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The Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation Board of Directors is an actively engaged group of volunteers and advisors. When fully appointed, the board of directors consists of 19 members. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors appoints 10 members, and the Parks Foundation board appoints nine. Board members raise funds for Regional Parks’ projects, serve as parks ambassadors in the community, and oversee the staff and budget of the Parks Foundation. The organization also hosts an advisory board of community leaders who provide strategic guidance for the nonprofit.
The Parks Foundation encourages interested individuals to learn more about the board, read the job description and apply for board membership. The Parks Foundation board of directors typically meets on the first Friday of each month at 8 a.m. Meetings are open to the public and are typically held at the second floor conference room at Sonoma County Regional Parks headquarters, 2300 County Center Drive, Santa Rosa. During pandemic, meetings are held on Zoom. Agendas are posted on this website in advance of each board meeting. Please contact Melissa Kelley if you wish to attend a meeting. |
Stephen A. Meacham, Chair
Stephen Meacham of Sonoma is a 30 year resident of Sonoma County and brings 35 years of marketing, consumer research, and organizational development expertise to the Parks Foundation board. For 18 years he owned and operated Creative Audience Research, a media marketing research and consulting company with clients including Viacom, Gannett, and Journal Broadcasting. He has been an active member of the Sonoma County land stewardship and parks community, serving on the LandPaths Board of Directors for 8 years and regularly volunteering for Regional Parks. He is passionate about helping facilitate parks access “so all residents can experience the area’s diverse natural beauty on their own terms, a prerequisite for taking action to preserve the environment.” Stephen's favorite Regional Park is Sonoma Valley, and his favorite park memory is “the smile on my dog’s face when we got to the parking lot.”
Diana Sanson, Vice Chair
Diana Sanson became a resident of Sonoma County in 2006. After a career in telecommunications and technology she applied her marketing and project management skills towards a career in fundraising and environmental education. In addition to serving on the Parks Foundation board, Diana's community service includes work with Audubon Canyon Ranch. Sonoma Shambala Meditation Center and Impact 100 Sonoma. Diana's favorite park experiences include mushroom hunting at Stillwater Cove and hiking up Hood Mountain where she recalls, "small kids never thought they could make it to the top, but they did!"
Channa Sweet, Secretary
Channa Sweet is a Michigan native who proudly calls Petaluma her home. After traveling to 5 continents, she was drawn to the unique natural beauty of Sonoma County. In her free time, she and her husband adventure across Northern California hiking, kayaking, and camping. Her “happy place” is being next to the water with her toes in the sand. She is eager to promote an active lifestyle for children by reconnecting them with nature’s playground – the outdoors. Passionate about giving back to her community through a nonprofit career, Channa currently leads a fundraising team at United Way Bay Area. Her favorite park is Helen Putnam Park and her favorite Sonoma County park experience is getting engaged in a redwood forest.
Jenifer Freebairn, Treasurer
Jenifer Freebairn has been a Sonoma County resident since 2002. She has worked with many nonprofit organizations over the years and as a wine sales and marketing executive. Also a professional singer and songwriter, Jenifer has always looked to the parks and to hiking for inspiration and rejuvenation. One of her favorites is North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park at sunrise. The panoramic views are breathtaking, whether you opt for the 2-mile Umbrella Trail or the 7-mile North Sonoma Mountain Ridge Trail.
Chad Dorr, Executive Committee Member At-Large
Chad Dorr was born and raised in Santa Rosa. He left Sonoma County to attend the U.S. Naval Academy, after which he served a 21 year career as a naval officer and helicopter pilot. He began his encore career in the law by attending U.C. Berkeley School of Law and then practicing for a major international law firm in its Washington, D.C. office. The Tubb's/Nun's Fires spurred him to return home to serve Sonoma County and be close to family. His practice includes business law matters, estate planning, and trust administration. He is also an at-large member of the Sonoma County Bar Association. His favorite parks are the Joe Rodota and West County Regional Trails for a great, mostly flat, mostly car-free, 30 mile round trip bike ride.
