JUDY BRETSCHNEIDER, MA
PPAF Founder & President
Terms: 1998-2003
(Co-President); 2003-2006 (Member); 2006-2009 (Member); 2010-2012 (President);
2013-2015 (President)
Business Affiliation : Judy Bretschneider has been Executive Director of
PPAF and Executive Producer of Presidio Dance Theatre since 2003.
Background : Judy is a native San Franciscan. She received the
2006 Jefferson Award from the American Institute for Public Service, presented
by Sam Beard of Washington DC for her volunteer work with PPAF. The Jefferson
Award is considered the Nobel Prize for Community Service, initiated by
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Judy has been a member of the California Heritage
Council; and has held board/board committee positions with the Peninsula
French-American School, Castilleja School Association; Children As Peacemaker's
and Bay Area Parents Coalition. Supporting performing arts groups and schools
for enrichment opportunities, Judy has raised more than $1 million dollars for
the San Francisco Ballet School Student Scholarship Fund and Dance-In-Schools
Program, the Woodside School Arts Enrichment Fund, Peninsula French-American
School, Castilleja School, and Town School for Boys. Judy holds a master's
degree in developmental psychology and early childhood education and also
studied piano and music technique at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
She has been a guest on local, national (60 Minutes, Hour Magazine, Phil
Donahue, etc.) and international radio, television and was featured in a
documentary by academy award winning producers for her research in the field.
Judy was the first student to receive the City of San Francisco’s Human
Relations Award in 1969 (presented by Mayor Joseph Alioto) for outstanding
achievement in the field of human relations, as the creator of International
Nations Day - a day to celebrate and learn about different ethnic groups within
San Francisco. After extensive travel in Russia, Germany, France, and the
United States, studying highly regarded performing arts programs, Judy co-founded
the PPAF in 1998. She designed the award-winning DANCE OUT! program, matching
performing arts and social justice students with professional artists, working
together at underserved schools to teach and preserve cultural authenticity in
dance productions. The Assyrian Aid Society of America recently awarded
Judy a cultural preservation award. Judy is married to John Bretschneider, has
two adult children, and one grandson.
WATCH: Judy Bretschneider,
Founder
Jefferson Award Winner: cbs5.com - Judy
Bretschneider: Teaching Children To Dance
VICTOR K. SHIN, MBA
PPAF Board Vice-President
Term: 2004-2006;
2013-2015
Business Affliations: Coamerica Bank; Asian Business League
Background: Victor Shin is very active in the not for profit
community along with his professional career. Currently, he serves on the
Board of Asian Business League of SF, and since 2002 and previously held the
positions of Vice-President and has previously served as President for two
terms. Victor was a Marketing Manger in the Small Business Acquisition Team for
Washington Mutual’s Card Services Division and VP of Small Business Banking for
WaMu, he also managed multiple offices for Wells Fargo and First Republic Bank
and currently managing the Palo Alto banking center for Comerica Bank. He is
also the founding member and partner of Perimeter Marketing which helps small
businesses create conceptual marketing plans that includes branding,
positioning and social media. He has also served as CFO for the boards of the
Natural World Museum and recently rejoined the board of Presidio Performing
Arts Foundation which he has served from 2004-2006. He graduated with an
Executive MBA from Golden Gate University in 2004 and BA in Management and
Accounting from Sonoma State University in 1996. Victor is an avid
restaurateur, loves to travel, cook, read, run and spend time with his wife and
2 daughters.
ADA KWAN
PPAF Board Secretary
Terms: 2005 -2007; 2008-2010;
2011-2013
Business Affiliation : Ada Kwan is a Merchandise Planner with Benefit
Cosmetics in downtown San Francisco. She is also an active member of Lung Kong
Tin Yee Association, a Chinese-American business and community group in San
Francisco (also a destination stop for Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao during
her visits to San Francisco).
Background : Ada received her B.S. from San Francisco State
University in 1990. As a native San Franciscan, Ada has held various Merchandising/Buying
positions with local Bay Area retailers, including Macys West, where she
completed a 6 month training program in buying, planning, and managing. Since
Macys, Ada has worked for other local retailers in their corporate offices,
including The Gap, Inc, Gymboree, DFS, and most recently Benefit Cosmetics. All
three of Ada’s daughters are current students at the Presidio Dance Theater and
Academy. The girls have been with Presidio Dance Theater since 2003. All three
have been recipients of the Robert LeeFeldt scholarship awards.
