Tri-Valley nonprofit Sunflower Hill named Melissa Hernandez and Lynn Monica as the recipients of its 2025 Rainmaker Awards.
Sunflower Hill is dedicated to creating innovative spaces and programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The organization has presented its Rainmaker Award program each year since 2017 to honor visionary leaders for their lasting contributions to Sunflower Hill.
“We are thrilled to recognize Melissa and Lynn as our 2025 Rainmakers,” said Susan Houghton, board president of Sunflower Hill, in a statement announcing the award recipients. “Both have played integral roles in helping our organization flourish through their leadership, advocacy, and vision.”
Hernandez is currently the vice president of the BART Board of Directors and the former mayor of Dublin. She is recognized for her role in advancing the vision for Sunflower Hill at Grace Pointe in Dublin, the organization’s next planned residential community for individuals with I/DD.
“Melissa identified, championed and advanced our Grace Pointe development, and her leadership and passion for integrating the arts inspired the inclusion of the Grace Gallery into the community—a creative space that will celebrate and showcase the talents of individuals with I/DD,” said Houghton. “Her continued advocacy, both as a BART director and in her role with Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert, has helped secure vital programs and financial support for our community. We are extremely grateful.”
Hernandez also acknowledged the recognition in the nonprofit’s statement.
“Receiving the Rainmaker Award is a profound honor,” said Hernandez. “My vision for Dublin has always been to build a city that supports people at every stage of life—from education and employment to housing and community connection.”
She continued, “Sunflower Hill at Grace Pointe will embody that vision by creating spaces where individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities can thrive, contribute, and feel a true sense of belonging. When we design communities with inclusion at their core, we cultivate a more compassionate and resilient future for everyone.”
Monica, a longtime advisor to Sunflower Hill, is being honored for her foundational role in the development of the Sunflower Hill Garden at Hagemann Ranch in Livermore — an instructional outdoor space that provides educational, therapeutic, and life skills training for adults with I/DD.
“As we mark the garden’s 10-year anniversary, it is especially meaningful to honor Lynn’s vision, hands-on leadership, and tireless work,” Houghton said. “In her role as one of garden co-founders, Lynn led the transformation of this great space—one that now yields more than 4,700 pounds of fresh produce annually for five local food security partners, while also serving as a hub for enriching programs for individuals with I/DD and community volunteer engagement.”
“The Sunflower Hill Garden has always been my happy place,” Monica said. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to help bring it to life — it truly took a village. Seeing how it has grown and evolved over the past decade fills me with pride. Today, it plays a vital role not only in our community’s food ecosystem but also in enriching the lives of our program participants.”
Hernandez and Monica will be formally recognized at Sunflower Hill’s annual gala set for Sept. 27 at the Shannon Community Center in Dublin. While the event is currently sold out, a waiting list for tickets is available at Sunflower Hill’s website.
“We’ve accomplished so much over the past thirteen years thanks to the dedication of our staff, board, advisors and supporters,” Houghton said. “The Rainmaker Award is a way to honor community leaders and individuals whose belief in our mission has helped ‘make it rain’ — nurturing the growth of our programs, communities, and most importantly, the people we serve.”
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