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About Us / Leadership


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About Us
 
Leadership

Shari Brasher
CEO & Executive Director
sharibrasher@freshstart.org

Shari Brasher has been involved with Fresh Start for over 16 years. Ms. Brasher brings in-depth, relevant industry experience to Fresh Start. Prior to her tenure as CEO, Brasher managed the private practice of plastic and reconstructive surgeon and founder of Fresh Start, Dr. Dennis Nigro, for over eight years. She also has a successful background as a Sales Manager for a technology company and Business Manager for a local tax and law service.

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Steve Edwards
Director of Operations
steve@freshstart.org

Steve Edwards has over twenty years of experience building exceptional brands and organizations. Before Fresh Start, Edwards grew Quill Communications Inc., an award-winning advertising agency, from a home based business in 1986 with no revenues to the largest advertising agency in San Diego with revenues of $7.75 million and 36 employees in 2000. Later that year, he sold Quill to Wirestone, a nationally ranked interactive marketing agency with six offices in four states. Mr. Edwards holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of California at Santa Cruz. He served on the Fresh Start Board of Directors for five years, culminating in a term as Board President in 2002.
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Celene Nigro
Medical Program Director
celene@freshstart.org

Celene Nigro oversees all of Fresh Start’s patient services and patient care planning and also assists with volunteer recruitment. Ms. Nigro has over 30 years of diverse nursing experience and obtained her nursing degree in Illinois before moving to California. Her work history includes being an OR Nurse and Coordinator of Orthopedic Services at Mission Hospital Medical Center in Mission Viejo, CA and an OR nurse at the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago, IL.
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Michelle Pius
Director of Major Gifts
michelle@freshstart.org

Michelle brings a wide range of non-profit and development experience to Fresh Start Surgical Gifts. Prior to Fresh Start, Michelle was the Development Director for The Vision of Children Foundation, where she successfully launched a community outreach program to provide vision screening for infants and children at no cost.

Michelle's leadership has been a driving force in raising millions of dollars for the Cancer Care Center at Rady Children's Hospital Auxiliary. Her leadership roles have included Unit Chair and Underwriting & Major Sponsorships. She also serves on the Rady Children's Hospital Circle of Care Committee, as Vice President of Women Benefiting the Community, and the Torrey Pines Foundation Board.
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Board of Directors

Erik Moore – President
Moore, Lewis, Schulman, Moore, Partner

Mike Kozlowski – Immediate Past President
RR Donnelly, Regional Finance Manager

Brian Ferguson– Vice President
Ferguson McClure & Associates, Owner

Pete Lassalette - Treasurer
Handlery Hotel & Resort, General Manager

Tibi Zohar - Secretary
Custom Financial Planning, President

Michael Brucker, M.D. - Medical Director
Brucker Plastic Surgery, Plastic Surgeon

Thomas J. Cavallo
Fixtures, Kitchen, Bath & Outdoor, Owner

Jan Ritmeester
Borritt Business Services, Owner

Marion G Katz, R.N., CPNP
Private Pediatric Practice, Nurse Practitioner

Cyndi Reed
Community Volunteer

Salvatore Pacella, M.D., MBA
Scripps Clinic Plastic Surgery, Plastic Surgeon

Daniel Crotta, CFP R
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, First Vice President - Family Wealth Director

Monica Sprague, FNP-BC, PhD(c), PHN
Manager of Clinical Operations, Palomar Pomerado Health expresscare