PAUL K. BENJAMIN, MBA
PPAF Board Treasurer
Business Affliation: AT& T, PKVIsions
Term: 2010-2012;
2013-2015
Background: A San Francisco native, Paul graduated
with a B.S. from California State University, San Francisco and went on to
complete his M.B.A. after joining AT&T as a strategic sales professional.
Simultaneously, he established himself as a professional photographer, creating
a successful and completely referral based business. During his free time, Paul
enjoys traveling, creating art (especially of his children), and going out to
eat. Paul is happily married to Tamara Benjamin and has two beautiful children. Paul Benjamin is a strategic sales
lead in the Signature Client Group of AT&T, supporting Fortune 500 clients
from his downtown San Francisco office. He is also an accomplished
photographer, specializing in wedding and family portrait photography in and
around San Francisco Proper. He is honored to contribute his talent as the
exclusive photographer of the Presidio Performing Arts Center.
SHAUNA MARSHALL
PPAF Board Member
Business Affliation: Dean, Hastings School of Law
Term: 2003-2006,
President; Sept 2013-2015
Background: Professor Shauna Marshall joined the UC Hastings
faculty in 1994 as a Clinical Law Professor. Prior to joining the faculty, she
spent 15 years working on behalf of the public interest. She began her career
as a trial attorney for the US Department of Justice, Antitrust Division. Five
years later, she joined Equal Rights Advocates as a staff attorney working on impact
cases, policy initiatives and mobilizing campaigns on behalf of low income
women and women of color. She then spent four years in the Stanford and East
Palo Alto community, lecturing in the areas of civil rights and community law
practice at Stanford Law School and directing the East Palo Alto Community Law
Project. She became the President of the Presidio Performing Arts Foundation,
serving 2003-2005, launching Presidio Dance Theatre in the
Presidio. She served as UC Hastings Associate Academic Dean from
2000 to 2002 and became Academic Dean in 2005. Dean Marshall’s favorite part of
her job remains teaching and working with students in the public interest
concentration. She likes to break up her day with lunches with former students
where she learns about the amazing work they do with their UC Hastings degree.
During her free time, Dean Marshall likes to travel. Her favorite destinations
are Boston and New York, where her daughters now reside.
Mary Beth Shimmon
, MBA
PPAF Board Member
Term: 2007-2009; 2010-2012;
2013
Business Affiliation : Mary Beth’s background is in finance and business
operations and she is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of California.
After working in the field of venture capital, Mary Beth spent several years in
the development and sale of a technology start-up company, holding a range of
positions including Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Vice
President of Sales.
Background : Mary Beth is a bay area native and graduated Phi
Beta Kappa with a degree in Economics from UC Berkeley and a Masters in
Business Administration from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. Mary
Beth is committed to helping PPAF bring the passion of dance and theatre to the
lives of young dancers and audiences who may not otherwise be afforded the
opportunity. Her aughter, Alison, has discovered her passion in performing arts
through her involvement in Presidio Dance Theatre and sparked in Mary Beth, a
particular interest in volunteer activities which benefit underserved youth. Besides
PPAF, Mary Beth currently serves as Treasurer and Executive Committee Member of
the Auxiliary to The Edgewood Center for Children and Families in San
Francisco. She is also active in fundraising and event planning at her
children’s schools, The Hamlin School and Town School for Boys. Mary Beth is
married to David Shimmon and has a daughter and son.
BOARD EMERITUS
Rink Babka (2003-2005)
Gregory H. Blaine
(2005-2013)
Dr. Michael Dillingham
(2009-2011)
Kathileen A. Gallagher
(2002-2009)
Kathleen Haigood (2005-2006)
Cheryl Harrison (2001-2005)
Dennis Livingston (1999-2005)
Rachel Madhavan (2007-2009)
Shauna Marshall (2003-2006)
Dr. Anand Mehra (2004-2005)
Linda Strunk Miller (2005-2007)
Todd H. Shigekane
(2009-2011)
Jeanne A. Shimmon (1999-2002)
Victor K. Shin (2004-2006)
Dana Tokioka (2003-2005)
Kay Voyvodich (2003-2005)
