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About Us

PRESENT NOW is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit. Our mission is to provide children living in transitional domestic violence shelters with experiences and gifts that bring them joy, comfort, and relief during a time of crisis.
PRESENT NOW was founded by social entrepreneurs and philanthropists Melanie Neumann and Erica Fisher in 2012. From storing gifts in their garages and having their own children volunteer, Melanie and Erica grew the organization into what it is today. In its first year, PRESENT NOW delivered 118 presents to two California shelters. Now, twelve years later, PRESENT NOW has delivered 16,669 presents to children and families in 144 shelter locations across 14 states.

Our 2021-2025 strategic goals are to expand our reach to more children in need by:

  • Growing the Presents Program nationally; 
  • Launching a new educational program for teens; 
  • Enhancing our infrastructure capacity.
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Team

Melanie Neumann

Founder, Board Co-Chair

Erica Fisher

Founder, Board Co-Chair

Wonnie Park

Board Treasurer

Joshua Green

Board Secretary

Shanna Brooks

Board Member

Chad Feingold

Board Member

Avigal Horrow

Board Member

Farrah Louviere Cerf

Board Member

Mihui Pak

Board Member

Julie Ross Kolahi

Board Member

Sarah Wetzstein

Board Member

Mary Ella Dorotan

Program and Volunteer Manager

Melissa Tillman

Interim Executive Director

Jessica Partida

Director of Development

Advisory Board

Anna Conti
Greg Morena
Michael Neumann
Sahara Pynes
Lisette Polny
PRESENT NOW
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Contact Us

924 Colorado Avenue

Santa Monica, CA 90401

Tel: (424) 330-0002

EIN: 46-1420945

© Copyright 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Melanie Neumann

Founder, Board Co-Chair

Melanie Neumann is a graduate of St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications
and Theatre with a minor in Marketing. 

Melanie has worked in the non-profit sector for more than twenty years with several organizations, including The Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Avon Foundation. Before moving to Los Angeles in 2000, she worked as a media buyer for the advertising agency, DMB&B in New York City.  

Melanie volunteers her time as a board member of Hero Theatre and is President of the Los Angeles Swim Club. She is also a member of the women’s giving circle, The SAM Initiative. Melanie resides in Pacific Palisades, CA, and is the proud mother of Lily, Bella, and Wes and wife of Michael Neumann.

Erica Fisher

Founder, Board Co-Chair

Erica Fisher is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin where she received her B.A. in History. She continued her education receiving a Masters of Social Work from New York University. 

After moving to Los Angeles, Erica studied at the Los Angeles Psychoanalytic Society, while working as a trustee for the Dreiseszun Family Foundation. Through her foundation, Mrs. Fisher has been honored to work closely with many local and national nonprofit organizations. 

She also currently volunteers her time as a member of the NYU School of Social Work Dean’s Council, as a member of the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors, and as a trustee for Cure Addiction Now Organization. Erica has three children and lives in Pacific Palisades, California with her husband, Evan Fisher.

Wonnie Park

Board Treasuer

As a lover of fashion, art and design, Wonnie began her career at Fred Segal. As the co-owner, operator and buyer for Fred Segal Couture, Fred Segal Twilight and Fred Segal Tiara, she honed her skills as an entrepreneur, nurturing her passion for culture and design as she traveled the world as a curator of designers and fashion brands.

As a retailer, Wonnie had the exclusive opportunity to watch brands grow and evolve, gaining a solid understanding of brand development, success and failure. Coupled with her experience as a seasoned entrepreneur, Wonnie is considered an industry expert.

Wonnie is currently the Chief Executive Officer at ERIC BUTERBAUGH, a luxury floral and lifestyle brand in Los Angeles. (ericbuterbaugh.com)

Also a philanthropist invested in helping families in crisis, Wonnie sits on the board of PRESENT NOW (presentnow.org), a non-profit that helps women and children living in domestic violence shelters, as well as LIBERTY IN NORTH KOREA (libertyinnorthkorea.org), a non-profit that helps North Korean refugees escape North Korea and resettle into a life of freedom.

Wonnie graduated from Boston University, where she received a B.A. in English Literature and Political Science, cum laude. She received a J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law.

