Board
MEHC Board
Diana Benitez is Canal Alliance’s Senior Manager of Advocacy and Engagement. She works with Latino residents in Marin County to create affordable, healthy, and safe neighborhoods. During her career in academia, non-profits, and the private sector, Diana has worked on general plans, community leadership, and various analyses on racial equity, early childhood education, and greenhouse gas reductions. She is an APA California Planners4Health Initiative Steering Committee member and a Planners4Health Coordinator of the APA Northern California Section. Diana is also a Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Policy Advisory Council member. She holds a Master’s degree from UCLA and a Bachelor’s degree from CSUN in Urban and Regional Planning along with a Minor in GIS.
Aaron Burnett is the Director of policy and Civic Engagement at Canal Alliance. He dedicates his work to challenging systemic barriers and structural inequities that prevent Marin’s Latino immigrant community from breaking out of the cycle of poverty. He began his career at Canal Alliance as a Staff Attorney providing no cost legal assistance, with a focus on humanitarian visas and pathways to citizenship for undocumented minors in removal proceedings. His current advocacy touches on an array of issues, with a major emphasis on housing solutions and tenant protections. Aaron is a proud graduate of the Shoreline Unified School District, and holds a B.A. from UC Santa Cruz and a J.D. from the University of Oregon. He currently resides in San Rafael.
Betsey Cutler has lived in Mill Valley since 1969. She served on the Planning Commission, and served two terms on the City Council, twice as Mayor. She is eager to help advocate for low and moderate income housing in Marin County as it is much needed.
Lucie Hollingsworth is the Senior Policy Attorney for Legal Aid of Marin. She has over 15 years of experience in providing legal services to low-income and underrepresented communities in the areas of housing, domestic violence, and human trafficking. Currently, she advocates for policy and system changes to benefit the clients that Legal Aid of Marin serves in the areas of homelessness and tenant protections. Lucie holds a J.D. from Loyola Law School and a B.A. from University of California – Santa Barbara. She and her husband live in Novato.
Paul Jensen is the former City of San Rafael Community Development Department Director where he was overseeing city planning, building and code enforcement. Paul retired in June 2021, after working for the City of San Rafael for 14 years. He also worked for San Rafael as a City Planner from 1980-1988. In the intervening 20 years, Paul had a planning consulting business specializing in large development project management, environmental review and policy writing for Bay Area cities. During this time, Paul provided consultant services for about a dozen cities including San Rafael.
Paul holds a BA in Geography/Urban Planning and AICP planning certification. He is a native San Franciscan and has lived in Marin for over 40 years.
Larry Kennings is an environmental planning consultant with 48 years of experience, of which 41 years have been in Marin County. He has a Master’s Degree in City Planning from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. He currently is serving Marin County as a member of the Parks and Open Space Commission. Larry is also a member of the Measure A Oversight Committee. He was a Founding Director of the International Association of Public Participation. Larry also was a Founding Director and President of the Alumni Association for the University of California’s College of Environmental Design. He is a former member and Chair of the Architectural Advisory Committee for Mill Valley. Larry also served as the President of the Board of Directors of the Richmond Art Center.
Claire McAuliffe is a former Mayor of Belvedere, former President of The Redwoods board, and a civic volunteer including Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Belvedere-Tiburon Library Foundation, and the Belvedere-Tiburon Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. She is a retired business professional.
Tom is originally from St. Louis, Missouri and moved to California in 2019. He joined CLAM in December 2022 and continues to work as CLAM’s Project Manager. Tom has worked on construction projects in several settings. He was an AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Assistant Team Leader, working on development projects with several organizations including Habitat for Humanity. Tom studied Architecture at College of Marin and has also worked with various nonprofits.
