Why I’m Running to Represent East Bay Regional Park District Board, Ward 5

Our East Bay Regional Parks are true gems, allowing people of all capabilities, income levels, and interests to enjoy the outdoors and learn. I use our parks every week, and I want to keep them safe, accessible, and well-managed. My priorities are increasing public access to safe trails for all users, aggressive wildfire mitigation, protecting our open spaces, and ensuring fiscal responsibility.

I hike and mountain bike Regional Park District trails every single week. I can ride my bike from my house to three different East Bay Regional Parks - Pleasanton Ridge, Shadow Cliffs, and the Iron Horse Trail. My knowledge of our park system isn't theoretical; it is derived from firsthand, real-world experience on the trails we all share. I understand what creates safety hazards on our trails, from trail congestion to the danger of being nearly hit by illegal, high-speed, throttle-controlled e-motorcycles on non-motorized paths.

Restoring Democracy & Choice to Ward 5

There is a long history of uncontested elections in the Park District, where board seats change hands without voters ever having the opportunity to weigh in at the ballot box. In fact, the current incumbent took office in 2022 without a single vote cast by the public because they ran entirely unopposed.

I don’t think uncontested elections are good for democracy. Seats belong to the public, not to incumbents.

When elected leaders walk into office without a competitive campaign, public accountability suffers. Voters in Pleasanton, Dublin, Livermore, Newark, Sunol, and Fremont deserve a choice. They deserve a robust public debate about how their property tax dollars are spent, how their local trails are managed, and how open spaces are protected.

Passion for Parks, Not Career Politics

This is the only elected office I want. I am passionate about our parks, not about holding political office. I also bring deep, hands-on EBRPD leadership experience to the table.

I was first appointed in 2022 to the District’s 21-member Park Advisory Committee (PAC) and was subsequently elected by my peers as PAC Chair for the 2025–2026 term. Prior to that, I chaired the PAC Finance Subcommittee. In these roles, I have collaborated directly with community members, regional advisors, and EBRPD staff to keep our parks safe, accessible, and financially sound. Before joining the PAC, I served on the City of Pleasanton Bicycle, Pedestrian and Trails Committee (BPTC). I have always been deeply passionate about public access and trail safety.

Drawing on this background and my 30+ year corporate experience, I offer a clear, constructive alternative for Ward 5 with the following priorities:

Access: Increase Safe Trails for All Users

Championing Safe Access vs. Procedural Hurdles

• The Contrast: When the Board voted on proceeding with the environmental review for the Wildcat Canyon Flow Trail, the incumbent was one of only two board members who voted against moving forward, attempting to stall the project.

• My Commitment: As a Board member, I will not vote against responsible public access, and I will not leverage procedural hurdles to purposely bog down safe recreation. The public is tired of elected officials and organizations who weaponize the system to delay projects that the community wants and needs. Park access is essential for our physical health and mental wellness; we can and must have both environmental conservation and responsible recreation.

Safety: Accelerate Wildfire Mitigation & Vegetation Management

• The Priority: Wildfire is the single greatest threat to our parks and adjacent neighborhoods. Ensuring robust funding for the EBRPD Fire Department is a non-negotiable priority.

• My Plan: While EBRPD already does an excellent job with wildfire mitigation, we must accelerate proactive fuels management, including targeted conservation grazing and controlled burns. Executing prescribed burns requires specialized operational coordination including approval from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), 30 days minimum public notice, and submitting proposals through the California Air Resources Board’s online Prescribed Fire Information Reporting System (PFIRS). I will ensure the District has the resources and administrative focus to navigate these processes efficiently and educate the public on their safety benefits.

  
  

Conservation: Protect Our Parks, Open Spaces Trails, & Natural Habitats 

• The Contrast: While the incumbent defaults to procedural delays under the guise of conservation, true environmental stewardship requires proactive, hands-on management. Delaying responsible trail access doesn't protect nature. Rather, it frustrates the public, overcrowds existing paths, and bogs down the very community support our parks rely on. 

