Upfront COMMUNITY
For new ‘Athena,’ making a contribution is key HEN 2EBECCA -ATTESON .ELSON LEARNED SHE WAS THE 0ALO !LTO #HAMBER OF #OMMERCE S !THENA !WARD WINNER SHE WAS SURPRISED BY HER OWN REACTION AS WAS HER FRIEND AND !THENA ALUMNA -ARILYN 7INKLEBY h"ECKY THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ) VE EVER HEARD YOU SPEECHLESS v .ELSON RECALLED 7INKLEBY SAYING WHEN SHE CALLED TO INFORM .ELSON OF THE AWARD 4HE !THENA HONORS WOMEN WHO DEMONSTRATE EXCELLENCE AND CREATIV ITY IN BUSINESS WHO CONTRIBUTE TO QUALITY OF LIFE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND WHO HELP OTHER WOMEN REALIZE THEIR LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL .ELSON MEETS ALL OF THOSE CRITERIA 4HE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF WEALTH MANAGEMENT AT 4ECHNOLOGY #REDIT 5NION .ELSON HAS FOR YEARS HELD HIGH POSITIONS IN FINANCIAL SERVICES AT COMPANIES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE 0ALO !LTO INCLUDING 5NION "ANK S 0RIVATE "ANK !DDISON !VENUE #REDIT 5NION 'REATER "AY "ANCORP AND 'REAT 7ESTERN "ANK .ELSON CREDITS HER MOTHER AS AN EARLY INFLUENCE ON HER BELIEF THAT WOMEN COULD CREATE THEIR OWN DES TINIES (ER MOTHER STARTED A BUSINESS
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by Sue Dremann WHEN WOMEN JUST DIDN T (ER #ARLISLE 3CHOOL TAUGHT WELL EDUCATED 5NI VERSITY OF #ALIFORNIA "ERKELEY AND 3TANFORD 5NIVERSITY FEMALE GRADU ATES SHORTHAND BECAUSE SECRETARIAL JOBS WERE ALL THEY COULD OBTAIN .OW .ELSON IS PART OF THE FIRST GENERATION TO SUCCEED IN BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING ,IKEWISE THE INFLUENCE OF HER FA THER AN EXECUTIVE FOR !MERICAN #AN #OMPANY IN 3AN &RANCISCO HELPED SHAPE HER DEDICATION TO COMMUNITY SERVICE PHILANTHROPY AND HELPING WOMEN SHE SAID h-Y FATHER WAS A WONDERFUL ROLE MODEL (E INSTILLED THE INTRINSIC VAL UE OF WORK !S HE WALKED THROUGH THE HOUSE HE HUMMED @-AKE A CON TRIBUTION -AKE A CONTRIBUTION !S A CHILD ) REMEMBERED THAT v SHE SAID %NTERING ADULTHOOD .ELSON BE CAME INVOLVED IN NONPROFIT ORGANIZA TIONS 0ITCHING IN FOR SOMETHING SHE BELIEVED IN MADE THAT CAUSE MORE TANGIBLE MORE VALUABLE SHE SAID .ELSON HAS LOVED WORKING WITH OR GANIZATIONS DEDICATED TO MEDICINE EDUCATION AND CHILDREN SHE SAID 3HE HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO THE 3TANFORD -EDICAL 9OUTH 3CIENCE 0ROGRAM 0ALO !LTO !RT #ENTER &OUNDATION
0ALO !LTO -EDICAL &OUNDATION 2ON ALD -C$ONALD (OUSE AT 3TANFORD ,UCILE 0ACKARD &OUNDATION FOR #HIL DREN S (EALTH AND THE %L #AMINO (OSPITAL &OUNDATION AMONG OTHERS .ELSON HAS A BACHELOR S DEGREE IN SOCIOLOGY FROM THE 5NIVERSITY OF #ALIFORNIA ,OS !NGELES 5#,! AND HAS COMPLETED POSTGRADUATE EXECUTIVE PROGRAMS AT THE 3TANFORD 'RADUATE 3CHOOL OF "USINESS )N !PRIL THE 3AN *OSE "USINESS *OUR NAL NAMED HER ONE OF THE TOP h7OMEN OF )NFLUENCE v 3HE SAID SHE HAS ALWAYS WORKED FOR COMPANIES THAT WERE DEDICATED TO COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT h) VE BEEN DRAWN TO THEM THEY RE IN MY $.! v SHE SAID 3HE WAS ATTRACTED TO CREDIT UNIONS BECAUSE THE ORGANIZATIONS SEEK TO HAVE A SOCIAL IMPACT AND INTEREST IN POLICYMAKING SHE SAID 'ROWING UP IN 0ALO !LTO hWHERE ROOTS ARE STRONG v .ELSON WAS THE YOUNGEST OF THREE CHILDREN WITH SEV ERAL YEARS BETWEEN HER AND HER OLDER BROTHER AND SISTER SHE SAID .EAR HER CHILDHOOD HOME ON -AR TIN !VENUE .ELSON RECALLED IDYLLIC (continued on page 13)
Veronica Weber
Rebecca Nelson of Technology Credit Union to receive 2012 Athena Award
Rebecca Matteson Nelson, vice president of wealth management for Technology Credit Union, was honored by the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce with this year’s Athena Award for her contributions to the community and for helping other women realize their leadership potential.
SENIORS
Defying age, defining champions New PBS documentary about Senior Olympics to screen Monday in Palo Alto NEW DOCUMENTARY FILM IS PROVING THAT FOR SOME ATHLETES GETTING OLDER IS NOT A DETERRENT IT S A MOTIVATOR h!GE OF #HAMPIONSv FOCUSES ON SEVERAL SENIOR ATHLETES AS THEY PRE PARE FOR THE 3UMMER .ATIONAL 3ENIOR 'AMES COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE 3ENIOR /LYMPICS -UCH OF THE FILM WAS SHOT DURING THE COMPETI TION AT 3TANFORD 5NIVERSITY 4HE MINUTE DOCUMENTARY WILL BE SCREENED -ONDAY /CT AT P M AT THE !LBERT *ANET 3CHULTZ #ULTURAL !RTS (ALL ON THE 4AUBE +O RET #AMPUS FOR *EWISH ,IFE IN 0ALO !LTO 4HE FILM WILL ALSO AIR ON 0"3 NEXT SUMMER h!GE OF #HAMPIONSv WAS THE BRAIN CHILD OF THE 3ACRAMENTO BASED FILM MAKING TEAM OF PRODUCER +EITH /CH WAT AND DIRECTOR #HRISTOPHER 2UFO
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What: “Age of Champions,” a documentary film about the 2009 Summer National Senior Games Where: Albert & Janet Schultz Cultural Arts Hall on the Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life, 899 East Charleston Road, Palo Alto When: Monday, Oct. 22, at 2 p.m. Cost: Free and open to the public Info: www.Moldaw.org/Events or 800-873-9614
4HE YEAR OLD FILMMAKERS HAVE BEEN FRIENDS SINCE HIGH SCHOOL AND LAUNCHED THE $OCUMENTARY &OUN DATION A C NONPROFIT BASED OUT OF 3ACRAMENTO AFTER TRAVELING TO -ONGOLIA IN AND PRODUCING THEIR FIRST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FOR 0"3 h2OUGHING )T v /CHWAT SAID THE IDEA FOR h!GEv CAME AFTER MEETING 3ENIOR 'AMES #%/ !NNE 7ARNER #RIBBS AT A CONFERENCE FOR NONPROFITS h7HEN WE HEARD ABOUT THE SUB JECT WE KNEW WE HAD TO MAKE A FILM v /CHWAT SAID h7E KNEW IN STANTLY WE WANTED TO TELL A STORY ABOUT THE 3ENIOR /LYMPICS v /CHWAT SAID THE $OCUMENTARY &OUNDATION PARTNERED WITH THE .A TIONAL 3ENIOR 'AMES !SSOCIATION AND A