Leadership

Ciara Shuttleworth joined the Polly Klaas Foundation and Polly Klaas Community Theater as Executive Director in May 2025.

For more than 25 years, Ciara has held diverse roles across the nonprofit and arts sectors, bringing a deep commitment to community service. Most recently, she served as Associate Director of Donor Engagement at the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, where she developed and led a comprehensive donor stewardship program from the ground up. Her passion for community impact is reflected in the innovative donor engagement and stewardship model she designed - one that continues to support essential programs and services for families facing food insecurity.

Ciara specializes in crafting and executing strategic plans that strengthen nonprofit organizations through fund development, community outreach, engagement, and programming. She brings a particular passion for the well-being of youth.

In addition to her nonprofit work, Ciara has a background in fine arts, film & television, and education. She holds degrees from Gustavus Adolphus College and the San Francisco Art Institute and earned her MFA in Poetry from the University of Idaho. She is the author of 4,500 Miles: Taking Jack Back on the Road, a gonzo-prose memoir, and Rabbit Heart, a collection of poetry.

Cindy Rudometkin was born and raised in Novato, California, a small town outside Petaluma. She had just graduated from high school in 1992 when she learned of Polly Klaas' abduction. As she followed the kidnapping and recovery, she grew frustrated with not being able to do more to stop child abductions.   Six years after Polly's kidnapping and murder, a job opening at the Foundation gave Rudometkin her opportunity. She joined the Foundation in 1999 as a nighttime caseworker, working as a liaison between families, law enforcement and other social service agencies to help find missing children.

In her present role as the Chief Administrative Officer, Rudometkin oversees the Foundation's caseworkers and all missing child cases. She also works with leaders in the field to identify innovative ways to find missing children. Rudometkin acts as a contact for other agencies involved in investigations, including law enforcement, missing child organizations and social service agencies. She is a member of the Sonoma County Human Trafficking Task Force, and serves on the Education Committee.

Throughout her tenure with the Foundation, Rudometkin has provided support, guidance and hope to over 8,000 families. While her heart still breaks for those desperately searching for a missing child, she has taken the level of compassion, service and expertise in her department to new levels.

In 2008 The Association of Missing and Exploited Children’s Organizations (AMECO) honored by Rudometkin with the 2008 Joan Taavon Award, an award that celebrates extraordinary passion and commitment to the needs of missing and exploited children.

Prior to the Polly Klaas Foundation, Rudometkin, worked as a case clerk coordinator for the Brayton Purcell Law Firm and as a volunteer research assistant for the Buck Center for Research in Aging.  Rudometkin holds a BA in Psychology from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and an MA in Forensic Psychology from Argosy University.

Cathie Sanchez joined the Polly Klaas Foundation in January of 1999. Prior to her joining the Foundation she worked in the Child Abuse Department for the Family Service Agency of San Mateo for five years where she provided case intake and case management services to families and children.

Cathie is currently the Senior Caseworker at the Foundation. She has provided crisis intervention, case intake, and case management to thousands of families of missing children. She has extensive training on missing and exploited children’s issues, crisis intervention, and critical incident stress management.  Cathie’s expertise includes issues involving runaway children, family abduction, non-family abduction and the sex trafficking of minors. In recent years Cathie has obtained numerous hours of training on identifying and providing resources to endangered runaways who have become victims of sex trafficking.

Cathie regularly volunteers for weekend events, and safety fairs in which the Foundation participates. She is active in her church and community, and has established relationships with civic groups, who have made generous donations to the Foundation.

Lyn Romstad has been dedicated to protecting and promoting the well-being of children for nearly 20 years. Before coming to the Polly Klaas Foundation as our Social Media Safety Education (SMSE) Coordinator, Lyn worked with Mentor Me for over a decade.

Since coming to the Polly Klaas Foundation in August of 2024, she has delivered the SMSE program to over 5,000 middle-school students in Sonoma and Marin Counties.

Lyn has worked with students in grades ranging from kindergarten to high school. Her philosophy for engaging students in our SMSE program is to create an inclusive interactive environment, while empowering them to be responsible for their online safety and digital footprint.

A Petaluma resident for more than 30 years, Sophia combines deep local roots with a lifelong devotion to the performing arts. She trained in classical Indian music and dance, studied piano and violin, and developed her voice through formal opera and theater training. Sophia is also a former competitive Irish dancer and has long attended ballet, symphony, opera, and musical productions — experiences that shaped her artistic vision and commitment to community arts.

Sophia brings 12 years of leadership experience across Sonoma County, most recently as Hospitality Director at VJB Winery. Her professional background includes operations leadership at Ulta Beauty and leadership roles with Fairmont, where she refined guest services, team management, and operations strategy. These roles, combined with her theatrical background, give her a unique blend of operational expertise and artistic insight.

The Polly Klaas Foundation has for decades helped families during their worst fears—a missing child. The Foundation has achieved great success in bringing the vast majority of those children home. Now, we have expanded our mission by educating children on how to avoid online predators, so they do not go missing in the first place. We are also giving children, and the larger community, a beautiful community theater that honors Polly’s life. Being on the Board is a pleasure in that I get to work with an exceptional and dedicated staff, and experience the great support of the community.