• My Commitment: I believe that environmental protection and public access go hand in hand. As a Board member, I will support science-based, active conservation strategies such as responsible conservation grazing, habitat restoration, and aggressive wildfire fuels reduction to protect biodiversity while keeping our parks resilient. True conservation requires decisive, proactive management, not bureaucratic paralysis.

Science-Based Habitat Preservation & Smart Recreation

• The Opportunity: Our park district encompasses delicate ecosystems that require strict preservation, but effective conservation isn't achieved by simply locking up public land and walking away. Unmanaged landbank properties can become overgrown vector points for invasive weeds and fire hazards, offering zero ecological or public benefit.

• My Plan: I will prioritize resources toward true ecological preservation: protecting critical watersheds, native wildlife corridors, and flora. At the same time, we can channel public recreation onto durable, well-maintained trail networks. By establishing clear boundaries, utilizing smart trail design, and actively restoring impacted areas, we can protect sensitive habitats from habitat fragmentation while fulfilling the District's core mission to connect the public with nature.

Accountability: Spend Our Tax Dollars Efficiently

Smarter Spending & Unlocking Landbank Properties

• The Opportunity: As a park user and PAC member, I see clear ways our tax dollars can be used more efficiently to open safe access faster. By adopting streamlined, low-cost approaches such as the Dougherty Valley Ridge Trail in San Ramon, which relies on simple unpaved trailheads and neighborhood street access rather than multi-million-dollar visitor centers and paved parking lots, we can stretch taxpayer dollars further and unlock locked landbank properties decades faster.  Another example is Pleasanton Ridge, where about one-third of the park is currently held in "landbank." EBRPD owns the land and incurs maintenance costs, yet it remains closed to the public with zero public benefit.

• My Plan: While sensitive ecological areas should remain set aside for strict preservation, existing fire roads and old ranch roads on landbank properties should be opened for responsible public access. Furthermore, while full-service visitor centers, paved lots, and restrooms are desirable, we can open access sooner and stretch taxpayer dollars by exploring streamlined approaches such as gravel parking lots and unpaved trailheads without costly structures, just like the successful Dougherty Valley Ridge Trail in San Ramon.

Transparent Governance vs. Costly Litigation

• The Record: Currently, high-profile legal claims by former executive leadership alleging board overreach, alongside costly tax-sharing disputes like the $100M litigation with the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (LARPD) loom large. 

• My Commitment: I will bring corporate financial discipline, strong ethics, and open, collaborative dialogue to the Board so that Ward 5 tax dollars stay working directly in our local trails and open spaces.

Recreation: Support Family-Friendly Park Experiences

Prioritizing Community Spaces & Family Day-Use

• The Priority: Our regional parks are more than just trails; they are community spaces where families celebrate, children play, and people relax. Delivering modern, well-maintained, and welcoming day-use facilities for every resident in Ward 5 must go hand-in-hand with protecting open space.

• My Commitment: I believe our regional parks should serve as accessible community backyards. As a Board member, I will focus on fixing basic operational bottlenecks, eliminating entry gate wait times, and ensuring our day-use park facilities receive the care, maintenance, and modern investment local families deserve.

  
  

Streamlining Access, Modernizing Operations, & Fixing Basic Amenities

• The Opportunity: Local families shouldn't have to wait in long entry lines on summer weekends or battle an outdated website just to reserve a group picnic site or enjoy a day at the park. Neighborhoods adjacent to parks shouldn't experience avoidable traffic delays while simply trying to go home. 

Ready to Serve Ward 5 Full-Time

My corporate sales career required significant time commitments. Now retired, I have the capacity and passion required to be a fully engaged, responsive, Board member.

I already understand how the District operates. I don't need a learning curve to start delivering results on day one.

Our East Bay Regional Parks belong to all of us, and democratic competition makes our public institutions stronger. I respectfully ask for your support and your vote so we can deliver a safer, more accessible, and fiscally accountable future for Ward 5.

Note: Titles and advisory positions listed on this website are for identification purposes only and do not imply endorsement by the East Bay Regional Park District or the Park Advisory Committee.