Gail is a Citizen at Large focused on inclusive climate adaptation. She has 45 years of experience as a licensed architect on projects across the globe at scales from woodshed to master plan, primarily focused on sustainability, climate adaptation and inclusive design. She moved to Marin County in 1999, ran her own architecture firm here until 2011, then worked at Gensler as a Sustainability Director until her retirement in 2023. Gail is an active member of the San Rafael Sea Level Rise Adaptation Project Technical Advisory Group, frequent volunteer at the City and County levels, and passionate advocate for inclusion of people with disabilities. She lives with her husband in San Rafael, California.
Now retired, Steven Saxe was a partner in the law firm now known as Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, and finished his career as a partner in the law firm of Boyden, Cooluris & Saxe, specializing in the law of banking and related financial matters, and, in particular, the laws applicable to the consumer financial products offered by banks. He is a founding member of the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers and was active on the American Bar Association Consumer Finance Committee.
Mr. Saxe has had a long-time interest in housing, having been raised by a prominent San Francisco realtor, and has actively advocated for the availability – on a non-discriminatory basis – of housing in our community affordable at all economic levels. He has served as a board member of affordable housing developer EAH, and for many years presided over the board of Fair Housing of Marin.
Jenny is thrilled to be serving as the Board Chair for the Marin Environmental Housing Collaborative (MEHC). Jenny has been a volunteer with the organization since 2021, and has been involved in housing advocacy since 2018. As a housing advocate, she has attended and spoken at numerous public meetings, and has written a number of Marin Voice columns on housing, equity and education. She was also a volunteer for the Campaign for Fair Housing Elements, and has reviewed all Marin jurisdictions housing elements and served on the Sausalito Housing Element Advisory Committee.
Jenny volunteers with other non-profit organizations, including serving on the Sierra Club Marin Group Ex Com, Sierra Club outings leader, Board Chair for Kids Cooking for Life, and board member for Teaching Lab.
Prior to retirement, Jenny was an entrepreneur and CEO. Most recently, she led Sheet Music Plus, an online sheet music retailer based in Berkeley. She previously founded Sign Up For Camp (now ActivityHero), which provides an online marketplace for kids’ summer camps and activities.
She has a BS and MBA from Stanford University. She is an avid hiker, skier and bike rider, and lives in Sausalito, California with her husband and two children.
Amy Skewes-Cox is an environmental planner with over 40 years of experience preparing documents in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). She has had her own company since 1999 and has prepared Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) for schools, housing developments, new towns, and industrial facilities throughout Northern California. She has served on local Boards for San Anselmo Open Space Committee, San Domenico School, Alpine County Arts and Culture, and Marin Conservation League. When not at work, Amy enjoys hiking and working on painting and fiber arts using natural dyes.
Chantel L. Walker leads the County of Marin’s Organizational Development and Training Division within the Department of Human Resources. She and her team deliver educational trainings, tools and strategies to build organizational capability and employee excellence in County of Marin departments and its 2200 person workforce.
During her more than 20 years of experience in philanthropy and the broader nonprofit sector, Chantel has worked as a technical assistance provider, grantmaker, advocate, senior executive and direct service provider throughout the country on children, family and neighborhood development issues. She has published and presented on issues of early childhood education and community development; community organizing and the role of philanthropy; human services reform; and early childhood education finance and facilities development. She is fluent in Spanish and an experienced convener and facilitator.
Chantel continues to be an active and dedicated volunteer for family and community issues with several nonprofit organizations and public agencies. Currently, Chantel is the president of the board of directors of the Marin County Library Foundation and serves on the board of the Marin Environmental Housing Collaborative. She is the former president of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency, and board chair of the Children’s Creativity Museum and the Women’s Foundation of California. She also has served on the board of directors for the State Bar of California, Neighborhood Funders Group, and Association of Black Foundation Executives. Walker is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and University of San Francisco. She lives with her family in San Anselmo.
