Sacramento – August 19, 2024
Parks California is pleased to announce the election of our new Board Chair, Deanna Mackey, who joined Parks California’s board the summer of 2021, and has served as Vice Chair since 2022. Mackey takes on Board leadership from Dr. Stephen Lockhart, founding Board Chair of Parks California. This marks the first board chair transition in the organization’s five-year history. Dr. Lockhart will continue to serve on the board. Additional officers include Michael Mantell, new Vice Chair; Jose Gonzalez; the ongoing Treasurer, and Rosie Clayburn, new Secretary.
“We are grateful to our dedicated board and delighted with continuity in this leadership transition, said Kindley Walsh Lawlor, president & CEO of Parks California. “I am thrilled for the opportunity to work more closely with Deanna, who shares our passion for and a commitment to Parks California’s mission, as well have access to Stephen’s counsel when needed.”
Dr. Lockhart became Parks California’s founding Board Chair in 2018 after serving on the Parks Forward Commission, an effort to modernize and transform California’s state parks system. Dr. Lockhart is a long-time champion for environmental science education and increasing access to the outdoors.
Reflecting on the past five years and the impact made by Parks California, Dr. Stephen Lockhart said, “The big opportunity we saw in establishing a statutory nonprofit partner was forging stability and sustainability for a state agency facing incredible headwinds. In five years, Parks California has done just that—demonstrated the transformative power of this partnership with California State Parks.”
Deanna Mackey is the general manager of KPBS, the public media organization serving San Diego County, and founder and board chair of Public Media Women in Leadership. She is also a former board member of Girl Scouts San Diego and continues to support them as well as Mana de San Diego, a non-profit that transforms communities by empowering Latinas to achieve upward mobility and a better quality of life.
“I am deeply honored and excited to step up as incoming board chair of Parks California, an organization I greatly admire and have been proud to advise as board member for the past three years,” said Deanna Mackey. If, like me, you care about California’s open spaces and parks, I can’t think of a better organization to support and rally behind. My heartfelt thanks to Steve for his leadership as founding Board Chair of Parks California.”
Parks California is a statewide nonprofit working to ensure state, regional, and local parks thrive. As the statutory partner to California State Parks, Parks California has a simple mission—to help strengthen parks and inspire all to experience these extraordinary places. From redwood groves and desert springs to urban parks and lighthouses, the organization works with partners to steward these natural wonders and make California’s parks more welcoming, accessible and relevant to all visitors.
Parks California Board:
Deanna Mackey, Chair
Michael Mantell, Vice Chair
Jose G. Gonzalez, Treasurer
Rosie Clayburn, Secretary
Michael Camunez, Board Member
Tony Lillios, Board Member
Steven Lockhart, Founding Board Member
Dawn Ortiz-Legg, Board Member
Adam Verdin, Board Member
Michele Perrault, Ex Officio – Proxy for Joe Stephenshaw
Armando Quintero, Ex Offico
Appointment of New Board Chair, Gratitude for Founding Chair to stay on the Board
Media Contact: media@parkscalifornia.org