Brant Arthur
Brant Arthur lives in Santa Rosa with his family and enjoys spending time at his favorite local Regional Park, North Sonoma Mountain, and camping at Gualala Point. He holds a Master’s Degree in Development Practice from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. Passionate about combating the climate crisis, Brant believes that expanding zero-emission transportation options is key to improving local lives.
As Programs Manager at Sonoma Clean Power, Brant leads the development, management, and implementation of customer-centric programs, with a focus on electric mobility. He manages the local CALeVIP program, which installs public EV chargers across the SCP service territory. Brant also drives initiatives to expand workplace EV charging and oversees rebate programs for electric vehicles aimed at non-profits serving the community.
Before joining SCP, Brant worked with the Sonoma County Transportation Authority, Regional Climate Protection Authority, and the Climate Center, where he developed programs to promote carpooling, increase electric vehicle adoption, and plan for a zero-emission future in transportation.
Rob DeVenuto
Rob DeVenuto is a 40+ year resident of Sonoma County, growing up in Petaluma and now living in Windsor with his wife and his furry friend, Bandit. He has spent over 20 years in Windsor, raising his two children who are now pursuing college degrees in San Diego. Rob has spent over 25 years in the tech industry with the last 12 as an enterprise architect at Salesforce. He also runs his own photography business focused on nature, landscapes, events and portrait photography. In his spare time, he is often found feeding his soul in many of the Sonoma County parks combining his loves for hiking, biking and photography. Rob has a love for all the parks, as each have their own personality, but favorites include Foothill, Shiloh, Taylor Mountain, Helen Putnam and Spring Lake.
Nazar Eljumaily
Nazar Eljumaily is a Bay Area native. He came to know Sonoma County over 50 years ago when his father was a design engineer at The Sea Ranch. Nazar became familiar with our beautiful outdoor bounty as a land surveyor working at the family engineering company. He now manages EBA Engineering, a civil/environmental firm that works in all areas of our County. He’s also active with the Kenwood Community Club, which is responsible for the historic Kenwood Depot train station. Along with his wife, Helena, son, Aidan, and Dexter the wonder terrier, Nazar enjoys several weekly walks at Spring Lake. Above all, he believes our Regional Parks are both a unifying and healing element to our community.
Kathy Haas
Kathy was born in New Jersey and moved to the Bay Area following her college graduation. While advancing her career as a nurse practitioner at Kaiser, she dedicated her spare time to her passion for the outdoors and volunteer work. For 14 years, she led hikes as part of the Gay and Lesbian section of the Sierra Club, contributed her time to Habitat for Humanity, and served on the board of the Child Parent Institute. Kathy also found joy in activities like bicycling, hiking, camping, and mushroom foraging. As a pediatric nurse practitioner, Kathy is a firm believer in the importance of encouraging children and families to spend time outdoors.
Adam Jorge
Adam is a lifelong Californian and Santa Rosa resident. He grew up in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Yosemite, later lived in Santa Barbara and Washington, D.C., has traveled the country, and firmly believes Sonoma County to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. He, his wife, Caitlin (a born-and-raised Sonoma County native) and their two crazy chiweenie mutts are frequently found hiking in, running through, and exploring the Regional Parks. Adam is a lifelong environmentalist; he spent the last 10+ years working in the environmental arena, including over six years with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Adam currently works with San Diego Gas & Electric's Clean Transportation Policy team to foster adoption of zero-emission vehicles and equitable access to charging resources. He brings a public service approach, energy, and excitement to serve his community to his work. His favorite park is whichever one he is in at the moment, but he holds a particular fondness for Gualala Point on a sunny day.
Sylvia Lemus
A lifelong resident of Sonoma County, Sylvia Lemus was raised in Southwest Santa Rosa and has lived in Cotati for fifteen years. She recently retired after 33 years of public service, specializing in human resources and communications for the County of Sonoma. She works part time in human resources and safety training. Last year, Sylvia and her family launched a new family wine business, Lemus Family Wines. Sylvia is invested in the community through her active participation in numerous community organizations and boards. Currently, Sylvia is serving her first term as the first Latina City Councilmember in the City of Cotati. Sylvia started a ladies hiking group several years ago and enjoys hiking Sonoma County Regional Parks, especially Helen Putnam Regional Park.
