GPNA Board Members
The GPNA Board meets monthly. Meeting dates & times are posted on our calendar. Meetings are open to all Members. Because meetings are held in Board Members' homes, address is not publicized on the calendar. If you wish to attend an upcoming Board Meeting, email us at info@gerstlepark.com for location information. If you wish to send a letter to all GPNA Board Members, email to bod@gerstlepark.com and it will forward to all GPNA board members.
Gina Silvestri, President
A Marin native, Gina and husband Ben have lived in Gerstle Park since 2004. In addition to working full-time for a family office in San Francisco, she co-manages her own family’s eight-unit Gerstle Park apartment building. Board President since 2017 and Vice President for 4 years prior to that (2013-2016), as of January 2021 Gina completes her 3rd term on the Board. In accordance with GPNA Bylaws*, the Board voted unanimously in January 2021 to allow Gina to run for a fourth term. During her time on the Board, Gina has enjoyed watching the neighborhood association grow and thrive. She has played a key role in San Rafael PorchFest, the Sidewalks & Tree Committee(s), and GPNA marketing & communications. Gina says that as challenging as 2020 was, she can’t think of a better neighborhood to call home than Gerstle Park!
Alicia diVittorio, Vice President
Board Member since 2018 and Vice President since 2019, Alicia is running for her 2nd 3-year term on the Board. In her first term, Alicia has helped launch PorchFest and played a key role in all neighborhood activities. A marketing and communications professional, she has worked with several security and technology companies. Alicia grew up in the Sierra Nevada foothills, spent much of her life in San Francisco, then decided to make Gerstle Park her home in 2014. She lives here with her husband Michael and 2 young boys. She loves Gerstle Park for its walkability, the old trees, beautiful architecture, rich sense of community and the proximity of the open space in the hills. Alicia looks forward to continuing in her role as Vice President of the GPNA Board and continuing to see the neighborhood thrive.
Tom Heinz, Treasurer
Tom was appointed to the Board of GPNA in the Spring of 2017 and is now running for a 2nd 3-year term (Jan 2021- Jan 2024). Tom and his wife Denise Van Horn (also a Board Member) moved to San Rafael a little over 5 years ago. The two spent their careers in Southern California as physicians specializing in pathology. They love it here. They love the weather, the trees, the community, the open spaces and easy walk to many destinations.
Tom joined the board to meet people in Gerstle Park and to help preserve the character of the neighborhood. He loves the sense of community in Gerstle Park and people regularly walking past their home. He loves the old houses and the diversity of the people in Gerstle Park and San Rafael. He looks forward to the end of Covid-19 and the return of our normal community events. Tom heads the Planning and Development Committee of GPNA and is the current Treasurer.
Sandra Luna, Corresponding Secretary
Sandra (Sandi) Luna has been a member of the GPNA Board since 2018 and is now running for a 2nd 3-year term (Jan 2021- Jan 2024). Sandi is a Bay Area Native, born in San Francisco and raised in the South Bay. At 21, she moved to San Francisco, where she lived for 25 years. In 2015, she became the proud co-owner of a duplex on Clorinda and has never been happier with her choice of neighborhoods. Since 2004, Sandi has been in real estate and is now affiliated with Corcoran Global Living in Greenbrae. During Covid, she built a small office studio you may see if you walk by. Be sure to say Hi! Sandi is the current Corresponding Secretary of GPNA.
Denise Van Horn, Recording Secretary
Denise was appointed to the Board of GPNA in the Spring of 2017 and is now running for a 2nd 3-year term (Jan 2021- Jan 2024). Six years ago, after retiring from the practice of pathology, Denise and her husband, Tom Heinz (also a Board Member), moved to Gerstle Park from Southern California. They were drawn by the small town feel of San Rafael and the beauty and charm of the Gerstle Park neighborhood. As they were refurbishing their house, neighbors (many with dogs) would stop to introduce themselves and chat. The GPNA community activities Denise and Tom attended made it easy to get to know people, too. Denise appreciates the sense of community and the kindness of the neighbors. She is delighted to be living in a wonderful neighborhood where she can walk to the post office, library, restaurants, dentist, Muffin Mania, and the grocery store! Being on the board of GPNA is a way to contribute to this community in practical and fun ways. Denise is the current Recording Secretary of GPNA.
