meet the team
our executive team, staff, board, and advisory council
Please hover over the image and scroll to read biographies.
Leadership Team
Nancy Dow Moody
President & CEO
Nancy has been the President & CEO of Lifehouse since 2008. She first joined the organization in 1992 as the Director of Services/Associate Director. From 2005-2008, she served as the Vice President/Chief Operating Officer. Nancy has over 35 years of experience in the management of programs for people with developmental disabilities. During her tenure at Lifehouse, she has developed numerous new programs, including the development of new affordable housing for our clients, the coalition for social and recreation programs for young teens and adults, a senior program, supported living programs, and the Marin Autism Collaborative. Nancy currently serves on the Marin Autism Steering Committee. She recently completed the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management at Harvard Business School in the summer of 2019. She received her BA in Psychology from Boston State College and an MA in Non-Profit Administration from the University of San Francisco, where she was a Merit Scholar and graduated cum laude.
Ann Elias
Chief Development Officer
Ann joined the Lifehouse team after 8 years at United Cerebral Palsy of the North Bay, 5 years as Project Manager and 3 years as Development Director. Prior to UCP of the North Bay, Ann spent 7 ½ years as a Project Manager at Charles Schwab & Company. A native of Marin County, Ann and her husband Marc live in San Rafael and have raised 3 children. Peter, their oldest, lives in the Lifehouse Comito House in Fairfax and has been with Lifehouse since 2000.
Timothy Evans
Vice President & COO
Timothy Evans is our Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He has more than 15 years of experience in non-profit leadership and management. He previously held three critical positions at Hamilton Families in San Francisco as the Director of Housing and Family Services, Chief Programs Officer, and lastly, the Chief Operations Officer. Tim’s previous roles in non-profits have been rooted in fundamental principles on equity, diversity, and inclusion around management and leadership, executive coaching and
facilitation of groups, fiscal and budget management, strategic sustainable business planning, project development, curriculum development, program analytics, and metrics systems management in auditing and compliance. Timothy holds a B.A. in Business Administration/Management, and an MA.M from Saybrook University. Timothy is a Ph.D. candidate at Union Institute & University.
Katherine Petcavich
Vice President of Human Resources
Katie joins Lifehouse as the new Vice President of Human Resources. She has over 20 years of experience in building successful HR infrastructures that support the organization and its employees.
Katie brings a depth of experience in HR from her 10 years as Vice President of Human Resources at Guide Dogs for the Blind and her 9 years as Human Resources Director at the Dominicans in San Rafael. Throughout her career, Katie has leveraged her long-term strategic hands-on approach and relationship-building skills to implement a successful framework of support.
Katie is a graduate of the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA achieving a B.F.A. in Commercial Art, with a Graphic Design Emphasis. She holds certifications in SPHR, SHRM-SCP, HRCI and OSHA, distinguishing her as an expert in the HR field, with proven levels of skills and knowledge in all HR disciplines, and for understanding business issues beyond the HR function.
Program Director
Claudia Silva
Director of Programs & Operations
Katherine O'Connor
Director of Programs & Operations
Kate O'Connor was the Director of Services from 2015-2018, overseeing our Marin County Supported Living Program, Community Living Program, and Intermediate Care Facilities. After starting with Lifehouse as an on-call direct support counselor in 1995, the past twenty years have seen Kate play a vital role in the growth and evolution of the organization. Kate’s dedication and leadership have earned the respect not only of her Lifehouse colleagues but of her peers and collaborators at other organizations, the staff of the Golden Gate Regional Center, and most importantly the people we serve and their families. Kate holds a B.A. in Psychology from San Francisco State and an M.B.A. from Dominican University.
Kate O’Connor
Director of Programs & Operations
Director of Training & Quality Assurance
David’s passion for public service includes serving as an Administrative Aide in Marin County, the Marin County Board of Supervisors, and Chief Director of the Re-Entry Programs at San Quentin State Prison. As a Salvadoran and an indigenous person of the Lenca-Poton nation, he attends the Indigenous Permanent Forum at the United Nations, as an American Indian Movement delegate. David taught Indigenous Perspectives at Dominican University, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities, and a Masters in Organizational Leadership. He is a part of the Sonoma County Lowrider Council and works diligently on his 1952 Chrysler lowrider in his spare time.
David Escobar
board of directors
