Boards of Commissioners

A.A., Fresno City College

Born and raised in Fresno by a single mom, Sharon Williams values the importance of owning a home in a diverse neighborhood.  Some of her favorite childhood memories are in West Fresno listening to live performances by Tina Turner, B.B. King, or going to the drive-in movies.

Sharon’s first job out of the grape fields was at the Downtown Fresno library. While her career spanned a variety of trades, it was her time spent as a group home counselor she became known as “Mama Sharon” and found her true calling working with troubled youth as a truth-teller, with the mantra that “this is not the end of your story.” In 1996, Sharon retired from her dream job as a counselor with Fresno Juvenile Hall.

As a Fresno Housing resident, Sharon’s lived experience with redlining and white-flight makes her an especially valuable member of the Board.   Additionally, she believes that ownership is the foundation to achieving your dreams, building wealth, and leaving a legacy for those you love and care for.

To Sharon, family always comes first.  She has five children, 23 grandchildren, two-dozen great-grandchildren and is committed to being involved in their lives, whether it is providing guidance or attending field trips.  She stays very involved in the community, including the Bringing Broken Neighborhoods Back to Life program and as a local youth minister.

A.A., Fresno City College
B.A. in Public Administration, California State University

Born and raised in Fresno County, providing families with the necessary tools to be as successful as possible has always been at the fabric of Cary Catalano’s community involvement and his daily work.

Since starting his firm nearly 20 years ago, Cary has grown his business from a two-person operation to a team of public/government affairs, marketing, and resource development firm serving numerous clients in industries throughout the Central Valley and the western United States.

With more than 23 years of experience in public and government affairs with a specialty in communications and organizational development, Cary has proven results in helping all industries he serves to reach their intended goals. Before establishing Catalano Fenske & Associates, Cary was the Chief Operating Officer of the Community Food Bank for four years. The Fresno Advertising Federation awarded him the prestigious JU Berry Award for his commitment to charity work in the community. He was recognized as one of the top 100 alumni from Fresno City College. Additionally, Cary served as the president of the corporate board of directors for Girls Scouts of Central California South in which he served for three years and oversaw a complete organizational restructure. Cary also served a commissioner on the City of Fresno Planning Commission from 2014 to 2017 in which the City adopted a new General Plan focused on community revitalization.

Cary holds a BA in Public Administration from California State University, Fresno and an Associate’s Degree from Fresno City College. He is also a graduate of Leadership Fresno. Cary currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Fresno State Alumni Association and the Fresno Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves as Chair of the General Plan Review Committee for the City of Fresno. He has been appointed to the Mayor’s Fresno Recovery Committee, an advisory panel formed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to assist in the community’s economic recovery without jeopardizing the health of residents. Cary’s commitment to providing working families with quality housing, job opportunities, and a safe community has been at the cornerstone of his community work now and in the years to come.

Fresno City College

Sophia Ramos was born and raised in Fresno. She started her career in the medical field as a medical assistant after attending an adult program through Duncan Polytechnical High School. She continued her studies at Fresno City College completing their innovative paradigm program through Community Hospital. Her 15-year career as a registered nurse includes rotations within the cardiac floor, emergency room, and radiology.

Sophia understands the value of education to provide better job opportunities. As a young woman, she worked two jobs while obtaining her prerequisites for the nursing program.

Sophia is grateful to serve on the board and looks forward to sharing her unique experiences.

Raised by entrepreneurial parents on a dairy farm, Valori Gallaher is no stranger to hard work. She is the middle child of a WWII veteran, and has lived experience supporting a special needs sibling. While Valorie spent several years in banking, she is now an office manager for a local agriculture and irrigation company.

Living in the rural community of Caruthers, Valori adds a unique rural perspective in her role as a commissioner. She recognizes that not all neighborhoods are wealthy, and brings a strong belief that even when individuals live paycheck to paycheck, or are unable to work, a strong sense of home is important to everyone. Valori is inspired by the effort staff puts into the agency, and is committed to ensuring that residents have access to quality housing and economic opportunities, in the place that matters most to them. She is especially committed to helping those who may not be able, or know how to ask for the help they need.

After the tragic passing of her husband, Valori was inspired to step into public service, and ultimately elected to fill his seat on the Caruthers School Board where she continues serving today. She is also the proud mother to an only son and enjoys every moment with her daughter-in-law and three fabulous grandchildren.