Board of Directors

Melissa Bass is the Vice President of Client Management Operations at VSP Vision. With over 80 million members, VSP is the first not-for-profit eye health company where care and compassion have led it’s growth for over 70 years, and the focus remains on helping people bring their best vision to life. Melissa provides strategic direction and oversight of client operations, is passionate about optimizing processes, and has successfully led system transformations and reorganizations to improve business capabilities and employee enablement.

Will Gabri, Vice President and Financial Advisor with CAPTRUST Advisors, brings a very personal connection to Stanford Sierra Youth & Families. Will has lived experience as a child who navigated the foster care system. Personally knowing the importance of growing up in a permanent loving family, Will adopted a foster child into his home.

Will has four children, and when he’s not busy being a dad, he enjoys being outdoors. His hobbies include salt water fishing and running. 

Blake Johnson serves as the Chief Strategy Officer for Child Action, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and empowering families and child care professionals in Sacramento County by increasing access to and improving the quality of child care services. In his role, Blake oversees the Communications, Government Affairs, and Business and Fund development teams, leading initiatives to enhance the organization’s public policy influence, strengthen external relationships, and drive growth through strategic partnerships.

With nearly two-decades of healthcare transformation experience, Jaime Mathews serves as VP of Integration at Kaiser Permanente. She is an expert in strategy development and planning, holding many positions that sit at the intersection of strategy and operations. In Jaime’s current role she works to improve the patient care experience.

Dr. Linda Howe-Ram (aka Ram) is Director of Sacramento State Guardian Scholars Program (GSP) which serves students who have experienced the foster care system, McKinney Vento Act students, and unaccompanied minors. The GSP program offers focused wrap services to support students’ journey at Sac State. Being a part of the GSP means more than just a resource; students are part of a family community.

Michael Muse-Fisher is Shareholder at Buchalter where he represents public and private companies in a variety of state, federal, and administrative cases. He has been recognized for his expertise in California receivership law and has served as the Chair of the California Receiver’s Forum State Organization. Michael has also utilized his legal background to assist pro bono clients, such as the Department of Children and Family Services, the Los Angeles Domestic Abuse Clinic, and Bet Tzedek.