after that braving the wilds of a kindergarten classroom in San Diego, CA.  She began as Executive Assistant Elf in 2007, coordinated fun FGT events from 2009-11 and is now FGT's amazing Host Coordinator!  Dawn misses the Colorado mountains but is loving her time in California and the Bay Area.  She still enjoys adventure in the form of camping, extreme hiking, rock climbing, crafting, reading, traveling, volunteering, baking, and cooking. Despite the magical talking beard, her other half, Kevin, is a wonderful guy and loves her with all his heart. (And sometimes helps write blurbs for her.)

Celeste Rabadon, Agency Coordinator

Celeste was born in New Jersey and grew up in the Bay Area. She joined the Family Giving Tree in August of 2006 to help organize the online wish database and is now in charge of keeping the agency process running smoothly. Her favorite pastimes include cooking, football and traveling, and her favorite food is Sushi, or anything Mexican. She enjoys learning new techniques from the Food Network, but her and her daughter haven't missed an episode of Gilmore Girls yet!

Tara Todd, Volunteer Outreach Coordinator

Tara loves to volunteer! She's donated her time for Heritage Home, Relay for Life and Hurricane Katrina, and after volunteering last year at our holiday warehouse she loved it so much she came to shadow Che as the Volunteer Coordinator for the 2006 Giving Program. Husband Anthony, sons Zachary and Isaiah and daughter Trinity support her as she teaches bible study to high school girls at Christ Community Church of Milpitas. Tara has also traveled for a mission trip to Mexico. With a background in hiring and training for Dave and Busters, Tara opened the Milpitas Los Coches Curves and was voted Best Business Person in 2005 by the Milpitas Post. She grew up in the Berryessa area, started her family in Milpitas and recently bought a home and moved to Manteca.. Her hobbies include scrap booking and hanging out with friends.

Theo Olson, Development Associate

bio coming soon!

Susan Bellamy, Development Assistant

Susan, the newest elf, is a 3rd generation native Californian, growing up in Palo Alto. She graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in Business and worked in the for-profit world for many years. She is married to Jerry, has a grown son and step-daughter and a German shepherd, Nellie. She spends her spare time making quilts for family and friends and also enjoys knitting.

René Rodriguez, Fix-It-Elf

A long time volunteer for the Family Giving Tree, René went from the occasional can you fix this guy, to the in house Fix-It-Elf.  His main duties revolve around keeping the Elf Office well maintained and the Warehouse set up and tear down.  He also has his hands full with wish editing and maintaining the toy recall information.  A real desert rat who grow up in the historic Southwestern town of El Paso, he still maintains his love for Bar-B-Qued Steak and Mexican Food, especially Chiles Relleños and Tacos of every kind.  He now lives in San Jose with his very community active wife Cynthia, effervescent daughter, Jessy who is 7 years old, and Sadie the Dog. Jessy is the reason his past times have gone from sports to face painting (though he is still a big Sharks fan).  He is also an accomplished photographer and a big movie fan.  His favorite movie is Raiders of the Lost Ark which he has seen 45 times!

Sylvia Beatty, Granny Elf

Sylvia Beatty has known the Queen Elf since she was about 3 years old, having been one of Queen Elf's Mom's best friends.  Because of her status as one of Jennifer's mom's, Sylvia and her husband, Randy, (aka "UncPa") are a major part of the Cullenbine family and The Family Giving Tree.  Sylvia was one of the first members of the Board of Directors.  She was also the Tree Host contact at Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) where she worked for 25 years before retiring in 1998.  Sylvia was raised in the Southern California desert and attended Long Beach State College.  She and UncPa have lived in Milpitas since 1979.  They have one dog, Charlotte, a 10 year old Beagle.  Hobbies involve grandchildren, computer crafts and scrapbooking.  Favorite foods are white chocolate and salads while she enjoys watching HGTV shows and American Idol on TV.

Dianne Stevens, Gopher Elf

Dianne Stevens is our dedicated Office Elf. She was born in Lone Pine, California , and spent her early years in Southern California until she moved to the Bay Area during her high school years. She has been in the Bay Area ever since. Dianne's family includes two grown sons. She has benefited from taking a scattering array of college classes over the years. She is extremely interested in crafts, sewing, quilting, knitting, and doll making. In addition, she collects cook books and enjoys traveling and sight-seeing. Her favorite foods are shrimp and salads-and she makes the best soup Bob has ever tasted!