Board of Directors
Michael Wilson ~ President
Michael currently serves as president of the board of directors of ATOU. An active participant in sports of all kinds, he was also involved in coaching with the Eureka Youth Soccer Club and Lakeside Little League over a 15 year period when his boys were younger.
Michael is an Associate Geologist with Fugro in Sacramento, California where he has spent much of the last 26 years plying his trade in the field of Geotechnical Engineering. Prior to moving back to California he spent 8 years working in a similar capacity with Herbst Benson Associates in Baltimore, Maryland. Michael enjoys the variety of projects he has participated on in the last 30+ years, which run the gamut from high rise office structures and major highway interchange projects to remote dams and unique single-family residences. Michael stresses his commitment to quality in every project he undertakes, realizing that the secret to maintaining good client relationships is to provide a quality product in a timely fashion.
Michael was a 15-year member of the Rotary Club of Granite Bay and enjoyed the opportunity to “give back” to the community. Michael was privileged to serve as club president during the 1996-97 year, where coincidently he became reacquainted with Leslie DeDora and her incredible mission. Michael is also proud to be the president of the Board of Directors for A Touch of Understanding. “My longevity with ATOU comes down to two things – Participating in an organization that is touching lives and making a difference and the opportunity to be around some of the most amazing people I have ever met and be privileged to call them my friends.”
Michael and his wife Barbara have 3 grown boys and enjoy being “empty nesters”. Michael and Barbara enjoy traveling and spending time with friends and taking in as many baseball games as possible!
Stanford Hirata ~ Treasurer
Stanford lives in Roseville and is married with two wonderful boys. Professionally, Stanford is a financial advisor and has owned his own practice managing long-term investment assets and creating customized financial strategies for clients since 1994. Stanford is also an Adjunct Professor of Business at Sierra College since 1998.
In addition to serving on the Board as Treasurer of A Touch of Understanding since 2009. Stanford formerly served as Trustee on the Placer County Board of Education. He also served on the Roseville City School District Board of Education and the Roseville City School District Foundation, where he served four terms as President and nine years as a member of the Board.
In the community, Stanford served nine years on the Roseville Grants Advisory Commission and served two years as the Commission’s Chair. In addition, Stanford coached his boys’ baseball teams at Woodcreek Little League for seven years along with travel baseball.
Stanford’s involvement with ATOU is based on his passion for education and his strong belief in the mission, people and values of A Touch of Understanding.
Bob Schultz ~ Secretary
Bob Schultz currently writes for The Davis Enterprise and for The School Administrator Magazine and has had over 500 articles published in newspapers, magazines, and books. He also serves as an adjunct instructor and co-chairs the School of Education Advisory Board at Brandman University. Bob spent 16 years teaching and 20 years as an administrator in public schools across California, including 10 years in ATOU’s home district, the Eureka Union School District, where he retired as Superintendent in 2008.
Bob is married with five adult children and four grandchildren. He and his wife, Betty Lou, have lived in Davis since 1994. Bob and Betty Lou are both elders at Davis Community Church.
Bob has been a supporter of A Touch of Understanding since attending his first ATOU presentation at Greenhills School in 1998. He has served on the Board of Directors since 2010 and is currently the Board Secretary and a Board Liaison to the Friends of A Touch of Understanding.
Kody Fernandez
Kody Fernandez is a law enforcement officer with the State of California. He has also held positions within the private, public and non-profit sector. He earned A.A. degrees from American River College in Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. He also earned his B.S. degree from California State University, Sacramento in Recreation Administration with a concentration in Recreation and Park Management and a focus in Community Recreation Management.
Kody has been involved with A Touch of Understanding (ATOU) since 2010. His involvement with ATOU began with his time as an intern where he needed to complete his service learning requirement for his degree. After completing that requirement he became a regular, consistent, weekly volunteer. He later joined the staff working as the Volunteer Coordinator. Kody moved on, after attaining a position with the State of California. He soon returned as an intern to complete the internship requirement for his bachelor’s’ degree. After receiving his B.S. degree Kody wanted to be more involved in the organization that has helped him grow both personally and professionally. In 2016 Kody joined the Board of Directors and is now even more involved with ATOU.
“One reason ATOU is so important to me is I’ve had the opportunity to see the positive impact that this program has on children and adults. I’ve seen that “switch” turn on in students and I’ve seen how this program can break down those barriers that people have when they perceive others as different. ATOU is creating a community of inclusion and understanding, the type of community I want to raise my children in.”
David Riviello
David joined the ATOU Board in 2016. As the father of a child with special needs, he saw the impact that ATOU makes on a daily basis in teaching acceptance and respect for all and wanted to help ATOU continue to deliver that message in the community. David lives in Roseville and is married with two boys.
Professionally, David is an Operations and Project Manager in the high-tech industry and has worked in this field for the past 20 years. In addition to serving on the Board as Treasurer of A Touch of Understanding, David has implemented and led the Champions baseball program for Roseville Pony Baseball. This program provides the opportunity for children with special needs to participate in the sport of baseball. Currently the program has 36 players as well as 20+ volunteers/buddies that participate on a weekly basis in the spring.
David has also coached baseball in several capacities for the past 8 years and also serves as a youth leader in his church.
-Ruth Goode
Olive Ranch School
5280 Stirling Street, Suite 102
Granite Bay, CA 95746
Phone: 916.791.4146
501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization
EIN Tax ID #68-0389777