Advisory Board
Ron Albert is a graduate of UC Berkeley’s law school engaged in a private law practice since 1983. Ron has been a resident of Marin County since 1989. He is the former President and current Board Member of the Rotary Housing Corporation, which owns and manages 32 units of affordable senior housing in Sausalito. Ron is a former Mayor of Sausalito, former Chair of the Sausalito’s Planning Commission and former member of the Executive Committee of the Sierra Club’s Marin Group and Board member of the Marin Conservation League. Ron is involved in numerous civic and charitable organizations.
Margot Biehle is an attorney who currently serves as Marin County Planning Commissioner. She is also on the Board of Directors of Cool the Earth, an environmental education non-profit. Previously Margot was General Counsel for Project Frog, Inc., a firm that designs and installs high pre-engineered green buildings. Margot’s legal practice has also included roles as outside general counsel for early-stage start-ups, mergers and acquisitions and securities litigation attorney at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in San Francisco, and contract attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council in the area of water law and policy. She is a founding board member and past President of the Board of Emerge California, a Democratic women’s political training program, and served for several years as a member of the Sierra Club Marin Group Executive Committee.
Greg Brockbank has been a 45-year Marin resident, and a 26-year attorney (currently as the owner and operator of Marin Law Center) and civic and political activist. He’s served on the boards of several dozen organizations, and chaired more than a dozen, including the Marin Democratic Party, the Social Justice Center or Marin, the Marin Chapter of the ACLU, and most recently, in 2011, the statewide chapter of Health Care for All, which advocates for a single-payer health care system. Greg has long been both a housing advocate and an environmental activist, having served as the Chair of the San Rafael Housing Corporation in the late 80’s, which advocated for affordable housing, and where he founded Affordable Housing Week, for which he obtained resolutions from the Board of Supervisors and various city councils, and arranged tours for councilmembers and planning commissioners of affordable housing sites in order to dispel the myth that affordable housing reduces nearby property values. He has also served on the boards of several environmental organizations as well, including the Environmental Forum of Marin and the North Bay Sustainability Center, and recently joined the Board of Sustainable San Rafael.
Greg graduated in 2011 from the San Rafael Planning Academy, and also has recently completed his coursework for Dominican University’s Sustainable Practices Certificate. Greg served 18 years as a College of Marin Trustee, and four years as a San Rafael City councilman, with his term ending in December 201
Ron Brown is a graduate of MIT with a PhD from the University of Chicago. He spent the majority of his career in the Biotechnology industry and has been a resident of Marin County since 1994. He is a Past-President of Congregation Kol Shofar, a founding member institution of the Marin Organizing Committee. Through his involvement with MOC, Ron became active in efforts to solve the problem of housing affordability in Marin, and is the co-chair of MOC’s Affordable Housing Team.
Katie Crecelius has worked in the affordable housing field for many years. She has completed 30 small low-income rental housing and other developments for non-profit organizations in the Bay Area. Most of these developments house persons with disabilities. In addition to her professional work, Ms. Crecelius has volunteered in various capacities. She is past Chair of the Novato Housing Coalition. She is also a past Novato Housing and Services Commissioner and a former Chair of the Marin Economic Commission. She is the recipient of the 2004 Beryl H. Buck Award for individual achievement from the Marin Community Foundation, the 2007 Hannah Creighton Award for Environmental Justice from the Sierra Club Marin Group, the 2010 North Bay Leadership Council Community Building Award, and a 2014 Certificate of Recognition from the Marin County Human Rights Commission
John Eller is a graduate of the University of Oregon School of Architecture. John became a California licensed architect in 1980, eventually holding licenses in Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado and Hawaii. John joined the San Francisco and Miami based firm of Sandy & Babcock in 1977, became a partner of the firm in 1997 and became President and primary owner in 2001. John transitioned the brand of the firm to SB Architects, as it is known today.
