About: The Board of Directors
KATHLEEN COX
AVHA Co-Chairperson - Board Member since 2019
Kathy Cox, who moved to the Valley in 1981 with her husband, Jerry, and two daughters, is one of the founding members of the AV Housing Association. Prior to moving to the Valley, Kathy worked for the San Francisco Department of Public Health as a Health Educator. The Coxes ran the Floodgate Store and Cafe for five years and Kathy worked as the bilingual Health Educator at the Anderson Valley Health Center for eight years. It was through her work at the Health Center that she became aware of the drastic need for farmworker housing; she organized the housing association and procured the grant and loan that made possible the Ray’s Road Farmworker housing and the Boonville Apartments. In 1991 she switched careers and taught Spanish at Anderson Valley High School and at the Hong Kong International School. Although she has retired from the AV High School, she continues teaching English as a Second Language at the AV Adult School and serves on the Board of the Anderson Valley Housing Association. In her spare time, she loves to spend time with her five grandchildren, read, walk and swim. She is looking forward to being part of the AVHA Board again as it continues to investigate ways to promote affordable housing in the Valley.
carrie Castro
AVHA Co-Chairperson - Board Member since 2022
Carrie Castro, who moved to Anderson Valley in the late summer of 2020 from Glen Ellen, CA. She moved to Sonoma county to fulfil the dream of owning land in the wine country and to eventually plant a vineyard. One year into her dream on her two acre property she survived the 2017 North Bay fires. The house survived but Carrie began to rethink her decision to own land in the windy, dry, hot area. The coast began calling and after visiting the valley several times she decided to sell her property and make the move. Struggling to find appropriate housing she bought a 19ft Airstream and found a kindhearted landowner in Boonville to park and lived in the trailer for a year. Housing became a subject on her mind more regularly and an empathy for the growing challenges of others more pressing. Originally from the South Bay with a history of working with large teams in the Environmental Services Industry primarily for Waste Management - Carrie has acquired a quirky basket of skills. Transportation, logistics, permitting, contracts, proposals, tech tools, sales/marketing and a love for volunteer work. Carrie has a grown daughter who lives in Sonoma and step-children that live in the Central Valley who have gifted her with sweet grandchildren.
ROBERT SALISBURY
AVHA Vice Chairperson - Board Member since 2017
Robert (aka Captain Rainbow) came to Anderson Valley over 40 years ago. Most of his time here he has worked as a carpenter. In recognition of the rather unique sense of community in AV, he has participated in many community events: an early member of the Elderhome board, volunteering at the old fire station workdays, rebuilding the AV Grange, Master of the AV Grange, in addition to MCing countless benefits, memorials and fundraisers like AV Arts and 26 years at the annual Grange Variety Show. Currently he is on the coordinating committee of the Not So Simple Living Fair, a member of the County Fair Booster Club, and on the Executive board of the Grange.
JODY WILLIAMS
AVHA Treasurer - Board Member since 2019
Jody moved with her husband, Steve, to Anderson Valley in 1981. She worked in local tasting rooms for nearly twenty years before discovering her secret identity as a bookkeeper. Now retired, she gardens, makes art, raises grapes and works with AVArts and the AV Food Bank. Affordable, decent housing was a problem in 1981, and it remains a problem which she hopes to address through the Anderson Valley Housing Association.
REBECCA GOLDIE
AVHA Secretary - Board Member since 2019
Literally a newcomer, Rebecca began living in Anderson Valley in 2018 with her husband, a valley local. Born in Australia, she has worked in Architecture and Engineering for 14 years over 3 different continents. She has witnessed and experienced first-hand the housing shortages that are felt worldwide and is interested in not just providing a roof over a head but creating spaces that improve quality of life and contribute to the better functioning of a community.
Chloe Guazzone
Board Member since 2019
Chloe Guazzone has been the Executive Director of the Anderson Valley Health Center since 2015. She currently serves as an advisory board member for Healthy Mendocino and has attended their inland housing action committee since it's inception in 2016. She is passionate about the relationship between housing and health and also has a personal interest in learning about alternative building methods.
nancy Serna
Board Member since 2021
Nancy Serna has lived in Anderson Valley for 16 plus years. Nancy works as a substitute aide when needed at AVUSD, and during the summer, she works at Filigreen Farm. When not working, she is a stay-at-home mom, taking care of her children. Nancy is part of the English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) and the School Site Council (SSC) at AVES. In her free time, Nancy loves to learn new skills, help when she is capable, and take advantage of new opportunities.