Meet Your Y Staff

Carly Gonce
Membership Director

Carly is the Membership Director, supporting everything related to Member Services and it's dynamic Team, as well as assisting our Aquatics Director, Chad, and the Aquatics Team.

Carly joined the Santa Barbara County YMCA Swim Team at a very young age. Swimming made a positive impact on Carly’s physical, social, and emotional development. With experience as a sexual assault crisis intervention counselor, development manager, and advocacy and training specialist, Carly is committed to supporting others on their journey of empowerment, development, and healing.

Mona Mitchell
Member Center Coordinator

Mona began working at the Y in April 1986 in Child Watch and became the Child Watch coordinator at the facility in Cotati when it opened. This was a great learning experience for Mona that gave her the opportunity to grow in other areas of the facility.
 
Mona learned membership transactions, started doing tours and engaging with members which made her a perfect fit for the Member Coordinator position. Mona loves working for the Y because she has learned so much with the support of co-workers and mentors.
 
The Y has given her a place to grow and raise her four daughters (and now 5 grandchildren) who all have all been involved with the Y at some point in time.

Kelly Hodgins
Aquatics Coordinator

Hi all! I began working at Sonoma County Family Y in April 2009 in Aquatics as a swim instructor and later becoming a lifeguard and Welcome Desk Attendant. I have truly love the work that the YMCA serves in our community and the abundance of community programs that we spearhead and collaborate on! I have been in the Aquatics industry for the past 18 years ranging from front line to Director to Lifeguard Instructor and lastly serving as the part time coordinator. This Y has given me so much in allowing for the needed flexibility to achieve my BA in Women’s and Gender Studies from Sonoma State and now again obtaining my Graduate Certificate in Human Resources and Management. When not at the pool, I enjoy spending time with my partner Ben and our three kitties: Jack, Cookie, and Fria! I love exploring wine country and teaching community CPR classes! I can’t wait to see you at the pool!

Jeremy Hodgdon
Senior Program Director

Jeremy is a Sonoma County native and came to the Sonoma County Family YMCA with his Grandma for swim lessons and overnights when he was 4 years old. He has been connected to the Y ever since. He began working for the Sonoma County Family in April 1992 as a Spring Camp Counselor and has worked his way up through several positions over the years, now currently serving as Senior Program Manager.

Jeremy loves working at the Y because it gives him an opportunity to work with youth from preschool through High school, and if you’ve met Jeremy- you know he loves kids! He also loves sports!

Jeremy holds a degree in Business from Pacific Union College and is happily married to wife Mandy whom he met at the Y, and who still works with us as well. The Y is truly a family affair, as his daughter Madison also attends Y Camp, sports, and takes swimming lessons at the Y.

Crystal Sowards
Youth Development Director

Crystal Sowards is our Youth Development Director. She has been with the Y for the past 16 years as a teacher, and then as the Director at the Evergreen and Monte Vista childcare sites in Rohnert Park. She has worked with children for the past 25 plus years in various settings.

She graduated from Sonoma State with a Bachelors of Criminal Justice with a focus on child development. 

Her significant other, Keith, also works at that YMCA as our Facilities Director. We have five daughters and 1 son ranging from early 30s to the age of four. 

We are a very busy family who enjoys sports, camping and just being together.

Eric O'Neil
Childcare And Camp Director

Eric brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and a passion for working with children, spanning over 30 years. His journey began at the age of 16 years old working in summer camps and afterschool programs. Originally from Redlands, California, he moved to Sonoma County to pursue his education at Sonoma State University, graduating with a degree in psychology.

After completing his education, Eric found himself deeply drawn to the vibrant community and natural beauty of Sonoma County. This connection led him to build his career and raise a family in this picturesque region. Over the years, his dedication to understanding child development and creating positive environments for all children has only deepened, making him a valued asset in his current role as Program Director for Childcare & Camps.

In his spare time, Eric enjoys exploring the outdoors with his family and friends, mountain biking, and taking full advantage of everything the Bay Area has to offer.

Keith Neal
Facilities Director

Keith is the Facilities Director overseeing the facilities and grounds of the YMCA, Billing and Program Office and all the childcare sites.  He began his Y career in Aug. 2013. He came to the Y with 25+ years of experience as a Building Engineer in San Francisco and San Rafael.
 
Keith was born in Brooklyn, NY.  While growing up his family moved around with the military. His family moved to Rohnert Park in 1976 where he graduated from Rancho Cotate and attended  SRJC and Petaluma Tech where he studied Electrical  Engineering. 
 
Keith enjoys spending time with his 5 daughters and grandson (with another on the way) and his significant other, Crystal, who also works for the Y as a Site Director in Rohnert Park. Keith enjoys camping, boating, and sports.

Shelby Nieto
Development Coordinator

Shelby Nieto is the Development Director here at the Sonoma County Family YMCA, taking on all things fundraising! Before joining the Y, Shelby dedicated her time working with at-risk youth at a non-public high school in Sebastopol. 