John’s professional career was dedicated to planning and design of multi-family housing, mixed use and hospitality projects around the Bay Area, the country and the world. John was one the primary architects for the mixed use developments at Santana Row in San Jose and Bay Street in Emeryville. John’s multi-family projects ranged from affordable housing to market rate and to ultra high end. Having retired from active practice in 2011 John continues his advocacy of excellent planning and design as a Marin County Planning Commissioner.
Casey Epp is the supervising attorney at Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California (formerly Fair Housing of Marin), a nonprofit organization based in San Rafael that provides legal assistance and advocacy to renters and homeowners alleging discrimination in housing. Ms. Epp received her J.D. from UC Hastings College of the Law in 2011 and has six years of experience practicing law in California with a focus on civil rights.
A former Mill Valley Planning Commissioner and City Councilwoman, Kathleen Foote served as mayor of Mill Valley in 1986-87 and in 1990-91. She chaired the Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers for two years, and served as a BCDC Commissioner from 1988 to ’92. She was a Trustee of the Marin Community Foundation from 1994 to 2002, and its chair for two years. In her day job, Ms. Foote is the Antitrust Chief for the California Attorney General’s Office. Before joining the State in 1988 Ms. Foote was Associate Dean at University of San Francisco School of Law, where she taught Land Use and Environmental Law for seven years.
Mayme has been a community volunteer for 30 years. She has been a docent at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and is a past Chair of the Marin County Human Rights Commission. She was the coordinator of Geology Day for the Environmental Forum of Marin from 1999-2004. She has been a member the Democratic Central Committee of Marin, the State Platform Committee, and is the Executive Board Representative from the 6th the California Democratic Party and has been active in the Take Back Red California project, a partnership between Democratic leaders in “red” and “blue” counties. Now it’s the 10th AD (redistricting) and I’m still a delegate and the E-board member.
Linda Jackson is program director of the Marin Aging Action Initiative. She has over 30 years of experience in strategic planning and communications working for Austin and San Rafael, the Transportation Authority of Marin, and nonprofit agencies. She is a trustee of the San Rafael City Schools Board of Education, and board member of the League of Women Voters of Marin County and Sustainable San Rafael. Linda holds an M.S. in planning and an M.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas and a B.A. from Wellesley College. After college, Linda served with the Peace Corps in the Andes. She and her husband live in San Rafael.
Shiraz Kaderali has been a 42-year resident of Marin County. During this period he has worked for a major utility (PG&E), has been a consultant to several utilities in the US as well as Canada, and he and his wife currently own and manage a natural supplements company in San Rafael.
For PG&E, Shiraz developed a comprehensive environmental program. He represented the company on the California Land Use Task Force as well as the BCDC Advisory Committee. He was a member of the American Planning Association and served on the Board of the California chapter for several years. While at PG&E he held various other positions including being the Director of Business Planning.
He has been on the Board of “Xmas in April” for North Bay and was a Board member and President of the Harvard Club of San Francisco. He also was a Big Brother for the “Big Brothers Big Sisters” of North Bay mentoring a child for several years. Shiraz graduated from the Edinburgh University School of architecture and has a Master in City Planning from Harvard.
Cesar is a Filipino-American activist, educator and a culturally competent bilingual (Tagalog) psychotherapist. He has been conducting and providing lectures, presentations, speaking engagements and workshops on multicultural issues and subjects at international, national and regional levels since 1989. He is also a community organizer, providing leadership and strategic development to various initiatives, campaigns and community building efforts. Cesar is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Masters Degree from San Francisco State University. He has been a Mental Health Practitioner for the County of Marin’s Health and Human Services Department since 1999, specializing in working with youth and their families who are involved in the criminal justice system.
Kiki La Porta’s communications agency, Descom Studios (1995), provides strategy, branding, and design for corporations, small businesses, nonprofits and public agencies.
