2024 Board Nominees

Brittany McLaren, San Francisco (Peru 2012-14)

I am a native Californian who has been living in SF for the last 3.5 years. I'm an Oncology Social Worker at CPMC and live in Pac Heights with my puppy, Paul. I am interested in becoming more involved with NorCalPCA - I’m pretty active with the group currently, and was active with the Boston group when I lived there. I want to be involved in community building and help plan activities with that goal!

Christine Ambegia, Emeryville (Costa Rica 2016-18)

Bio: Christine Ambegia was born and raised in the Bay Area and has been working in the immigration nonprofit space for over 5 years. She currently manages a statewide removal defense program that expands free legal services for immigrants who are in imminent danger of deportation. During her Peace Corps service, she worked primarily with the Ministry of Public Education and the University of Costa Rica while also advocating for the implementation of Intercultural Competence, Diversity, and Inclusion (ICD&I) initiatives at her post. Christine's values of justice, integrity, and humility guide her in prioritizing a community-led approach to her work. She holds a B.A. in Rhetoric from the University of California, Berkeley, and is pursuing her Masters in Nonprofit Administration at the University of San Francisco. When she is not working, she likes to do what she calls "culinary research and experimentation" by visiting new restaurants and cafes and doing her best to replicate the delicious things she comes across. 

Statement of Interest: I am interested in serving on the NorCalPCA Board to get more involved with the RPCV community and to support the mission of bringing about meaningful change. During my service, Peace Corps' lack of response to our calls for support, especially following the murders of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling in 2016, and continuing to serve through Trump's election were challenges that we didn't expect. I learned from my cohort, and especially from other PCVs of color, how much I needed solidarity and community, and most importantly, I learned that change can happen when we come together as humans with compassion, care, and respect for the dignity that we all inherently possess. My hope is to not only offer support to RPCVs, but to also be a resource for prospective PCVs of color that might be discouraged from serving.

Kaitlyn Mansoorieh, Alameda (Panama 2016-19)
Hello! My name is Kaitlyn and I served in Panama from 2016 to 2019 as a water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) volunteer and then as a regional coordinator. I moved to the Bay Area a little over a year ago and one of the first events I went to was an RPCV happy hour. I was feeling nervous about not having a community here and everyone made me feel so welcome, and I am still friends with some of the people I met then! I want to become more involved with the NorCal group because I think this group is a great opportunity to feel that sense of community, whether it be for those of us who are new to the area or who have been here for years. Not only are events great for hanging out and meeting new people but they are also great for organizing volunteer opportunities. Sometimes I feel helpless with everything that’s happening in the world, but something that we can do is to give back to our local communities and I want to help organize more opportunities for our community to do that together. I live in Alameda and would love to share more of the fun events and festivals that happen not only in Oakland and Berkeley but also in Alameda!

Andrew Stober, Berkeley (Cambodia 2015-17)

Hey NorCal! I’ve gotten so much from going to the East Bay happy hours, NorCal camping trips, and annual picnics over the past few years and I would love the opportunity to serve on the board as your East Bay rep. As a rep, I would continue the planning of events and service opportunities for RPCVs and their families to build community and camaraderie - with an eye out for spaces and places that match our unique Peace Corps vibe! I always learn something new when I talk with a fellow RPCV, and I would also be an open ear to bring your ideas to the board. Thank you for your consideration!

John C Bost, Santa Cruz (Sierra Leone 1967-69)

Grandfather, husband, retired professor (SDSU Dept of Finance), lawyer, and textbook author. Likes: friends, hiking, good wine, playing cards/dominoes, and reading. For a full bio check out the NorCalPCA Team page.

Having served two terms as the Santa Cruz-Monterey representative on the board, I've enjoyed working with other board members and getting to know many of the Monterey Bay area's RPCVs. Now that we will have two representatives from our area serving as reps, I think we can do much more to bring our local RPCVs together for social and service events. I would also like to see our working relationship with Middlebury Institute of International Studies' RPCV club continue to grow. I would like our region to be the model of RPCVs shared responsibility for the planning and execution of regional events.

Toni M. Thomas, Monterey (Costa Rica 1995-97)

I’m excited to apply for the Monterey/Santa Cruz district co-rep position and collaborate with John Bost to organize interesting gatherings for the RPCV community in our areas. I served as a Small Business Advisor in Costa Rica from ’95-’97. Post COS, I returned to my hometown of Toledo, OH, and after about a year, I moved to the Monterey area in the late ‘90s to pursue an MBA. I went to work in San Francisco after graduating for a dot.com, and then was part of the ‘dot.bomb’ fallout of the first tech bubble. When I had the chance I returned to Monterey to work at my former graduate school. I currently serve as an Associate Dean of Academic Operations at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey (MIIS). MIIS typically has a strong contingent of RPCVs in our student body and among our staff and faculty. I am excited to help connect them with the regional NorCal RPCV groups. Joining and serving as a Peace Corps volunteer is the best decision I’ve made as an adult and I’m looking forward to giving back to this community.

Sierra Anderson, Penngrove (Honduras 2001-03)

Growing up I had a somewhat nomadic childhood within the United States, and so the mobile lifestyle of an expat has felt familiar. Born in Rhode Island, my family traveled for several years eventually landing in Tomales, CA when I started middle school.  In July 2001, after graduating from UC Davis, I headed off to serve in the Peace Corps in Honduras working in health education and youth development.  After completing service I spent the following 18 years living in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Mexico working in secondary education, first as a social studies teacher and eventually as a school counselor. In August 2023, I returned to the United States, relocating to Penngrove, California.  I am currently accompanied on my journey by my 11 year old Nicaraguan golden retriever, Seba. This is my second time returning to the US, but the first time returning "home" to California. I have been served well by approaching this move similarly to moving to another country: Expect there to be cultural misunderstandings, keep an open mind, and get involved in activities that you enjoy to meet people with common interests and experiences.  The RPCV community has always felt like a family and an organic way to deepen roots in an area. Community is important to me!  

I have been serving as the North Bay representative since October 2023 by special election, and would love to continue to support our region and facilitate opportunities for RPCVs to connect over food, service, and good company.