Catherine Sepulveda and Gustavo Zarate Join VCCF Board of Directors
The Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF) officially welcomes two new members to the Board of Directors, Catherine Sepulveda and Gustavo Zarate.
“Catherine and Gustavo embody VCCF’s core values and are passionately committed to our mission of connecting people, resources, and solutions to create lasting impact in our shared world,” said VCCF Board Chair, Sean Leonard.
Catherine Sepulveda has spent her adult life as a resident of Ventura County owning and operating an avocado ranch in Santa Paula where she raised her daughter. Sepulveda is an active community member serving on the VCCF Scholarship Committee and as co-chair of the VCCF Donor Peer Network. Serving on the Santa Paula High School Board as a trustee and a Delegate on the California School Boards Association, she is passionate about helping youth achieve through scholarships and education.
“It is an honor to serve on the VCCF Board of Directors. Leadership works as a commitment to continuous improvement which the Foundation champions through its numerous funds and outreach. I look forward to working closely with staff and community to advance our mission of connecting people, resources and solutions to create lasting impact in our shared world,” said Sepulveda.
Gustavo Zarate’s desire to help facilitate positive change in people’s lives led him to pursue a career path in financial planning. First of his extended family to graduate college, Zarate has a degree in business administration with an emphasis on finance from California Lutheran University and is a Wealth Advisor with Powell Financial Group. He a member of the Financial Planning Association of Ventura County, holds a Chartered Financial Analyst® designation, and has also earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM certification.
Son of Mexican immigrants, Zarate believes that anything is possible. He is a proud husband and father of two girls that he enjoys coaching soccer to on Saturdays.
Zarate shared, “As a lifelong Ventura County Resident, I’m honored to join the Board of VCCF. I’m inspired by the work of the Foundation, especially their support for education, and I look forward to helping further the Foundation’s mission of creating lasting impact in our shared world.”
Both Sepulveda and Zarate join the Board of Directors after completing the Fiduciary Essentials® for Foundations & Endowments (FEFE) course and required exam.