Born as the third youngest among seven siblings, Shelby was raised in a family where soccer ran in their blood. Growing up, Shelby found her weekends filled with traveling to soccer tournaments for her and her siblings. 

Her collegiate soccer journey started at the Santa Rosa Junior College, where her team went to the state championship for two consecutive years, ultimately achieving the title of state champion in 2011. This success paved the way for her to become the team captain for the California State University Los Angeles Women's Soccer Team. Post-college, Shelby ventured into professional soccer in Switzerland, where she not only honed her skills but also had the opportunity to travel to Greece, Spain, Italy, and France during her two years in Europe.

While soccer remains a passion that she continues to pursue for leisure, Shelby also finds solace in nature, taking yearly trips to Yosemite. Her love for the outdoors and active lifestyle resonates well with the mission and values of the Y.

Shelby's journey has brought her to the Y, and she expresses genuine enthusiasm and pride for her role, mentioning the exceptional staff and the strong sense of community that surrounds the organization. She is excited for the opportunity to contribute to such a special community.

Suzanne Tesconi
HR/Recruitment Coordinator

Put on your hard hat; I'm building strong teams! As our Recruitment/HR Coordinator I come to work each day excited to engage with staff. The Y is a space I can show up as my authentic self and I love to watch others find purpose through the many diverse opportunities provided here. I started my career in community service in 1987 and it changed the trajectory of my life.

I found myself surrounded by passionate, change oriented individuals...all working to better the lives of those they serve and in doing so, our community. I have met lifelong friends, learned from amazing mentors, and felt the joy & pride of watching children become community minded adults; many with children of their own.  I love the trailers before movies, re-watch the Gilmore Girls when I feel anxious, and think laughter truly is the best medicine.  Dark chocolate is my love language.

Alicia Winters
Sr. HR/Accounting Coordinator

Alicia is the Sr. HR/Accounting Coordinator, responsible for the day-to-day operations of HR & Accounting.

She joined the Y team in May 1996 in the Accounting Department.  Currently her focus is on HR & Payroll but is very versed in all areas of Accounting.

In January 1987, Alicia received her Accounting degree from Heald College of Santa Rosa. From 1987 to 1996, she worked a variety of accounting positions locally until she came to the Y and never left. 

Alicia was born in Middletown, CA.  She is the youngest of nine (9) children.  Her family relocated to Santa Rosa when she was 8 months old. 

She and her husband, Richard (aka the Y Santa 20+ yrs. & former Employee) currently live in Santa Rosa within walking distance of the Y.  They have two (2) adult sons that were raised as Y kids in the After school and camp programs, her oldest son is a black belt in Tang So Do which was first introduced to him through the Y.

Alicia’s hobbies include; walking, gardening and recently took up building miniature houses.

Tim Gravenites
IT/Systems Coordinator

Tim is our Systems/IT Coordinator here at the Y, he started tinkering with computers and networks at a very young age and has been working in tech for 20 years. Tim was born in San Francisco and grew up in Occidental, he comes from a musical family, his father is a blues musician and Tim has been all over the pacific north west helping lug around guitars and amplifiers for his old man. 

As a youth, Tim played soccer for the Harmony Dragons in Occidental and the Salmon Creek Sharks. He then went on to El Molino High where his computer skills were noticed by the administration, and along with some other talented students, he was added to the IT staff to aid the faculty and students, as well as upgrade the school's infrastructure for this new thing called "The Internet". Tim is always immersed in gaming, technology, music, art and network security, he lives in downtown Santa Rosa and joined the Y staff in 2024. 

Hailey Lawson
Health & Wellness Director

Hailey is the Health & Wellness Director here at the Sonoma County Family YMCA, joining the team in 2024. With over 10 years of experience in the health and wellness field , she has a deep passion for helping others achieve their goals, and building an inclusive and welcoming community. Fitness is a lifelong passion of Hailey's, and she looks forward to sharing that with all of you. Hailey is equally as passionate about traveling as she is about fitness! She has lived in Brazil and Thailand, has traveled all throughout South America, Southeast Asia, and Europe, and is fluent in Portuguese. Eating new foods, experiencing new cultures, and meeting new people are what fill her passport with stamps! When she's not at work, Hailey loves hiking, cooking Italian food, and spending time with her partner and son.

Nicole Martinovich
Healthy Initiatives Coordinator

Nicole loves to exercise. Exercise has been a part of her life informally learning to swim and surf and more formally swimming competitively and later performing in dance groups.

Nicole has a Bachelor’s in Physical Education, a Master’s in Traditional Chinese Medicine and teaching credentials. She has studied a wide variety of health and wellness topics including yoga, Pilates, group exercise, behavior change, sports nutrition, health and life coaching and more! She has special training in diabetes prevention and management as well as lifestyle and behavior change.

She loves to teach and help others achieve their health and wellness goals. Nicole has been with the Y since 1993, teaching, training, coaching, providing programming and supporting the health and wellness of our community all along the way.

Meet Our Personal Trainers