Our Leadership
Our Board
Christiane
Maertens
Chair
Christiane Maertens serves as the Chair of the Gente Buena Foundation, leading the Foundation’s vision. As the Founder and CEO of both Valor and DoGoodery, Christiane Maertens has dedicated her life to building enterprises that prioritize sustainability and human-centered values. During her seven-year tenure at the Walt Disney Company, Christiane played a key role in designing the first corporate social responsibility portfolio, mobilizing millions of young people to take positive action around the world. As Deputy Director of the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), she led a professional team that managed the world’s largest and most diverse environmental education network, encompassing 60,000 educators and 56 affiliate organizations in over 30 countries. Currently, Christiane also serves as a board member of Outdoor Afro.
Ashley Dawn
Cooper
President
Ashley Cooper brings a wealth of non-profit experience spanning more than fifteen years in higher education. Most recently having served as the Executive Director of Development for the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California (USC), where she was responsible for securing major gifts to advance the school’s mission. A USC graduate, Ashley earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and a master’s in Strategic Public Relations—both from the USC Annenberg school. Currently, Ashley is dedicated to serving her community through a variety of organizations in the South Bay of Los Angeles, where she resides with her husband and children. Passionate about education, Ashley is deeply committed to giving back to her community, embodying a spirit of service in all she does. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis, hitting the ski slopes, or relaxing at the beach with a good book.
Kaight
Meyers
Treasurer
Kaight Meyers, a retired senior military officer with a penchant for strategic leadership, brings a wealth of experience to the Gente Buena Foundation. Her distinguished military career, coupled with her dedication to community service and historical preservation, underscores her commitment to making a difference. Kaight’s passion for travel and cultural exploration aligns seamlessly with the foundation’s global mission, positioning her as a valuable asset in driving positive change.
Stephanie
Perea
Board Secretary
Stephanie Perea, a seasoned production expert with a knack for innovation, excels in orchestrating seamless production processes. With over 16 years of experience across entertainment and tech companies, including Disney and Niantic, she brings invaluable expertise to the table. Stephanie’s collaborative spirit and problem-solving prowess make her a trusted ally in any endeavor, reflecting her commitment to excellence and meaningful engagement.
Ellen
Forte, Ph.D.
Board Member
Ellen Forte, Ph.D., is our CEO & Chief Scientist at edCount, LLC. Dr. Forte’s work focuses on validity evaluation and on policies for how students, including those with disabilities and English learners, engage in instructional and assessment contexts. She particularly specializes in designing, developing, and evaluating assessments for alignment quality.
Dr. Forte has served as a senior advisor to several large assessment projects funded by the US Department of Education and has been a federal peer reviewer for education standards and assessments, accountability systems, state longitudinal data systems, and graduation rates. Dr. Forte serves on the Technical Advisory Committees for Illinois, Montana, Washington, Wyoming, ACT, and the UK Standards and Testing Agency as well as on the editorial boards for Educational Measurement (5th edition), Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, Applied Measurement in Education, and the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) Newsletter. She is a member of the Board of Governors for the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and served on the NCME Board of Directors (2020-2023). Dr. Forte wrote The Administrators’ Guide to Federal Programs for English Learners, first published in 2010 and revised in 2017, which addresses intersections among civil rights laws, education policy, and measurement and evaluation issues for English learners.
Prior to founding edCount, Dr. Forte was the Title I evaluator in the Connecticut Department of Education, the Director of Student Assessment for the Baltimore City Public Schools, and a project director with vendors in the teacher certification and student assessment sectors. Dr. Forte earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in Educational Psychology and B.A. in Physical Education and Dance from the University of Iowa.
Jon
Cohen
Board Member
Professionally, Jon is President and COO of a medium-sized brand strategy consultancy named Innovation Protocol, where he oversees brand development efforts across industries and drives the company’s operating systems (finance, legal, HR, talent acquisition and development, etc.). Prior to that, Jon’s worked in a range of professional capacities in brand strategy and management (Disney, Dole) operations strategy (KPMG), and investment finance (Pimco).
Jonathan
Friedland
Board Member
Jonathan Friedland, founder of Octagonal Hall LLC, advises companies on global brand marketing and communications. His distinguished career includes serving as Chief Communications Officer for Netflix, where he played a pivotal role in its global expansion. Jonathan’s extensive experience spans journalism, corporate communications, and public policy advocacy, underscored by accolades such as the Pulitzer Prize. Committed to environmental causes, he serves on the board of TreePeople, further enriching his impactful journey.
