Ventura County Community Foundation Announces Two New Board Members

Ventura County Community Foundation Announces Two New Board Members

Earlier this month, Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF) welcomed Venkat Yepuri and Meryl Chase, two long-time Ventura County community members, to their Board of Directors.

Venkat Yepuri has been with Amgen for over 19 years and currently serves as its Vice President of Global Business Solutions and Chief Procurement Officer. Prior to that, he had broad experience in the healthcare industry both in the U.S. and globally. A resident of Ventura County for 25 years, he has actively volunteered locally along with his family and has previously served on the Dean’s Leadership Council at California State University, Channel Islands. Yepuri holds a master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and a bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Delhi University.

“It is a privilege to be on the Board of VCCF, and I am looking forward to serving the community and our donors in my role as a fiduciary. I am excited to support VCCF’s mission to promote and enable philanthropy to improve our community,” said Yepuri.

“I am honored to welcome Venkat’s strategic insights and vision to our Board of Directors and know he will be a valued voice at the table,” said VCCF President & CEO Vanessa Bechtel.

Also joining the VCCF Board is Meryl Chase, co-owner of Clearmont, LLC, a family-owned real estate investment company. Chase considers serving the community her primary vocation. She was recently awarded Emeritus status by the Board of Directors of kidSTREAM, a Camarillo-based museum and nonprofit serving Ventura County’s children. Additionally, Chase served a three-year term as kidSTREAM’s Founding VP of Finance. She is also involved with such local organizations as Women’s Economic Ventures and Women United, and especially enjoys her involvement with her son’s school.

Chase considers joining Ventura County Community Foundation’s board as “an opportunity to serve philanthropists and charitable organizations throughout Ventura County, and an extraordinary honor.”

Having married into a third-generation Ventura County farming family, Chase moved to Camarillo in 2007, following a career in advertising, film and TV production. She and her company, LA-based Zystar Films, Inc., worked with clients including Ford, Acura, Intel, Toyota, Fox, and Imagine Entertainment. Meryl credits UCLA’s Anderson Graduate School of Management with giving her the financial acumen to build a successful business in a highly competitive industry and has found that she thrives in environments that combine financial stewardship with serving others.

“As an active dedicated community member and supporter of VCCF, Meryl has helped shape our vision of a better Ventura County for all,” said Bechtel, “I am thrilled to welcome her to our board.”

About Ventura County Community Foundation 

Established in 1987, the Ventura County Community Foundation builds philanthropy in the region by stewarding legacies through careful management of charitable capital. The foundation honors donor intent by protecting endowments. The nonprofit specializes in connecting philanthropic resources with community needs for the benefit of all. The organization also serves the community through scholarships, grant making, and collaborative partnerships. For more information, please visit www.vccf.org.