In 1980 the Palos Verdes Peninsula Education Foundation was incorporated as a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation and began meeting in the conference room in the V.I.P.building at Peninsula Center. The fifteen original trustees and other volunteers went into the community hosting neighborhood coffees to stress the great need in the schools. Their goal was to reach 80% of 8200 families within 16 weeks! In the fall of 1980 the first direct mailing was distributed to school families. After 18 months PEF was able to gift the District $275,000 for programs and endowment. Ever optimistic, trustees set a goal of $1 million for the following year.

In 1982, the trustees held a successful phonathon and received 502 pledges for an amount of $104,805. Meanwhile, state support of education steadily declined. Trustees continued to solicit funds by direct mail and personal contact. A thank you party for donors was organized in 1983. This party, held in a 3,000 sq. ft. tent, raised $10,000 and the Main Event was born.

Over the years, other fund-raising activities were explored: theater parties; golf and tennis tournaments; 5K and 10K races; opportunity drawings; merchant participation; tribute gifts. Realizing direct contact with donors is most beneficial, in 1987 the Fall Campaign was started, phonathon expanded and school representatives were recruited. PEF attempted to reach every school family by direct mail and phone. This first campaign raised $150,000. In 1994 the Fall Campaign was refocused as an Annual Giving Campaign, although the primary thrust continues to be in the fall with mailings and the phonathon.

In June 1994 the Foundation Board voted to reorganize into the Action Committee Structure which states, "The Board of Trustees of the Foundation is a Working Board with an Action Committee Structure. In this structure, the majority of the work of the Board is handled in functional committees. Board meetings consist of a series of committee reports." Under this format, the Executive Committee ceased to exist. Instead there are equal functional committees with decisions made at the committee level, by the committee working collaboratively with their VP. In addition, the School Rep and Associates (chairmen who are not trustees) Program was expanded. The Board also voted to eliminate minor fund-raisers such as theater parties, races and tournaments and concentrate efforts on the Annual Giving Campaign and the Main Event. Today, the Annual Giving Campaign and the Main Event raise almost 75% of all PEF funds.

However, the crisis in education continues. The basic state funding the PVPUSD receives is less per student than the state average and lower than most neighboring districts. Overall funding for the PVPUSD is even lower when additional (categorical) federal and state allocations many other districts receive are considered.

The Foundation strives to meet this need. In 2000-01 the pledge to the district was $800,000 and in 2002-03 it was increased to $1,000,000.In 2004-2005 the pledge was increased to $1,250,000 and in 2006-2007 the pledge was increased to $1.5 million.

The tireless work and enthusiasm of all the trustees, with the partnership of countless dedicated volunteers and thousands of dedicated donors, can only be commended as PEF vows to maintain quality programs in our Peninsula public schools. The Peninsula Education Foundation is recognized as a leader in excellence in education!

2008-2009
Board of Trustees

The PEF board of trustees is currently thirty-four members.  All are parents of children in PVPUSD schools.  Almost every school in PVPUSD is represented.  PEF strives to bring a diversity of opinion, gender and ethnicity to the board through its nomination process.  Trustees are from all occupations—law, real estate, marketing, sales and the like. Initial terms are two years, renewable year to year after that.  The current trustees are:

David Wagman – President
Kate Cocke – Executive Vice President
Lena Horii-Miller – Vice President, Annual Fundraising
Deidre Manns – Vice President, Major Donors
Steve Lopes – Vice President, Planned Giving
Caroline Leach – Vice President, Community Relations
Janice Tecimer – Vice President, Strategic Planning
Krishna Kumar - Treasurer
Regina Finnegan – Secretary

Dave Bartholomew
Tracy Bracken
Kate Cocke
Donna Coogan-Segal
Kathy Cua
Tony Cunha
Kristin Curren
Phil Daigneault
Emiley Daly
Kathy Erickson
Noelle Giuliano
Susan Hay
Julie Hezlep
Jennifer King
Dave Klein
Allison Mayer
Marta Merola
Gina Padilla-Herron
Jack Pharris
Vicki Poponi
Charlie Raine
Matthew Rener
Bill Ruth
Derek Smith
Cathy Vilicich

Andrea Sala, Executive Director
Diana Morgan, Staff Accountant
Kitsa Treantafelles, Administrative Assistant