Our Team

Kindley Walsh Lawlor joined Parks California as its inaugural president and CEO in 2018. Through her leadership, Parks California designs and creates partnerships to support parks, implements best practices to scale sustainable and future-forward solutions, and fosters inclusive experiences to better engage the public, younger generations, and underserved communities.

Kindley has over 25 years of sustainability, social justice and equity leadership. She previously led human rights and ESG efforts at Gap Inc., a Fortune 200 global portfolio of apparel and lifestyle brands. In 2015 she was recognized as one of the Most Influential Women by the San Francisco Business Times, and as a leader in shaping the future of retail by the National Retail Federation. Kindley serves on the board of the Western National Parks Association (WNPA).

Michael previously worked in roles that span philanthropy, political campaigns, public policy, and business start-ups, helping to raise millions to expand economic justice, human rights, and environmental protections. Embracing cross cultural experiences, Michael’s  development and startup work has taken him to Indonesia, India, Germany, Peru, and many parts of the U.S. for a variety of projects, from helping to save and restore open spaces to expanding educational opportunities for students in under-resourced communities. His start-up experience includes co-founding successful businesses in entertainment, tourism, and technology. Michael serves on the board of the Glendale Parks and Open Spaces Foundation, and the PTA Board at the public school his children attend. 

Heana previously served as an Interim Executive Director at Recovery Café San Jose and held several executive positions during her 16 years at Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), including Chief Operations Officer and Chief Financial Officer. She led the national expansion of the organization from one to 18 chapters, in addition to overall management of the organization’s operations and finances. Prior to joining Parks California, she spent more than 15 years in executive management positions at information technology companies.  

Heana currently serves on the board of Adventure Scientists and is mentor to young executives.

Her favorite State Park is Calaveras Big Trees.

Durresha has always felt she’s had a strong connection with nature, which has led her to work in careers that continue to support parks. Prior to her role at Parks California, Durresha spent six years with the Budget Office at California State Parks, leading to a promotion as Assistant Budget Chief. She has always wished to make a lasting impact for both people and parks and has credited California State Parks with assisting in that goal.

As the Grants and Contracts Manager, Durresha plays a key role with the program, development, and finance teams- collaborating across Parks California, and facilitating the allocation of grant and contract budgets.

Her favorite State Park is Point Lobos.

Teresa has worked as a career administrator for more than 20 years, gaining experience working for a diverse mix of both private and public organizations. Adept at organizing, streamlining, and increasing efficiencies Teresa brings her administrative and technical expertise in support of the Parks California leadership team. Prior to joining Parks California, she worked for a private aviation start-up as a document control manager and FAA liaison. Teresa earned her B.S. in Business Administration at Walden University. In her spare time Teresa enjoys traveling around California with her family exploring parks, beaches, campgrounds, and sporting event venues.

For the past eight years, Will has worked as a park planner for both Santa Clara County Parks and Santa Cruz County Parks. His past work has afforded him with a wide breadth of diverse experiences, including managing a variety of park planning, natural resource management and capital projects- ranging from regional trail planning to neighborhood park development.  

Will’s passion for planning is rooted in the importance of connecting people with their surrounding landscape, and he loves being part of creating places and parks. Will holds a master’s degree in landscape architecture, focused on environmental planning, from UC Berkeley. 

Will’s primary work revolves around Reimagining Big Basin- a project focusing on reestablishing California’s first state park after the CZU Lightning Complex Fire. Will works not only to restore Big Basin, but to usher it in as an innovative restoration model for future parks.  

His favorite park is Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. 

Emily is a passionate non-profit professional, having held positions at several Sacramento-area non-profit organizations such as the California Primary Care Association and Legal Services of Northern California. Their previous roles have included grants management, fundraising, project management, grant writing, and, most notably, the build-out and administration of several grant-making programs totaling more than $5 million. Outside of the office, you will find Emily scheming up her next kayaking, backpack, or camping adventure, and they hope to one day section hike the Pacific Crest Trail. They currently serve as the co-president of the Prytanean Alumnae Association at Davis. 

