Our Team
Get to know the Foundation Team
Sean Fannan, Founder
As the Founder of the Marcella Foundation, Sean has dedicated majority of his career in the gaming industry, everything from making one of the most successful iPhone games of all time, Tap Tap Revenge to starting an advertising company for mobile games that reached hundreds of millions of users. He aspires to leverage his expertise in entrepreneurship and engineering to give back to the community where he grew up, and looks forward to partnering with people to help build a better community in the city of South Lake Tahoe.
Melissa Uppendahl, Executive Director
Melissa comes to the Marcella Foundation with over 13 years of experience in nonprofit and government stewardship. Most recently, she founded Lift Literature with a mission to transform the way that kids engage in reading. She also managed a grant portfolio of over $25M at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency where she supported environmental restoration projects all over Lake Tahoe. Melissa was honored with the Tahoe Chamber 40 under 40 award for her work in financial management for Lake Tahoe as well as her service to youth in the community. She now sits on the board of Lift Literature and the Tahoe Learning Haven.
Kele Song, Director of Strategy
Kele Song serves as the Director of Strategy at the Marcella Foundation, where she spearheads the development of the organization's strategic initiatives. With a background as a seasoned Product Manager in Silicon Valley, Kele brings a deep-seated passion for innovation and problem-solving to her role. Equipped with a bachelor's degree in journalism and communications, coupled with a master's degree in public policy, Kele possesses a formidable skill set in strategic planning. Her expertise ensures that the Foundation remains agile and effective in achieving its mission.
Bob Fannan, Board Secretary
After camping here in the Tahoe area many times as a kid, Bob decided to move here in his late twenties. He worked at the casinos for many years, where he met his wife and started a family. Eventually, he went back to school to get his teaching credential and worked here in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District at the elementary level, before retiring in 2010.
Diane Fannan, Board Treasurer
Diane came to South Lake Tahoe in 1978 from Los Angeles. It was meant to be a short visit but she fell in love with Lake Tahoe and has never left. For the first twenty years, she worked at the casinos as a maitre'd in the cabaret showroom. She met her husband and they started a family. Her second career was at Barton Hospital, retiring in 2011.