Managing Staff

Diana Curtin, Executive Director
Diana’s favorite thing about being the Executive Director for Chop’s Teen Club is leading an amazing team of people who work together to make a positive difference for teens.  She has over 20 years experience working with children, teens and adults in various capacities including; camps, after-school programs, outreach programs and survival backpacking with troubled youth. Diana’s past positions include Director of Membership Marketing for the Girl Scouts, a Nonprofit Management Consultant, a trainer for the California School-Age Consortium and an Adjunct Child Development Faculty Member for Mendocino College. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Recreation Administration and a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Organization. Diana is a graduate of Leadership Santa Rosa, Class 27 and currently serves on the California Parenting Institute’s Board of Directors.  She enjoys living in Santa Rosa with her husband Dan and 8 year old son Ben.

dianac@chopsonline.com
Melissa Stewart, Program & Events Director
Melissa has been working at Chop’s Teen Club since December of 2001! In Melissa’s 10 years of employment at Chop’s she has held various positions, and has always excelled.  She has been a stable and driving force in helping Chop’s become what it is today—a premier multi-use recreation club where teens can thrive.  Her experiences include supervising staff and teens, café and event management, planning, promoting and managing programs and more.  As the Program and Events Director Melissa is taking Chop’s programs to the next level.  Melissa enjoys living in Santa Rosa and spending time with her husband and 3 sons in the outdoors.
melissac@chopsonline.com
Koy Stewart, Operations/IT Manager
Koy is the Operations and IT manager. Having worked in recreation since 1990, he attended Sonoma State University pursuing a degree in math and environmental education. After completion of a BS, he’ll join the credential program. When that’s done he hopes to teach math. Koy also coaches club volleyball for Empire Volleyball Club along with Montgomery high schools varsity volleyball team. “The more we increase the active participation and partnership with young people, the better we serve them. … And the more comprehensively we work with them as service partners, the more we increase our public value to the entire community.”
- Carmen Martinez
koys@chopsonline.com
Emily Pugh, Art Studio Coordinator
Emily Pugh finds that her job of heading an art studio fulfills one of her life passions; that of creating community around art making! With an extensive history of living in artist-work spaces, specializing in metal sculpture, she now can extend her knowledge to the teen-artist space at Chops! What she likes in particular is the compassion and intelligence each one of the Art Studio Staff brings to their work-shifts. Creating art has historically been marginalized to only a select few within society. However, the Studio Staff gifted in their own ways builds a new legacy that defines art making as fun for any member that walks into Chops!
emilyp@chopsonline.com
Caroline Gonzalez, Club 509 Coordinator
Caroline started with Chop’s as the Art Studio Assistant and recently was promoted into the position of Club 509 Coordinator. In the art studio, Caroline teaches sewing and art classes. Art and working with teens have always been a big part of her life. She has volunteered over 200 hours as a grief counselor for children, teens, and adults at the local Home Hospice. She hopes one day to become a counselor working with troubled teens. At SRJC she was part of the pipeline and mentorship programs where she partnered with a mentor who works in the mental health field. Caroline has gone to hospitals and clinics all over Santa Rosa to talk about issues that affect our community and how we can make a change. As Club 509 Coordinator, Caroline manages all monthly dances including the staffing, scheduling, and format of each dance. She works hard to make sure all dances are safe, well organized, and fun. Under Caroline’s supervision, Chop’s currently provides three dances per month, which include a Nordquist Social Dance, a Middle School dance, and a 7-10 dance. Almost 300 teens attend each Middle School and 7-10 dance! Caroline holds a degree in Fashion Design from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco. Caroline is a perfect fit for Chop’s – she loves working with youth and always tries to be a positive role model for the teens at Chop’s. She is quoted as saying, “I really do mean it when I say that youth are the face of our future”.
carolineg@chopsonline.com
Lisa Alexander, Marketing and PR
Lisa comes to Chop’s Teen Club with a background in marketing, public relations, community relations and event planning.  Lisa headed the marketing department at CableOne (now Comcast) for over a decade, served as a founding member of the Schools Plus Telethon, served on the Junior Achievement Board of Directors, taught art in an elementary school, authored a book on weight management for children, and most recently planned events and worked in marketing and public relations for a Human Resources technology software company.  Lisa has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications Studies from Sonoma State University.  Lisa lives in Santa Rosa with her husband and two children.
lisa@chopsonline.com
Shannon Hagler, Administrative Assistant

Shannon loves working with children of all ages.  Starting her college education with an eye towards pre-med, Shannon soon realized she wanted to make more of a real life impact; not just treating kids, but really getting to know them.  She has done everything from after school programs to summer camps, working with kids ages 3-18.  Shannon feels lucky to serve in two capacities at Chop’s Teen Club, one as a Supervisor working directly with the teens, and second as our Administrative Assistant, making sure our office runs smoothly.  Shannon’s passions include playing roller derby and horseback riding. Shannon says, “I enjoy watching all of our young people grow into adults.  I’m proud of the effect I am able to have on how they choose to live their lives.  I feel truly blessed to go to a job I love every day!”
shannonh@chopsonline.com

Nina Cavit, Fiscal Manager
 When Nina joined Chop’s Teen Club she was happy to find work with a non-profit focused on joyous and expansive efforts.  Nina’s position fits well with her commitment to help care for her great niece and nephew, as well as with all her musical interests.  Nina brings her many years of experience in non-profit accounting to Chop’s.

ninac@chopsonline.com
Justin Atkinson, Youth Sports Coordinator
Justin Atkinson is originally from Pittsburgh, PA. He attended Gettysburg College where he majored in Philosophy and English. He is currently a graduate student at Sonoma State. He is an avid rock climber and enjoys just about any outdoor activity. Justin manages the Chop’s Rock Wall and runs a wide variety of sports programs including, basketball, dodge ball, floor hockey, badminton, volleyball, obstacle course and wiffle ball. In addition to being a sports fanatic, Justin also runs the Guys Group, which helps our male members engage in community service, open communication, and team building workshops. Justin has a strong commitment to the servant leader model and tries to incorporate that paradigm into all of the programs he runs at Chop’s.justina@chopsonline.com
Connie Aldrich, Culinary & Events Coordinator

Having grown up in Del Norte County’s Six Rivers National Forest, Connie has a great love of nature, outdoor activities and a simplistic lifestyle.Giving up her career as General Manager/Project Coordinator for several local Real Estate Developers, to receive her certificates in Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts and Front House Management at the Santa Rosa Junior College, Connie has recently joined our team as the Culinary and Events Coordinator. Connie worked for several Sonoma County fine dining establishments and spent much of her time as a Catering Director and Event Chef.Connie was a natural in the kitchen with her Easy Bake Oven as a child and continues to share her love of cooking with our Chop’s Members, as she guides them from Knife Skills, Basic Kitchen Technique to firing up the Grill!As Connie would say…Con Appetit!

conniea@chopsonline.com