Kathy Nolan
Board Director, President
Kathy Nolan is a dedicated landscape architect and community leader deeply rooted in Ojai, where she has raised her family and thrived as a local business owner. With a comprehensive background in horticulture, agriculture, botany, and landscape architecture, Kathy brings over two decades of expertise to her role. She co-founded the Ojai Tree Committee and played a pivotal role in crafting the City of Ojai Community Forest Management Plan, reflecting her commitment to sustainable urban planning and environmental stewardship. As a former Planning Commissioner and chair of Complete Streets, Kathy advocated for inclusive and accessible urban design, ensuring that community voices were heard in shaping the city’s infrastructure. Her passion for permaculture and sustainable living is evident in her work with the regional local food community, where she co-started a food co-op and engaged with the Santa Barbara Farmers Market.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Kathy is a devoted advocate for community empowerment and holistic healing. She holds certifications in Urban and International Permaculture and draws inspiration from the interconnectedness of natural systems. Whether she’s hiking the trails of Ojai, tending to her food forest, or exploring the healing arts, Kathy remains dedicated to solving complex challenges and fostering harmony within ecosystems and communities alike. Her values of respect, inclusivity, and visionary planning underscore her mission to create meaningful, lasting impacts in Ojai and beyond.
Betsy Vanleit
Board Director, Vice President & Secretary
Betsy Vanleit brings over three decades of diverse expertise to her roles as a retired professional in Ojai. With degrees in Environmental Education, Occupational Therapy, Public Administration, and Community Health Education, she has left an indelible mark as a co-founder and director of the University of New Mexico’s Occupational Therapy Program and as the Director of the UNM Rural Health Interdisciplinary Program. Beyond academia, Betsy’s influence extends globally, serving as a consultant, board member, and advisor to numerous organizations.
Since relocating to Ojai in 2020, she has immersed herself in community endeavors, from spearheading initiatives for food recovery with Food Forward to championing environmental stewardship with the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy. In addition to her professional pursuits, Betsy finds joy in hiking, gardening, meditation, and the art of baking sourdough bread.
Caryn Bosson
Board Director
Caryn Bosson is a longtime resident of the Ojai Valley, rooted in her commitment to youth empowerment and environmental stewardship. From her founding role at the Ojai Valley Youth Foundation to her leadership at The C.R.E.W. and tenure at TreePeople in Los Angeles, Caryn’s influence has shaped countless initiatives over the decades. She has a steadfast dedication to collaboration and inclusivity, fostering a sense of unity amidst diversity. Most recently, Caryn has served as a nonprofit consultant specializing in nonprofit boards, strategic planning, fundraising and communications.
Outside her community engagements, Caryn enjoys immersing herself in books and literature. She can often be found exploring Ojai’s backcountry trails or taking bike rides to appreciate the natural beauty of the region she feels lucky to call home.
Dass Richardson
Board Director
Dass Richardson has been a member of the of the Ojai Valley community for 15 years. She spent several years at Oak Grove School, serving as a Kindergarten teacher, essential substitute, and Elementary Art teacher. During her time at Oak Grove, Dass was voted Best Art Teacher in the Ojai Valley News “Best of” edition for three consecutive years and created the “Junk Trunk,” a reuse center that provided materials for student projects and ran for 11 years.
Since leaving Oak Grove, Dass has become a Climate Steward through The Community Environmental Council, joined the Ojai Valley Green Coalition to organize events for their 8-acre campus project, hosted a Clothing Swap and presentation on Fast Fashion, and co-organized an art show about bees. Dass is passionate about inspiring positive environmental change through art and education and is currently seeking work aligned with these passions while tending to a vegetable garden at home.
Mark Silbernagel
Board Director
Mark Silbernagel has lived in the Ojai Valley for over 25 years. Mark was a chemical engineer responsible for designing and testing water treatment systems, primarily seawater desalination systems. One of these systems is operating locally on San Nicolas Island. Since retiring four years ago, Mark has been volunteering at many local organizations and a couple farms harvesting fruit, planting trees, doing trail work, pulling invasives, and growing vegetables and native plants. He leads volunteer projects with the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy and is a Harvest Leader for Food Forward. He completed the Community Environmental Council’s Climate Steward course in 2023 and is interested in all things that related to our over-consumption of water, energy, consumer goods, and more.
Mark enjoys living a simple life hanging around Ojai and realizing the wonderful community we live in.
