Encore Career Is All About Giving Back

Since starting in 1988, the , has grown by leaps and bounds, hiring new staff and expanding programs to serve more than 2,200 people each year through its temportary shelter and dining hall.

In January, the Petaluma nonprofit made another important step, hiring Maureen Vittoria as its Chief Financial Officer, a new position for COTS.

Vittoria spent more than two decades working at technology giant Intel in Phoenix, the last six as a senior finance director, before making the switch to the nonprofit world.

“Maureen not only offers financial expertise but also the ability to look out years into the future in determining what we need to do,” said Mike Johnson, Chief Operating Officer at COTS.

Vittoria will help manage the organization’s financial planning and reporting and support its strategic direction.

“I’m very excited about supporting the vision of COTS and was very impressed at how friendly, warm and supportive the environment there is, more than any other shelter I’ve visited,” she said.

When Vittoria retired four years ago, she took her time deciding what to do with the next chapter of her life. After traveling, she back to school and completed a degree in nonprofit leadership and management at Arizona State University, eager to apply her experience in the corporate world for a good cause.

“I spent my whole career at a large organization and I wanted to do something more meaningful,” Vittoria said. “What struck me about COTS was the tremendous community support and how measurable their results were in terms of helping people overcome homelessness.” 

In addition to the Petaluma Kitchen and emergency shelter, COTS offers a variety programs, including for homeless veterans, families and those focusing on financial literary and parenting.

Thirty percent of single adults and 77 percent of families who leave the Mary Isaak Center go into permanent housing, according to COTS. For more information, visit www.cots-homeless.org