San Rafael, CA – The Marin County Board of Supervisors has honored 139 outstanding volunteers and interns who made significant impacts and completed their service in County of Marin departments.
Board members unanimously passed individual resolutions of commendation at their August 10 meeting. Honorees served in 14 County departments in a wide range of roles.
Through the County's MarinShares program, wildfire lookout volunteers have enhanced public safety in Marin.Of the total, 101 were Marinterns students who learned about public service careers in public health, law, communications, research, investigations, public safety, human resources, agriculture, finance, engineering, library services, housing, parks, sustainability, information technology, public policy, and human resources.
In the volunteer group there were 38 MarinShares honorees, including a parks trail patrol volunteer who served for 44 years, plus several volunteers active for more than two decades each at the County library, Sheriff’s Office, Cultural Services, Health and Human Services, and Public Works.
During the pandemic response, several of the Health and Human Services honorees supported COVID-19 testing and contact tracing.
Marinterns Coordinator Joy Fossett said students brought positivity and adaptability to County departments.
“Intern honorees demonstrated complete dedication to their project assignments and contributed new ideas to the County,” she said. “They were a diverse group — intelligent, talented, and devoted.”
“As a community, we are fortunate that volunteer honorees shared their time, spirit, and compassion,” said MarinShares Coordinator of Volunteers Anne Starr. “Whether helping behind the scenes or serving clients directly, they modeled service above self. Their individual perspectives, expertise, and dedication benefitted County teams and Marin residents.”
Among the volunteer resolutions, seven were awarded posthumously. “The seven volunteers who passed away in the past year made significant and lasting impacts, and we mourn their loss,” Starr said.
The MarinShares and Marinterns programs had more than 8,100 volunteers and interns serving nearly 223,000 hours across County departments, according to the most recent annual impact report.
Until the pandemic shutdown in March 2020, volunteers served in many ways, including as fire lookouts, legal interns, consumer mediators, tobacco-prevention interns, Marin Civic Center tour guides, consultants in several disciplines, Marin Center theater ushers, ombudsmen, financial abuse specialists, parks and open space volunteers, graphic designers, senior peer counselors, and more.
Since the shutdown, many roles have been temporarily suspended or are happening remotely – with the notable exceptions of Marin Medical Reserve Corps volunteers and college nursing student interns supplementing the County’s pandemic response.
The MarinShares and Marinterns programs engage a diverse group of Marin residents who share their talents and energy, enhancing the County’s service to the residents. To explore opportunities and to apply, visit www.marincountyHR.org or contact Anne Starr at (415) 473-7167 for volunteering, and Joy Fossett at (415) 473-7447 for student internships.
Marin Shares and Marinterns 2021 Honorees
Recognized by the Marin County Board of Supervisors
On August 10, 2021
Bolinas
- Alexa Pal, District 4 intern, Board of Supervisors.
Corte Madera
- Evelyn Bailey, School to Career tobacco prevention & education intern, Health & Human Services;
- Maria Benet, medical records & administrative aide, Health & Human Services;
- Keadan Bradley, tobacco prevention & education intern, Health & Human Services;
- The Board gave posthumous recognition to the late Amelia DeMello, aide, Marin County Free Library;
- Bijan Karimi, Marin Search & Rescue volunteer, Marin County Sheriff’s Office;
- Cassidy Rodgers, School to Career tobacco prevention & education intern, Health & Human Services;
- Sophie Zlatunich, Marin Teen Girl ambassador, Human Resources.
Fairfax
- Kathy Norwood, client assessment aide, Health & Human Services.
Greenbrae
- Nicole Fuches, Marin Teen Girl ambassador, Human Resources;
- Sophia Rocha, Marin Teen Girl ambassador, Human Resources.
Inverness
- Summer Cassel, District 4 intern, Board of Supervisors;
- Celine Bennett, mobile testing team intern, Marin County Free Library.
Kentfield
- Erin Roddy, tobacco prevention & education intern, Health & Human Services.
Larkspur
- Yanni Caparis, School to Career tobacco prevention & education intern, Health & Human Services;
- Catherine Wall, Marin Search & Rescue volunteer, Marin County Sheriff’s Office.
