Our Great Staff


Shaun Griffin – Executive Director:
Shaun Griffin is the co-founder and director of Community Chest, a non-profit agency serving children and families in northwestern Nevada since 1991, and the former founding director of the state’s homeless education office. Shaun has spent a lifetime trying to build bridges where there were none for all members of the human community. During the mid-80s he worked in Stanford University’s foremost community outreach program, starting several disability initiatives on that campus. He later founded a minority youth outreach program for four universities in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2004, he received the Mike O’Callaghan Humanitarian Award, named after the former Nevada Governor. His last book of poems was Winter in Pediatrics, included in The Harvest of Lesser Burdens, Art in the Fields of Medicine, published by the Nevada Museum of Art Press, 2006. Bathing in the River of Ashes was published by the University of Nevada Press in 1999, and Death to Silence (translations from the Chilean poet, Emma Sepúlveda) was released by Arte Público Press in 1997.

In 1995 he received the Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. For many years he has taught a poetry workshop at Northern Nevada Correctional Center and published an annual journal of their work, Razor Wire. He regularly contributes poetry, essays, and translations to literary journals in the west, and was editor-at-large at Calapooya and contributing editor at Weber Studies. He just finished a memoir about a long journey with his family from Tokyo to Patagonia— The House of a Thousand Arms. In 2006, he received the Rosemary McMillan Lifetime Achievement in Art Award from Sierra Arts Foundation. He has lived in Nevada since 1978— except for the four years when his wife was in graduate school in the Bay Area. He and his family live in Virginia City, at the western-most edge of the Great Basin.


Erik Schoen – Community Development Director:
Erik Schoen has been a professional counselor since receiving his Masters Degree from Arizona State University in 1993. He is a Nationally Certified Counselor, received his first state license in Oregon as a Licensed Professional Counselor in 1996, his second in Nevada as a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor in 1998, and is a state-certified supervisor for interns practicing to be Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors. Since 1993, Erik has worked in drug and alcohol treatment facilities (both inpatient and out), domestic violence treatment centers for both women and men, agencies for the treatment of chronic mental illness, private practice, and more.

He has helped many to successfully address their substance abuse issues – ranging from alcohol, marijuana, and inhalants to hallucinogens, cocaine, and methamphetamine – including adolescents, and men and women of all ages. He has also helped high schools in developing a comprehensive and coordinated approach to prevention and treatment by focusing on resiliency factors, utilizing peer leaders, and implementing school assistance programs. Erik is currently the Community Development Director at Community Chest where he has been for over 10 years. In his current capacity, Erik works within communities to help develop positive, strengths-based, and collaborative approaches to addressing myriad issues that face communities.


Katherine Z. Souza Ph.D., MFT:
Dr. Souza is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist accepting clients at Community Chest, Inc. She gained her Ph.D. in Counseling from Oregon State University. She has served as the Vice President of the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Foundation Board of Directors. She received an award in 2006 for her exceptional dedication and service to this board.

She has taught courses such as Theories of Counseling, Research Methods, Play Therapy, and Agency Counseling at the University of Nevada, Reno, Oregon State University, and St. Mary’s College in Moraga, CA. Dr. Souza has published in local papers as well as peer reviewed professional journals.

She regularly attends conferences related to counseling to update her skills and learn innovative strategies. She has worked in non-profit, state mental health, residential, and school settings. She treats children, adults for individual sessions, as well as couples and families. She has specialized training in play therapy, couples and family therapy.

She is serving now on the Healthy Communities Coalition – Rural Mental Health Subcommittee to ensure quality mental health services continue to be offered in rural Nevada. She is currently pursuing her American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Supervisor’s credential. She is accepting Marriage and Family Therapist interns as a primary supervisor. She is energized and excited about working with new, up and coming professionals in the field.

You may learn more about Dr. Souza's Counseling Services here


Alana Ladd:
Alana Ladd started working for Community Chest Inc, in October 2003. She started working at the Hillside Elementary Before School Program and was able to stay close to her son who attended Hillside School from Kindergarten to 6th grade. Community Chest employed her full time by the second year and she has worked both the Before and After School Program for the past 3 years. She has loved and cherished her job working with the parents, children, seniors, and residents in the Lockwood area. She has been a resident in Lockwood for 15 years. She is currently working her third year at CCI Summer program in Virginia City. She feeks fortunate to work with the most compassionate and caring group of individuals in her adult life.


Victoria Velazquez - Summer School Instructor/Mentor:
In 2002, after completing my first year as a substitute teacher for the Storey County School District, the principal of the high school asked me if I might be interested in a summer “tutoring” job. I contacted Erik Schoen. What started out as a small summer time tutoring position has grown into a career orientating experience.

C.C.I has given me the opportunity to connect with students on a level that is not possible in a normal classroom setting. Every year I have found myself anxiously awaiting the beginning of the Comstock Youth Program. I find myself missing “my kids” throughout the year and awaiting the next group’s participation. With each group I find that I learn as much if not more from my kids. C.C.I. and the Comstock Youth Program allows me the opportunity to experience what it is a true teacher can do to help a young person find their abilities and awake to the possibilities of what their life can be.

At the end of every summer I end with a feeling of hope for what “my kids” will be adding to our society. It is my hope to continue to grow with in the organization and to reach out to others so that they can reach their own goals. It is my wish to extend educational opportunities not only to kids but to anyone who wants to make their own lives better through educational and knowledge. I see C.C.I. being an example for others to follow in that anyone in our society will be able to avail themselves of academic endeavors to meet goals for their own lives. As a teacher C.C.I’s mission will allow me to reach out and give hope to those that need it the most.


Tiffany Harrower – Breakfast Club Coordinator and Assistant Accountant:
Tiffany Harrower was born and raised in sunny southern California before moving to the Virginia City area to raise six kids – the “modern Brady Bunch” – with enough room to run. She became involved in the community by volunteering with her children in the community’s task force. She joined the Community Chest family in the summer of 2006 as the Breakfast Club Coordinator and has recently added Assistant Accountant to her list of job duties. Tiffany loves working for Community Chest. Everyone is passionate about their jobs and works together for a common goal: to help build a healthy community.


Pam Trabert – Thrift Store Manager:
Pam moved to Reno, NV in January, 1982. She was born in Minneapolis, MN and her family moved to Denver, CO in 1956. She and her husband started visiting Virginia City in Spring of 1982. They eventually fell in love with the history and its people. They moved into their current home eight years ago here in Virginia City. She started working at Community Chest on December 18, 2006. She enjoys the people she works with at Community Chest, the clients of the Food Closet, and the tourists who come to visit our Thrift Store.

Natasha Valiska – Classroom on Wheels (COW) Bus Assistant:
Natasha Valiska has two beautiful girls, ages 5 ½ and 1, who are her pride and joy. Natasha has worked with children since she was 15 years old. She loves to work with children and that is why she is working for the COW Bus program. She wanted to pursue the “teaching part” of children and has been with the COW Bus program for 10 months now. She loves her job.