Board of Directors
Ciara Johnson - Board Member
Elizabeth Pagliarini - Board Member
Ms. Pagliarini successfully broke the “glass ceiling” in her mid-twenties as chief executive officer and chairwoman of the board of an investment brokerage subsidiary of a public company in Beverly Hills, California. She also co-founded a boutique investment bank and registered broker-dealer. Ms. Pagliarini received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Valparaiso University where she was honored with their highest academic award, the Presidential Scholarship. She is also a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and has studied law and forensic accounting at UCLA.
Ms. Pagliarini was named one of “20 Women to Watch” by OC Metro magazine and nominated for The Orange County Business Journal’s Women in Business Award. She has also been honored by Step Up Women’s Network as the recipient of their prestigious Commitment to Philanthropy Volunteer Award, and she is the proud recipient of The Forever Footprints’ 2014 Compassion Award. She resides in Orange County with her husband and daughter.
Elizabeth’s Story: Elizabeth and her husband, Robert, lost their son, Gavin Edward, when she was 8 months pregnant on December 31, 2004. She was so moved and inspired by the first OC Walk to Remember they attended, she knew she had to be involved in some way to help the thousands of parents that suffer a loss each year — especially following her negative experience in the hospital after her stillbirth. She is extremely proud to be a part of this amazing organization and is thrilled with its continued growth and extensive reach.
Catherine Steen - Board Member
Kristyn von Rotz - Cofounder
Chad Light - Board Member
Colleen Weeks - Board Member
Colleen serves on the Board of Directors for the International Childbirth Education Association, Forever Footprints Perinatal Loss Organization and the Foundation for Peaceful Parenting. Colleen’s passions are jazz, the beach, her husband, daughter and son-in-law, extended family and her Christian faith.
Advisory Committee
Mark F. von Rotz, CPA - CPA and Advisory Committee Member
Gena Divine - Advisory Committee Member
Robert Diaz - Advisory Committee Member
Andrea Garcia-Miller - Advisory Committee Member
Robert Pagliarini - Advisory Committee Member
Staff
Journey to Remember
Aracely Rodriguez - Journey to Remember Coordinator
Aracely’s Story
She has 2 loving boys and for that reason she and her husband were so excited to receive the news in 2009 that she was expecting a long awaited little girl. At 22 weeks gestation, Aracely and her husband were told that their much wanted baby girl had a chromosome disorder which is considered incompatible with life. Their sweet little girl would not live. Emmery Star Rodriguez was born on November 3, 2009 and received her angel wings only 34 hours after she arrived, going to heaven on November 4, 2009. Aracely has actively been involved with Walk to Remember, Inland Empire since she first met the founders by chance at a local support group. Aracely has always said that the love and healing that the organization has provided her since the loss of Emmery is immense. She is honored to be a part of this amazing cause and feels privileged to get to do the same for other families.
Amanda Balderrama - Director of Journey to Remember
Amanda’s Story
In 2004, Amanda and her husband discovered the son they were expecting had a birth defect that would not allow for him to live after birth. Fernando Michael Philip was born and went to heaven on August 24, 2004. With nowhere to turn to for support and being isolated in grief, Amanda grieved silently. Years later, learning that sharing is healing, Amanda co-founded Walk to Remember, Inland Empire. She has since completed training as a RTS Coordinator to support families who receive a life-limiting diagnosis in pregnancy. Amanda is a proud mother to two girls she holds in her arms and two babies she carries in her heart.
We are here for you.
Forever Footprints provides pregnancy and infant loss support, education and remembrance. If you are in need of support please contact us!