Josselyn Robertson, Member
Josselyn completes her 2nd 3-year term on the Board as of Jan 31, 2021. In accordance with GPNA Bylaws*, the Board voted unanimously in January 2021 to allow Josselyn to run for a third term. Josselyn has lived in Marin all her life and in San Rafael since 1975. She worked many years for San Rafael School District as a schoolteacher and later as the District Librarian. She believes Gerstle Park has a special feel, unlike anywhere else in Marin. People are diverse and there is great feeling of community. During the last few years, she has seen how much the GPNA Board does and feels it is a responsibility for everyone to participate to keep Gerstle Park a special place. As a Board member she looks forward to learning more about issues in San Rafael. She is also very interested in the future of Short School. She believes Gerstle Park has a special feel, unlike anywhere else in Marin. People are diverse and there is great feeling of community. During the last few years, she has seen how much the GPNA Board does and feels it is a responsibility for everyone to participate to keep Gerstle Park a special place. As a Board member she looks forward to learning more about issues in San Rafael. She is also very interested in the future of Short School.
Michael Bruel, Member
Michael moved to the Bay Area back in 2000 to be near his twin brother Russell who moved out here from their native Miami a few years prior. He also moved out here to be closer to his biological family. He moved to Gerstle Park in 2008 when he and his wife Denisa were expecting their son Kryštof. They wanted to find a friendly community within walking distance to a beautiful park, hiking, and downtown San Rafael.
Michael is an authentic and friendly neighbor who can be spotted late at night, walking his dog Cody. He hopes to contribute with his wide range of interests around affordable housing, community organizing, technology, parenting, and the environment, as a potential board member of the GPNA.
Michael has nineteen plus years of professional experience as a technologist for small businesses, and working for a variety of start-ups and enterprises where he wore a variety of hats has provided him with a broad range of skills. He has experience with web marketing, information technology administration, and customer support relationship management.
Michael was asked to join the board after his ongoing participation at different events, like PorchFest, or during his help keeping our digital devices charged during the power outages in front of Muffin Mania have been beneficial to our community.
Kim McGinnis, Member
Kim, an Atlanta native, has lived in Marin County for over 30 years. She moved to Gerstle Park from the Dominican neighborhood in 2015 when the last of her kids went to college. Her daughter and two sons went to Marin Catholic where she was a key fundraiser and team parent.
She is currently working for Marin Living Magazine and for 8 years prior to that she was Vice President of the San Rafael Pacifics Baseball Club.
Kim moved to our neighborhood because of its trees, porches, sidewalks, and vibrant neighbors and dogs! She loves our active and engaged GPNA and would like to be a part of keeping our neighborhood cohesive, interactive and charming. She lives with her boyfriend, Dennis, at 26 Marin and hands out the big candy bars at Halloween!
A Marin native, Gina and husband Ben have lived in Gerstle Park since 2004. In addition to working full-time for a family office in San Francisco, she co-manages her own family’s eight-unit Gerstle Park apartment building. Board President since 2017 and Vice President for 4 years prior to that (2013-2016), as of January 2021 Gina completes her 3rd term on the Board. In accordance with GPNA Bylaws*, the Board voted unanimously in January 2021 to allow Gina to run for a fourth term. During her time on the Board, Gina has enjoyed watching the neighborhood association grow and thrive. She has played a key role in San Rafael PorchFest, the Sidewalks & Tree Committee(s), and GPNA marketing & communications. Gina says that as challenging as 2020 was, she can’t think of a better neighborhood to call home than Gerstle Park!
Alicia diVittorio, Vice President
Board Member since 2018 and Vice President since 2019, Alicia is running for her 2nd 3-year term on the Board. In her first term, Alicia has helped launch PorchFest and played a key role in all neighborhood activities. A marketing and communications professional, she has worked with several security and technology companies. Alicia grew up in the Sierra Nevada foothills, spent much of her life in San Francisco, then decided to make Gerstle Park her home in 2014. She lives here with her husband Michael and 2 young boys. She loves Gerstle Park for its walkability, the old trees, beautiful architecture, rich sense of community and the proximity of the open space in the hills. Alicia looks forward to continuing in her role as Vice President of the GPNA Board and continuing to see the neighborhood thrive.
Tom Heinz, Treasurer
Tom was appointed to the Board of GPNA in the Spring of 2017 and is now running for a 2nd 3-year term (Jan 2021- Jan 2024). Tom and his wife Denise Van Horn (also a Board Member) moved to San Rafael a little over 5 years ago. The two spent their careers in Southern California as physicians specializing in pathology. They love it here. They love the weather, the trees, the community, the open spaces and easy walk to many destinations.
