Meet MOFF’s Event Planning Intern: Victoria Humphrey

Victoria Humphrey will be joining the MOFF team this month! We are very excited to welcome her into our event planning efforts as we work to raise money to fund ALS research and patient care initiatives! Read a brief interview with Victoria below.

Q: Where are you attending college and what is your major?

A: I am a Cal Poly student majoring in Experience Industry Management with a  concentration in Event Planning

Q: Why does event planning at MOFF interest you?

A: While planning events is an intriguing job, being able to plan events for MOFF that  contribute to finding a cure for ALS is both intriguing and fulfilling work that I am excited to take on!

Q: What is your favorite fitness activity?

A: My favorite fitness activity is cheerleading as I was a collegiate cheerleader for the past four years

Q: What is your favorite slocal hangout?

A: My favorite place to hangout with friends and family is Avila Beach.

Q: Where you see yourself in 5 years?

A: In 5 years I see myself starting my own business, planning and executing events for causes I find passion for.

Q: What are you surprisingly good at?

A:  I am surprisingly good at calligraphy, I love using this skill to make home decor.

PSA: The final question to this interview may seem rather dark because it deals with death. That being said, the fatal nature of ALS brings death to the forefront and causes people living with ALS and their caregivers to grapple with the concept on a daily basis. MOFF has been operating as a grant making nonprofit within this space for 8 years now. We have seen too many incredible people have their lives cut short because of ALS. It is important to bring the urgency associated with living life in the face of death into our fundraising efforts.

Q: What is your relationship with death?

A: Death used to be my greatest fear, but after experiencing more deaths within my life I have grown to appreciate it. Death is still something I fear, but I have accepted that without it life is not as extraordinary. 

Natalie Fernandez
Program Director, CFO
Natalie is the associate project manager of clinical development at Viracta Therapeutics in San Diego, CA. In her spare time, she works as the program director and CFO of MOFF. Well connected within the ALS community, Natalie runs the ALS Research Paper Review Initiative (ALS RPR) and is a member of the ALS Association National Chapter Patient and Caregiver Advisory Committee (PCAC). Natalie completed her MBA degree in Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Business at The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia in June 2019. She holds an undergraduate degree from NYU in Communicative Sciences and Disorders and Spanish.

Andrea Fernandez
Director, Secretary
Andrea is currently working for Plaid in San Francisco, California. She earned her B.S. at California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. Andrea chose to live abroad and teach in Spain for a year prior to moving to San Francisco. She is currently enjoying the NorCal city lifestyle and looking forward to all that is to come.

John Ronca
Board Member
John joined the MOFF board of directors in April 2020. Bio coming soon.

Cheri Humphrey
Board Member
Cheri Humphrey joined the MOFF board of directors in August of 2019. Cheri grew up in Dixon, CA and moved to San Luis Obispo to attend Cal Poly. It was there that she met her husband Jim. They now reside in SLO and have a daughter, Victoria and a son, Riley. Cheri is instrumental in the operations of the iconic Madonna Inn, which she has been the manager of since 1989. Cheri and her family have been ALS advocates since the inception of MOFF. We are honored to have Cheri as part of the board to guide community outreach and continue raising awareness of ALS prevalence on the Central Coast.

Ian Parkinson
Board Member
We are very excited to welcome San Luis Obispo County Sheriff, Ian Parkinson, into his second two-year term as a member of the Martha Olson-Fernandez Foundation Board. Ian has served as Sheriff since 2011 and is well known in the community for this tireless efforts to improve the law enforcement processes of SLO County. Ian knew Martha Olson-Fernandez and has been a supporter of MOFF since 2012. We are very grateful for his commitment to help us carry out our mission to fight ALS through patient care and research. We look forward to utilizing his strategic insights and community outreach to further the MOFF mission.

Larry Fernandez
Director, CEO
Larry is currently an executive for a private vegetable seed company. He has been an entrepreneur in the seed industry for 35 years. He is the proud father of Andrea and Natalie and enjoys watching them pursue their education and practical learning through their job experiences. When time allows, Larry enjoys hunting and fishing. His desire is to find a cure for ALS.