On June 13th at the Goebel Center in Thousand Oaks, the City of Thousand Oaks Senior of the Year awards and dinner was held. This annual event honored 6 nominees: Cynthia Bell, Gail Field, Chuck Huffer, Patricia Jones, Ricki Mikkelsen, and Stasia Simrall. All of the nominees have a long list of ways they have selflessly helped the community for decades. Ricki Mikkelsen was announced as the winner of the 2019 Senior of the Year award!
Ricki Mikkelsen has served as a trustee at Community Conscience since 2008. She has held various officer positions on the Executive Committee since 2010, including President in 2012 to 2013. She is currently serving as Secretary. Ricki has served as Chair of Community Conscience’s largest fundraiser, the Mardi Gras Ball in 2008, 2010, 2011, & 2014. She has been the Live Auction Chair from 2016 to present. She has also served on numerous committees to help with the development and growth of our organization. She continues to play an integral role by making herself available to staff and other board members for anything needed to make Community Conscience run smoothly.
Ricki has also served simultaneously on several other boards in the Conejo Valley:
- Ventura County Cultural Heritage Board – 2010 to present, Chair from 2015-2017
- Conejo Valley Historical Society/Stage Coach Inn Museum – Dona Triunfo in 2012, Truinfo Ball Chair from 2003 to 2011 and served as President among other officer positions.
- California Museum of Art Thousand Oaks – 2011-2019 – Council President 2015 to 2019, Events Committee Chair from 2013 to 2019.
Other organizations in which she was involved in the past include:
- American Association of Women, Thousand Oaks Branch
- President
- Named Gift Honoree
- Creative Options Women’s Conference Chair
- Women’s History Project
- Women’s History Book
- Phantom Tea Chair
- Math Science Conferences for Girls at CLU
- Performing Arts Conference for Youth at CLU
- California Lutheran University Community Leaders Club
- Conejo/Las Virgenes Future Foundation
- Board Member
- Conejo Future Foundation
- Past President
- City of Thousand Oaks
- Architectural Design Committee
- Committee of 106 (design of the TOCAP
The Mardi Gras Ball is the most impactful fundraising event Community Conscience has at this time. Ricki has chaired the live auction portion of the program for many years. This is the most successful part of the Mardi Gras Ball. With her help we have raised critical funding for the organization. Community Conscience’s building, the Human Services Center, serves about 45,000 people per year. Without the assistance from Mrs. Mikkelsen, we could not have continually met our goals. Keeping our building in good operating condition allows people in need to have one location to find assistance. Ricki has helped make this a reality year after year. She builds up others, offers her expertise, and stays involved in the organization in a meaningful way. Community Conscience has a joyful robust board of trustees, and Ricki is a part of what makes it that way!
The same enthusiasm she brings to our organization, she shares with the other non-profits she supports simultaneously. She has the ability to multi-task and assist three other charities with major commitments. All of the non-profits she is involved in are busy with activities, fundraisers, and board meetings. Ricki commits her time to all of them. She has demonstrated time after time the big difference one person can make to change the community for the better. Ricki Mikkelsen sets an example for others by leading with diplomacy, joy, laughter and hard work.