Kiki is past president and excom member of Sustainable Marin, co-founder and director of Sustainable San Rafael, and founding member of Coalition for a Livable Marin (CALM). She served 5 years on the board of The Cedars of Marin, and on numerous other boards and committees including the Environmental Forum of Marin, City of San Rafael’s Climate Change Action Plan, and MMWD’s Water Rates Advisory Committee. She currently serves on the Town of Fairfax’s Climate Action Committee and Chamber of Commerce Board.
Kiki’s personal and professional focus is promoting environmental, economic, and social sustainability, and addressing social problems through wise public policy, socially responsible business, and conscious everyday decision-making. Current work includes promulgating climate action strategies “commensurate with the scale of the problem.”
Stacey Laumann is an urban planner, with deep experience in both housing policy and housing development. She served for seven years with the Marin County Community Development Agency where she helped to write the 2014 Housing Element. She was project manager on Habitat for Humanity’s Mt. Burdell Place project in Novato. She currently serves as Project Manager for the Community Land Trust Association of West Marin (CLAM). Stacey is on the San Rafael Park and Recreation Commission. She holds a BA in Sociology from U.C. Santa Cruz and a MS in Urban Planning from the University of London.
David Levin is an attorney representing renters in Marin, Contra Costa, and Alameda Counties. Previously, David worked for ten years as a housing attorney on behalf of low-income clients at Bay Area Legal Aid, and he served as Managing Attorney at Legal Aid of Marin for four years. David has successfully represented clients facing housing discrimination, retaliatory evictions, and illegal conditions at rental properties.
Stephanie has worked in the economic development and redevelopment field for the past twenty years. She is currently the Economic Development Manager for the City of San Rafael. Prior to joining the City of San Rafael, she worked as a financial consultant and investment banker to California public agencies. Her undergraduate education includes Fellowship with the Coro Foundation, a public affairs postgraduate program, in New York City.
Sami Mericle is a freelance journalist focusing on environmentalism, social justice, and activism. Her work has appeared in Sierra, The Contemporary, and The Oberlin Review. She graduated from Oberlin College in 2017 with degrees in English and Environmental Studies. Born and raised in San Rafael, Sami enjoys hiking Marin trails with her puppy and coaching several local girls’ softball teams. Until recently she also served on the board of Sustainable San Rafael and worked with Indivisible Marin to promote clean energy through outreach and legislation. She has also been an active leader with the Marin Organizing Committee, chairing its Tenant Protections team. Sami is currently in training to work as a community organizer with the Industrial Areas Foundation.
Bob Pendoley is a retired city planner with thirty-seven years of professional planning experience as a public sector planning manager and as a private consultant. From 2004 through 2009, he was Planning Director and Assistant Town Manager for the Town of Corte Madera. His other public sector positions include serving as Planning Director for the City of San Rafael, Director of Environmental Management for Solano County, and Community Development Program Manager at the City of Vallejo. His volunteer experience includes service on the board of directors for the Marin Workforce Housing Trust and Fair Housing of Marin. He has served on the MEHC Board since 2014 and lived in Marin since 1989.
Ms. Rodriguez was formerly the Principal Planner managing the Community Planning Division at Marin County. She completed a number of projects including the national award winning Marin Countywide Plan, the Green Building Program, the Green Business Program, the Energy Efficiency Program, and Renewable Energy Program, the Climate Action Plan, and the initial studies for the Community Choice Aggregation Program. Under the leadership of the Marin Economic Commission she completed the Targeted Industries Study, Business Retention Report, Business Survey, the Marin Profile, their annual business award luncheon, and the launch of the Marin Economic Forum Steering Committee. Michele recently completed the development and launch of Energy Upgrade California, a market transformation whole building approach to energy efficiency. Michele was formerly the President of the Association of Environmental Professionals, and is currently a member of the American Planning Association. Michele is a Master of Urban and Regional Planning and Economics, and a Leader in Energy and Environmental Design.
