Board of Directors

Nick Dieter was introduced to BI in a professional capacity, but quickly became inspired to give far more than his expertise in the insurance arena. Impressed with what he saw at BI, Nick was determined to contribute in a multitude of ways. First, he deployed his professional expertise. As Vice President of Employee Benefits at MOC Insurance, Nick took over as BI’s insurance broker in 2015 and since that time has secured significant cost savings for the agency. Nick also devoted himself to helping raise the funding necessary for BI to continue offering innovative services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He has served on the Auction Committee for BI’s annual galas since 2016, and in that capacity has introduced many new community partners, sponsors, and donors to the agency. Nick and MOC Insurance were awarded BI’s June Waite Spirit of Philanthropy Award in 2017, in honor of their multi-layered advocacy, partnership, and giving. Nick then joined BI’s Board of Directors in 2019. Nick holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of San Francisco and has over 15 years of insurance and financial service expertise.

Dave House sees the intersections that exist between his personal and professional life and excels at integrating the two in ways that benefit both. Dave recently retired from law enforcement as a Lieutenant with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office. Dave joined the board in 2016, just as the agency was launching a specialized program to serve young adults with autism. Claudia and Dave’s son, Isa, was among the first class of students in the program, and there he has made great progress in achieving his personal life goals. Recognizing that misunderstandings between law enforcement and people with disabilities too often result in disastrous consequences, Dave encouraged BI to create educational training to help law enforcement professionals better understand and respond to people with developmental disabilities. He is passionate about providing the community with the information they need in order to be sensitive to the unique needs of people with autism and other disabilities, and thanks to his leadership, 350 members of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department have benefited from BI’s training. Dave served on the Board of our local National Alliance for Mental Illness chapter and has served several years on the Planning Committee for Autism Speaks’ annual North Bay Walk.

Donna Cates became involved with BI in 2013 when she agreed to participate in a 12-session planning process created to help the agency develop services to better meet the immediate needs of our region’s rapidly expanding population of young adults with autism. Donna’s experience as a mother of a son with autism complemented the team of behaviorists, researchers, and BI staff, and she worked tirelessly to help ensure that no stone was left unturned when it came to research into best practices and effective approaches being implemented by experts such as the Mind Institute at UC Davis. Donna’s engagement continued as BI raised funds to build its state of the art Passport to Independence program, and her son Geordi was among the first class of participants. After serving as Board President, Donna is now a member of the board’s Executive Committee where she plays a role in ensuring a smooth leadership transition. Donna and her husband Bryan live in Occidental. Together, they have owned and operated Telecommunications Designs, a network integrator for Fortune 500 companies, for 25 years. Donna previously spent six years on the board of the Harmony Education Foundation, where she helped raise funds for her son’s school. In recognition of her many contributions, Donna received BI’s Volunteer of the Year Award in 2014.

Alicia Burns comes to BI with an extensive and diverse professional background. After establishing her career in the grocery industry, Alicia then earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities & Sociology from Dominican College, while also working as a behavioral assistant in the Special Day classroom at Twin Hills Middle school. While her career then took her into the real estate industry, Alicia looks back on this experience fondly, and it inspired her to join BI’s Board of Directors in 2022. After over 20 years in the real estate industry, Alicia now serves as the Executive Director of Westwater Financial, an independent Native Community Development Financial Institution which seeks to provide access to capital, financial education, coaching, and technical assistance for Native Americans and Alaska Natives residing in Sonoma, Mendocino, and Lake Counties.

Born in Petaluma and raised in Sonoma and Glen Ellen, Eric Gullotta loves his community and gives back what he can. He has sat on many nonprofit committees and is most proud of his service to the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce and Becoming Independent, having served as Board President in the past at both organizations. In his professional life, Eric has attained dual professional accreditations, starting his career as a Certified Public Accountant and earning a Master’s degree in taxation before returning to school at Empire College to obtain his law degree. He is currently the managing attorney at Gullotta Law Group, specializing in estate planning and probate.

Carrie Mauritson was born and raised in Durban, South Africa, but established deep roots in Healdsburg after meeting and marrying Clay Mauritson, the owner and winemaker of Dry Creek Valley’s Mauritson Family Winery. She moved to Healdsburg in 2004 and learned all facets of the multigenerational family wine business. She currently oversees Direct-to-Consumer Sales and Hospitality for the enterprise. She and Clay have three children and together are co-founders of Project Zin, an annual fundraiser inspired by their personal journey with their son, Brady. The fundraiser has raised more than $1 million for the Down Syndrome Association North Bay. “I know personally that what these individuals can contribute to our community is so enriching,” she says. “Our mission is to make sure more people realize that.” Carrie joined BI’s Board of Directors in 2019, bringing a strong commitment to BI’s mission and an active engagement in fundraising.