Board of Directors
Dan Kalmick
President
Bachelors of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Berkeley. Dan is the owner of a small business IT management consulting company which caters to small businesses and nonprofits. Dan sits on the Huntington Beach City Council after winning the election in November 2020. As a native of Orange County, Dan grew up in Seal Beach. Prior to being elected to the City Council, Dan served for 8 years on the Planning Commission where he voted to protect open space. Dan has also served as a Reserve Firefighter/EMT with the Orange County Fire Authority, Executive Board Member of the Bolsa Chica Land Trust, Vice-Chair of the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Citizens Advisory Committee, Board Member of Algalita Marine Research and Education, Huntington Beach Tomorrow, and the Huntington Beach Public Art Alliance. Dan rebuilt and maintains the BCLT Eco Cam system.
Past BCLT Treasurer (2018-2020)
Roberta Armstrong
Vice President
Ph.D. – English, University of California, Berkeley. Core team member of the Stewards, recently retired from many years as a fundraising professional working in higher education and NFP organizations. A board member for BCLT starting in 2010. In 2013 Roberta took the lead in establishing the Bolsa Chica Land Trust’s first endowment and she is currently working on nurturing the endowment and our planned giving portfolio. Roberta chairs our development committee. Roberta and her husband Mike are both recipients of the Kennedy-Kolpin Conservation Award.
2010-present
2010-present
Jeff Rokos
Treasurer
Bachelors in Psychology from Rutgers University. Jeff was born and raised in Union County, New Jersey and moved to Huntington Beach in 1995. Jeff has been a BCLT member for 22 years and a core team leader for the Stewards for 20 years. He joins our Board after retiring last year from a 32-year career working in the insurance/reinsurance field. Jeff and his wife Natalie were awarded the Kennedy-Kolpin Bolsa Chica Conservation Award in 2008. He is a member of the development committee and is in his 4th year serving on our Wings Over Bolsa calendar committee.
2018-present
2018-present
Marinka Horack
Secretary and Historian
Bachelor’s degree in History from Cal State University, Long Beach. Retired teacher who taught history, photography and social science at Norco High School for 18 years. Marinka is a docent for the Miracles program and is a member of the core Stewards team. Marinka meticulously maintains all records pertaining to our education and restoration projects. Marinka is a recipient of the Kennedy-Kolpin Bolsa Chica Conservation Award and currently sits on the communications, education and technology, and nominations committees.
Michael McMahan
Retired plumber, core team member of the Stewards for 20 years. Mike is responsible for the acquisition and maintenance of all the tools and equipment for the restoration project, delivers the Miracles of the Marsh student workbooks to 25 schools each year, leads our beach clean ups and is always willing to lend a hand in all aspects of BCLT. Mike is a recipient of the Kennedy-Kolpin Conservation Award. Mike chairs our acquisition committee and is on our restoration committee.
Jennifer Thomas
Bachelor of Science from CA State University, Fresno, Special Education Credentials from CA State University, Long Beach and UC Irvine. Jennifer was a special education teacher for the Orange County Department of Education for six years. Currently a REALTOR® in Orange County, working as a Broker/Associate for Seven Gables Real Estate. A board member for BCLT starting in 2010. She has been active in the Development Committee and the Stewards Programs and was VP from 2014-2016 and President from 2016-2022.
2010-present
2010-present
Karen Merickel
Bachelors of Biology and Masters in Cell Biology from UCLA. Professor Emeritus of Cypress College. Karen teaches Oral Histology and Embryology in the Dental Hygiene program. She has a 34 year tenure in the California Community Colleges and has served as Department Chair and Academic Senate President. Karen currently sits on our restoration committee.
Laurel Telfer
Bachelors in Education from the University of Southern California and Masters in the same from the CA State University, Long Beach. Educator in Los Alamitos Unified School District for 36 years. Orange County Regional Board Member of the California Association for the Gifted, 1988 – 1992. Program Reviewer for the U.S. National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, 1999-2003. Laurel was the recipient of the National Distinguished Principal Award from California in 2004. She was the Orange County Region 17 Representative, Statewide Elementary Education Council, Association for California School Administrators, 2002-2006. Laurel received the PTA Statewide Golden Oak Award in 1996 and the PTA Continuing Service Award in 2006. She is currently a consultant/coach with the non-profit Pivot Learning Partners. Laurel is the author of our Miracles of the Marsh program’s Student Workbook, and is a Miracles Docent. Laurel also sits on the BCLT education & technology and nominations committees.
Roger Bloom
Roger is a journalist and marketing/communications consultant who began his career as a writer and then editor at the Huntington Beach Independent. He has been an editor at the Orange County Register and managing editor of the Orange County Business Journal. He was the first marketing director at Rutan & Tucker LLP, then the largest law firm in Orange County, and has provided media relations and strategic advice to professional firms, nonprofits and political campaigns. He and his family are longtime volunteers with the Stewards, and his two daughters were among the co-founders of the Junior Stewards.
