CNL is governed by a Board of Directors. Board members are drawn from key leaders from all sectors of the community.
Board of Directors
Jennifer Singer, Chair
Jennifer Singer, currently the Executive Director, helped co-found The Friendship Club in 1995. Jennifer, a native of Nevada County and graduate of Nevada Union High School, received a degree in Communication from the University of Colorado at Boulder and has studied Nonprofit Administration at the University of San Francisco. Jennifer returns to board service for CNL having served nine years previously on the founding board. She is also a board member and Past President of Sierra Harvest. She is a graduate of the Nevada County Leadership Institute and became a Certified Fundraising Executive in 2015. Recently on her path of professional development, Jennifer trained to become a certified Gallup Strengths Coach. She is a wife and mother of three young daughters.
Scott Beesley, Vice Chair
Scott’s first experience in the world of nonprofit management came at the ripe age of sixteen when he was commissioned with running the youth sports department of his local YMCA. His volunteer time currently goes to SYRCL’s Wild & Scenic Film Festival selection committee, Gold Country Triathlon Club’s athletic development committee, and as Team Lead for Nevada County Sheriff Search & Rescue’s Crisis Intervention Unit. His years of day job experience in tax and financial planning lend well to consulting in the nonprofit sector. Scott holds a Certified Financial Planner® designation and an economics degree from The University of Michigan.
Stephanie Fischer, Treasurer/Secretary
Stephanie is the former Executive Director at Community Beyond Violence. She worked for the agency from 2010 and played many roles in her time there. Stephanie started as the receptionist and worked her way through various positions until she was offered the position of Executive Director in November of 2018. She is a certified self-defense instructor and serves on the Adult and Family Services Commission for Nevada County. Stephanie was born and raised in Grass Valley and is now raising her own family there. She is passionate about serving this community and realizing her vision of local organizing that is grounded in empathy and inclusivity with a powerful connection to larger movements to end interpersonal violence.
Ryan Gruver
Ryan Gruver is the Director of Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) in Nevada County, California. Since assuming the position in 2019, he has provided leadership to the largest agency in the county government, with an annual budget of over $150 million and more than 300 employees. As the head of HHSA, Ryan is responsible for providing an array of essential services to Nevada County’s most residents. These services run the gamut from benefits programs, housing/homelessness programming, mental health support, Public Health and more. Ryan has worked at the County of Nevada since 2006, and prior to joining HHSA, worked in the County Executive Office, Auditor Controller’s Office and Child Support Services. Before working for the County, Ryan served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the island nation of Dominica. Gruver received his Bachelors degree from UC Berkeley and his Masters of Public Administration from CSU San Bernardino. He is committed to improving the lives of those he serves and advocating for equitable access to services for all residents.
John Schroeder
John brings over 30 years experience working in the technology industry, as well as volunteering & working for non-profits. John brings significant work experience with Fortune 500 companies, focused on leadership & people development as well as employee engagement.
His nonprofit experience includes 10 yrs as instructor at CAMA (Christian Academy of Martial Arts) and 2 years working for The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, CA. John has a passion for serving others in the community, and is currently spending much of his volunteer time serving with Nevada County Sheriff Search & Rescue in a variety of roles.
Debbie Van Dusen
Debbie brings over 30 years of work, consulting and volunteering with nonprofits involving a range of missions from arts organizations to international public health. Focused on nonprofit work after a 26 year career in finance and banking, Debbie worked as Co-Director of Community Partners International (CPI), and at the UC Berkeley, Office of Gift Planning. She has sat on several boards including CPI, and the Richmond Art Center; and specializes in areas of nonprofit management including board and staff development, fundraising, and long term planning. Debbie is a member of SYRCL, The Center for the Arts, and The Bear Yuba Land Trust, and serves as chair of the Center for Nonprofit Leadership’s Curriculum Committee.
Wendy Willoughby, Managing Director
Wendy began working with the Center for Nonprofit Leadership in late 2008 and for over 15 years has had the pleasure and honor to learn from some of the most dedicated and passionate leaders in Nevada County’s nonprofit sector and beyond. Wendy is the Managing Director for the organization and has for 7 years been the lead trainer for CNL’s flagship training, Board Essentials: Getting Great.
Prior to CNL, Wendy served as the Development and Education Director at the Foothill Theatre Company in Nevada City. She holds a BA in Theatre and Dance from UC Irvine. After earning her degree, she spent 10 years in the television industry, as both an Executive Assistant and Affiliate Relations & Promotions Manager.
Wendy also works at the Nevada County Fair as their Community Outreach Coordinator, managing several key areas of the annual Fair’s activities.