Winters Education Foundation Board Members
Kurt Balasek, President
Kurt is a Professional Geologist and Certified Hydrogeologist practicing
environmental engineering and consulting. He has been a resident in the Winters
area since 1989. Kurt has a passion for public education. He comes from a long
line of school teachers and administrators; His wife Connie is a veteran
elementary school teacher in the Winters Joint Unified School District and has
just completed her 23rd year with the District. In addition to his devotion to
quality public education, Kurt puts tremendous value on community service. He
currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Solano Resource Conservation
District and the Water Resource Association of Yolo County as well as the Putah
Creek Park Committee.
Johanna (Joie) Watson, Vice-President
Joie is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine and Epidemiology
in the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis. While she,
her husband, and their children only recently moved to Winters, her two children
have been attending Winters schools since 2004. Since moving to Winters she
has been active in programs that support Winters children, for example coaching
soccer and leading Destination Imagination teams.
Erin Means-Reynoso, Treasurer
Erin is an Account Manager for Citibank - GTS Public Sector. She has been a
Financial Services Account Manager for the last 2 1/2 years and in the banking
field for over 35 years, with a Public Sector focus for the last 17 years. Erin and
her husband have lived in Winters for 20 years. They have two daughters who
have attended Winters Public Schools since Kindergarten and are now attending
Winters High School. Erin was the Treasurer of the Winters Parent Nursery
School (WPNS) for 3 years while her children attended WPNS.
Roberto (Bobby) Rodriguez, Secretary
Bobby is a Registered Environmental Health Specialist for the State of California.
He works as a Supervisor for Contra Costa County Environmental Health. He
was born and raised in Winters. He is product of the Winters School System. He
appreciates what the Winters’ Public School System provided for him and he
wants to ensure his two children receive quality public education in Winters. He
also coaches AYSO soccer and Little League.
Jesús (Chuy) Escamilla
Chuy Escamilla grew up in a suburb of Los Angeles county and attended UC
Davis. His wife Lucila grew up in Winters and graduated from Winters High
School. After living in Woodland for 12 years, Chuy and Lucila moved to Winters
in 2004 so that their two children could attend Winters public schools, where
Lucila has been teaching for the last 14 years in the Spanish Two-Way Immersion
Program. When his employer recently moved the company to southern
California, Chuy chose instead to keep his family in the Winters community. He is
currently enrolled in the English-Spanish Court Interpretation program at San
Francisco State University.
Russ Lester
Russ is co-owner of Dixon Ridge Farms and a fourth generation California
farmer. Dixon Ridge Farms is a vertically integrated organic walnut farming and
processing operation based in Winters. An advocate for farmland protection,
Russ serves on the Board of Directors for Solano Land Trust and as a member of
the California Advisory Committee for American Farmland Trust. In addition,
Russ is past president of the Winters Joint Unified School District and is the
Chairman of the Solano County Agricultural Advisory Board. Russ and Dixon
Ridge Farms have received numerous awards, among them the Golden Apple
Award from Yolo County for public education leadership and the 2008
Governors’ Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA) for
environmentally sound energy production.