The Coalition sadly had to say good bye to its president and director, Kathy Nolan in September. Kathy will stay connected as an Advisory Board member. Her work as an Ojai city planning commissioner, running her own business, and president of the Coalition was proving too much. Thank you for your past and continued service to our community, Kathy.
But when one door closes another opens and we are excited to have board member, Marleen Luckman step into the president’s position from treasurer. Her passion and pragmatism will serve us well.
With that move the Coalition needed a new treasurer and we are proud to introduce our newest board member and new treasurer, Marcia Murphy. ‘Marci’ was born in San Diego, and although spending a few years of her childhood in Richmond, Virginia and Billings, Montana, she has spent most of her life in California.
An Ojai resident since 1992, Marci has two grown daughters, one of which, Kate Komaiko, is currently a chef at Oak Grove School. Her other daughter is studying pre-med in San Francisco.
Marci brings an extensive background in business, spending her pre-Ojai life as a corporate controller in Los Angeles with a staff of 20. Marci says that changed when she decided she needed more flexibility to stay home to raise her daughters.
“I truly was a ‘suit’ before my kids,” says Marci, “but bringing someone else into the world that I loved so dearly meant I had to educate myself for her optimum health.”
Marci became a stay-at-home mom running a private accounting business and helping her husband run a financial executive recruiting company. After her divorce, Marci began her own business, Accounting Confidential, here in Ojai last year.
“I see accounting as a really personal business,” says Marci. She believes the numbers are a reflection of the person and what they do in their life. She enjoys providing a service to those who need it.
“I became involved in the Green Coalition because it is the organization I really feel is keeping Ojai safe, doing what I believe in. If one part of our earth body is ailing, it affects the whole system. . . If we won’t preserve all this beauty, what will people preserve?”
In addition to her business and now the Coalition, Marci is busy with kids, dogs, cats, and horses. She is also an avid gardener who favors native plants and fruit trees, and has been a composter since her days in LA.
“It’s very easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless,” says Marci, “My remedy is to join with an organization that I feel puts its money and effort where it is really needed. That’s where I can be part of the solution and feel like I’m making a difference.”
We encourage you to learn more about our board of directors at www.ojaivalleygreencoalition.org/board-members.