The Board of Directors for Winston’s Community Unity Project (The CUP) plays a vital role in advancing our mission to address food inequities, provide work opportunities for individuals facing barriers to employment, and support the unhoused community in Napa Valley with essential services.
William Carlon
President
William Carlon is a public interest environmental lawyer with nearly a decade of experience in California. In 2024, he founded his own law firm, with a focus on enforcing state and federal environmental laws.
William holds a B.A. in Communications with a minor in Managerial Economics from UC Davis (2010) and a J.D. from the University of Oregon (2015). He is licensed to practice law in California. William enjoys mountain biking, chess, and fencing.
He lives with his wife Amanda, their two sons, Huck and Rowan, and their direwolf, Pepino.
JAY GARCIA
Vice President
Jay is a Registered Nurse with many years working in multiple Emergency Departments throughout California. He has a vision of empathy and compassion, working to support and advocate for those individuals he encounters on a daily basis.
Jay achieved a B.A. in Communications with a minor in Spanish from California State University, Chico (2010) and his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Concordia University Irvine (2017). He enjoys the outdoors, dogs, and an IPA on a sunny patio.
LARA YOUNG
Board Treasurer
Lara Young (Board Treasurer) is a CPA with over a decade of experience in Ernst & Young’s Assurance practice. She has served clients of all sizes – from large multinationals to pre-revenue start-ups – supporting everything from routine quarterly and annual filings, IPOs, SOX compliance, 501(c)(3) reporting, and more.
In addition to non-profit work and raising her two young boys, Lara’s passions include composting, cooking elaborate meals, and learning new things (most recently, yoga inversions and horseback riding.)
Deassa Binstock
Secretary
Deassa has been a Registered veterinary technician for the last 20 years and was born and raised in Napa. Deassa co-founded a local animal nonprofit in 2020.
Deassa has been involved in many aspects of the community and volunteered for a few local nonprofits as well: Napa Cart, Loving Animals Providing Smiles, Napa Humane and Napa Wildlife. Deassa shares her home with 4 pit bulls and 2 outdoor cats.
VINCENT VITALE
Originally (and proudly) from Detroit, Michigan. Professionally, Vince utilizes his passion for writing and natural skill of understanding people to tell stories to the masses in a way that makes complex ideas easy to understand. (Almost) exclusively for emerging technology companies.
His eclectic career includes branding for auto manufacturer facilities, growth hacking for a music productivity start-up, making crickets commercially acceptable for humans to eat, and helping to relieve chronic disease and pain.
He lives in Napa with his wife, two sons, and husky, writing for various publications in the Bay Area, including the Register, Press Democrat, Sonoma Magazine, and Edible Magazine, giving a voice to local businesses.
