Monthly Archives: April 2021

Lenny Leszczynski

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Museum-Automotive

Leonard “Lenny” Leszczynski is the CEO of the San Diego Automotive Museum.

Lenny was born and raised in San Diego;  he was born in Poway, grew up in La Jolla, spent his twenties in Point Loma and Pacific Beach, and started his family in East County.  He has worked in the non-profit sector his entire life because he believes that service to others is essential to helping create a better community.  He has worked for the YMCA for 20 years, and was with Promises2Kids for 5 years before joining the Automotive Museum.

He graduated from Cal State Northridge, received his masters from Western Governors University and is currently enrolled in Harvard’s extension school for Museum Studies.

When he is not working, you can find him coaching his daughters’ at softball.  He and his wife, Falon, have four daughters.  You can also find them at the carousel at Balboa Park trying to get the golden ring for another ride!

Lenny also loves to teach youth about football and loves working on committees that get kids to go to camp.  He believes camp is a great alternative learning environment.

A fun fact about Lenny: while living in L.A., he worked at the Staples Center, Dodgers Stadium, Arrowhead Pond and Anaheim Stadium.  He has been to 3 NBA championships, 2 World Series, 1 Stanley Club Series and 1 PGA event.  All that is left is for him to attend is a Super Bowl!

Michael Brunker, Sidd Vivek and David Oates were his sponsors.

Valerie Attisha

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Consultant-Non-profit Development, Additional Active

Valerie Attisha owns her own philanthropic consultant business.

She is Chaldean and her first language is Aramaic, which is the language she still speaks to her parents with.  Her family immigrated to the US in the 1970s and first settled in Detroit.  Eventually, they moved and were one of the very first Chaldeans to call San Diego home, which now number in the thousands.

Valerie grew up in the East County, graduated from USD and received her graduate degree from Sacramento State University.  Her original plan was to have a career in government, but the non-profit sector called!  She was in development for over 20 years and just over a year ago, established her own firm.

She says that service is really at the core of her being and it has always been important to her to make a meaningful impact and give back to her community.  She was previously a Rotarian of the El Cajon Rotary Club for 6 years.  She loves to travel, play tennis, cook for family and friends and attend concerts and the theatre.

Wendy Urushima-Conn, Joe Horiye and Trevor Blair were her sponsor.

 

Rick Brooks

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Investment- Wealth Management, Additional Active

Rick Brooks is a Principal and the Director of Investment Management at Blankinship & Foster, LLC. He oversees their investment analytics and serves as Chairman of the firm’s Investment Committee.

Rick was born in Texas and raised in Maryland. He earned a BA in Political Science from Duke University and a MBA in Finance from San Diego State. He also served in the Navy for 6 years and 9 months.

He is past Chair of the Board of Girl Scouts San Diego (the first male to serve in that capacity), currently serving on their Investment and Board Development committees.  He volunteers on the KPBS Professional Advisor Council and on the San Diego Foundation’s PAC.

Alan Spector, Jan McDonough and Keith McKenzie were his sponsors.

Jon Ray

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Painting – Residential

Jon Ray is the owner of PaintGreen, a full-service painting company based here in San Diego since 2006.  As an entrepreneur and community organizer, Jon has found that happy balance between the two different worlds.

Jon started a 501c3 that supports local artists.  They hold an annual 4 day and 3 night art and musical festival that is attended by some 3500 people and generates over $500k.  The proceeds of YOUtopia are invested back into the event, as well as a local makerspace he co-founded called CoLab.  CoLab hosts fancy tools that artists and inventors could not afford or house themselves, so they allow art and prototyping to be done for free or at minimal cost.

Duke Sobek, Dick Eger and Rick Chatham were his sponsors.