Emily’s favorite park is Fort Ross State Historic Park.

Geoff has led partnerships to enhance park conservation across all levels of government, from national park management to the revitalization of community parks. He was most recently the Principal of Ridgeline Management Consulting, where he helped nonprofit organizations build capacity. Previously, he served in leadership roles at the Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy, the Santa Monica Mountains Fund, the Center for Park Management at the National Parks Conservation Association, and at IBM Global Business Services.

Always ready to chart an outdoor adventure, Scott is a planner by nature. He has crafted innovative partnerships, led teams in fostering organizational growth, and built ongoing financial relationships in both private and nonprofit sectors. Driven by a commitment to bring people together in stewarding California’s parks, Scott assists Parks California by facilitating funding partnerships supporting our outdoor spaces.  

 Scott’s nonprofit expertise includes leading development at Net Impact and the Special Olympics of Northern California. He has consulted with various non-profits on strategy, development, and social entrepreneurship. In the private sector, Scott led business units at International Data Group and served as an executive at information technology firms.   

 Scott recently completed The Climate Reality Project’s Leadership Corps training and lends his talents through volunteer nonprofit consulting projects as part of the Stanford Business School’s Alumni Consulting Team. Scott’s favorite park is Butano State Park 

Alfonso brings a deep understanding of the park protection landscape to the Parks California team, having worked in five National Parks around the country. He also works closely with the National Parks Conservation Association as a member of the Next Generation Advisory Council to ensure the protection, enhancement, and enjoyment of our National Parks. In 2016, he received two 30 under 30 awards, with the North American Association of Environmental Education and the Outdoor Industry Association, in recognition for his community work, particularly with Latino Outdoors.

Alfonso had also worked as a manager with The Nature Conservancy in Washington State, where he oversaw the state-wide volunteer program and led the effort to increase participation in the outdoors to underinvested communities.

Prior to joining Parks California, Alfonso spent a year solo traveling around the world, visiting 13 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. His highlights include trekking to Everest Base Camp in Nepal and a solo safari at Kruger National Park in South Africa.

His favorite state park is Salt Point State Park.

Becky has worked at the intersection of resource management and education for nearly a decade. Her previous roles have focused on groundwater sustainability planning for basin-scale conservation initiatives, program management for a Californian urban water conservation district, and development of watershed education programs in northern Idaho and southern California. Becky completed her Ph.D. in Watershed Science and Management at the University of Idaho, and her B.A. in Environmental Science at Colorado College. 

Carlos grew up in the small farm town of Gridley.  Helping his family maintain a small farm nurtured his appreciation for nature and wildlife. His reason for pursuing an accounting profession came from his aunt who taught herself tax accounting- and opened a successful office.

To Carlos, accounting is like a puzzle, and he works to understand where everything fits. Carlos realizes most people don’t see accounting as a puzzle, but he was fascinated and explored ways he could build his career around it.

Carlos graduated from Chico State with a Bachelor’s in Accounting and now assists the Parks California accounting team. Here, he hopes to continue his learning around best practices.

His favorite State Park is Calaveras Redwoods.

Veronica has worked as an Early Childhood and Outdoor Educator in San Francisco, CA for several years. She is dedicated to helping underserved communities access the outdoors by creating outdoor recreational activities for families and youth. Working with community members, partners, and volunteers has shown Veronica the importance of building community. Veronica can be found car camping all over California with her husband and son in her spare time. She is dedicated to teaching communities about Leave no Trace principles and advocating for a greener environment.  

Prior to joining Parks California, Myrian led REI’s Next Gen Marketing program where she oversaw national partnerships, experiential  marketing, and content collaborations. Prior to joining REI Co-op, she worked at KPBS, San Diego’s local PBS and NPR (National Public Radio) affiliate, where she managed special events and developed media and outreach campaigns. She has been a board member for several organizations including I Love a Clean San Diego and MANA de San Diego. She is also the co-creator of the Latina Giving Circle. From 2013-2019, she served as commissioner for California State Park and Recreation; later, serving as the Commission’s first Latina Chair. When she is not working, Myrian enjoys traveling the world with her two children and husband, discovering new eateries, and indulging in a new read or podcast.

