We are the board of the Fabulous Women of Petaluma!
Melissa Becker - President
Melissa is most grateful to be mom to Hannah 22 and Cole 15, and life partner to Ben for 24 years. For 14 years she has been the principal of Meadow School, has been a school administrator for 20 years, and was a teacher. She is a graduate of UCLA with a masters degree from Loyola Marymount, and she will always be a teacher at heart. She enjoys instilling the belief in children that one person, no matter how small, CAN make a difference. She serves on the board for the Rwamagana Leaders’ School and has traveled to Rwanda four times to help establish and sustain the school. Her passion for the school has changed her life in ways she could not have imagined. She and her husband plan on living in Rwanda for a year when they retire.
Travel is in her blood, both in the states and abroad, as she loves learning about cultures and experiencing the world. She is an avid runner, loves half marathons, reading, teaching MAKER workshops, spending time with family and friends, and cooking delicious meals with her daughter. Her quirky loves are gummy bears, cupcakes, Fireball and new running clothes.
Serving on the board for the Fabulous Women is a gift. She is a member of the original board, and feels honored to carry the vision of the group forward to the future. Sharing a love of life, kindness and trying to change the world, one little bit at a time, with hundreds of Fabulous Women all over the county fills her soul. Life is Good!
Stephanie Derby
For 34 years I have had the good fortune of calling Sonoma County “home.” I couldn’t have landed in a more beautiful place to raise two children with my husband, Dave. The gift of family and my elementary teaching profession have provided multiple opportunities to experience this golden-hearted county where people genuinely care for one another. As a community, Petaluma shows up in a BIG way for those in need. I am thrilled and honored to be a part of a group that is so welcomed when asking its community for partnership in providing financial support to assist those in need.
Sue White
Sue White has been a Petaluma residence for over thirty years. She and her husband Joel raised their daughters , Alanna and Caitlin in this wonderful town. Now they are enjoying watching their grandchildren Hendrix and Jagger thrive here.
Sue has worked in the Real Estate industry since 1985 and hangs her license with the locally owned Westgate Real Estate office. She loves introducing people to the diversity of Petaluma.
Sue taught tap dancing for over twenty five years and is now a group exercise instructor. She strives to make physical fitness a priority and hopes to inspire and help others obtain a healthy lifestyle.
Sue has held seats on the American Cancer Society’s Relay for life and Making Strides campaigns. Over the years she has participated in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and “Stepping Out against Breast Cancer” fundraising events.
Most recently she has found pleasure in sharing her time at Fabulous Women events. She isdriven to give back to the community and those in need.
Julie Nicholson
Julie is a California native who has lived in Petaluma for almost 30 years. Petaluma’s small-town, close-knit feel made it easy for her to connect to volunteer opportunities in the community, such as Rebuilding Petaluma and Mentor Me. She first got involved with the Fabulous Women when it was still a relatively small, grass-roots organization. She has participated in many Fabulous Woman fundraising and personal enrichment events over the years, also getting her two daughters involved. The Festival of Trees is a personal favorite! She was happily married for almost 30 years; her husband Tom passed away from brain cancer in July 2016. She is a fitness enthusiast and has competed in two Olympic distance triathlons; she teaches indoor cycling classes at a local gym.
Julie currently works part-time for a winery in the Sonoma Valley and loves her job! She worked for Scholastic Book fairs and prior to that she was a teacher in several North Bay area school districts for 10 years. The last two years of her teaching career were as a STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts Math) Instructional Coach, helping classroom teachers in grades K-5 deliver hands-on lessons aligned with science, math and language arts standards. Julie began her career in the technology sector and holds a B.S in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management Information Systems.
Krista Gawronski - Founder
Always wearing her heart on her sleeve, Krista Gawronski took it upon herself to start the Fabulous Women of Petaluma. Gawronski’s continuous efforts to spread kindness and love through the community of Petaluma are nothing but spectacular. While Gawronski continues to make an impact on the community, she is also a well versed author publishing a couple phenomenal books about giving back to those around you and finding your true purpose in life. While Gawronski is no longer an active board member, she remains a strong advocate for the Fabulous Women as we stay true to her vision.