Mill Valley
- Emma Barenbaum, Marin Teen Girl ambassador, Human Resources;
- Natalia Betzler, high school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Roberta Cohen, senior peer counselor, Health & Human Services;
- Leah Fullerton, Marin Teen Girl ambassador, Human Resources;
- Paige Gordon, summer legal intern, County Counsel’s Office;
- Mark Hudson, volunteer attorney, Public Defender’s Office;
- Annet Burova Katan, graphic designer, Human Resources;
- Charlotte McAdam, high school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Aoife Mellett, high school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Emily Milstein, post-bar intern & volunteer attorney, Public Defender’s Office;
- Amelia Minchin, Marin Teen Girl ambassador, Human Resources;
- Sonia Saltzman, Marin Teen Girl ambassador, Human Resources;
- Emily Spears, pre-law intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Mia Tokarski, Marin Teen Girl ambassador, Human Resources.
Novato
- Tayler Andersen, administrative support intern, Health & Human Services;
- Olga Ballesteros, senior peer counselor, Health & Human Services;
- Evan Colenbrander, airport information sign project intern; Department of Public Works;
- BK Cooper, rigging consultant volunteer, Department of Public Works;
- Katie Criesco, School to Career intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Jaime Y. Faurot, administrative support volunteer, Health & Human Services;
- Alex Frey, pre-law intern, District Attorney’s Office;
- Michelle Frid, digital team intern, Information Services and Technology Department;
- Lauren Halsey, School to Career tobacco prevention & education intern, Health & Human Services;
- Lisa Jack, shelver, Marin County Free Library;
- Julian-Spencer Kraynik, RxSafe Marin AmeriCorps VISTA intern, Health & Human Services;
- Camille Krejdovsky, Marin Teen Girl ambassador, Human Resources;
- Emily Morales, School to Career tobacco prevention & education intern, Health & Human Services;
- Abie Prieto, teen shelver, Marin County Free Library;
- The Board gave posthumous recognition to the late Grant Pritchard, a Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service/Auxiliary Communications Service volunteer, Marin County Sheriff’s Office;
- Vanessa Sibrian, law school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Christine Valente, Marin Center usher, Cultural Services.
Point Reyes Station
- The Board gave posthumous recognition to the late Sue Baty of Point Reyes, a knitting instructor for the Marin County Free Library.
Ross
- Pilar Goodman, Marin Teen Girl ambassador, Human Resources.
San Anselmo
- The Board gave posthumous recognition to the late Connie Berto, a patrol volunteer for Marin County Parks;
- Zianah Griffin, restitution intern, Probation Department;
- Liz Hylton, School to Career tobacco prevention & education intern, Health & Human Services;
- Stefani Iojica, law library student intern, Marin Law Library and legal support intern, District Attorney’s Office;
- Camille Richard, School to Career tobacco prevention & education intern, Health & Human Services;
- Ryan Samway, COVID-19 mobile testing team documentation intern, Health & Human Services;
- Kenneth Sharpe, ombudsman volunteer, Health & Human Services;
- Rocket Williams, student service intern, Marin County Free Library.
San Rafael
- Crystal Amezcua, pre-law intern, District Attorney’s Office;
- Ana-Sofia Arena, Covic-19 mobile testing team intern, Health & Human Services;
- Abrina Carlos, law intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Ella Carter, Summer Challenge youth volunteer, Marin County Free Library;
- Sophia Cesario, Summer Challenge youth volunteer, Marin County Free Library;
- Miriam Cohn, administrative aide, Cultural Services;
- Samantha Cox-Parra, post college intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Marjorie Donalds, senior peer counselor, Health & Human Services;
- Nancy Douglass, Marin Center usher, Cultural Services;
- Raphael Dunne, steward, Marin County Parks;
- Joanne Elder, administrative aide, Human Resources;
- Lizbeth Enriquez, COVID-19 contact tracing intern, Health & Human Services;
- The Board gave posthumous recognition to the late Roy Fidler, a Marin Civic Center tour docent for Cultural Services and a mediator for the District Attorney’s Office;
- Vicente Garcia, HIV outreach assistant, Health & Human Services;
- Laura Griffith, Marin Civic Center tour docent, Cultural Services;
- Brian Heffern, law school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Jillian Hickey, COVID-19 mobile testing team intern, Health & Human Services;
- Dina Johnson, Marin Teen Girl ambassador, Human Resources and high school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- The Board gave posthumous recognition to the late Barbara Levin, a senior peer counselor for Health & Human Services;
- Kunal Lohtia, Clean Marin intern, Department of Public Works;
- Keila Lopez, pre-law intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Max Manwaring-Mueller, COVID-19 mobile testing team documentation intern, Health & Human Services;
- Robin Meisel, ombudsman, Health & Human Services;
- Susanna Molinari, Library Beyond Walls liaison, Marin County Free Library;
- James Myhre, legal support intern, District Attorney’s Office;
- Samantha Newman, Marin Teen Girl ambassador, Human Resources;
- Mia Nguyen, Bridge Team class assistant, Health & Human Services;
- Evelyn Ochoa, high school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Josefina Perez, senior peer counselor, Health & Human Services;
- Maxwell Pierce, epidemiology intern, Health & Human Services;
- Stuart Quan, Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service/Auxiliary Communications Service volunteer, Marin County Sheriff’s Office;
- Ana Qiu, Summer Challenge youth volunteer, Marin County Free Library;
- Maydeli Reyes, School to Career tobacco prevention & education intern, Health & Human Services;
- Alexandra Souza, Marin Teen Girl ambassador, Human Resources;
- Michelle Spinosa, epidemiology intern, Health & Human Services;
- Shama Stropes, Summer Challenge youth volunteers, Marin County Free Library;
- The Board gave posthumous recognition to the late Sandra Walker, a volunteer chaplain for the Marin County Sheriff’s Office;
- Reed Weingard, COVID-19 contact investigation data epidemiology intern, Health & Human Services.
