Leadership
Meet our team.
KIDS Center has 32 staff members and one on-site Deschutes County Mental Health Therapist.
KIDS Center does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, status as a parent, national origin, age, disability (physical or mental), family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit based factors. These protections extend to all management practices and decisions, including recruitment and hiring practices, appraisal systems, promotions, training, and career development programs.
Our Directors
Gil Levy
Executive Director
Gil joined KIDS Center in February 2020 after over twenty years in leadership roles with organizations serving at-risk youth and families. He began his career providing direct services to at-risk youth in wilderness therapy, crisis counseling and emergency shelter settings, and later went on to lead prevention, intervention, and education programs for homeless, runaway, and foster youth who had experienced child abuse. Gil holds a Masters of Science in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin. In 2020, Gil and his family relocated to Bend, Oregon from their longtime home in Austin, fulfilling a longstanding wish to live in the beautiful and dynamic environment of Central Oregon.
Ginger Theis-Stevens
Director of Development & Marketing
Ginger has a background in revenue generation, fundraising, marketing, and event management. She has worked for several non-profits, her family business, and then numerous businesses when she had her own event and fundraising company from 2009-2013. In 2016, Ginger joined the KIDS Center team and worked primarily on Cork and Barrel, Central Oregon’s largest three-day fundraiser, benefitting KIDS Center. Throughout her time at KIDS Center she has seen the generosity of the community grow year by year. As the Director of Development and Marketing, she invites the community to participate in supporting KIDS Center all year long through outreach and beneficiary events, the Annual Healing Hearts Luncheon, Cork & Barrel, giving through in-kind donations and cash donations. Ginger’s first job out of college was as the National Youth Director of the American Paint Horse Association; she has always loved helping kids, and told her mom when she was young, she would, “Do something to help kids when I grow up!” She feels honored to work for an organization that helps children and families find hope and healing and enjoys bringing this important message to Central Oregon.
Gabrielle Allender
Dir. of Client Programs & Prevention
Gabrielle is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and oversees KIDS Center’s therapy, family advocacy, and prevention departments. Gabrielle joined KIDS Center in 2016 and previously was a therapist and clinical supervisor at Institute for Family Development in Washington State. Gabrielle provided intensive in-home intervention with at-risk families to prevent out-of-home placement due to abuse and neglect and support reunification.
Dr. Guitar Hanna
Medical Director
Dr. Guitar Hanna graduated from the University of California Irvine, with honors, where she published scientific research in the Journal of Undergraduate Research in the Biological Sciences. She attended medical school at TOURO University, Nevada. During her medical school training, she had the opportunity to learn about aerospace medicine with NASA at the Kennedy Space Center. Her pediatric residency was completed in the heart of Detroit, Michigan at St John Hospital. She has been a practicing pediatrician for the past 10 years. Guitar’s life has been dedicated to the health of children and advocating for them… and she will never stop.
Anna Leavitt
Finance Director
Anna has a passion for numbers, kids, and Central Oregon. She found the perfect place to match her talents and interests: KIDS Center. She joined the team in February 2022. Anna has a BS in Geology, a master’s degree in Information Science and over twenty-five years of professional experience, including four years at a large foundation, ten years managing grant projects in the small nonprofit and library worlds, and ten years in the outdoor industry in finance and business operations, forecasting and budgeting. She loves working with people to help make good things happen with the right information and analysis. Anna enjoys bringing her diverse experience and perspective to real world challenges at KIDS Center and loves to know that while the subject matter is heavy, when kids walk into this building, they are beginning the healing process in a safe place.
Renée Cesaretti
Director of Human Resources & Administration
Renée joined KIDS Center in March 2021 with over 15 years of expertise in talent acquisition, employee relations and performance management. She has successfully led various initiatives to enhance employee engagement, streamline processes and foster a positive workplace culture. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. Renée and her 2 sons moved to Central Oregon in 2019 from the East Coast. Outside of work, Renée enjoys photography, hiking and paddling, along with many other outdoor activities that Central Oregon has to offer.
Our Board
Our Board is made up of many wonderful and committed members of our community. We are grateful for their ongoing governance and fundraising efforts.
Sandy Cummings, Board Chair
Leslie Neugebauer, Vice Chair
Theresa Drulard, Secretary
Jason Nuñez-Mooney, Treasurer
Talena Barker
Cory Darling
Ali Dietz
Christine Frazer
Lynn Freeman
David Gilmore
Stacy Neil
Annie Nelson
Tristen Ross
Sharon Wojda
Advisory Councils
Composed of community leaders, our Advisory Councils provide KIDS Center with cross-community connections and reach in Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson counties. Our Advisory Councils ensure that KIDS Center stays informed of current issues and trends, and each group provides input on strategic issues, enhances support for our mission, contributes resources, and helps to recruit new members for our Board of Directors.
Deschutes County
Tammy Baney
Shannon Bauhofer
Lilian Chu
Patti Craveiro
Dick Donaca
Joanne Donaca
Jim Dover
Mike Dugan
Chris Gardner
Ted Hetzel
Janet Hiatt
Teresa Hogue
Linda Huston
Andy Jordan
Eric King
Jeff Klein
Jay Mathisen
Jeff Patterson
Justin Phillips
Sue Shepardson
Bob Smit
Marda Stoliar
Dr. Blair Struble
Diana Tomseth
Jan Wick
Crook County
Terri Andreasen
Hayden Gaines
Joel Hoff
Julie Martinez
Jefferson County
Sarah Huber
Barbara Ibrahim
Lisa Johnson
Nancy Seyler
Steve Webb