John, A. Doyle
Ph.D. – Social Ethics and Gerontology, University of Southern California. John is a professor in the College of Health and Human Development, California State University, Fullerton. As a licensed psychotherapist, he has been in private practice in Southern California for many years. His research interests include: gerontology, ethics in the helping professions, and long-term support for persons with disabilities. John serves on the restoration committee.
Babs Levitan
Bachelors in History and Masters in Library Science from Rutgers University. Babs feels she was lucky to grow up on a dairy farm in northwest New Jersey and has always felt close to nature. Since retirement her passion is opening the eyes of the next generation to the wonders of the living food web at the Bolsa Chica as a docent for BCLT’s Miracles of the Marsh education program. She serves on the Wings Over Bolsa calendar committee and does outreach to the general public on BCLT’s 3rd Sunday Table & Tour.
2019-present
2019-present
Laura Oatman
Bachelors of Social Sciences, UC Irvine, 1980; Masters of Architecture, UCLA, 1983. She worked for 24 years in the corporate architecture world designing resort hotels around the world, then another 8 years as a small business owner when she and Homer, her husband, started Oatman Architects at the depth of the last great recession. As an architect, she promoted green sustainable architectural design throughout her career. Congressman Harley Rouda hired her to be his District Director for the 116th Congress (2019-2021). Laura managed Representative Rouda’s environmental portfolio for his Newport Beach office, and considered the work being done by Bolsa Chica Land Trust to be one of the highlights of this district. She is excited to be able to continue this work as a Boardmember of BCLT, to help preserve, protect and maintain this natural wonder. She currently lives in Newport Beach, in the same house where she and Homer raised their five children, along with 3 rescue dogs and 3 Sulcata tortoises.
2021-present
2021-present
Jason Fike
Jason grew up in Illinois where he studied computer science. He has spent his career in consumer electronics and technology focused on sales, operations, and business development. Jason lives adjacent to Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve and is an avid visitor and hiker in the space. He began volunteering with the restoration team in 2021 and became a Steward before joining the board. Jason sits on the development and restoration committees.
2022-present
2022-present
Katy Leach
Katy received a Bachelors of Science in Landscape Architecture and a minor in Regenerative Studies from California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, California. She now works as a landscape designer with a firm in Orange County specializing in residential design. She started off volunteering with the Stewards in the restoration committee in 2021 and has since continued and is also now a Steward. She has served as a volunteer for numerous organizations throughout the years like the YWCA, Boy Scouts of America, Soroptimists (women in business helping women), benefit dinners/fundraisers, and various elementary schools (PTA/PTO fundraisers). Katy is a local, born on base at Camp Pendleton where her father was stationed, and now living in Long Beach exploring California’s vast terrains.
2022-present
2022-present
Staff
Kim Koplin
Executive Director
Kim co-founded the Bolsa Chica Stewards, the restoration team of the Land Trust 20 years ago and served as its Director. As Executive Director since 2012, Kim is working to expand BCLT’s membership base and to network with diverse and millennial populations to engage them at Bolsa Chica. Kim’s focus is also to nurture sound partnerships with our corporate and private donors and with the relevant state agencies to establish long-term funding support for the entire Bolsa Chica. After organizing the BCLT support for preservation at two critical Coastal Commission hearings, she continues to work with the scientific community, Native American community and state agencies towards our goal of saving the Sacred Cogged Stone site. Kim oversees all operations, projects, programs and committees of BCLT. Kim, with her husband Thierry, were the first recipients of the Kennedy-Kolpin Bolsa Chica Conservation Award.
Beverley Hansen
Programs and Volunteer Coordinator
As Program and Volunteer Coordinator, Beverley manages the on-site Growing Space and Stewards restoration work, including volunteer scheduling, coordination, and training. She is also the liaison with the school districts, individual schools, and teachers in coordinating their participation in the Miracles of the Marsh educational program. In her spare time, she continues dealing with various office tasks and works with several committees to help keep BCLT running smoothly. Beverley received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. She has taught literature and writing classes in the local homeschool community which she was involved with when homeschooling her, now grown, children. Beverley started as a BCLT Steward with her children in 2009 and received the Kennedy-Kolpin Conservation Award in 2014.
Bequi Howarth
Administrative Assistant
Bequi grew up hiking and riding her horses through the mixed conifer forests of the San Gabriel Mountains and the Joshua Trees of the Mojave Desert. There she began understanding ecosystems, learning the names of plants and animals and dreamed of becoming a Park Ranger at Yosemite NP. Life took her in other directions and instead she became a Sign Language Interpreter, homeschooling mom of two and Lead Organizer of the Orange County Mini Maker Faire along with many other interesting adventures. Her love of nature was woven throughout it all. She is also a NAI Certified Interpretive Guide, Irvine Ranch Conservancy volunteer. Bequi is thrilled to be a part of the Bolsa Chica Land Trust team.
