Board of Trustees

Howard Rudd is the immediate Past President of the Sierra College Foundation and serves on the Tahoe-Truckee campus Bond Oversight Committee. He served as 2002 President of the Roseville Chamber of Commerce, 2003 President of Placer SPCA, and currently serves as a Board member of Sutter Auburn Faith Foundation and Roseville Arts. He’s a member of the Roseville Rotary Club, Finance Committee of Placer Community Foundation and Public Member on Placer County Local Agency Formation Commission.

He graduated from University of San Francisco and holds a postgraduate management certificate from San Francisco State University. He’s a financial planning professional providing a full range of financial advisory services, including tax, insurance and investment management services to individuals and small business.

Dave Ferrari was elected to the Board in 1998, has served two terms as Board President, and has served as Vice President/Clerk. He grew up in and represents the Tahoe/Truckee region. He runs Ferrari's Crown Motel, a business founded and built by his parents in 1955. Dave, a community activist, founder and board member of the Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe also serves on the board of the Family Resource Center; and the Grants committee with the Tahoe/Truckee Community Foundation.

Mr. Leslie was elected to the Board in 2004, and he currently serves as Board Vice President/Clerk. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from California State Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo and an M.B.A. from San Diego State University. He lives with his wife and children in Roseville.

Bill Halldin is a Past President of the Sierra College Foundation, serving in that position from 2004 to 2007, and has been active in a number of community organizations. He served on the board of the Rocklin Area Chamber of Commerce from 2003 to 2008, including serving as Chairman in 2006. From 2001 to 2004, he taught part-time as an adjunct faculty member at California State University Sacramento. He currently serves on the boards of the Rocklin Educational Excellence Foundation, the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Sierra College Foundation.

He graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in 1984 and was awarded a Master’s in Public and Private Management from Yale University’s School of Management in 1991. He is the owner of a Roseville-based public relations firm, which he founded in 1999. He and his wife have two children and reside in Rocklin.

Cari Dawson Bartley has had relatives in this area for three generations; she and her immediate family have lived in Auburn since 1999. She was an early enrollee in the “early college high school” movement, which today allows students to earn high school and college credit simultaneously. Cari earned her A.A.S. degree in Visual Media Technology from Spokane Falls Community College in Washington state. Working in media-related businesses, both in design and marketing, and later as a co-owner and operator of a newspaper company, Cari is now the Executive Editor and Marketing Director for a company providing content to media outlets. Prior to becoming a Trustee, Cari was actively involved in education as a mother and school volunteer.

Mrs. Palmer has lived in Grass Valley since 1973 and has long been a community activist. She was first elected to the Board of Trustees in 1994. Her professional and service organizations include the Rotary Club and Friends of Hospice. She is currently President of the Placer County School Boards Association and also serves on the Placer County Treasury Oversight Committee.

Aaron is a native born Californian, and has lived in Placer County since he was seven years old. He grew up as the oldest of six kids in a middle class family, began working at the age of twelve for his dad's company, and ever since then, has worked in entrepreneurial business. He has been married to Cacey Steward Klein since 2001. Through the miracle of adoption, they are the proud parents of Spencer, born in South Korea; and Emma, born in Ethiopia. Aaron's passion is increasing access to college. He has served on the board since 2004, and currently serves as Board President.

aklein@sierracollege.edu