2019-2020 Board of Directors
Biographical Info
Gene Gilligan taught Severely Handicapped and Orthopedically Handicapped students in Ventura County, San Mateo County, Placer County, and at Nevada Union High School. He has been retired for 10 years after teaching for 30 years. Gene just retired as the boys Cross Country coach at Nevada Union. He has lived in Nevada County for 20 years and in beautiful Penn Valley for six years. He is currently the Race Director for the annual Penn Valley Daffodil Run.
Biographical Info
Chrissy was raised in Nevada County and left shortly after school to find her own path. She moved around a lot while working in the medical field, always lending a hand where she could. Finally a few years ago she couldn’t fight the pull of coming back home. Chrissy bought a house in Smartsville last year and is currently the Business Specialist with Wells Fargo back for Nevada County. Her passion has always been helping this community and its small business owners. Chrissy is looking to make a difference in this community since it has always had a place in her heart.
Biographical Info
Though he has only lived here since 2011, Ted feels he is back to his roots being in Penn Valley, having grown up in a small town (Hollister, Ca). His wife Destiny and their two children love this area and all the activities that are available. They have especially enjoyed the Penn Valley rodeo and have been working in the chamber sponsored cook house since 2013. Their prior business, Atticus Framing and Art Supply was blessed to be able to donate picture framing jobs or funds and products to various local organizations including Rotary, Roots and Wings, St. Mary’s Academy, NEO, Wounded Warriors, 4-H and Sierra College Students Art Exhibit. The family is involved with the Penn Valley 4-H club and they enjoy (and are also kept busy) taking care of numerous animals at their home. Outdoor activities and church round out their schedule.
Biographical Info
Cheri Ray worked in the Title and Escrow profession for 17+ years while raising her four children and has served on the board of directors for Forrest Charter School, been a volunteer for Rotary functions as well as a member of the pink boulders in the quest for a cure for breast cancer. She is now employed at Plaza Tire and Auto Service and is looking forward to serving the community as a board member of the Penn Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Biographical Info
Nicole (VVG as some call her), thinks Penn Valley embraces all the vibrant qualities of a fantastic small town in America, a great sense of community, neighborliness, natural beauty, and active, educational, and cultural pursuits in easy reach. She and her husband moved here in 2006, and have three children, a horse and goat. At our fantastic local schools, Williams Ranch, Pleasant Valley, and Ready Springs, Nicole has volunteered in classrooms, special events, fundraisers, and been a member of the local school board. She enjoys finding Penn Valley partnerships in service to our school and community, and drawing on her background in professional project management for a global consulting company.
Biographical Info
Tom was raised on a farm in North Dakota. Next stop was the University of North Dakota and then an engineering job in Minneapolis, MN. In 1986 Tom and wife Nadeane made the move from Minnesota to Silicon Valley where Tom worked in the computer industry until 2012. We had family in Smartsville which brought us into the general area and over time were drawn to the Penn Valley area. It’s now the place that we happily call home. Tom totally enjoys the small town environment and has made it a priority to take an interest in the community and to support the local business owners. Tom is looking forward to getting more involved in the community via chamber sponsored activities.
Biographical Info
Mike Mastrodonato along with his fiancé Pam, are the Resident Managers of Penn Valley Mini Storage. After accepting the job and relocating to Penn Valley from Fallon, NV in May of 2012, the couple knew they had arrived at the community of their dreams. Prior to beginning a career in the self-storage business in 2008, Mike owned and operated a large wholesale window covering business operating in Reno and Las Vegas. In 1994 Mike’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to give up an 18-year marketing career with Anheuser-Busch at their Las Vegas wholesaler. “I just had to challenge myself out of a very comfortable zone to see if I could make it on my own”. Mike believes that success in business is measured by how much you can give back to the community that helped you succeed, adding, “I love the sense of community here, I am confident that Penn Valley is my last stop… How lucky am I”?