Erin Chin
Restoration and Digital Outreach Manager
Erin received her Masters’ Degree in Biology from California State University, Fullerton in 2012 and has done extensive research in the Sonoran Desert on the nesting ecology of Costa’s Hummingbird and at Bolsa Chica for the Elegant Tern. Erin completed the GIS/GPS mapping of the Lower Bench of the Mesa and cataloged all plant species on the 118 acres. She manages the Restoration program and digital outreach communication.
Emeritus Board Members
Jayson Ruth
2012-2022
Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Analysis and Design, CA State Fullerton, Masters Degree in Education, National University. Jayson is an Oceanography/Biology teacher at Huntington Beach High School (15 years). Jayson developed the Bolsa Chica Bingo game and was the mastermind behind the first Bolsa Chica Nest Cam which live streams from a remote nesting location at Bolsa Chica. Jayson is the catalyst for bringing a new wave of technologies to students of all ages for further study of the environment. Jayson is on our education and technology committee.
Sue Gordon
2016-2020
Retired Vice President of Rainbow Environmental Services. With Rainbow, Sue helped to develop and implement state recycling mandates and worked with all city recycling coordinators and the OC League of Cities to coordinate programs, resources and information. She has experience with air, water and land regulatory agencies. As Vice President of Environmental and Public Affairs, Sue established a partnership with the Discovery Cube, bringing to schools in Rainbow’s service areas free reduce, reuse and recycling assemblies to 3rd and 4th graders. She worked to develop and provide state standards- based school environmental curriculum grades pre-K to 6, and wrote and published Rainbow’s first Sustainability Report. Sue has a passion for Native American history and sits on our development and acquisition committees.
Flossie Horgan
1992-2019; 1992-1994 BCLT President; 2002-2004 and 2007-2012 Executive Director
Co-founder and former Executive Director. Flossie served as our first President from 1992-1994 and then served as the Acquisition Chair from 1994 – 2002. From 2002 – 2004 and again from 2007 – 2012 Flossie was the BCLT Executive Director. She has a Masters in Biology and taught at the community college level for many years. Flossie now sits on the government relations and acquisition committees.
Dr. Gerald Chapman
2000-2019; 2004-2009 BCLT President
Past BCLT President, owns a 30 year old dental practice in Huntington Beach. Served on the Huntington Beach Planning Commission for 4 years, Chairman for year 2000. Co-Chair of the General Plan Rewrite committee for Huntington Beach. Co-Chair of the Art Center Foundation and of the Summer Classic Equestrian Event for the Art Center. He is currently on the development and acquisition committees.
Mikel Hogan
2013-2019
Ph.D. – BA and MA in Anthropology from CA State University, Long Beach and her Ph.D.in Social Science/Comparative Culture from University of California, Irvine. Mikel is an Applied Anthropologist, Professor, and for 14 years, the Chair of the Human Services Department at CA State University, Fullerton. Her primary fields of research, teaching and practice are applied anthropology in health, education, and archaeology; pedagogy; mixed heritage identity; skills of cultural diversity competence; and the intersection of race, ethnic, and gender relations in the US. Her publications appear in, Practicing Anthropology, the Journal of Applied Social Science, the Journal of Counseling and Development, the American Journal of Nursing, and the Applied Anthropologist. The 4th edition of her book, the Four Skill of Cultural Diversity Competence, was published in 2013 by Brooks-Cole/Wadsworth/ Cengage. Mikel is currently on our acquisition committee.
Dave Hamilton
2009-2017
Educated in engineering and earth sciences in Colorado. He practiced for 11 years with a consulting engineering firm in Boulder, CO and then changed careers to technical marketing of industrial electronic components for a national corporation which brought him to Southern California in 2000. Dave is on BCLT’s development committee and is also on the Board of Directors of Residents for Responsible Desalination (R4RD), a 501(c)3 non-profit.
Connie Boardman
1993-2016; 1994-1996 and 2010-2012 BCLT president
Previous past president of BCLT, Previous Mayor of Huntington Beach and City Councilwoman. A Professor of Biology at Cerritos Community College for 24 years, Connie was recently selected to be the Dean of the Science Engineering and Mathematics Division at the College. As a graduate student at Cal State University, Long Beach, her research focused on the California Least Tern. Connie has been a part of BCLT for 22 years. In 2000, Connie was elected to the Huntington Beach City Council and served as Mayor of the City in 2003 and was re-elected to City Council in 2010. In 2013 she served her second term as Mayor. She has been recognized as an Environmental Hero by Southern California Edison for her work at Bolsa Chica. Connie is a core team member of the Stewards, sat on the BCLT restoration committee and is a Kennedy-Kolpin Conservation Award recipient.
Ron Krasnitz
2020-2021
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Chicago. Registered Professional Engineer, Illinois, retired. Holds several US patents. Owned and managed a distribution business, COO of a public company, and managed several manufacturing operations. He’s a board member of a German Pharmaceutical company. He’s also on the Advisory Committee for Orange Coast College Makerspace and Architectural Technology Committee and coordinates Huntington Beach Library’s Makerspace. Ron previously managed docents and gave tours for the Bolsa Chica Land Trust Miracles of the Marsh program as the Miracles Docent Coordinator.