CARMELMISSIONFOUNDATION

FORIMMEDIATERELEASE:

StephanieZelei,AppointedExecutiveDirectorTheCarmelMissionFoundation

TheBoardofDirectorsispleasedtoannouncetheappointmentofStephanieZeleiExecutiveDirectoroftheCarmelMissionFoundation.Inthisposition,StephaniewillleadtheroletheCarmelMissionFoundationplaysinpreservationandrestorationofthehistoricCarmelMissionthroughfundraisingandamemberofthePreservationTeam,workingcloselywiththecommunityofCarmel,theParish,theDioceseofMonterey,andthearchitects,artisans,contractors,docents,andgenerousdonors,allofwhommakecriticalrestorationeffortspossible.Ms.ZeleitakesoverleadershipoftheFoundationfollowingVicGrabrian,whoservedfornineyearspriortohisretirementattheendofJune2018.Mostrecently,from2010-2018,Stephanieledherownbusinessdevelopmentfirm,TheZeleiGroup,workingwithluxuryresorts,memberclubs,andlifestyleoutfitters.From2006-2010,SheservedasNationalSalesManagerforthePebbleBeachCompanyoverseeingbusinessdevelopmentandleadgenerationfortheirSalesteamandtournamentoffice.StephaniebeganhercareerinSalesandEventManagementinNewYorkCityworkingwithtophotels,renownedrestauranteurs,andhighprofileeventcompanies.StephaniegraduatedfromCarmelHighSchoolin1995andearnedadoubleB.A.degreeinhistoryandfineartsfromSmithCollegeinNorthampton,MA,wheresheplayedcollegiateSoftballandVolleyball.Stephanie’scommitmenttoourcommunityhasinvolvedeventorganization,sponsorshipsandhospitalitysales,anddonorcontributionstobenefitlocalcharitiessuchastheMontereyPeninsulaFoundation,BoysandGirlsClub,AmericanRedCross,BestBuddies,andtheSalvationArmy.Stephanieisanavidgolfer,PleinAirartist,andavolunteercoachforCarmelYouthBaseball.Newleadershipcoincideswiththe10-yearanniversaryoftheCarmelMissionFoundation,afruitfulperiodthatbeganwiththerestorationof11bellsintheBasilica’ssouthbelltowerandledquicklytoaddressingthechallengesofseismicinstabilityanddeferredmaintenance,duetoexposuretotheelementsovertimeamongtheMission’s12historicstructuresconstructedofunreinforcedstoneoradobe,andacrumblinginfrastructurerunningbelowthesurfaceofthe22-acrecampus.StephanieZeleijoinsagroupofCarmelMissionfriendsandsupporterswhosharethebeliefthatitsbuildings,grounds,pricelessworksofart,andhistoricalartifactsareworthyofourtimeandcare,forinthisplaceaconfluenceofculturesledtotherise,completedestruction,andrebirthofajewelinourmidst.QuiteliterallyontheCarmel

Mission’sadobeandstonefoundationsreststhestageonwhichthedramaleadingtotheformationofthemodernStateofCaliforniaunfolded.TheFoundationisengagedindevelopmentofamulti-phase,multi-yearstrategicplanforpreservationandrestoration.ThePreservationTeammanagedthe$5.5millionrestorationoftheBasilica,completedin2013,andrecipientoftwomajorpreservationawards,includingthe2015Governor’sHistoricPreservationAward.Thesameteamcompletedthe$2.0millionrenovationoftheMission’sQuadrangleCourtyardinAugust2016,alovelyspaceforquietreflection,spiritedgatherings,andcommunityeventsalike.BothprojectswerecompletelyfundedbygenerousdonationstotheFoundation.ThoughthePreservationTeamsuccessfullycompletedseveralmajorrestorationprojects,thereliesanenormousamountofworkaheadinpreservingtheremaininghistoricstructureswithintheMission’scampus.TheBoardofDirectorscontinuesitsfundraisingeffortsforfutureprojectssothattheCarmelMissionmaygracesucceedinggenerationsasaparish,acommunitygatheringplace,andwelcomehosttovisitorsandpilgrimsfromaroundtheworlddrawntowitnesswhatbecamethebirthplaceoftheStateofCalifornia,Carmel-by-the-seaandthefinalrestingplaceoftheMission’sfounder,St.JuníperoSerra.Formoreinformation,contacttheCarmelMissionFoundationatwww.CarmelMissionFoundation.org.,P.O.Box221351,Carmel,CA93922.(831)624-3261.TheCarmelMissionFoundationisa501(c)(3)nonprofitcorporationfoundedin2008,andisindependentfromanyreligiousorganization.ItstaxIDis#26-2981780.Allcontributionsaretaxdeductibletothefullestextentofthelaw.