CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

2021

Marked Fifty Years of Service to the San Ramon Valley!

Five decades ago, community members came together and hired a counselor to work with teens who were struggling with drug and alcohol issues. From that initial outreach to young people, Discovery has grown to be a thriving center for mental health support for the whole community.

This year Discovery Counseling Center proudly celebrates 50 years of service to the families, children, teens, and adults of all ages. The challenges of the past year have been the biggest we have faced in five decades of providing high quality, culturally appropriate, affordable and accessible mental health programs to all in need.

Out of the turmoil caused by the pandemic, Discovery has emerged stronger and more vital to our community than ever before.

Thank you to all who helped us celebrate this momentous milestone and to those who continue to show us your support! Here are some photos from our 50th Anniversary Dinner this past August.

N. S. LEE

Retired Program Manager, Kaiser Permanente

Affiliations:

  • Project Management Institute

BRITTANY DOYLE RILEY

Trusts & Estates Attorney, Doyle Quane

Affiliations:

    • State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law
    • East Bay Trusts & Estates Lawyers, Member
    • Danville Area Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors

MIA LEONDAKIS

Former Vice President of Transformation at ServiceNow and VMware

Affiliations:

  • Former Board of Directors, Fostering Wishes
  • Thrift Station

ROBERT COMBS

Real Estate Advisor, Compass

Affiliations:

  • Town of Danville Planning Commissioner
  • Board Member, Leadership San Ramon Valley
  • President, Danville Rotary, Town of Danville Design Review Board Member
  • Board of Directors
  • League of California Cities, California State University at Chico Alumni Board of Directors
  • Parent Advisory Council
  • CSU
  • Past President

MICHAEL COPELAND

Managing Director, Cushman & Wakefield

Affiliations:

  • San Ramon Valley Thunderbirds
  • San Ramon Valley Girls’ Athletic League Softball
  • Contributor to Alive Magazine

MARK DAVIS

Tri- Counties Bank- Senior Vice-President

Affiliations:

  • American Heart Association
  • United Way
  • Habitat for Humanity
  • St. Anthony’s San Francisco
  • San Francisco and Sacramento Food Banks
  • Sacred Heart Community
  • Past Board Member California Symphony
  • Past

JENISE FALK

Retired San Ramon Valley Unified School District Principal

Affiliations:

  • President of the Friends of Discovery(Thrift Station)
  • Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumni Association
  • San Ramon Valley Mental Health Advisory Council.

NEWELL ARNERICH

Town of Danville, Town Council Member, AD Architects, Inc., President & Co-founder

Affiliations:

  • Leadership San Ramon Valley
  • Board Member & Past President
  • Danville-Sycamore Valley Rotary Club- Member & Past President
  • AIA
  • American Institute of Architects
  • NACRB
  • National Council of Architectural Registration Board
  • Danville Area Chamber of Commerce
  • San Ramon Valley Mental Health Advisory Council.

KATHY CHIVERTON

Retired Executive Director Discovery Counseling Center

Affiliations:

  • Leadership San Ramon Valley Board of Directors
  • Rotary Club of Danville
  • Contra Costa County Measure X Community Advisory Board Member

MARIE HALL

  • Licensed Social Worker; Retired Clinical Director
  • St. Anne’s Catholic Church

Affiliation:

  • Friends of Discovery

MITCHELL HOPSON

Vice-President of Finance, Zearn

Affiliations:

  • Diablo Black Men’s Group (past Treasurer)
  • San Ramon Valley Diversity Coalition (founding member)
  • Leadership San Ramon Valley
  • Board of Directors
  • Youth sports coach

DAVID KRAVITZ

Affiliations:

  • Director of Student Services
  • San Ramon Valley Unified School District

Claire Humphrey

Retired Pediatrician: Valley Community Health Center and Blackhawk Medical Group

Affiliations:

  • Marriage Mentor Community Presbyterian Church
  • Spiritual Mentor CityTeam Oakland

SCOTT LUCIA

Wealth Management at Andrews, Lucia Wealth Management LLC

Affiliation:

  • Tassajara Valley Little League

ANDY LI

Board Member, Contra Costa Community College District

Affiliations:

  • President
  • Civic Leadership USA
  • President
  • API Coalition, Board of Directors
  • Leadership San Ramon Valley
  • Steering Committee
  • San Ramon Valley Diversity Coalition
  • Rotary Club of Dougherty Valley/San Ramon

NEAL MITCHELL

Community Volunteer

Affiliations:

  • Hall of Fame Board Member Animal Rescue Foundation
  • Board Member Love for Margot Foundation
  • Past Board Member Mercator Medical Systems
  • Past Board Member Injoy Media Corporation

NISHI MOONKA

Chief of Staff/Head of Purpose and Culture at Blue Beyond Consulting

Affiliations:

  • Quail Run Learning Fund Vice President
  • PTA

SARAH NIX

Attorney, Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Probate & Trust Law By the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization

Affiliations:

  • Past President, Board of Diablo Valley of Estate Planning
  • Iron Horse Mother’s Club
  • AAUW, Volunteer St. Isidore’s Parish
  • East Bay Trust &amp, Estate Lawyers

JILL PURCELL

Owner Purcell International – Food Importing Business

Affiliations:

  • San Ramon Valley YMCA- Past Board Member
  • Diablo Homeowner’s Association- Past Secretary
  • Dorris-Eaton School-Past PTA President
  • Green Valley School and Monte Vista High School- Past PTSA Member

PAT WILSON

Retired San Ramon Valley Unified School District Educator

Affiliations:

  • Sons in Retirement (SIRS)
  • 100 Club of Contra Costa County
  • Community Presbyterian Church (CPC) Sponsor Program
  • San Ramon Valley Mental Health Advisory Council.

MARY VERSTRAETE

Retired from Banking

Affiliations:

  • Member of the Friends of Discovery
  • Thrift Station

GARY RIELE

Affiliations:

  • Principal
  • Riele Commercial Real Estate

ANN WILLOUGHBY

Retired Chief of Staff, University of California Office of the National Laboratories

Affiliations:

  • Treasurer Friends of Discovery Board (Thrift Station)
  • Quest Science Center Advisory Board
  • Livermore Lab Foundation
  • Expanding Your Horizons
  • Agape Village Foster Family Agency
  • American Association of University Women