Lupe
Salmeron
Board Member
Lupe Salmeron, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with 18 years of diverse accounting experience, offers personalized tax preparation and accounting services. Her commitment to professionalism, integrity, and responsiveness underscores her dedication to meeting the unique needs of her clients. With a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of California, Riverside, Lupe brings a wealth of expertise to her role, ensuring meticulous financial management for the Gente Buena Foundation.
Mariel
Gonzalez
Board Member
Mariel González is a dynamic force in the world of multi-platform business development and partnership marketing, specializing in sports partnerships and player relations. With over five years of groundbreaking work at the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), including roles as Director and Manager of Partnership Marketing, Mariel has mastered the art of forging strategic alliances with major sports entities such as the Los Angeles Rams, LAFC, and Dodgers. Fluent in Spanish and English, Mariel effortlessly bridges cultural gaps, utilizing her language proficiency to propel business growth and cultivate meaningful connections. In her leisure time, Mariel indulges in reading, exploring new destinations, and nurturing her love for baseball.
Michael
Cooper
General Counsel
Michael Cooper is a founding partner of YoffeCooper, a Business Law Firm based in Hermosa Beach, and serves as General Counsel for Genta Buena Foundation. Michael’s role as General Counsel is to ensure Genta Buena Foundation’s continued compliance with its obligations as a recognized tax-exempt organization and review all agreements with its partners. Michael earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California and law degree from Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law, with a focus in Business and Entrepreneurship. “Coop” lives in the South Bay of Los Angeles with his wife and twins. Outside of the office, you can find him on the golf course, on the mountain, tasting wine or tequila and coaching a variety of sports.
Sarita
Figueroa
Board Member
Sarita Figueroa serves as the Senior Community Relations Manager at SoCalGas, where she oversees the administration of a $9.7 million community investment fund dedicated to enhancing safety, sustainability, and social impact. In her role, Sarita spearheads charitable environmental initiatives, focusing on clean energy, higher education, and sustainability.
With a decade of experience at SoCalGas, Sarita has held various positions within external affairs, consistently demonstrating her commitment to efficiency and productivity. Her proactive and enterprising nature drives her daily endeavors.
Sarita holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Education and Communication, as well as a Master of Business Administration from Cal Poly Pomona University. A proud Los Angeles native, she is happily married for eleven years and is a devoted mother to two young children, who bring joy and balance to her life.
Our Staff
Ellah
Ronen
Executive Director
Ellah Ronen is the President of the Gente Buena Foundation, ensuring the steadfastness of the Foundation’s mission. With over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, Ellah has witnessed the power of public-private partnerships in making meaningful and lasting impacts. She has held roles as a Program Officer and Senior Program Officer at the Annenberg Foundation and California Community Foundation, respectively. In addition, Ellah co-chaired the creation of the unprecedented Los Angeles County Food Equity Round Table, served as a Strategic Liaison to the LA County Center for Strategic Partnerships, and was a Managing Funder of the Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative. She currently serves as the Director of Strategy and Impact at DoGoodery, guiding both corporate and nonprofit agencies in their impact strategies and execution. Ellah also serves as a board member for the Center for Nonprofit Management.
Therel
Santos
Head of Impact
Therel Santos, a dynamic force for positive change, serves as the Head of Impact for the Gente Buena Foundation. With a passion for both community development and environmental conservation, Therel’s expertise is critical to GBF’s multiple priority areas, focusing on improving lives and fostering sustainable development. His unique ability to bridge environmental stewardship with social progress has established him as a respected leader in his field. Therel’s multifaceted approach to creating positive change demonstrates his commitment to building stronger, more resilient communities while safeguarding natural resources for future generations. His work exemplifies the power of dedicated individuals to drive meaningful impact on both local and global scales, inspiring others to join in the pursuit of a more sustainable and equitable world.
Kristen
Kunkle
Head of Social and Environmental Research
Kristen serves as the Head of Social and Environmental Research for the Gente Buena Foundation (GBF). With a strong background in sustainability and environmental education and extensive experience developing and evaluating environmental solutions that benefit communities. she leads GBF’s strategic direction using evidence-based approaches. Previous roles include the North American Association for Environmental Education and the University of Florida, where she managed significant research projects. Kristen’s passion for connecting people with nature was cultivated during her time as a park ranger and Master Naturalist in coastal areas. A published author in peer-reviewed journals, she excels at translating research into practical applications. Kristen’s multifaceted expertise in impact research, evaluation, and practice drives her commitment to fostering a more connected, equitable, and sustainable world.
* Gente Buena Foundation is not accepting grant proposals.