Rev. Scott Quinn, M.Div., MA, was ordained a Lutheran minister and served for five years as an associate pastor of a congregation in Dallas, Texas. His career includes working seven years in Austin, Texas as an educator and spiritual director at an interfaith spirituality center, which is affiliated with a large Catholic hospital system. After moving to California and starting a spiritual direction practice, he became the Director of Community for The Chaplaincy Institute, an interfaith seminary and community in Berkeley. He also has been ordained as an interfaith minister and has served on the boards of both Marin Interfaith Council and Interfaith Center at the Presidio. He is currently the Acting Executive Director for the Marin Interfaith Council. He and his partner reside in San Rafael, where they care for a large garden, bee hives, and several pets.
Retired from twelve years on the Marin County Board of Supervisors following four years on the Sausalito City Council, Annette Rose is currently the President of the Sausalito Foundation, Chair of the Southern Marin Land Trust, President of the Frank Lloyd Wright Conservancy and a member of the Marin County Cultural and Visitor Services Commission. She is also a board member of Antenna Theater and the Bay Model Association. Annette was endorsed by the Sierra Club in each of her five elections. She now consults on waterfront and affordable housing projects.
Colin Russell is a Managing and Design Principal with Russell Architects, with offices in San Rafael, CA. He has over 40 years of experience in Architecture, Planning, and Interior Design, including single and multi-family/workforce housing, commercial, industrial, and institutional projects. Drake’s Way, a 23 unit workforce housing project designed by his firm, is the first such project in the county to have received a LEED certification. He has also directed the design effort for over 3 million square feet of Interior Design projects. He has been an active participant in civic and business affairs, most recently as Board Chairman for the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Advocates for Housing and Economic Development (AHED) Committee.
Karen Strolia has been a proud San Rafael resident since 2005. She and her husband have two children in college after attending San Rafael public schools (Coleman, Davidson, and San Rafael High).
As a graduate of UC Berkeley’s psychology department, Karen began her career in social services, working to house individuals experiencing homelessness. Her passion for creating meaningful change led her to Downtown Streets Team, where she led a workforce development program for unhoused community members as Regional Director for the North Bay and Organizational Culture for six years, covering both Marin and Sonoma Counties.
During her tenure, Karen spearheaded the launch of Marin County’s first mobile shower program, which provided essential hygiene services to individuals living in encampments. This innovative program played a critical role in helping participants secure housing and employment opportunities, reflecting Karen’s commitment to impactful, community-centered solutions, and ending homelessness with an individualized approach.
As Chief Operations Officer at the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin, Karen further honed her expertise in organizational management, deepening her understanding of staff development and business infrastructure. Currently pursuing an MBA at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, Karen continues to blend her passion for social impact with business acumen. Since joining the San Rafael Chamber in December 2023, Karen brings a fresh perspective to the San Rafael Chamber. As President and CEO, she is dedicated to celebrating and uplifting local businesses, fostering connection and collaboration, and driving economic vitality in the region.
Ethan Strull works as a Housing Policy Advocate at Legal Aid of Marin, a nonprofit organization that provides free eviction-defense services in Marin County. He focuses on advocating for the immediate needs of low-income tenants alongsde larger visions in housing of sustainability, desegregation, and equity. He is passionate about supporting young people and Marinites directly marginalized by our housing crisis to get involved to advocate for a better Marin. Ethan grew up in San Rafael and holds a B.A. in Political Science and Urban Studies from Bowdoin College.
Mary Kay Sweeney is Executive Director of Homeward Bound of Marin, chief provider of residential and support services to homeless individuals and families in Marin County. Dr. Sweeney received the “Excellence in Leadership” Award at the 2004 Heart of Marin Awards. Homeward Bound also received the award for non-profit excellence and the 2006 Marin Economic Commission’s Community Leadership and Service Award. Mary Kay has worked in the non-profit field in Marin for 25 years, serving as founding Assistant Executive Director at Canal Community Alliance (now Canal Alliance) and at Seva Foundation. She currently serves on the Workforce Investment Board for Marin County.
