Meet the Advancement Team

Cate Fund Director

alison_boris@cate.org/ 805-684-4127 ext. 266

(she/her/hers)

BA, Florida State University
Appointed: 2022

As Cate Fund Director, Alison supports the school’s mission by working closely with alumni, parents, and Cate friends to foster connections and secure the resources needed to strengthen student programs, financial assistance, faculty development, and campus enhancements. With a thoughtful approach, Alison ensures Cate’s annual fund initiatives, which are essential to maintaining and improving our exceptional programs and opportunities, run smoothly and successfully.

Alison joined Cate in 2022, having twelve years of experience at independent schools. Her first foray was as a preschool teacher at Garrison Forest School, an all-girls boarding school in Maryland. She entered the Advancement field in 2016 as a Development Officer at King’s Academy in Jordan. Before starting at Cate, she was Associate Director of Leadership Gifts at Webb in Claremont, CA.

A fourth-generation native Floridian and historically a vagabond, Alison is thrilled to have found her “home” in Santa Barbara, where she lives with her husband, Tim. Outside work, Alison and Tim enjoy spending time with family and friends, attending concerts, traveling, gardening, and hiking the surrounding region.

Advancement Associate

beth_engel@cate.org / 805-684-4127 ext. 215

Appointed: 2023

Beth joined Cate as the Advancement Associate in 2023, with more than ten years of experience in hospitality and event management. Before her career in hospitality, she worked in the surf industry as the Southern California regional sales representative for Rip Curl clothing, swim, and snow apparel. She is an avid surfer and ranked #1 in her division, competing in the National Scholastic Surfing Association (N.S.S.A.) while attending college.

When not on campus, Beth enjoys early morning surf sessions, skiing, hiking, backpacking, and the outdoors. Beth grew up in the Ojai Valley, where she lives with her husband CJ, daughter Piper, and their two dogs.

Advancement & Communications Manager

guille_reynoso@cate.org / 805-684-4127 ext. 285

(she/her/hers)

BS, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo
Appointed: 2020

As Advancement & Communications Manager, Guille is responsible for prospect and foundation research, communications, and program management of Cate’s key stewardship programs. Guille previously worked for the Santa Barbara Foundation, where she managed various grant programs, including Health Care, Behavioral Health, Youth Leadership, and grants to empower disadvantaged populations. Guille graduated from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture and is an alumna of the National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI) Executive Leadership Program, the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Executive Education Program, and the Center for Creative Leadership. Guille is an advocate of women’s issues and co-founded the Santa Barbara Latina Leaders Network (SBLLN) and the Santa Barbara Latino Giving Circle. She is a trustee of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara and a member of the Association for Women in Communications.

Guille was born in Zacatecas, Mexico, and lives with her husband and daughter in Santa Barbara.

Alumni Director

jake_kim@cate.org / 617- 784-0084

BA, Emory University
Appointed: 2024

Originally from Seoul, South Korea, Jake joined Cate in 2024 as the Alumni Director. He is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in leading full project life cycles across education, fundraising, and event planning. Jake holds a degree in Mathematics and Economics from Emory University. Jake is well-acquainted with boarding schools, having attended Fay School in Southborough, MA, from the age of 12 and later graduating from St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH. After fulfilling his military requirement in Korea as an Armoured Vehicle Driver, he returned to the U.S. to work in the advancement office and serve as a dorm parent at Fay School. He also served as the Program Director for Reservoir Church, where he managed programs for kids and youth aged 12-18.

In his free time, Jake loves cooking Korean cuisine and experimenting with cross-cultural dishes. His favorite recipes to prepare are marinated Korean BBQ and Kimchi pancakes. Beyond his professional life, Jake is an accomplished songwriter who has collaborated with numerous renowned K-POP artists. He is deeply passionate about conducting songwriting workshops for youth, helping them explore and express their Asian American identity through music.

Manager of Advancement Services

michael_lee@cate.org / 805-684-4127 ext. 211

Concordia College
Appointed: 2024

Michael joined Cate as the Manager of Advancement Services in 2024. With nearly a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, he has contributed and led in areas including database management, donor and community relations, volunteer programming, and event management.

Prior to joining Cate, Michael spent several years with the Ventura County Rescue Mission advocating for the needs of those experiencing homelessness and struggling with addiction and mental health crises.