Sausalito
- Breanna Williams, Maternal Child Health program intern, Health & Human Services.
Stinson Beach
- Belinda Zell, shelver, Marin County Free Library.
Tiburon
- Lucy Berry, School to Career tobacco prevention & education intern, Health & Human Services;
- Julia Rose, School to Career tobacco prevention & education intern, Health & Human Services.
Woodacre
- Sierra Cusick, Marin Teen Girl ambassador, Human Resources.
Sonoma County
- Maleah Gibson of Petaluma, high school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Bruce Schomaker of Petaluma, fire lookout, Marin County Fire Department;
- Rachel Hay of Rohnert Park, adult probation intern, Probation Department;
- Sydney Starke of Rohnert Park, pre-law intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Alexis Puruggagnan of Santa Rosa, social work intern, Health & Human Services.
Other Bay Area Locations
- Juliette Ingram of Alameda, Reading Buddies/literacy tutor intern, Marin County Free Library;
- Lucy Aldridge of Benicia, Nutrition Wellness Program intern, Health & Human Services;
- Jenna Archer of Berkeley, summer law clerk, County Counsel’s Office;
- Jasmin Cohen of Berkeley, law school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Stephanie Kim of Berkeley, law school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Dana Montoro of Berkeley, child welfare intern, Health & Human Services;
- Spencer Paik of Berkeley, legal support intern, District Attorney’s Office;
- Benjamin Seashore Hobson of Berkeley, interpreter during COVID-19 response, Health & Human Services;
- Manjinder Kaur of El Sobrante, law school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Lauren Quan of Hayward, post-bar intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Erin Gurewitz of Mission Viejo, volunteer attorney, Public Defender’s Office;
- Ailya Naqvi of Oakland, post-bar intern and volunteer attorney, Public Defender’s Office;
- Sajan Srivastava of Piedmont, legal support intern, District Attorney’s Office;
- Brenly Pereira of Richmond, law school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Allison Kustic of Sacramento, District 2 intern, Board of Supervisors;
- Larissa Wong of Sacramento, Nutrition Wellness Program intern, Health & Human Services;
- Nina Caton of San Francisco, Juvenile Hall tutoring intern, Probation Department;
- Samantha Gatton of San Francisco, certified law student, District Attorney’s Office;
- Kyle Genovese of San Francisco, law school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Katelyn McCormick of San Francisco, law school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Scott McWhorter of San Francisco, School to Career tobacco prevention & education intern, Health & Human Services;
- Jonathan Mendoza of San Francisco, law school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Kiersten Price of San Francisco, tobacco policy intern, Health & Human Services;
- Noemi Villagomez of San Francisco, child welfare intern, Health & Human Services;
- Celia Slavet of San Mateo, high school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Ramya Mounika Karuturi of San Ramon, data analytics intern, Health & Human Services;
- Elicia Lastra of South San Francisco, adult probation intern, Probation Department;
- April Frances Mancilla of South San Francisco, Nutrition Wellness intern, Health & Human Services;
- Robert Rye of Truckee, Marin Search & Rescue volunteer, Marin County Sheriff’s Office;
- Steven Pointer of Ukiah, Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service/Auxiliary Communications Service volunteer, Marin County Sheriff’s Office;
- Xareni Ortega Sanchez of Vallejo, high school intern, Public Defender’s Office.
Outside California
- Zoe Vuillermet of Chapel Hill, NC, high school intern, Public Defender’s Office;
- Irma Richter of Ashburn, VA, Marin Center usher, Cultural Services.