Professional Environmental Experience

1998-2003

Executive Director/Ballona Wetlands Foundation, Playa del Rey, Ca.
Managed Board of Directors comprised of California State Controller, Los Angeles City Council District Member, Playa Capital, Friends of Ballona Wetlands Founder

- Responsible for leading the Restoration efforts of the largest and last remaining wetlands of Los Angeles County
- Created Mission Statement for the Foundation
- Responsible for all Public Relations and media for the Foundation
- Responsible for all Permit applications for trail improvements, fencing, planting, invasive plant removal and restoration
- Developed successful working relationships with LA City Council members, Coastal Commissioners, State and Federal Congress members, and government and private agencies such as Los Angeles Metropolitan Water District, City of LA Bureau of Sanitation, Los Angeles Dept of Public Works, Southern California Gas Co., and United Storm Water, Inc.
- Created the esteemed Science Advisory Board, made up of 12 of the foremost wetlands specialists from 10 Universities in the US
- Created the WOW Team, (Wonders of Wetlands) 1,000´s of Los Angeles school children participated in this program with lab sessions in the classrooms as well as field trips to the Wetlands
- Held the prestigious 2-day Annual Science Symposium, where experts came together to speak, interact, and openly discuss the most viable solutions for solving the challenges of the most contested wetland in California history
- Held the Annual Ballona Fest, a public outreach effort to bring the community to the wetlands to learn why restoration is necessary and to take guided tours
- Created the quarterly Pickleweed Press Newsletter
- Created the Ballona Wetlands Learning Lab, later known as BOLD (Ballona Outdoor Learning and Discovery) an experimental effort in collaboration with Loyola Marymount University to research what restoration practices work, on the actual site
- Wrote a chapter in Facilitating Watershed Management, Fostering Awareness and Stewardship, for Harvard University,published 2005
- Lobbyist in Washington DC and Sacramento on behalf of water quality, and wetlands causes
- Created Ballona By-Path Alliance, an inter-government agency effort
- Presented talks “Restoring the Ballona Wetlands, The Interplay of Politics, Science and Nature” across the country to Engineers, Architects, Scientists organizations
- Served on Board of Directors/Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project, Ballona Wetlands Interpretive Center, and Wetlands Recovery Project

Other Non Profit Experience

1986-1996 – Organized “Teaching Tolerance In Schools” program for The Southern Poverty Law Center. Spoke at Southern California Elementary Schools, provided materials and raised public awareness of hate crimes in America

1987-1990 – Project Angel Food – Coordinated volunteers to feed AIDS patients in their homes, ran fundraisers through DIFFA (Los Angeles Organization of Interior Designers)

1990-1996 – Coordinated and oversaw monthly volunteer restoration efforts at the Pt. Dume Natural Preserve in Malibu, in cooperation with California State Parks. Held press conferences, wrote numerous newspaper articles, TV interviews, and as a result, was instrumental in the Preserve obtaining State Park status.

1993 – Founded and chaired the Malibu Chapter of Heal The Bay

1993 –2003- Served on the Executive Board of Directors of Heal The Bay, Santa Monica. Chaired their main fund-raiser, Bring Back The Beach, in 1994, 1995, 1996, and was Honorary Chair 1997. Served on and/or Chaired the Advancement Committee, Development Committee, Vice President of Projects, Issues Committee, Personnel Committee, Nominations Committee, and Board Relations Committee. Coordinated Board retreats.

1997-After a visit to Nepal, raised funds to establish the Jiri School for 150 Hindu children in the Himalayan village of Jiri. Within 3 months it was up and running with a facility, learning materials and teachers.

1998- hosted luncheons in Los Angeles for Business Leaders For Sensible Priorities for Ben Cohen, Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream

2004 –present- leader in efforts to fight building on the dunes and protect and preserve all the eco-systems in the oasis of Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, through the non-profit, Artosan, and Las Tunas Eco Organization.

2008, 2009 – Co-hosted weekly Eco Café Series/Todos Santos/ Brought in speakers and experts on a variety of issues concerning Baja California Sur

AWARDS, HONORS AND CITATIONS.

1996 – Honored by Heal The Bay
2000 – HOBY Award (Hugh O’Brian) California Youth Leadership
2001 – California State Parks Certificate of Appreciation ceremony
2002 – Honored by Teaching Tolerance
2002 – Honored by the City of Los Angeles
2003 – Honored by the State of California for Valuable Contribution
2003 – Honored by the City of Los Angeles
2004 –Heal The Bay´s first Lifelong Super Healer Award

Education

1967 – Pierce College/ Woodland Hills, Ca./Fine Arts
1969 – Chouinard Art Institute /Los Angeles/Completed two year program/Fine Arts
1997 – UCLA Extention/Environmental Architecture
2001 – Certification/Concur/UC Berkeley/Negotiating
            Affective Environmental Agreements
            Mitigation Under NEPA/Theory and Practice
            Certification/Concur/UC Berkeley/Facilitating and Mediating
            Effective Environmental Agreements

Professional Associations (currently inactive since residing in Mexico)

IBD/Contract Business Designers
NCBD/ National Contract Business Designers
NSID/ Nationally Recognized Designer
ASID/Affiliate Member
National Council for Science and the Environment/Washington,DC Participated for 2years/Responsible for making recommendations to the President of the United States and members of the Administration
AEP/Association of Environmental Professionals
NAEP/National Association of Environmental Professionals