Meredith has over fifteen years of experience in finance and accounting. Most recently, she worked as the Finance Manager at the Agricultural Research Foundation. Prior to that, she served as a Finance Coordinator at Oregon State University. She holds an MBA in nonprofit finance and accounting from UC Davis. An avid outdoor enthusiast, Meredith is a certified whitewater raft guide, has traveled to 20 countries, and volunteers to help people with disabilities and youth with fewer resources experience the outdoors. 

Meredith’s favorite park is South Yuba River State Park. 

Dr. Lockhart formerly served as Chair of the Board of NatureBridge and formerly served on the Board of Directors of REI. As a member of the National Park Service Second Century Commission, he advocated for environmental and science education within the national parks. He is an Eagle Scout, a Rhodes Scholar, and an avid mountain climber.

Deanna Martin Mackey is General Manager of KPBS in San Diego, and was previously president and executive director of the Public Television Major Market Group (PTMMG), a consortium of the 40 largest PBS member stations in the U.S. Mackey focuses her time on leadership/culture, revenue generation, audience development and digital on behalf of the group as well as national partnerships and system leadership activities. Previously, Mackey worked for 25 years at KPBS, San Diego, serving as COO in her final six years at the station, before returning in 2022 as GM. Mackey is credited with spearheading KPBS.org as a third content platform and creating KPBS’ converged newsroom.

In 2015, Mackey co-founded Public Media Women in Leadership, to provide mentorship/training for women in her industry and address issues of gender inequity in public media. Mackey serves as a Girl Scout troop leader for 17 high school girls and spent 10 years in board governance for Girl Scouts San Diego. In 2018 Mackey received the Hera Heroine Leadership Award from Hera Hub, workspace for women. In 2014 Mackey was named a YWCA Tribute to Women & Industry (TWIN) honoree for her work mentoring women at KPBS and via the Girl Scouts. She was named Outstanding Alumnus from SDSU’s Daily Aztec newspaper the same year and in 2010 was named one of five “Women who Move the City” by San Diego Magazine.

Prior to working at KPBS, Mackey was a writer and editor for several San Diego-based publications. She spent her early years in journalism as a radio news writer. Mackey earned her Bachelor of Arts from San Diego State University with a double major in journalism and political science. She lives in San Diego and is married to Christopher Ingalls. She and her husband have five children between them, one granddaughter, and one lovely Lab.

José G. González is the Founder and Director Emeritus of Latino Outdoors. He is an experienced educator as a K-12 public education teacher, environmental education advisor, outdoor education instructor and coordinator, and university adjunct faculty. As a Partner in the Avarna Group and through his own consulting, his work focuses on Equity & Inclusion frameworks and practices in the environmental, outdoor, and conservation fields. Jose was recently appointed by Governor Newsom to California State Parks’ Boating and Waterways Commission. He is also an illustrator and science communicator.

Tony Lillios is an executive coach and entrepreneur. He has founded five businesses, most notably Speck Products, and facilitates growth in the organizations he now serves. Tony is an athlete, adventurer, and an outdoorsman. He is the subject of the documentary, Crossing Bhutan, that explores the country’s policy of Gross National Happiness (GNH).

Named “one of the 100 most influential Latinos in the world” by Bloomberg in 2022, Michael served as the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce at the International Trade Administration. He managed a global portfolio leading the U.S. government’s efforts to open new markets for U.S. goods and services. He played a critical role in rebalancing U.S. economic policy toward Mexico. He was the chief architect of the U.S.-Mexico High-Level Economic Dialogue, which he proposed and helped launch as a member of President Obama’s delegation and visit to Mexico. The HLED was co-chaired by then-Vice President Joe Biden, who reinstituted it as a top bilateral priority upon becoming President.

Michael also served as President Obama’s representative on international economic issues to the U.S. Helsinki Commission.

Previously, he served as Special Counsel to the President in the Office of the White House Counsel, as well as Special Assistant to President Obama.

