Donna Lind, President. Retired Sergeant from the Scotts Valley Police Department with 40 years of service with the City of Scotts Valley. Donna began her career as an Emergency Dispatcher, Dispatch Supervisor and later became a sworn peace officer. She worked various assignments including Patrol, Juvenile, Investigations and became a Sergeant with assignments in Patrol and Investigations. In November 2008 she was elected to the Scotts Valley City Council. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Fallen Officer Foundation since 2006.
Mike “Mac” McMillan, Vice President. Mac began his career in law enforcement in 1973 with the Mountain View Police Department. During his career, he worked with Los Altos Police, Watsonville Police, Santa Clara DA’s Office and retired in 2005 after 26 years with the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office. Mac’s tenure included working assignments such as Patrol, Investigations, Narcotics and Training. He is currently working part time for Marina Police Department and South Bay Academy as an instructor. Mac is a founding member of the Fallen Officer Foundation due to the loss of great friends and instructors, Robert Jones and Herb Ross, whom he misses daily. Mac currently serves as the Vice President of the Fallen Officer Foundation.
Liz Flores, Treasurer. Liz is a CPA, and an Accredited Personal Financial Specialist by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). She also is a Registered Investment Advisor with the State of California. Her investment advisory practice is located in Scotts Valley, California. She is a board member of the AICPA Personal Financial Planning Executive Committee. Many of the members of her immediate and extended family currently serve or have retired from law enforcement. She has been a member of the Board of the Fallen Officer Foundation since 2005 and serves as the Treasurer.
James (Jim) Almeida. Jim Almeida is a founding member of the Fallen Officer Foundation who has helped to shape both the organization and its mission. Jim is a Santa Cruz County Attorney, whose practice area is civil litigation. In addition to board membership of the Fallen Officer Foundation, Jim is a Board Member and Past President of the Santa Cruz County Trial Lawyer Association. He has also been awarded the Pro Bono Award by the Santa Cruz County Bar Association for his work providing legal services to disadvantaged Santa Cruz County residents. Jim moved to Santa Cruz to attend UCSC and stayed to raise three sons as a single parent. Jim enjoys his work on this Board because the dedication and the spirit of the first responders of Santa Cruz County exemplify the spirit of community that convinced Jim to make Santa Cruz his home.
Lawrence (Larry) M. Brenner, Attorney. Larry received his B.A. degree from the University of Pennsylvania, his M.A. degree from the University of Maryland. Formerly a professor of sociology at the University of Kansas, Larry received his J.D. from Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America and was admitted to the Bar in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and California in following years. He moved to Santa Cruz in 1989 and became a partner at the firm Comstock, Thompson, Kontz and Brenner, where he specializes in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Administration and general business law, including Corporations, LLC’s, Partnerships and Real Property Law. Larry is a Past President of the Santa Cruz Bar Association and of the Santa Cruz Bar Lawyer Referral Service. Larry is currently a member of the California Bar Business Section and the Santa Cruz Estate Planning Council. His community affiliations include the Santa Cruz Boys & Girls Club (board member and Past President), Santa Cruz Rotary (board member), and Fallen Officer Foundation (board member).
Larry Griffin. Larry has been a native of Santa Cruz County for over sixty years. He served on the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad and Bike Patrol Unit. Prior to becoming a Deputy Sheriff’s Officer, he played Professional Basketball around the world and currently participates in Track and Field at the Police and Fire Games around the world. Larry’s is affiliated with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. and International Police Association. Larry became a board member in 2013. We welcome Larry’s enthusiasm and dedication with the Fallen Officer Foundation in their goal of assisting first responders in Santa Cruz County.
Shea Johnson. Shea started her career in Law Enforcement with the Capitola Police Department as a Reserve Officer in 1992. Shea put herself through the Police Academy and was hired by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office in 1994. She has had many assignments through her career, including Patrol, D.A.R.E., Court Security, Recruitment and Hiring, Investigations, and Community Policing. Shea was promoted to Sergeant, and then later to Lieutenant where she managed a variety of assignments and projects in Corrections and Records &Civil. Shea retired in 2017.
Shea has lived most of her life in Santa Cruz County, where she enjoys the outdoors, cycling, running, working out and competing in triathlons. She has a Bachelors degree in Political Science and a Master’s in Public Administration from San Jose State University.
The Santa Cruz Fallen Officer Foundation is in my heart and my goal is to help those who are in need in our Public Safety Family.
Colleen McMahon. Colleen McMahon retired in 2013 as a Lieutenant with the with the Santa Cruz Police Department where she served since 1989. She has served in Patrol, Investigations, Street Crimes as an undercover officer and unit supervisor, School Resource Officer, Patrol Sergeant, and Administrative Sergeant. Colleen was the first School Resource Officer in the county and served on many committees to address juvenile issues. Colleen is active in her community and has been a board member of the Fallen Officer Foundation in Santa Cruz County since its first year. She also teaches motorcycle safety courses at the local community college for the California Motorcycle Safety Program and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. When she’s not working, you can find Colleen riding motorcycles across town and across the country. Colleen is also the proud mother of Justine Hamer, a Marina Police Department Officer.
Kristine Ronzano. Kristine is passionate about programs that support first responders,and kids and their needs and small business. She serves or has served on many boards including the Grind Out Hunger, Second Harvest Food Bank, Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre, Aptos Chamber, Walnut Avenue Women’s Center, Scotts Valley Little League, Scotts Valley Pal Football and the Santa Cruz Kidney Foundation. Kristine grew up in Santa Cruz and is married for a Firefighter/Paramedic with three adult children. Her paying gig is as a Vice President with Wells Fargo Bank in Santa Cruz.
Carol Tara. Carol was born and raised in Santa Cruz and continues to reside in Santa Cruz with her family. She is the proud mother of two children; daughter Kirstyn, and son, Justin. Carol is from a large family, most of who all continue to live in Santa Cruz. Her eldest brother is a Captain for the Scotts Valley Fire Department where he has worked for many years and which prompted her interest in community involvement. Carol is presently the Office Manager for Ronzano Sheet Metal Inc. She enjoys the outdoors and hanging out with family and friends. Carol is passionate about our community and our first responders, and all that they do for us. She began volunteering for the Fallen Officer Foundation in 2011 and proudly became a dedicated board member in 2017.
Kenny Simon. Kenny started his professional career in 1998 as an EMT in Santa Clara County. He then became a paramedic in 1999, working in Santa Cruz County. In 2001, he started his fire service career as a Firefighter Paramedic with the City of Watsonville. In 2008, he transferred to the City of Gilroy and finally found his way home with the City of Santa Cruz Fire Department in 2009. He graduated from Cabrillo College with a degree in Liberal Studies and recently has been teaching with the County Office of Education, Regional Occupation Program in Fire Technology. We welcome Kenny as our newest board member with the resignation of Josh Birnbaum in October 2011.