KARE Crisis Nursery Board Members

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  Jean was born in England. As a young child, she lived in Kenya where her father had a farm. She had a traditional English boarding school education. She worked as a secretary in London for 3 years and then escaped to Australia seeking warmer weather and wide open spaces. While in Sydney she met an American sailor on the aircraft carrier ‘Coral Sea.’ That meeting resulted in her arrival in San Francisco in November 1963, and she and Larry were married in Alameda the following March. When Larry got out of the Navy they settled in Redwood City and had 2 children, Daniel and Angela. While the children were growing up the family was actively involved in Scouting, which culminated in Daniel becoming an Eagle Scout. They happily moved to Nevada City in 1981 where Larry worked for the Grass Valley Group and Jean worked as Library Assistant at Nevada Union for 18 years. Daniel, is an architect and lives with his wife and 2 boys in Alameda; they attend the same church where his parents were married. Angela, has 3 children and lives in Olympia, Washington. Jean’s primary interest is her family – as of this writing she is going back to England at least twice a year to be with her Mother who is in a nursing home, and is reconnecting with many members of her family.

Jean and Larry love the outdoors, and still enjoy their summers at Lake Tahoe hiking, biking and kayaking. Jean also loves gardening, is addicted to cross stitch embroidery and opera. She is presently serving as Secretary of the KARE Board.

  Polly, a longtime resident of Nevada County and a graduate of Nevada Union High School, has more than two decades of experience in health care, with an emphasis in pediatrics. Polly joined the Grass Valley-based Western Sierra Medical Clinic – the largest outpatient health provider in Nevada County – in August 2016. She has been integral in leading the clinic’s pediatric care and Covid efforts. She also serves as a medical advisor to Nevada County school nurses and serves on several county task forces and committees, including childhood immunizations, Covid response, the breastfeeding coalition and the eating disorder task force. She also serves on the Board of Directors of KARE Crisis Nursery. Polly, who lives with her husband and two teenage sons in Nevada City, earned a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree in Nursing-Pediatrics from the University of California, San Francisco.

Erin first and foremost is Mama to 4 great sons. She is married to Stan, a music educator, local singer/actor, and choir director. She has resided in Nevada County since 1986 when she followed her husband back to his hometown. Erin has worked at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital since 1993 as their medical social worker, is a longtime member of their Bioethics Committee and is active with their Palliative Care Team. She has served as the clinical social worker providing counseling services to the women at the Maternity Health Clinic for many years, working with pregnant women and their young families. She served on the board of the Church Street Infant Care Center during its brief tenure. In her private time, Erin is active as a school volunteer and Yuba River Charter School where each of her sons were/are enrolled; she sings in the choir and teaches Sunday School at Trinity Episcopal church, loves to garden and is active in other vocal or theatrical opportunities as time allows. Erin has been an admiring enthusiast for the KARE Nursery since its formative years and is proud to serve in the Board of Directors since 2010 in support of the regional treasure.

Russell H. Wilder has been a member of KARE’s board since 2018 and since 2008 has owned a home in Grass Valley, CA with his wife and fellow UC Davis alumnus of over forty years, Deborah.  They have three adult children and are the proud grandparents of three grandsons and a granddaughter. A veteran of over 40 years in the leasing and financing of equipment for businesses, he is the Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Officer for ATEL Capital Group in San Francisco, one of the largest independent firms in the industry.  He is also on the Board of Directors of Women of Worth in Nevada City, a member of a Nevada City Rotary Club, is a Red Rose Society member of the Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation and along with his wife has been a donor and volunteer to several other Nevada County non-profits.  An Eagle Scout himself, as an adult he served first as a den leader for a Cub Scout pack and then as Scoutmaster of a troop.  He then ran a large annual event attended by over 600 scouts and staffed by 100 volunteers for the Pacific Skyline Council for several years.  He was the Registrar and on the board of an AYSO youth soccer league and officiated games for several years.  In recognition of his service to youth he is a recipient of the Silver Beaver award from the Pacific Skyline Council, scouting’s highest award to adult leaders at the council level.  Russ’ hobbies are scuba diving and photography, with a focus on wildflower and marine life macrophotos.