Board of Directors

David Langness

Board President; appointed to the board 10/29/18
David has 30 years of health care communications experience, creating and running large public health projects, communications campaigns and departments for both non-profit and for-profithealth care and Silicon Valley corporations, including UCLA, Comprehensive Care Corporation, The Healthcare Association of Southern California, Tenet Health, Kaiser Permanente and One Planet. David is a founding board member of Homeless Healthcare Los Angeles, the large skid row health agency he helped establish in 1985. He served on the board and executive committee of HHCLA for 25 years, and assisted the organization in its growth into the largest Skid Row service agency in the U.S. During the late 1990s he co-conceptualized, helped create and drive the success of California’s Proposition 36, the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Diversion Initiative—a ground-breaking new law passed by California voters in 2000 that diverts thousands of non-violent first-time offenders from potential incarceration into drug treatment programs. David has served on many non-profit boards, including the Healthcare Leadership Advisory Board of the Gallup Organization and on the board of directors of the Homeless Voicemail Project in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Michael McDonald

Board Vice-President; appointed to the board 3/27/23

Michael has spent the last 30 years working for some of the largest enterprise software companies including Oracle and SAP and a few start-ups in the AI and Machine Learning markets. As such, his strategic and innovative approach to managing challenges makes him a valuable member of the board of directors. In 2003 Michael and his wife Debbie moved to Nevada County to raise their three sons. The entire family has volunteered at Hospitality House since 2006, when it was still a nomadic organization. Michael also volunteers at KVMR, with Interfaith Food Ministry and with Wolf Creek Community Alliance.

Steven Castleberry

Board Treasurer and Past Board President; appointed to the board 9/25/17
Steven retired from Nevada County in December 2016 as the Director of Public Works, overseeing one of the County largest departments. During his time at the County, he was responsible for all engineering, road maintenance, fleet, sanitation, solid waste and transit activities. Prior to that, Steven served as the Executive Director for the Bay Area Water Transit Authority, Pier 9 in San Francisco and the Deputy Director and Project Development Manager for the Alameda County Transit Authority. As Executive Director, he was responsible for building and operating new ferry transit services on the San Francisco Bay. In this role as Deputy Director for Alameda, Steven developed and oversaw a $1 billion program for Measure B projects which included a series of road and highway capital investments. In addition, he worked with County jurisdictions to win voter approval for a 20-year transportation spending plan that increased taxes.

During the course of Steven’s career, he has served on many Boards, including as Chair for the Oakland SPCA; Vice-Chair of the Oakland Animal Shelter Advisory Commission; Member of the University of the Pacific Industry Advisory Council; Member of the Nevada City Elementary School Site Council; and Member of the Northern Sierra Aquatics Board. Steven is a graduate of Stanford University, earning his Master’s Degree in Infrastructure Planning and Management. He is also a graduate of the University of the Pacific, earning a Civil Engineering degree with a minor in Geology. Steven lives in Nevada City.

Fran Haulman Herbst

Board Secretary

Fran has a Bachelor of Science degree in natural resources planning and interpretation. For nearly twenty years, she worked as a Land Program Manager for the US Forest Service where she received several local awards and two national awards. Her knowledge of natural resources, land management, construction management and forestry directly aids Hospitality House’s outreach efforts and new housing developments.

Lisa Davies

Board Member, appointed to the board 7/31/23

Lisa began working for Chapa-De Indian Health Program in 2002 as their Compliance Director. She has served as Chapa-De’s Chief Executive Officer since 2010 where she oversees 300 employees operating two health centers in Placer and Nevada Counties. The organization provides comprehensive healthcare services for approximately 26,000 individuals each year.

Lisa wants you to know she works with a wonderful group of do-gooders and her job is primarily to provide a work environment for them to fulfill their passion to make the world a little better for individuals in our community.

Prior to joining Chapa-De, Lisa was the Vice President of Business Operations for Medical Benefits Administration in Grass Valley. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Davis and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Lisa and her family have called Nevada County home for 24 years. When she’s not working, you are likely to find her hiking somewhere in the Five Lakes Basin or enjoying alone time reading a book or elbow-deep in a disheveled kitchen trying out a new recipe for friends and family.

Jeff Dellis

Board Member, appointed to the board 7/25/22

Jeff is committed to the betterment of Nevada County. After devoting 31 years to education, Jeff recently retired. He taught locally at Nevada Union High School for a number of years, covering American Government, Politics and Economics. He also most recently led Monterey High School’s Athletic Department. Jeff is married with two children.

Larry Messer

Board Member, appointed to the board 7/25/22

Larry moved to Nevada County in 1990 with his wife. In 1993, they built and opened a childcare facility and preschool, licensed for 60 children in Penn Valley, which they owned and operated for 23 years. Larry’s licensed construction company, Trinity Builders, has been renovating and building homes locally since 1999. In 2005, he built and opened Wildwood Self Storage in Penn Valley and is currently working on the final expansion of his facility. From 2007 to 2013, he also developed three large, single-family home subdivisions in both Wyoming and North Dakota. Since 2016, he has been on the board for Redemption Youth Ranch in Grass Valley. His greatest achievements include being happily married to his high school sweetheart and a father to six children (three biological and three grafted in). His priorities are God, family, friends, helping others, travel and tennis.

Dave Reader

Board Member; appointed to the board 12/12/22

With extensive experience building businesses and developing communication and data systems with partners across the globe, Dave has a keen analytical eye and is a natural problem solver. Having worked with companies in India, Singapore and Japan, he offers a worldly perspective that is invaluable to the board of directors. Even though his work life has centered on international business, Dave also has a long history of helping out in the local community by volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, St. Canice Catholic Church, serving meals at Utah’s Place (Hospitality House’s emergency homeless shelter) and the Methodist Church.

Mark Vieaux

Board Member; appointed to the board 11/28/16
Mark is a self-employed executive recruiter specializing in licensed civil engineers; associated with water & wastewater treatment industry. A long-time member of Twin Cities Church in Grass Valley, he has led the music for the Children’s Ministry since 2002. Vieaux has performed music for Hospitality House since 2014, mostly folk songs as founder Utah Phillips would have enjoyed. Vieaux has been a Nevada City resident since 2000, is married, with a son and daughter in college.

If you’re interested in serving on the Hospitality House Board of Directors, please contact us.