For Patty, the values that guide her life were formed generations ago in San Francisco’s North Beach. Her grandmother, an Italian American woman known for her tireless compassion, ran a boarding house that became a haven for newly arrived immigrants from Italy. “She housed them, fed them, helped them find work, and treated each one like family,” says Patty. Growing up surrounded by that ethic of care, Patty learned that hard work, humility, and generosity were inseparable — and that when people are given a fair chance, they shine.
Patty remembers how her grandmother lived by the belief that nothing should be wasted — not food, not opportunity, not human potential – and says that that idea became the moral center of her own life. As a grandchild of immigrants who worked their way up from humble beginnings, she saw how fragile stability could be. She learned that everyone deserves a leg up, not just to survive, but to build a life filled with dignity and purpose. These early lessons became the compass for her career and, ultimately, her philanthropy.
After attending Cal and Dominican University, Patty devoted more than a decade to teaching students with severe disabilities. Her deep empathy and belief in inclusion guided her as an educator. Later, when her father invited her to help with the family business — Marin Sanitary Service — she discovered that the work of managing a waste and recycling company was not so different from teaching. She says both roles have required patience, care for people, and a belief that everyone deserves respect. As she rose to become president, she carried her grandmother’s legacy forward, ensuring her employees — many of them immigrants — were supported, well-paid, and treated as family.
Over the decades, Patty witnessed firsthand the fear and disruption caused by immigration enforcement in Marin. Following her father, who was a co-founder of their family business, Marin Sanitary Service, she has served as president for 38 years, supported their employees during raids, providing not only financial help but personal compassion. Patty says that in those moments, Canal Alliance became a vital ally — offering legal assistance, guidance, and a steady hand. Patty recalls reaching out to the organization’s longtime leader, Tom Wilson, and later connecting with CEO Omar Carrera, whose vision and kindness moved her deeply. “Every time I drive by Canal Alliance’s new offices, I could cry,” she says. “What Canal Alliance has built is extraordinary.”
So when Patty began planning her estate after the loss of her husband and parents, she knew that she wanted their legacy to reflect their shared values: that everyone deserves access to education and opportunity. Remembering her own path — and her parents’ pride in her being the first in her family to attend college — she was drawn to Canal Alliance’s work supporting first-generation students and immigrant families to apply for and graduate from college. After researching other organizations, she realized that Canal Alliance was exactly where her values lived on: an organization rooted in dignity, community, and the belief that all Marin families deserve every chance to succeed.
Patty had seen what can happen when new funding enters a community, and nonprofits begin to compete rather than collaborate. Reflecting on earlier philanthropic efforts in Marin, Patty recalled periods of duplicative efforts and even territorialism. “I’ve never seen that with Canal Alliance. One of Canal Alliance’s many strengths is how the programs are built with partnerships at the center, amplifying the strengths of our community and making the support and the services provided even better.” That spirit of collaboration convinced her that Canal Alliance was the right place for her legacy — a place where her gift would amplify, not duplicate, the work of others. Ultimately, she chose to write Canal Alliance into her estate plans.
Today, Patty channels her energy into service — as a leader in her business, a member of multiple public boards, and an advocate for education, housing, and transit equity. She believes Marin can and must be a place where everyone thrives. “Marin may be one of the wealthiest counties in the nation,” she says, “but too many children still go without preschool, dental care, or a doctor’s visit. That’s unconscionable.” Through her work and her legacy gift, Patty says she is hoping to help build the future she wants to see: one where compassion, fairness, and opportunity reach every family.
For Patty, leaving a legacy gift to Canal Alliance isn’t about charity — it’s about continuity and community. It’s a way of ensuring that the compassion her grandmother practiced in her boarding house continues to echo through generations. “If you can turn loss into a plan,” she says, “where your intentions live on — that’s golden.” Her gift will do just that: helping families find stability, helping young people achieve their college and career dreams, and helping Marin be a community where everyone can belong.