Betty Mohlenbrock, M.Ed.
President & Chairperson
Educator, Reading Specialist
Betty is an educator, reading specialist, Founder and CEO (Retired) of Family Literacy Foundation, United Through Reading, and Founder and President of Reading Legacies (her current endeavor).
Betty’s numerous awards include The Congressional Medal of Honor Society Community Service Hero Award for United Through Reading, the Peter Drucker Award for Non- Profit Innovation, LEAD San Diego Visionary Award, Traditional Home “The Classic Woman Award”, University of Illinois Alumni Humanitarian Award, Coronado Legend Award, the Daughters of the American Revolution Medal of Honor, and the George Washington Honor Medal from Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, San Diego Regional East County Chamber of Commerce 20th Annual Women in Leadership Award, the Success Above Self Award from the Rotary Club of Coronado, San Diego Business Journal’s Business Women of the Year Finalist.
Her educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts, as well as a Master’s Degree in Education with a specialty in teaching Reading. Both degrees are from the University of Illinois.
Richard M. Radosh
Vice Chair
Community Volunteer
Richard M. Radosh, Attorney at Law, is a sole practitioner helping clients with wills, trusts, philanthropy planning and corporate governance. He is also an avid trumpet player performing with the Coastal Communities Concert Band. Richard serves on the Board of Directors and as Development Director of the Coastal Communities Concert Band Foundation which supports and operates the band.
During 2009, He served as principal researcher on the San Diego Jewish Community Foundation study entitled “Feeding the Hungry in San Diego.” During 2007, Richard worked as a temporary executive for United Through Reading®, Betty Mohlenbrock’s previous organization, assisting with the organization’s transition to its current CEO.
Michael Malone
Treasurer / Chair
Vistage International
Mike is an experienced senior software executive who has specialized in managing and growing leading edge technology companies. He was the founding President of the San Diego Software Industry Council and has served as a Director and advisor to many San Diego technology companies.
Mike began as a Vistage Chair in 2005, and currently chairs a Chief Executive Group and a Trusted Advisor Group since March of 2008. He currently coaches 31 CEOs of companies of various sizes.
Julie B. Beaty
Secretary
Community Volunteer
Julie is currently a community volunteer recently relocated to San Diego.
A graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law and Birmingham-Southern College, Julie has extensive experience in public policy and law in Washington, DC.
Vivian Lin
Contract Advisor
Vivi Lin, a trailblazer in sports and entertainment with over 25 years of experience, is the first Asian American woman to own and lead a professional football team. Lin, who served as the VP of Business Development and Player Engagement for the San Diego Strike Force, took over as the team’s owner/CEO in 2020. Her leadership brought the club back after the COVID-19 pandemic and the team’s most successful year.
Building on her success with the San Diego Strike Force, Lin joined a team of five executives and launched the privately owned Frontwave Arena, which is set to be the future home of the Los Angeles Clippers’ G-League team.
Her extensive background includes leading marketing and events for the US National Surf Team and being one of the creators of the San Diego Zoo Global Academy, which now generates over $350 million in annual revenue.
Lin’s current project is to launch her a professional arena football team in Austin, Texas, in 2025, making her the first woman to launch a professional football expansion team.
Lin graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with an undergraduate degree in Educational Psychology and Communications. She received a master’s in Sports Business Leadership from Columbia University and graduated in the top two in her class with an Executive MBA in Global Sports Business Management from the University of East London.
Liz Valenzuela Banker
Trustee
Pres/CEO/Veteran
Valbanks Consulting
Coming Soon…!
Eric Manese
Trustee
Rancho Santa Fe Insurance
Eric is Branch Manager at Rancho Santa Fe Insurance. Aside from serving as a Trustee for Reading Legacies, Eric is a Board Member and Finance Committee Member at Sharp HealthCare Foundation, and President at Future Legends Chuck Courtney Honorary Scholarship Fund.
Michael j. Haynes
Trustee
Pro Football Hall of Fame &
All NFL 100 Year Anniversary Team
A graduate of ASU and former New England Patriot and Los Angeles Raider, Mike is a member of the NFL Hall of Fame as well as the All NFL 100 Year Anniversary Team.
He serves on the board of the Retired Hall of Fame and is the national spokesperson for the American Urological Association.
A father of six, Mike is a strong advocate for children and youth in San Diego and beyond.
Derek Cox, MBA
Trustee
Contract Advisor
After retiring from professional football, Derek earned his Master’s in Business Administration at UCLA Anderson School of Management and is an Independent Sports Agent and Conultant.