Michael Murphy
Michael Murphy of Sebastopol is a deeply devoted Sonoma County equestrian, active Realtor, and committed conservationist. He has been patrolling parks on horses as a member of the Mounted Assistance Units of state and county parks since 1992, and has served in leadership roles with Back Country Horsemen of America and California. He has actively assisted the Santa Rosa Junior College equine studies program through teaching, student advising, and helping raise $5 million for the college’s equine facility. He holds a BS in Environmental Planning from Sonoma State University. Michael’s passion for parks is driven by his vision of preserving open spaces and trails in healthy and sustainable condition for his grandchildren.
Kathryn Peyton
Kathryn Peyton is a native of Asheville, North Carolina, where she became an avid hiker and parks fan. A former high school economics teacher, Kathryn lives in Penngrove and now works as a financial advisor in Sebastopol. She is also an enthusiastic member of Impact 100 Redwood Circle. She has served on many nonprofit boards and is especially happy to share expertise on nonprofit fundraising and financial management. Her favorite "park fact" is that the Regional Parks are the largest science educator in Sonoma County outside of the local school districts. Her favorite parks are Crane Creek and Gualala, and her favorite park memories are walking her dogs on all the wonderful trails that SCRP provides.
Suzanne Tucker
Suzanne Tucker is a resident of Penngrove. She is active in the Petaluma Chamber of Commerce, founded their Petaluma Business Alliance, and is participating in Leadership Petaluma. Suzanne has an MBA in Marketing and Finance from Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and is the founder of One Stop Graphics, a marketing and design company. She has assisted several regional nonprofits with fundraising strategies and event marketing. Suzanne’s favorite park experience is “just BEING in the parks walking and hiking, looking out at the vistas, at the trees and hills, hearing the birds. We are blessed to have so many beautiful places to walk – and it’s good for the soul to do so.”
Stephen Sellick
Stephen Sellick has been living in Sonoma County (initially part-time, now full-time) since 2013. After a career as an expert witness and founder of consulting firm Gnarus Advisors, Steve looks forward to applying his multidisciplinary experience in economics, public policy, litigation, risk management, business development, entrepreneurship, and business transformation to issues in sustainability, agriculture, food, nutrition, and wellness. Steve is also active with Sonoma County Master Food Preservers, Slow Food, the Private Directors Association, StartOut Mentoring, and the Harris School of Public Policy Alumni Council at the University of Chicago.
Shaun Vongphakham
Shaun Vongphakham is a 25+ year of resident of Sonoma County. He has worked with several financial institutions during his career and currently is a Branch Manager and Vice President for Exchange Bank. Shaun holds a BS in Business Management from Sonoma State University. He is passionate to promote active and outdoor lifestyle to everyone, especially families with young kids. In his free time, Shaun, his wife and two kids will be out hiking, kayaking, camping, fishing and just be a part of mother nature. Shaun’s favorite parks to meditate and activate all his five senses are Cloverdale River Park, Taylor Mountain, Hood Mountain, Riverfront, Pebble Beach and Stengel Beach.
Emeritus Board
Nicole (Nicki) Artieres
Rochelle Cook Johnson, Past Vice Chair
Barbara Cooper, Past Secretary
Carol Eber, Past President
Liz Ellis, Founding Board Member
Cameron Scott Kirk, Past Secretary
Ari Hauptman, MD, Past Secretary
Maureen Lynch
Hugo Mata
Richard Retecki
Andy Rodgers, Past President
Kristin Thigpen, Past PresidentStephen Sellick has been living in Sonoma County (initially part-time, now full-time) since 2013. After a career as an expert witness and founder of consulting firm Gnarus Advisors, Steve looks forward to applying his multidisciplinary experience in economics, public policy, litigation, risk management, business development, entrepreneurship, and business transformation to issues in sustainability, agriculture, food, nutrition, and wellness. Steve is also active with Sonoma County Master Food Preservers, Slow Food, the Private Directors Association, StartOut Mentoring, and the Harris School of Public Policy Alumni Council at the University of Chicago.
Board Agendas