After serving in the US Army, Eddie joined the FBI in 1972 with assignments in Pittsburgh, Phoenix, San Francisco and Santa Rosa offices. Eddie’s thirty-year career afforded him many opportunities to either participate in or lead national and international investigations. Eddie was the lead investigator of the 1993 Polly Hannah Klaas kidnapping/murder investigation in Petaluma, California. Eddie retired from the FBI in 2002 after leading his team to the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Eddie continued his career with numerous instructing assignments in northern California as well as corporate and private industry endeavors. In 2009, Eddie accepted a one-year deployment to Iraq as an embedded Law Enforcement Professional. He also has instructed for the US State Department and DOJ before international policing audiences. In 2011, Eddie became the Undersheriff of the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office in Washington State. In 2014, Eddie returned to California and assisted our law enforcement efforts as a POST consultant and retired from POST in 2019. Eddie instructed Interview and Interrogation with BATI and currently instructs POST Leadership with On-Base Leadership.

It’s truly an honor to serve as a Polly Klaas Foundation (PKF) Board member and help return to the community valuable programs designed to improve child safety and awareness. PKF programs reduce risks and dangers facing our youth especially considering the use of social media and online sites. The PKF Board and staff remain super focused on every child’s safety in a complex and rapidly changing environment and hold steadfast against new and old threats.

Wade devoted his entire career to the financial services industry, beginning with investment management, then transitioning to commercial banking - most recently as the California North Coast Manager for Wells Fargo Bank’s Business Banking division.  He retired from banking in 2021 and has worked independently as a business financial advisor through his Alta Capital Associates LLC consulting firm.  Wade has served as Treasurer of the PKF board since joining in 2012 and was elected Board President in 2025.

Children have the right to grow up in a safe environment.  I joined the Polly Klaas Foundation Board to support the mission of keeping children safe and to return them to their family if they’re missing.  Our mission now addresses the impact of social media on childhood safety, while the addition of the Polly Klaas Theater in 2022 provides another safe haven for youth activities.

Gregg Stebben is the author of 22 books. In his career as a journalist for media brands ranging from Forbes to Men’s Health to Bon Appétit, he has interviewed hundreds of actors, actresses, authors, musicians, sports stars and CEOs, as well as several US Presidents, many members of Congress, and the former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev.

As a mother serving on the board for Polly Klaas Foundation is important to me because it provides an opportunity to give back to an organization that has had a positive impact on our community and beyond. I am passionate about helping the organization’s growth, ensuring responsible stewardship, and create meaningful opportunities for our members and families. I believe strong leadership, collaboration, and community involvement are essential to long-term success, and I am committed to contributing my experience and dedication to help achieve those goals.

Being a board member of the Polly Klaas Foundation is a natural extension of my belief that community is our greatest strength — that when people come together around shared values, they have the power to protect, uplift, and inspire one another. When we keep our children safe and teach them to protect themselves and each other, we give them the freedom to dream, to grow, and to reach their fullest potential. Honoring Polly’s memory through the foundation and the stage keeps her creative, joyful spirit alive, and grounds this deeply personal work in the enduring power of love, connection, and community.

Lena Furlong serves on the Board of Directors for the Polly Klaas Foundation, where they advocate for vulnerable youth based on their own experience as a foster child in the 1990s. With extensive background in supporting at-risk populations, Lena combines personal insight with a proven track record of business leadership and community service.

Lena Furlong is the founder of Sol Landscapes, Inc., an enterprise rooted in the values of Quality, Integrity, and Community. Their career began in foster care with upgrading pathways from dirt to brick then found the Marin County Parks Open Space and Cultural Services, advancing from seasonal roles to Interim Trails Ranger before establishing their first company at age 20.

Over the last two decades, Lena has successfully scaled their landscape business and supported the launch of multiple startups in the beauty sector. A member of the Petaluma Rotary Club, Lena is dedicated to leveraging business acumen and community networks to drive positive change for families and children in crisis.

Lena resides in Petaluma with her family and has been part of the community since 2005.

Ryan grew up in Petaluma and has spent nearly his entire life in the community he proudly calls home. Like so many local residents, he was deeply impacted by the abduction of Polly Klaas, an event that left a lasting impression on the community and helped shape his commitment to public service.

From an early age, Ryan knew he wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement. He was fortunate to join the Petaluma Police Department, where he has served for more than 21 years. He currently oversees the department's Investigations Unit as a Sergeant, supervising investigations into major crimes and other complex cases.

In addition to his primary responsibilities, Ryan oversees missing persons investigations and works closely with Sonoma County's Human Trafficking Task Force. His commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals and supporting families in times of crisis aligns closely with the mission of the Polly Klaas Foundation. Ryan is honored to serve on the Foundation's Board of Directors and to support its ongoing efforts to keep children safe and assist families in need.

Trisha Young has called the Petaluma area home for her entire life, and her commitment to the safety and wellbeing of children in this community runs just as deep. As a mother of five and a local business owner, she has spent decades showing up for families, in schools, on sports fields, and through mentorship.

She joined the Polly Klaas Foundation Board because she believes every child deserves to be safe, and every family deserves support. With a background in real estate and construction, Trisha brings both a personal and professional dedication to advancing the Polly Klaas Foundation's Mission.