Meet the Team
Board of Directors
Lindsay Langford
Chair
Lindsay Langford is a dedicated, results-driven professional with over two decades of experience in cultivating relationships across both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. This service has elevated her awareness of the critical role education plays in empowering individuals to maximize their impact and level of fulfillment. She believes in the transformative power of an inclusive culture, recognizing its pivotal role in honing leadership skills and fostering a sense of belonging. She is a strong advocate for professional development, organizational learning, and creating spaces where both gaining and sharing knowledge is prioritized. In addition to her work, Lindsay finds joy being in nature and investigating the mysteries of life with her family.
Vanessa Oshiro
Secretary & Chair-Elect
Vanessa Oshiro is an nonprofit consultant where she brings an equity and inclusion lens to help organizations address challenges with high impact solutions. With over 11 years of experience in grants and organizational development leadership roles, she has worked to deepen practices of equity, belonging, and organizational capacity building in the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. Vanessa received a B.S. in Economics from the University of California, Irvine and a M.A. in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from the University of San Diego. She is a Senior Certified Professional in Human Resources Management (SHRM-SCP). Vanessa is a founding member of ID2EA Collaborative, an affinity group for equity and inclusion practitioners. Vanessa has also served as Chair of the San Diego Chapter of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy, Treasurer of the Kiwanis Club of Southeastern San Diego, and Membership Chair for PEAK Grantmaking.
Laura Shaw
Treasurer
Laura Shaw has over 10 years of experience in the nonprofit sector which has granted her a deep understanding of the sector's opportunities and challenges. As the former COO of Connect, a nonprofit tech accelerator, she honed her strategic thinking and operational expertise while gaining first hand experience of the power of technology. In 2021 Laura made a transition into the world of tech startups. As the Head of Operations at a seed-stage startup, Cipher, she works to implement innovative solutions that fuel growth and success. Her journey includes earning a business degree from the University of Washington, residing in San Diego for a decade, and now calling Denver home.
Jonathan Bell
Treasurer-Elect
Jonathan Bell is lawyer at Versailles Law Corporation (VLC), where he specializes in counseling companies and individuals in corporate, entertainment, real estate, and financial transactions.
Prior to joining VLC, Jonathan served as General Counsel of StandWithUs, an international nonprofit Israel education organization. He is very active in several organizations serving the greater San Diego community. Jonathan is licensed to practice law in both California (2019) and Illinois (2007), he graduated magna cum laude from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 2007 and earned his undergraduate degree in History and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin in 2002.
Holly Baughman
Board Member
Holly Baughman has over 20 years of nonprofit experience from direct service to advocacy to fundraising to independent consultant. She has served on many committees and boards ranging from the ARC of Denver to currently serving as Chairperson of the Board for Nonprofit Solutions. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Holly earned her Bachelors of Science degree from Virginia Commonwealth University with a minor in French. When not working or volunteering, Holly enjoys cooking for her family and friends, reading, and going to the beach to paddle board.
Gretel von Son
Board Member
Gretel von Son is the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology
Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Director at Connect, a position created to support one of the Navy’s
R&D Programs by fostering relationships between government, industry, and academia to drive
innovation.
Although currently working in the government and tech space/sector, Gretel comes from a
science background having received her Bachelor’s in Chemistry, and later pursued a Master’s in
Business Administration. She has experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, and has
published work in Advanced Materials, ACS Nano and Nature Communications.
Gretel is passionate about learning and believes in always being a student in all aspects of life.
Being born and raised in Mexico has also made her have a deep appreciation of cultures,
languages, food, and music. She lives in San Diego with her husband, two pups, and pet lizard.
Staff
Christiana Tasto
Executive Director
Christiana possesses a rich and dedicated career in advancing professional development initiatives and programs. Her expertise spans a diverse range of topics, where she has successfully crafted and led numerous programs, such as Board Governance, Strategic Planning, Team Engagement, Communication Skills, Coaching, Emotional Intelligence, and has committed over two decades to Inclusion & Equity work. With over fifteen years in the nonprofit sector, Christiana has held pivotal roles directing programs, stepping into interim executive directorships, and effectively managing various projects.
Recognizing her significant contributions, Christiana was promoted to the role of Executive Director in February 2021 after five years of impactful service at Nonprofit Solutions, where she previously excelled as the Director of Learning. She brings proficiency in Group Facilitation Methods, having received training from the Institute of Cultural Affairs, and has undergone Micro-aggression training through the Valued Voices program at Hosteling International.
Christiana's academic background includes a Master of Arts in Psychology, enhancing her ability to provide valuable insights into both human behavior and organizational dynamics. Her multifaceted skill set and wealth of experience position her as an invaluable leader in driving organizational growth and fostering professional development.
Angie Myer
VP of Learning & Development
Angie started with Nonprofit Solutions as a facilitator in 2018 and joined the staff in September 2020. She now serves as Vice President of Learning & Development, responsible for all of the NPS training programs: curriculum development, evaluation, teaching, scheduling, and supervising facilitators. Angie brings 30+ years of experience in education and holds a Master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction. After serving as a public school and community college writing instructor, she transitioned to the holistic health field before working in nonprofit compliance. She is thrilled to support the nonprofit community through professional development and employee engagement. She is a DISC Certified Trainer, a graduate of the Disney Institute, and member of the Association of Talent Development.
Helen Black
Operations & Technology Manager
Helen joined the Nonprofit Solutions team in January of 2023. She recently graduated from Union College with a B.S. in Physics. During her four years at Union, she worked at the Kenney Community Center, assisting the community outreach office with programming and campus events. Helen oversees business, financial, and technical operations at Nonprofit Solutions. Additionally, she serves as Lead Producer to our training programs, including provides support for our new hybrid classrooms. She is excited to break into the nonprofit sphere and continue to gain experience.
Johanna Coupe
Innovative Solutions Manager
Johanna began with Nonprofit Solutions as the Business Development Coordinator in the Summer 2021. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from SKEMA Business School, and had the opportunity to study in France, Brazil and the United States. These experiences developed her cultural awareness and passion for working with nonprofit organizations around the globe. She has experience working with both nonprofit and for-profit organizations, allowing her to be competent in a wide array of subjects. Johanna coordinates Nonprofit Solutions consulting contracts and sponsorship opportunities. She is excited about her career beginning in the nonprofit sector as she gets to learn and grow on the daily while positively impacting the community.