Board of Directors

Rev. David Cowell

David J. Cowell is the owner of Mobility City of San Francisco and the Peninsula which provide service, rental and sales of home medical devices for those with mobility differences. He is formerly the Vice President of Mission Integration for Dignity Health, where he was responsible for mission leadership across multiple sites, including

ethics, government affairs, and chaplaincy. A Board Certified Chaplain, David is also a retired minister in the United Church of Christ. David received his Bachelor’s degree in history from the University of California, Berkeley and his Mater’s degree in theology and ethics from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. He lives in San Francisco with his spouse Peter, a Burn-ICU RN, and their three rescue dogs.

Susan Houston

Susan Houston has been a prominent San Mateo County leader in aging services for over 20 years. As VP of Older Adult Services at Peninsula Family Service, she launched innovative programs including hospital transition of care and expanded mental health access for older adults. Susan holds a BA in both Social Work and Spanish, as well as

completed graduate-level coursework in Counseling Psychology. She studied abroad at the University of Granada in Spain to perfect her Spanish. She’s served on multiple advisory committees and presented at conferences on aging-related issues. Susan has taught Mastering Aging courses in the community and will soon be a community educator with the Alzheimer’s Association. Susan lives in Burlingame with her family and enjoys gardening, travel, yoga, cooking, and flamenco music.

Dr. Monika Lee, Esq.

Monika Player Lee joined the OSSMC board in 2015 after volunteering as a field ombudsman since 2009. She advocates for older adults through the San Mateo County Commission on Aging, San Mateo Senior Citizen Commission, Age Friendly Coalition, and Villages of San Mateo County. Before retiring in 2022, Monika practiced

law as a corporate litigator for 38 years and did pro bono work for women prisoners, tenants, minors, and guardians. Originally from Germany, she came to the U.S. in the early 1970s, earned a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Kansas, and later a law degree from UCLA. She enjoys travel, reading, gardening, biking, and tending her vineyard.

Eloisa Briones, CPA

Eloisa M. Briones served 27 years as Vice President, Administrative Services and Chief Budget Officer at Skyline College. She oversaw finance, budget, HR, facilities, transportation, and public safety, and was also a key member of the President’s Executive Leadership Council. Eloisa co-chaired strategic planning and safety committees and has

contributed to accreditation evaluations in California and Hawaii. Before her time at Skyline College, she worked in nonprofit and for-profit sectors, including United Way of the Bay Area. She holds a BS in Business Administration from the University of the Philippines and is a California CPA. Eloisa retired in 2021 and remains an active mentor and volunteer.

Mitchell Bailey

Mitch Bailey has spent nearly 15 years working in higher education, striving to make college more accessible and affordable. He recently served as interim chancellor of City College of San Francisco leading the college through accreditation and financial challenges, increasing the college’s reserves by nearly 50 percent, maintaining the

college’s credit rating and overseeing the completion of a new STEM Building and Student Success Center. Prior to founding MBailey Advisors in 2022, Mitch served as vice chancellor/chief of staff for the San Mateo College District, where he developed employee housing and helped pass SB 893, enabling his district to make community college free for local residents.

Arielle Hendel

Arielle Hendel brings over 25 years of experience in nonprofit advancement, community development, and strategic fundraising. As Director of Advancement at Stanbridge Academy, she leads donor engagement, fundraising initiatives, and community outreach. Previously, she served as Community Development Director at a

senior living community in Palo Alto and spent 14 years at the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley, cultivating relationships with over 1,600 donors and securing major grants. Arielle holds degrees from Barnard College and Gratz College. Her strategic vision and deep commitment to service make her a valuable leader across all stages of life.

Steve Jeffries

Steve Jeffries recently retired from Gap Inc., where he led multiple operating strategy teams across the corporation. Prior to that, he was a Principal at Kurt Salmon Associates, a consumer products-focused consulting firm. He serves on the board as Treasurer for the Peninsula Jewish Community Center. Steve earned a Bachelor of Arts in

Economics from UC Santa Barbara and an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Robert Montevaldo, MBA, BSEE

Bob Montevaldo, MBA, BSEE, is a program management and business consultant with extensive experience in the technology industry. He spent many years as a program manager at Hewlett Packard and Tandem Computers. In addition to his consulting work, Bob serves on the board of the Project Management Institute’s Silicon Valley

Chapter, where he is the Vice President of Finance.

San-San Tu, MSW, LCSW, ACM-SW

San-San Tu is a healthcare leader with 25+ years of experience in medical social work, care coordination, and leadership. She is Director of Coordination at Sequoia Hospital, where she supervises interdisciplinary teams, manages high-risk patients, and builds community partnerships. San-San also provides clinical supervision for

future social workers, serves on various ethics & utilization committees and several task forces addressing critical social issues. In addition to AgeUp, she is also a Board Member for Pathways Home Health and Hospice. She holds a Master’s in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Accredited Case Manager in Social Work.

Dr. Florence Wong

Florence Wong is a San Francisco Bay Area native who resides in Burlingame. She obtained her BA in Psychology from UC Berkeley and PhD in Clinical Psychology from St. John’s University, NY. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Davis Medical Center and has been a licensed psychologist since 2001. She was inspired to volunteer

her time advocating for individuals with disabilities after her older daughter was diagnosed with developmental disabilities. She served 9 years on the Burlingame School District governing board and currently serves on the San Mateo County Commission on Disabilities and the State Council on Developmental Disabilities Bay Area Regional Advisory Committee.

Diane Leeds - Volunteer Representative

Diane Leeds has been a Field Ombudsman since 2017. Before that, she spent five years assisting seniors with tax preparation through the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program. Passionate about expanding voter participation, Diane has co-chaired San Mateo County’s Voter Education and Outreach Advisory Committee since 2018, which is

recognized for engaging underrepresented communities. She focuses on educating long-term care residents about voting, helping them update registrations and understand the process, earning her the Ombudsman Services of San Mateo County’s “Volunteer of the Year” award in 2021. Diane also served on the Complete Count Committee for the 2020 Census. She holds an M.A. from the University of Cincinnati and worked for 20 years in marketing at Hewlett-Packard.