CASTING CALL WAS PUT OUT TO THE 3ENIOR 'AMES ATHLETES !FTER CONSIDERING MORE THAN RESPONSES /CHWAT AND 2UFO SETTLED ON A HANDFUL OF ATH LETES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY INCLUD ING YEAR OLD TENNIS PLAYER 2OGER 'ENTILHOMME OF #APE #OD -ASS AND YEAR OLD SWIMMERS *OHN AND "RADFORD 4ATUM OF 7ASHINGTON $ # YEAR OLD POLE VAULTER !DOLPH (OFFMAN OF 3OMERSET 4EXAS AND THE 4IGERETTES A BASKETBALL TEAM FROM "ATON 2OUGE ,A /CHWAT 2UFO AND THE REST OF THE FILMMAKING TEAM SPENT TWO MONTHS FILMING THE ATHLETES IN THEIR HOME
Courtesy of the Documentary Foundation
by Tyler Hanley
The Tigerettes, a 65+ championship basketball team from Baton Rouge, La., are featured in the new documentary “Age of Champions.” TOWNS BEFORE MOVING ON TO 3TANFORD FOR THE OFFICIAL 'AMES /CHWAT SAID THE GOAL OF THE $OCUMENTARY &OUN DATION AND THE FILM ITSELF IS TO EN COURAGE PEOPLE TO LIVE A MORE ACTIVE AND HEALTHY LIFE h@!GE OF #HAMPIONS HAS REALLY BEEN AN INSPIRATION FOR A LOT OF PEO PLE TO DO SO v HE SAID 2UFO SAID BOTH HE AND /CHWAT LEARNED A LOT WHILE MAKING THE DOC UMENTARY h"EFORE WE MADE THE FILM WE THOUGHT THE SECRET TO STAYING FIT AS YOU AGE HAD TO DO WITH GOOD GENES OR EATING HEALTHY v HE SAID h7E DIS COVERED THAT A STRONG SENSE OF COM MUNITY AND ENCOURAGEMENT ARE ACTU
ALLY THE SECRET INGREDIENTS 7E HOPE THIS FILM INFLUENCES SENIORS TO LIVE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND ENJOY THE COM MUNITY ATMOSPHERE AROUND THEM v !S /CHWAT AND 2UFO PREPARE FOR THE FILM S BROADCAST ON 0"3 NEXT SUMMER THEY HAVE LAUNCHED A GRASS ROOTS CAMPAIGN TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHY LIVING WITH SCREENINGS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN PLACES SUCH AS THE ATERS RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES AND FITNESS CENTERS -ONDAY S SHOWING IS BEING HOSTED BY -OLDAW 2ESIDENC ES THE FIRST SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY IN THE 3OUTH "AY TO SCREEN THE FILM ORGANIZERS SAID h4HIS HIGHLY INSPIRATIONAL FILM PROVES THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW YOUR
DREAMS AT ANY AGE v 'ERRY 6AD NAIS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF -OLDAW 2ESIDENCES STATED IN A PRESS RELEASE h7E CANNOT WAIT TO MEET THE DIREC TOR AND SHARE THE ENCOURAGING MES SAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY v 2UFO WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE -ONDAY AND WILL HOST A 1 ! AFTER THE SCREEN ING AND 0AT +ELLER A YEAR OLD -ENLO 0ARK SWIMMER WHO APPEARS IN THE FILM WILL ALSO ATTEND AND SEE THE DOCUMENTARY FOR THE FIRST TIME h"EING AROUND INSPIRING OLDER ADULTS HAS MADE THIS A FANTASTIC PROJ ECT TO WORK ON v /CHWAT SAID N Palo Alto Online Editor Tyler Hanley can be emailed at thanley@paweekly.com.
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