Joshua Green

Board Member

Mr. Green is the CFO and EVP of Corporate Development with oversight of the finance and accounting functions of Survios. In this role, he brings a strategic mindset and background in private equity, corporate development and business expansion while acting in both a corporate development and investor relations role with all venture and business partners. Mr. Green brings 14 years of experience in private equity, investment banking, and operating experience to this role. He has a focus on raising capital, business development and expansion encompassing the complete venture capital & private equity investing life cycle. Green holds a B.S. from The University of Florida; M.Acc from The University of Miami; J.D. from the University of Miami.

Shanna Brooks

Board Member

Shanna Brooks graduated from the University of Illinois with a BA in Psychology. After graduating, she was a project manager for a general contracting firm in Chicago for many years until 2001, when she moved to Los Angeles. Shanna served on the board for The Joyful Heart Foundation for three years as well as being closely involved for many years with the Michael J. Fox foundation alongside her husband. She lives in Holmby Hills with her husband Jon and their teenage daughter.

Chad Feingold

Board Member

Chad Feingold is a Partner and Chief Administrative Officer at BDT & Company, a merchant bank that works with family- and founder-led businesses to pursue their strategic and financial objectives.  Prior to joining BDT, Chad worked as an Associate at Frontenac Company, a Chicago-based private equity firm. Chad started his career as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Consumer Retail Group at Goldman Sachs. Chad serves on the Board of Directors for Chicago Children’s Museum and Morgan Family Foundation. Chad received a BS from Indiana University.

Avigal Horrow

Board Member

Avigal Horrow has worked for over twenty-five years in various capacities as a licensed attorney. She has worked as a litigation associate for Fonda, Garrard, Hilberman & Davis and then Prestholt, Kleeger et.al, as General Counsel for Inter-Con Security Systems, and as Director of Human Resources and City Attorney II for the City of Vernon. Currently she assists businesses with employment practices, human resources and vendor relationships at AH Consulting Group. She was the Outreach and Education provider for 1736 Family Crisis Center and has coordinated all community response and relations. While at 1736, she presented on educational issues of domestic violence, youth homelessness, and human trafficking.

Farrah Louviere Cerf

Board Member

Farrah Louviere Cerf is a Brand and Marketing Strategist who helps founders, executives and entrepreneurs grow their personal and professional brands. Farrah has executed successful strategies for some of the largest brands in the world including Procter & Gamble, Warner Brothers, Disney and Hallmark Cards. While she established herself at larger companies, Farrah’s true passion is working alongside founders to scale, grow, manage operations and lead a team. Farrah holds a B.S. in Communications from Boston University and a MBA in Marketing, Strategy and Media Management from Northwestern Kellogg School of Management.

Mihui Pak

Board Member

Mihui Pak graduated from Harvard College with an A.B. in Government, magna cum laude. She received a J.D. from Columbia Law School where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. She clerked for two federal judges, worked at O’Melveny & Myers LLP and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, and was an adjunct professor at Boston College School of Law. She also spent some time at an artificial intelligence startup and in the data privacy sector. She has travelled internationally and continues to explore the world as an extension of her education. She is also invested in the education of others and has been a volunteer tutor and mentor throughout her schooling to present day. 

Julie Ross Kolahi

Board Member

As a SoCal native, Julie embodies the California lifestyle.  She appreciates the diversity of Los Angeles and loves to explore the city – hiking with her husband, trying a new cuisine, supporting a local business, or visiting a historical site.

Julie earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics with an accounting emphasis from University of California, Santa Barbara.  She later earned her Masters of Business Administration in International Finance from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.  

Julie has devoted 20+ years to a successful career in the retail/fashion industry.  She’s worked for large national retailers, but she prefers to connect with people on a more personal level.  Julie finds great satisfaction in helping clients find their personal style with ease and humor.

As an active community member, Julie devotes many hours volunteering and bettering the lives of children.  From executive roles to committee positions, she works tirelessly to support families in times of need and build community.  As an avid reader, Julie also volunteers to sort and distribute books to underprivileged youth.

Julie lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two daughters and rescue pup.

