Board of Directors
Barbara Thomas – President
Janice Dunn – Vice President
Jim Pyle – Secretary
Lloyd Tosse – Treasurer
Hindi Greenberg – Past President
Lance Amaral
Bert Barker
Susie Bavo
Elliott Brilliant
Jon Lee
Nancy Nelson
Keith Porter
Lance Amaral was born in Nevada City, and is a life long resident of the California Gold Country. He attended Mount St. Mary’s, Bellarmine and the University of San Francisco. Married to Gloria in 1975 they live on Pasquale Road where they raised their family of three and enjoy many family, friend and social activities. He has been involved in real estate brokerage, development and management locally since 1972. Lance and Gloria are actively involved in various community organizations, including Rotary, Hospice, Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation and the Miners Foundry.
Bert Barker was previously chair of the Modesto March of Dimes, president of the North Modesto Kiwanis Club, lieutenant governor of Division 46 of Cal-Nev-Ha District of Kiwanis International, vice president of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra, a board member of the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, program chair for Berkeley Rotary, and a member of Gold Country Kiwanis Club. Currently, he is a member of the Roseville Kiwanis Club, development chair for the Kellermann Foundation and permanent class president for the Class of ’57 at UC Berkeley.
Susie Bavo has been a Nevada City resident since 1976 and is an avid consumer of the arts. She brings more than 20 years of nonprofit experience, mostly involving working with children. She was a founding Art Docent in Nevada City Schools, Girl Scout leader and Council Trainer. She is a current Friendship Club volunteer and board member and the immediate past board president. She keeps up with best practices and emerging trends in the nonprofit world by taking continuing education courses through the Center for Nonprofit Leadership (CNL), California Capital Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.
Elliott Brilliant is a retired senior partner with Ernst & Young, a CPA and an attorney. He has had extensive experience with not-for-profit performing companies, including as president of the Honolulu Symphony, president of Hawaii Opera Theatre, vice-president of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, treasurer of the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, regional auditions director for the Metropolitan Opera National Council, member of the board of directors and interim executive director of the Vermont Mozart Festival, and treasurer for the Arts Collaborative of Nevada County.
Janice Dunn grew up in Beaverton, Oregon and attended the University of Oregon, graduating with a BA in English. After moving to Colorado, she attended the University of Colorado at Boulder and completed a Secondary Teaching Certificate before returning to Oregon to embark on a career in finance. Janice’s long term commitment to helping her community is supported by her involvement in boards of directors with such organizations as the Financial Planning Association, WOW Hall, Audience Development Committee for The Shedd Institute and United Way. She is the current vice president of the board for The Center for the Arts. Janice resides in Penn Valley and is the Northern California Relationship Manager for Partnervest, LLC -STAR Asset Management, which has its home office in Santa Barbara. When she’s not traveling, she enjoys good food, art & music, wine, and the great outdoors.
Hindi Greenberg obtained an undergraduate degree in English literature and Studio Art from the University of Minnesota, followed by a law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. She practiced law in San Francisco for ten years before founding Lawyers in Transition, a career consulting firm. She is currently an internationally recognized expert on lawyer career issues, consults nationally with individual lawyers, presents seminars for bar associations and law schools across the US, and wrote the best-selling book, “The Lawyer’s Career Change Handbook.” Hindi is on the board of—and head usher for—Music in the Mountains. She writes theater reviews for The Union newspaper and chairs the Women’s Group of the Nevada County Welcome Club. She is the immediate past president of the board of directors of The Center for the Arts and is the board liaison for its Volunteer Committee. When not attending various performances, she enjoys hiking, buying art, baking, listening to music, star gazing and watching the birds at her numerous birdfeeders.
Jon Lee has been a financial advisor at R.W. Baird; a wealth management capital markets, asset management and private equity firm, since 2009. He has been in the financial services industry for over 24 years, beginning his career in the industry in 1987, with Shearson Lehman Brothers. His areas of expertise include comprehensive financial planning for individuals, businesses and trusts, including retirement, estate planning and money management. Jon obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 1983. He is a member of the Gold Country Estate Planning Council and former chairman of Yuba River School’s Education Foundation. In his free time he enjoys skiing, bicycling, soccer and gardening.
Nancy Nelson is a philanthropy consultant for non-profit arts organizations, social business enterprises and international foundations. Previous to establishing her consulting practice, she worked for more than 35 years in higher education and foundation fundraising, most recently as campaign director for a $100 million capital campaign for UC Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive. Her career includes managing capital campaigns, comprehensive major gift solicitation planning for individuals, corporations and foundations, board and volunteer development, and executive staff placement. Past volunteer activities include co-founding a contemporary arts center, an arts and cultural council and an annual 8-hour, multiple venue performing arts festival. She has also participated in numerous cycling century ride fundraisers for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. An artist and Nevada City resident, Nancy is a member of the board of directors of Nevada County Arts and a volunteer with the Friendship Club. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Delaware.
Keith Porter is a retired executive with management experience in telecommunications, business development, operations, human resources and organization development. He received an electrical engineering degree from University of the Pacific, held various positions in the US and abroad for AT&T and other telecom companies, and co-founded and operated WorkVantage, Inc., a workplace training and consulting business. He is a 2007 graduate of the Nevada County Community Leadership Institute, is board president of InConcert Sierra, chair of the Facilities Committee of The Center for the Arts, a Red Cross disaster-response volunteer, sings bass in the Sierra Master Chorale and is active with several additional civic committees and task forces.
Jim Pyle had a twenty year career as a U.S. Air Force pilot. After retiring from the military, he worked in marketing and business development for a variety of technology companies, including Apple Computer, Silicon Graphics, Bay Networks and PGP Corporation. Subsequently, he owned and operated a successful business in architectural photography and worked for a number of architecture firms across the country. He is the secretary of the board of directors for The Center for the Arts and the chair of the Board Development Committee.
Barbara Thomas worked in the non-profit sector for Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, located at Stanford University, as director of development and then moved into high-tech as the public relations manager for Trimble Navigation. From 1994-2001, she was the public relations and human resources director for a public relations agency in San Francisco, facilitating that firm’s work in introducing Internet companies to the public. Since moving to Nevada County six years ago, Barbara has served on several boards, including previous stints with InConcert Sierra and The Friendship Club (with which she is still active) and as a current member of the board of The Center for Non-profit Leadership. She is the current president of the board of The Center for the Arts and the chair of both its Executive Committee and Fund Development Committee.
Lloyd Tosse has been a certified public account for more than 45 years. He was a partner in both national and regional CPA firms before venturing out to other fields of business. Before returning to his CPA practice, he was active in the real estate development field and was a vice president at Marsh & McLennan, where he ran the surety bond department. He is currently practicing public accounting as a partner with Tosse LLP and specializes in the construction and real estate industries. Lloyd is active with both the alumni association and his 1960 class from UC Berkeley and is currently on the board for the Sierra Wine & Grape Growers Association. He is the treasurer for The Center for the Arts and is the chair of its Finance Committee.