In 1978 Joe became a board member (and three-time president) of the San Geronimo Valley Affordable Housing Association, which owns and operates three shared housing units rented to six low-income seniors on Sage Lane, and the Forest Knolls Mobile Home Park, with 19 owner occupied spaces on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Forest Knolls. He was a founding member and first chairman of the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce Affordable Housing Committee, which has now become the Marin County Consortium for Workforce Housing. He also served as President of the Board of Directors of the Chamber, and served six years on the Board. Joe is on the Marin League of Women Voters Transportation, Land Use and Housing Committee. He is also on the Board of Directors of EAH, a non-profit developer of affordable housing.
Joanne Webster is President and CEO of the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce. She has over 20 years’ experience in small business as the former proprietor of Double Rainbow Cafe and 10 years’ experience in downtown business management, and is a strong advocate for local businesses. For over 30 years Joanne has been an active member of the Marin business community, winning Small Business of the Year and the Spirit of Marin Award in 1998 and 2008. Her skills include strategic planning, marketing and public relations, community outreach, volunteer leadership, team building, board development, membership, and event implementation. Her specialties include business advocacy, connecting leaders and influencers, and building coalitions.
Stephen is a consultant, executive coach, and facilitator for Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, and non-profits. His work building collaboration and resolving conflict has been funded by foundations such as Packard Foundation, Marin Community Foundation, San Francisco Foundation, and Pante Rhea Foundation. Stephen’s career includes: Instructor for Harvard University; CEO of AIB Business Consulting, Inc; and psychologist with the Veteran’s Administration. He earned a Ph.D. in Psychology from Purdue University, a B.S. in Mathematics from Manhattan College, and trained in Facilitation and Group Dynamics at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Steve is a member of the Society of Consulting Psychology and the American Psychological Association. Stephen is the author of “Power through Collaboration: When to Collaborate, Negotiate, or Dominate!” and “Power through Collaboration: The Formula for Success in Challenging Situations.” For more information see www.willisllc.com.
Warren is the Policy & Planning Director for the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to improving safety and access for people using bicycles in Marin, whether for transportation or recreation. He travels primarily by bicycle, commuting from the East Bay across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. Before coming to work in Marin, Warren worked in private transportation consulting for Kimley-Horn and Associates, developing plans to improve bike/pedestrian access for transit centers, schools, and universities.
Though a transportation planner by training, Warren is deeply aware of the inextricable links between housing and transportation. Where people live and how far that is from where they work and shop is a key factor in generating traffic congestion and vehicle-based emissions. As a cost-burdened renter himself, living in an apartment building that would be illegal to build today, questions of housing are seldom far from mind.
Warren has a BA in Philosophy from University of Maryland Baltimore County, and an MA in Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA.
Sallyanne Wilson, a communications and grant making professional, was on the staff of the Marin Community Foundation for 17 years, serving as both communications officer and program officer for the environment. Her previous professional experience included public education activities for the Marin Conservation League, coordinating political campaigns, and writing for various publications. She served on the Marin County Planning Commission and the Larkspur Park and Recreation Commission and is currently the president of the board of Strategic Energy Innovations and serves on the Larkspur Heritage Preservation Board. Sallyanne has lived in Larkspur for 43 years.
Tom Wilson has been executive director of the Canal Alliance since 1992 and executive director of Canal Housing Alliance since 2002. He has served on the boards of the Legal Self-Help Center, and the Justice Center of Marin. He was founding president of the board of Ecology House, Inc., president of the boards of the Coordinated Youth Council, Marin Nexus (CVNL), and Marin Homes for Independent Living. Tom received both the Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award and the Benjamin Dreyfus Civil Liberties Award for advocacy for social justice and human rights issues. Canal Alliance received the Heart of Marin Award for excellence in 2007 and the North Bay Council Leadership Award in 2013 for building Latino leadership.