Sarah Wetzstein

Board Secretary

Sarah Wetzstein is a faculty member at the UCLA School of Law. Previously, she was an attorney at Hope4Families, where she represented special needs students from low-income families. She began her career as a litigator at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP. Ms. Wetzstein earned her B.S. from Cornell University and her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School where she was a Senior Editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review​. Ms. Wetzstein served as the board co-chair and currently serves on the Advisory council at Beverly Glen Playgroup. She lives in Encino with her husband and two children.

Mary Ella Dorotan

Program and Volunteer Manager

Mary Dorotan is an aspiring nonprofit leader with experience in community engagement and advocacy. She served as a Volunteer Coordinator and Americorps Member with Reading Partners, a national nonprofit dedicated to providing literacy intervention to elementary school students. She dedicated her college years to advocating for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault through her studies and volunteer work. Mary holds a BA in Criminology and Justice Studies from Cal State Northridge. In her free time, she likes to cook, create delicious coffee drinks, sing, and play badminton!

Melissa Tillman

Interim Executive Director

Melissa Tillman is the Founder & CEO of Nonprofit Growth Advisors (NGA) which aligns organizations with opportunities for growth by mobilizing networks, influencers, and talent to build awareness, raise revenue, and create change for the greater good. Melissa is a dedicated nonprofit professional with nearly two decades of fundraising and executive leadership experience with demonstrated success in executing diverse and creative fund development strategies.

Jessica Partida

Director of Development

Jessica Partida is an experienced, bilingual, nonprofit professional with a passion for helping others. She began her non-profit career as a wish granter at Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles in 2009 by creating life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. She began her fundraising journey in 2014 as a Relay For Life Community Manager with the American Cancer Society. She joined the ALS Association in 2016 as Director of Community Outreach in Southern California.
A native Angeleno, Jessica graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Sports Management and Communications. Two credits shy of a Minor in Ancient Civilizations, she enjoys traveling and visiting the places she’s studied.

Anna Conti

Advisory Board Member

Anna Conti is the Executive Director of Su Casa~Ending Domestic Violence. Ms. Conti has over 12 years of experience in the non-profit sector. Her extensive professional experience includes work with survivors of domestic violence, family violence, human trafficking, trauma, sexual abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, eating disorders, and co-occurring disorders. In April 2021, Ms. Conti was nominated in the Los Angeles Business journal for Corporate and Non-Profit Citizenship Awards for Non-profit Executive of the Year. Ms. Conti’s dedication and passion of helping victims of crime continues to be the driving force as a visionary leader in the non-profit sector. 

Greg Morena

Advisory Board Member

Micheal Neumann

Advisory Board Member

Michael Neumann has 20+ years of experience in investment banking and private equity spanning multiple industries and sectors.

Mr. Neumann is President and one of the Founders of Stone Canyon Industries (“SCI”), which is focused on a long-term, value-driven approach to investing across industry sectors.  SCI partners with management teams of market-leading companies to drive growth, unlock value, and build substantial equity value through a patient capital approach.  

Mr. Neumann sits on the Board of Directors of Morton Salt and Mauser Packaging Solutions, where he also Chairs the Audit Committee.  Mauser is one of the world’s largest rigid packaging companies serving 20 countries. Morton is the largest salt company in the world,  founded more than 150 years ago with one of the most recognizable and trusted brand names.

Sahara Pynes

Advisory Board Member

Sahara Pynes is a leading employment lawyer who works with women entrepreneurs to realize their dreams while minimizing their legal risks. A mom of three and former business owner, she teaches female founders and “mompreneurs” how to set up and grow their businesses while reducing their legal and financial exposure.
Her “no-nonsense” approach puts her on speed-dial for many of her clients, who contact her for advice on employee engagement, culture and workplace policies. Angeleno Magazine recognized Sahara as one of the “Most Dynamic Women of Los Angeles” and the Los Angeles Business Journal awarded her the honor of “Top Women Attorneys”. She is a featured speaker at entrepreneurship and legal conferences around the country, where she enjoys connecting with ambitious and like-minded women. Sahara also hosts the “Legally EmpowHERed” podcast to share advice with women entrepreneurs.
Sahara was founder and CEO of a workplace training company, Training Mavens, and utilizes her background in broadcast journalism to effectively train managers and employees. A native New Yorker, Sahara lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children.

Lisette Polny -- Zofia Day

Lisette Polny

Advisory Board Member

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