Staff of Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital Foundation
At Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital Foundation (SVMHF), we are proud to
employ a passionate team of development professionals, dedicated to assisting
the Board to raise funds, ensuring that SVMHS can continue providing exceptional
healthcare to our community.
Learn more about our staff below:
Jeff Wardwell
Chief Philanthropy Officer
Jeff is a fifth-generation resident of the central coast and the second
in his family to have led our Foundation board. After nearly 10 years
of volunteering for the Foundation, with his last two as Chair of the
Board, Jeff stepped down and officially joined our staff in 2019 to head
up our community engagement efforts and lead our Major & Planned Giving
programs. Bringing more than 20 years of leadership and fundraising experience
in addition to strong community ties, Jeff has now accepted a new role,
stepping up to the helm of our Foundation as the Chief Philanthropy Officer
for the Healthcare System.
Altruism through civic and community engagement have always been culture
for Jeff, and the strong relationships that this belief system builds
are what he feels are at the heart of philanthropy. As a former Firefighter/Paramedic
here in Monterey County, along with his past service as a member of Salinas
Valley Memorial Healthcare System’s Subject Matter Expert Committee
for Community Advocacy, the health care and economic challenges this community
faces land at the front of Jeff’s mind. Serving now in this new
role as Chief Philanthropy Officer, he will lead our Foundation, as well
as continue to build on the philanthropic culture of the Healthcare System
while remaining engaged in our community where he and his wife and three
daughters, all of whom born at SVMH, live and play.
Jeff can be reached at (831) 759-1880 or by email at
jwardwell@svmh.com.
Melissa Gross
Director of Operations
Melissa is the third generation in her family to call Salinas 'home'
and is raising a fourth. She attended Hartnell College, CSU Monterey Bay
and graduated from Golden Gate University with a BA in Management. She
joined Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System in 2008 and became part
of the Foundation’s staff in 2010. Since that time she has held
a variety of roles in the Foundation, including managing the CMN Hospitals
Program for 7 years and most recently taking on the role of Director of
Development.
Melissa is passionate about her work in philanthropy and believes strongly
in the impact of local fundraising. That impact became especially meaningful
to her after the birth of her youngest daughter, who has special health
needs and has used many of SVMHS' pediatric and diagnostic services.
Having a dual perspective as both a fundraiser and the parent of a patient
has given Melissa a special appreciation for the resources that the Foundation
helps to provide for the local community.
Melissa can be reached at (831) 755-0777 or email at
mgross@svmh.com.
Dakota Navrkal
Annual Giving Manager
Dakota is the newest addition to the SVMH Foundation team and is a recent
transplant to the local area from the Midwest. He attended the University
of South Dakota where he graduated with a Master of Arts Degree in Communication.
Throughout his collegiate career, he served in several leadership positions
for a student-run organization called Dakotathon—a Dance Marathon
program benefitting Sanford Children’s Hospital in Sioux Falls,
South Dakota. It was during this involvement that Dakota solidified his
belief that philanthropy would be a major part of his life.
Dakota is responsible for our annual giving programs including Employee
Giving, Physician Giving, Annual Appeals, and other recurring giving platforms.
Dakota can be reached at (831) 755-0795 or email at
dnavrkal@svmh.com.
Sheri Dawes, CFRE
Development Services Manager
Sheri joined the foundation in 1995, and has been maintaining financial,
statistical and donor data, supervising database management, planning
and preparing special events and researching and preparing grant applications
for 23 years. In 2013, she became a Certified Fund Raising Executive,
joining an elite group of fundraising professionals. Sheri is also Blackbaud
Certified in the Raiser’s Edge, is a graduate of Leadership Salinas
Valley and has served on numerous local boards. Having been born at Salinas
Valley Memorial Hospital and spending the first two months of her life
in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Sheri knows what a difference the
health system makes in people’s lives. Through her work at the foundation,
she strives to bring families in the Salinas Valley the very best care.
Sheri can be reached at (831) 759-1823 or email at
sdawes@svmh.com.
Jamie Miller
CMN Hospitals Program Coordinator
Jamie joined the Foundation team in 2019 and is responsible for the fundraising
and outreach efforts of the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Program at
SVMHS. As a girl, Jamie grew up with many challenges and was blessed to
have people in her life that supported her and were positive examples.
Because of this, she believes in the power of community and is excited
to fundraise for our Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Program.
As a mother of three children, Jamie understands the value of a healthy
family and having access to resources within a community that is supportive
of families in need. Jamie has a background in human services with a focus
in women’s health and safety. Jamie was a stay at home mom for 17
years and has most recently worked for the YWCA of Monterey County as
a volunteer coordinator and a PreSEHT Specialist for Global Family educating
the community and advocating for survivors of domestic violence and human
trafficking. Jamie moved to Monterey County with her husband and their
three children in 2015 and now is happy to call Salinas her home.
Jamie can be reached at (831) 759-3017 or email at
jmiller3@svmh.com.
Jaime Shipman
Administrative Assistant
Jaime joined the Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System in 1988 and
became a part of the Foundation’s staff in 2013. She works with
the Board of Governors, Foundation Staff, and donors. Jaime assists the
Foundation in its efforts to support Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare
System in its mission to improve the health and well-being of the local
community. Jaime was born at SVMH along with her husband and their three
daughters. She knows the importance of the NICU, and Pediatric services
offered at SVMHS having had her own daughters as patients over the years.
Jaime is a vital part of the Foundation Staff in helping to create the
healthiest impact on the lives of so many in the Salinas Valley.
Jaime can be reached at (831) 759-1880 or email at
jshipman@svmh.com.