Tom joined the board to meet people in Gerstle Park and to help preserve the character of the neighborhood. He loves the sense of community in Gerstle Park and people regularly walking past their home. He loves the old houses and the diversity of the people in Gerstle Park and San Rafael. He looks forward to the end of Covid-19 and the return of our normal community events. Tom heads the Planning and Development Committee of GPNA and is the current Treasurer.
Sandra Luna, Corresponding Secretary
Sandra (Sandi) Luna has been a member of the GPNA Board since 2018 and is now running for a 2nd 3-year term (Jan 2021- Jan 2024). Sandi is a Bay Area Native, born in San Francisco and raised in the South Bay. At 21, she moved to San Francisco, where she lived for 25 years. In 2015, she became the proud co-owner of a duplex on Clorinda and has never been happier with her choice of neighborhoods. Since 2004, Sandi has been in real estate and is now affiliated with Corcoran Global Living in Greenbrae. During Covid, she built a small office studio you may see if you walk by. Be sure to say Hi! Sandi is the current Corresponding Secretary of GPNA.
Denise Van Horn, Recording Secretary
Denise was appointed to the Board of GPNA in the Spring of 2017 and is now running for a 2nd 3-year term (Jan 2021- Jan 2024). Six years ago, after retiring from the practice of pathology, Denise and her husband, Tom Heinz (also a Board Member), moved to Gerstle Park from Southern California. They were drawn by the small town feel of San Rafael and the beauty and charm of the Gerstle Park neighborhood. As they were refurbishing their house, neighbors (many with dogs) would stop to introduce themselves and chat. The GPNA community activities Denise and Tom attended made it easy to get to know people, too. Denise appreciates the sense of community and the kindness of the neighbors. She is delighted to be living in a wonderful neighborhood where she can walk to the post office, library, restaurants, dentist, Muffin Mania, and the grocery store! Being on the board of GPNA is a way to contribute to this community in practical and fun ways. Denise is the current Recording Secretary of GPNA.
Josselyn Robertson, Member
Josselyn completes her 2nd 3-year term on the Board as of Jan 31, 2021. In accordance with GPNA Bylaws*, the Board voted unanimously in January 2021 to allow Josselyn to run for a third term. Josselyn has lived in Marin all her life and in San Rafael since 1975. She worked many years for San Rafael School District as a schoolteacher and later as the District Librarian. She believes Gerstle Park has a special feel, unlike anywhere else in Marin. People are diverse and there is great feeling of community. During the last few years, she has seen how much the GPNA Board does and feels it is a responsibility for everyone to participate to keep Gerstle Park a special place. As a Board member she looks forward to learning more about issues in San Rafael. She is also very interested in the future of Short School. She believes Gerstle Park has a special feel, unlike anywhere else in Marin. People are diverse and there is great feeling of community. During the last few years, she has seen how much the GPNA Board does and feels it is a responsibility for everyone to participate to keep Gerstle Park a special place. As a Board member she looks forward to learning more about issues in San Rafael. She is also very interested in the future of Short School.
Michael Bruel, Member
Michael moved to the Bay Area back in 2000 to be near his twin brother Russell who moved out here from their native Miami a few years prior. He also moved out here to be closer to his biological family. He moved to Gerstle Park in 2008 when he and his wife Denisa were expecting their son Kryštof. They wanted to find a friendly community within walking distance to a beautiful park, hiking, and downtown San Rafael.
Michael is an authentic and friendly neighbor who can be spotted late at night, walking his dog Cody. He hopes to contribute with his wide range of interests around affordable housing, community organizing, technology, parenting, and the environment, as a potential board member of the GPNA.
Michael has nineteen plus years of professional experience as a technologist for small businesses, and working for a variety of start-ups and enterprises where he wore a variety of hats has provided him with a broad range of skills. He has experience with web marketing, information technology administration, and customer support relationship management.
Michael was asked to join the board after his ongoing participation at different events, like PorchFest, or during his help keeping our digital devices charged during the power outages in front of Muffin Mania have been beneficial to our community.
Kim McGinnis, Member
Kim, an Atlanta native, has lived in Marin County for over 30 years. She moved to Gerstle Park from the Dominican neighborhood in 2015 when the last of her kids went to college. Her daughter and two sons went to Marin Catholic where she was a key fundraiser and team parent.
She is currently working for Marin Living Magazine and for 8 years prior to that she was Vice President of the San Rafael Pacifics Baseball Club.
Kim moved to our neighborhood because of its trees, porches, sidewalks, and vibrant neighbors and dogs! She loves our active and engaged GPNA and would like to be a part of keeping our neighborhood cohesive, interactive and charming. She lives with her boyfriend, Dennis, at 26 Marin and hands out the big candy bars at Halloween!