Derek believes that the Reading Legacies initiative can bring much needed motivation to youth. Many of them struggle with motivation and understanding how they can make a difference in the world. This program shows them that they can make a difference in the world at the most important place – home.
Elena Levens-Craig
Trustee
Board of Education, Santee School District
Community Volunteer
Elana Levens-Craig possesses nearly two decades of executive-level corporate, non-profit, and education leadership with lauded success in a myriad of environments. She is a former special education teacher in both public and non-public schools. Elana is currently serving her tenth-consecutive year as an elected member of the Santee School District Board of Education, most recently serving as Board President. She co-founded Packaging Solutions for Today’s Industry in 2004 with her husband, and successfully sold the company in 2020.
Elana’s volunteer activities include East County Meals on Wheels, Father Joe’s Villages, Jewish Family Service, Susan G. Komen, Salvation Army, Rotary International, and events with the local Chambers of Commerce. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree, Magna Cum Laude, and Master’s degree from San Diego State University and is the recipient of more than a dozen industry and volunteer awards. When she is not traveling, hiking or reading, she is spending time with her two grandchildren
Shaun R. Wiley
Trustee
ZUZA Print | Market | Mail
Shaun has been involved with marketing efforts for nearly 20 years. His current role as an executive marketing consultant at ZUZA Marketing Asset Management allows him to work closely and guide business leadership from various industries across the globe.
Before moving to California in 2014, he served as Director of Admissions with the Art Institutes in Georgia and Florida. As an alumni of Georgia State University, he holds a dual-Bachelors in Journalism and Sociology. His secret to success: Treat others like they want to be treated.
Paul M. Bowers
Trustee
Paul Bowers Creative
Paul M Bowers Creative has spent decades helping individuals and organizations tell their stories by creating written and visual content, media and in-person presentations.
He’s an eclectic creative leader with a demonstrated history of creating and implementing storytelling for the Marketing industry. Skilled in creating and managing still and moving photography, video, advertising, writing, editing, presentation, art direction and nearly everything else an organization needs to tell their story to others.
Strong business development professional with a BA focused in Business / Marketing. Trained in (and believes in) Mediation, Restorative Practices, Restorative Justice and Inclusive Communication.
Erica ward
Trustee
BAE Systems
Erica joined the Board of Trustees in 2023 and continues to work on expanding the programs and their outreach. Erica is an experienced pricing and compliance senior principal within the aerospace and defense industry.
Erica holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, with a minor in Finance and a Master’s Degree in the Study of Law, Government Contracting and Procurement Law.
In addition to being an active volunteer, treasurer and member of her community and public schools system, Erica is passionate about and shares many of the same values that are at the core of Reading Legacies, especially its commitment to building and strengthening relationships through the joy of reading aloud to children.
GIVING of our time and resources is one of the best investments in our children and future.
Advisory Board
David Bejarano
Chief of Police (Retired)
San Diego and Chula Vista Police Departments
Reo Carr
Founder/CEO, Research Group of Companies, LLC
Ken Culver
Commander (Retired)
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
Edward DeRoche, Ph.D.
University of San Diego
Director, Character Development Center
Rhonda Su'esu'e-Hernandez, RCFE (Trustee)
Activities Director of Greater San Diego (ADGSD)
Valerie G. Hong, Esq. (Trustee)
Garcia Hong Law APC
Jessica Hughes, M.Ed.
School Counseling
Cheryl Carter King
Member of Founding Board, Retired
Stephen R. Lewis, M.D. Legacy Fund Representative
Rachael Horn Langford
Adjunct Professor of Sociology, Point Loma Nazarene University
Ashley Rae Rawlins
RAWLINS LAW, APC
Renee K. Resko
Vice President of Development, Helen Woodward Animal Center
Carolos Ramirez Reyes
Third Grade Teacher, San Diego Unified School District
Stephanie Scott
Quality Review Analyst
American Specialty Health
Lee E. Winslett
Wells Fargo, SVP & Division Mgr. New Markets
Lending/Investment
Cecil Steppe
Director, Dept. of Social Services/San Diego County Chief Probation Officer/CEO San Diego Urban League (Ret)
Col. Marianne S. Waldrop, USMC (Ret.), Ph.D.
University of North Carolina NROTC Alumni Association, Pres.
Greg Williams
Campus Supervisor,
Liberty Charter High School
