New Board Member Brings Financial Leadership and a Passion for Service

Newest Catalight board member Ben Stefancic has been spending the last two decades teaching his kids to take opportunities to give back whenever the opportunity presents itself. For Ben himself, that opportunity came again at a cocktail party for former Gap executives.

“Connie asked if I had thought about being on a board, and I said I had actually been thinking about it,” Ben said, recalling his serendipitous reconnecting with his former colleague and current Catalight board chairperson Connie Santilli. “When she told me about Catalight’s non-profit work with individuals on the autism spectrum, I immediately felt a connection.”

Ben’s personal background reflects a commitment to community and service. After his children were Jesuit educated, the group’s service motto of being “men and women for others” stuck as a guiding principle in their household.

“To our kids, we always advocated volunteerism, community and an understanding of their position in the world,” Ben said. “We tried to show them how fortunate they are and what they could be doing to help give back.”

When his son became involved in scouting – eventually rising to Eagle Scout – Ben became an instructor and was immediately moved by the organization’s commitment to service projects. He was also struck by how everyone, including individuals with autism and those with diverse needs, were welcomed and encouraged to participate in a way that best suited them – kids didn’t need athletic abilities, music skills or other prerequisites to join, have fun and learn.

He sees Catalight’s inclusive mentality and goal of creating access to meaningful care by breaking down systemic barriers as being a continuation as his positive experiences in scouting.

His professional journey is a blend of financial expertise and public service. Before stepping into the corporate finance world, he began his career as a San Francisco police officer – where he served for five years. His subsequent 20-year tenure at Gap – including time as CFO of Gap Japan and CFO of Operations – saw him take on various corporate finance roles, later transitioning into consulting.

“My strength is in operational finance – understanding not just the numbers on the page but how they got there,” Ben said.

Shortly after his second board meeting, Ben was able to see the impact the Catalight family of companies has by joining Easterseals Northern California’s Kaleidoscope adult program members for an arts and crafts event in which the two dozen plus participants decorated vases that will be displayed at the prestigious Olympic Club during the annual Catalight golf tournament. 

Following that, he sat in on a diagnostic evaluation with clinicians, met with Catalight public policy and social media representatives, and stuck around for the kickoff party for the company’s annual Elevate Your Impact conference, highlighted by guest speakers and music from The New Hope Band, a rock group comprised of members with developmental disabilities.

“It was a phenomenal day,” Ben said. “I was so happy to meet some of Catalight’s clients and see some of the behind the scenes work Catalight employees take on every day. For me, seeing how the secret sauce is made, better understanding how everything gets done and what it all means helps me to better engage when we’re starting to undertake financial conversations.”