His favorite State Park is Big Basin Redwood State Park.

As a member of California’s Yurok Tribe, Rosie understands the importance of connecting history and community. Rosie has dedicated her life to the preservation and revitalization of Yurok Culture and is a key partner to the California State Parks North Coast District. She understands parks are not only a place to recreate but are ancestral lands many people call home.

Rosie earned a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology, with a concentration in Archaeology and Cultural Resource Management at the University of Oregon and a Master of Art in Museology from the University of Washington. She held multiple positions within the Cultural Resources Division before the Yurok Tribal Council appointed her to lead the department.

For her master’s thesis, she collected data and analyzed Yurok objects held captive in institutions around the world. Her efforts helped return home thousands of cultural items. Overseeing the Chah-pekw O’Ket’- oh Visitor Center, Rosie was integral to the recent renaming of Patrick’s Point State Park to Sue-Meg State Park.

As a founding member of Parks California, Michael has a long history of mentoring and organizing teams around great ideas.

Since the late 1990s, Michael has designed and participated in programs and projects that broadened the leadership and constituency for natural resources protection. Alongside this, he brought into greater focus the need to ensure equity and engage with historically underserved communities.

Michael led the campaign that prevented a rollback of California’s landmark climate change legislation. In 2021, Michael retired as the President of the Resources Legacy Fund, an organization founded to help design and implement initiatives for philanthropic foundations and individuals.

Previously serving as Undersecretary for Resources for the State of California, General Counsel for the World Wildlife Fund, and as Deputy City Attorney in Los Angeles, Michael brings a wealth of knowledge in both the public and non-profit sectors.

Gayle Miller was appointed chief deputy of policy at the California Department of Finance by Governor Newsom in 2019. Gayle had previously served as a senior policy advisor for the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration and deputy controller, director of policy in the Office of the State Controller. She also served as a principal consultant in the Office of the California State Senate President pro Tempore in addition to holding several positions in the California State Senate. Gayle earned a Master of Business Administration degree in strategy and communications from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Business Administration degree in economics and finance from Columbia University.

Dawn has called San Luis Obispo home for 28 years, contributing to her community while working in energy, infrastructure and economic development. She is best known in her community for implementing California’s renewable energy policy to positively impact people’s lives. The development and construction of multiple utility-scale solar projects created long-term opportunities for both central coast residents and businesses. 

In 2018, Dawn was appointed as the 3rd District Planning Commissioner to make land use decisions on water, agriculture, energy and transportation. 

In 2020, Dawn was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the District 3 Supervisorial Seat. Her priorities include: The economic repurposing of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, along with safe decommissioning, housing and homelessness, and childcare availability.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Pepperdine University, and a Master of International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

An experienced parks professional with expertise in park operations, outdoor education, equity and access, and diversity and inclusion in hiring and retention, Armando is an environmental scientist by training. Since 2015, he has been executive director of the Sierra Nevada Research Institute at the University of California, Merced, where he was also director of development from 2008 to 2014. He has also served as a member of the California Water Commission since 2014.

Teresa Alvarado is Principal of Morado Consulting specializing in supporting leaders, across sectors, to create positive economic, environmental and social impact. She also serves as a Gubernatorial appointee and chair of the California Water Commission.

Prior, Belinda served as the Executive Officer of the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC). She was also the Executive Officer of three joint powers entities: the Watershed Conservation Authority, the San Gabriel River Discovery Center Authority and the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority. She retired from these positions in May of 2011 after 40 years as a California State employee. A native of Southern California, Belinda was born and raised in East Los Angeles, California. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from Pitzer College.

Lauren B. Dachs is president and founder of the Laural Foundation. Previously, Lauren was president of the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, which successfully completed its planned spend down in December 2020.

Since its founding in 1957, the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation dedicated its philanthropy to advancing the prosperity and well-being of California and its citizens, with a focus on K–8 STEM education and conserving California’s natural resources.