Michael resides in Ventura with his wife, Alicia, and their dog, Barley. Together, they love all things outdoors (camping, hiking, beach days, running, training for their next triathlon, and playing all the sports). Michael and Alicia also enjoy being active in the community by volunteering their time working with young people through their local church and Young Life California.

Director of Advancement

andrew_macdonnell@cate.org / 720-289-5506

BA, University of Denver
Appointed: 2011

Andrew is Cate’s Director of Institutional Advancement. He works directly with the Head of School, Board of Trustees, Alumni Leadership Council, and Strategic Steering Group to develop fundraising and engagement strategies that effectively advance the School. He works with donors on annual, capital, endowment, and planned gifts that help Cate achieve its current and strategic priorities. He helped lead the record-setting For Cate & Forever Campaign which surpassed its original goals and closed in June 2024, raising over $115M. In addition, Andrew directs the Advancement Department where he oversees the major gifts program, Cate Fund, event programming for alumni and parents, stewardship programs, and advancement communications.

He arrived at Cate in the spring of 2011 to serve as the School’s Alumni Director. In his years as Alumni Director, he organized and attended over 500 Cate community events, helping bring alumni and families together around the world. He supported the evolution of the Camp Cate reunion program, grew the annual March Magic campaign for young alumni, co-planned and attended the 2016 Cate Asia Summit, and built the overall engagement strategy for external constituents. These programs have successfully established a vast network of volunteers for fundraising, event hosting, and other activities that the Advancement Department facilitates from year to year. Some of his most memorable alumni events include a tour of the National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, D.C., multiple Servons public service activities at the San Francisco Food Bank, class zoom reunions in 2020, and forming the first-ever Cate Alumni Pond Hockey Team that competed (and lost terribly) in the Bryant Park Tournament in New York City in 2016.

Since 2011, Andrew has served as dorm parent in Long House, Cook House West, and Savage dormitories. Between 2011 – 2018, he helped coach Cate’s lacrosse and squash teams. He is an advisor to five or six students each year.

He lives with his wife, Hannah, and their dog, Sadie, in Carpinteria. Hannah teaches history, coaches cross-country, and serves as an advisor at Cate. Outside of work, you can spot them walking on Ash Beach with their dog or running one of the many trails above town. During the winter, Hannah and Andrew enjoy heading north to Utah and Wyoming where they chase the snow as avid skiers. Andrew is an ultrarunner with over 50 ultra distance finishes. His two 200+ mile race finishes are the Bigfoot 200 and Cocodona 250. He has five 100-mile finishes: Angeles Crest 100; Bear 100; Cruel Jewel 100; Orcas Island 100; and the Santa Monica 100. He claims the most difficult race is the Santa Barbara Nine Trails 35-miler which covers the nine very steep and rocky trails that cross the frontcountry above Santa Barbara County. Andrew is a graduate of the University of Denver and Westminster School (CT). He grew up in Hartford, CT.

Director of Stewardship & Parent Engagement

lindsay_newlove@cate.org / 805-684-4127 ext. 269

(she/her/hers)

BA, University of Massachusetts Amherst
MA, UCLA
Appointed: 2016

Director of Major Gifts & Special Events

sarah_preston@cate.org / 805-684-8409 ext. 286

BA, Colorado College
Appointed: 2012

A native Californian, Sarah returned to the West Coast and joined Cate’s Advancement Department as Special Gifts and Events director in 2012 after 17 years of living in New England. Sarah’s background in art history served her well in a decade-long stint as tour guide for high school students at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. She is a graduate of Santa Catalina School and Colorado College. She serves as a Board Member at Santa Barbara Channel Keepers. Through her long association with independent schools, she has spent countless hours volunteering. Sarah enjoys books, movies, yoga, and taking long walks at low tide in Santa Barbara. Her son, Robbie, graduated from Cate in 2015 and she is the proud grandmother to Annie, Henry, and Sally.

At Cate, Sarah works with donors on capital, endowment, and annual gifts. She enjoys aligning a donor’s interests and passions with the needs of the School. A relentless connector of people, Sarah can be found at nearly every Cate event, bringing community members together around the globe. She was an integral major gifts solicitor through the For Cate and Forever Campaign which closed in June 2024, raising over $115M for the School.