Lauren is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a board member of Sustainable Conservation and the Water Foundation, and on the Advisory Council for Public Policy Institute of California’s Water Policy Center. Lauren has also been an advisor or board member for many environment, education, and health organizations, including Stanford University, Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment, and The Nature Conservancy of California.

Ms. Farrell has worked for all three organizations within the Golden Gate National Parks—the Conservancy, National Park Service, and Presidio Trust–over the past two decades. She oversees the planning and implementation of a number of cross-boundary community stewardship, science, and landscape-level restoration programs and projects. Sharon was a founding board member of Parks California.

Dr. Hart brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in organization and leadership. She spent 15 years as a member of the California State Parks Commission, seven of which were as Chair, and was a member of the California Parks Forward Commission. She was the Director of Sonoma County Regional Parks from 2010 to 2017.

Dr. Hart received her Ph.D. from the UC Berkeley College of Natural Resources, where her focus was on the role of parks in addressing climate change. She is also an attorney licensed in the state of California.

Her favorite State Park is Sonoma Coast State Park

Mr. McConnell has worked in Bay Area television since 1983. He has produced and hosted Bay Area Backroads on KRON, OpenRoad: Exploring the West on national Public Television, and Mac and Mutley on KPIX and the Discovery Channel. As co-founder of Convergence Media Productions, Doug also develops and oversees many other media projects in support of parks and open space agencies and nonprofit organizations.

Woody grew up recreating in California’s state parks: Topanga Canyon, Point Mugu and Malibu Creek. He credits these experiences in influencing his passion for outdoor spaces. His career led him to serve as the Deputy Regional Director for the Pacific West Region, where he oversaw national parks in California, Arizona, and Nevada, and led the park planning, design, construction, and maintenance programs.

Woody also served as superintendent of several iconic western national parks, including Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Grand Canyon, and Yosemite. He also served as superintendent of Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, the nation’s largest urban national park unit.

In December 2021, his unending contribution to supporting parks was met with the Distinguished Service Award by Secretary Deb Haaland for Woody’s outstanding contributions with the Department of the Interior.

Woody’s work around parks continues, as he advises on several non-profit boards supporting parks, recreation, sustainable tourism, and access for underserved communities. He is an advisor and guest lecturer for the California State University system in landscape architecture and protected area stewardship. Woody’s favorite park is Point Mugu State Park in southern California.

Director of Strategy at the Kennebunkport Climate Initiative, an organization focused on mobilizing youth around climate change. Ms. Stephens previously served as the Manager of Special Projects for the Tennessee Aquarium, after earlier working on its freshwater conservation strategy. She has a long-standing interest in sustainable seafood and conservation. Previously she conducted market research for Manta Consulting Inc and IMPACTS Research and Development. She is partial to any California state park that involves water.

Mr. Woods previously served as the Los Angeles Sector Superintendent for California State Parks where he implemented the Department’s Urban Strategic Initiative. Through this initiative, State Parks worked with local partners to address the needs of underserved urban residents by committing resources to community outreach and development of urban parks. Mr. Woods oversaw the acquisition, planning and development efforts at Rio de Los Angeles State Parks, Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook and Los Angeles State Park – representing a $150 million dollar investment in the urban core of Los Angeles.

Nina served as a professor in the Department of Recreation, Parks & Tourism at San Francisco State University and faculty director of the university’s Institute for Civic & Community Engagement. Nina volunteered with Parks California as an advisory council member. Her unending work in addressing ways to break down social and access barriers impacted countless communities.

Nina was a Fulbright scholar whose expertise includes park access, outdoor recreation across cultures, women/girls outdoors, and youth development. She spent the majority of her career in the field including leading wilderness experiences with varied populations. Dr. Roberts’ research on DEI has been widely published and is highly regarded.

Over the years, Nina’s voice in educating leaders in the outdoor recreation, natural resource, and conservation space with new ideas has been invaluable in addressing the need to respond more effectively to changing demographics, cultural shifts and trends across the U.S.

Nina will be forever a friend to all of us. Parks California honors her legacy posthumously as a lifetime advisory board member. Her vision for parks will forever inspire us.