2018 SFBBO Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors provides governing leadership for SFBBO, works with staff to raise money for our programs, and act as SFBBO ambassadors in the community. They serve three-year terms and meet on the third Wednesday of the month bimonthly from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. They also create our strategic plan and serve on Board committees which meet throughout the year on alternative months, including the Executive Committee, Finance Committee, and Fund Development Committee. To learn more about serving on SFBBO's Board, please contact Executive Director Yiwei Wang at ywang@sfbbo.org.
Jan Hintermeister, M.S. |
Hrishi Arria |
Marty Michael
Marty Michael, M.S. |
Anastasia Neddersen, M.S. |
Leah Russin, JD |
Kiana Said, M.S. |
Christine Zack, M.S. |
Larry Spivak |
Christina Siegel |
Jan Hintermeister, M.S. - Board Chair
Jan is the Board Chair and leads the Board Executive Committee and Board Fund Development Committee. Jan flew from rural Minnesota to the Bay Area and found new birds and lots of open space instead of endless corn and soybean fields. He earned a B.A. in Mathematics from St. Olaf College and an M.S. in Operations Research from Stanford University. Jan worked as an Engineer for a number of high tech companies in Silicon Valley, including Motorola, ESL, TRW, Deskin Research Group, and ARGOsystems. An interest in hiking and birds led him to volunteer for SFBBO in the 1990s and work to preserve open space in Santa Clara, a project that eventually became the Ulistac Natural Area. Jan’s career in open space and volunteerism continued with a 12-year stint on the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Commission, docent and other work with Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve and as a fundraising volunteer and Board member with SFBBO. His love of birds also grew to include other flying creatures like butterflies, dragonflies and bats.
Jan is the Board Chair and leads the Board Executive Committee and Board Fund Development Committee. Jan flew from rural Minnesota to the Bay Area and found new birds and lots of open space instead of endless corn and soybean fields. He earned a B.A. in Mathematics from St. Olaf College and an M.S. in Operations Research from Stanford University. Jan worked as an Engineer for a number of high tech companies in Silicon Valley, including Motorola, ESL, TRW, Deskin Research Group, and ARGOsystems. An interest in hiking and birds led him to volunteer for SFBBO in the 1990s and work to preserve open space in Santa Clara, a project that eventually became the Ulistac Natural Area. Jan’s career in open space and volunteerism continued with a 12-year stint on the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Commission, docent and other work with Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve and as a fundraising volunteer and Board member with SFBBO. His love of birds also grew to include other flying creatures like butterflies, dragonflies and bats.
Hrishi Arria - Board Director
Hrishi joins the SFBBO with a background in business management, finance, and accounting, and aims to raise awareness about the conservation of birds and their habitats through science and outreach. Hrishi recently moved from Alberta, Canada. He earned his CPA designation from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Canada, and Masters of Professional Accounting from the University of Saskatchewan. Hrishi currently works as a deals advisory consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in the Bay Area. He aims to bring his financial expertise of working with organizations of all sizes to SFBBO. He is a bird enthusiast, bird owner, and avid bird watcher. Aside from working, Hrishi enjoys spending time with his family, picnics at the beach, cooking, and riding motorcycles.
Hrishi joins the SFBBO with a background in business management, finance, and accounting, and aims to raise awareness about the conservation of birds and their habitats through science and outreach. Hrishi recently moved from Alberta, Canada. He earned his CPA designation from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Canada, and Masters of Professional Accounting from the University of Saskatchewan. Hrishi currently works as a deals advisory consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in the Bay Area. He aims to bring his financial expertise of working with organizations of all sizes to SFBBO. He is a bird enthusiast, bird owner, and avid bird watcher. Aside from working, Hrishi enjoys spending time with his family, picnics at the beach, cooking, and riding motorcycles.
Marty Michael, M.S. - Board Finance Chair
Until early 2018 Marty Michael was Senior Director of Technical Support and Training at Synopsys, where he managed their worldwide technical support and training group and previously their Field Application Engineers in Silicon Valley and the Pacific Northwest. Prior to that he worked at National Semiconductor doing detailed architectures of electronic chips, managing chip design, chip verification and chip validation groups. He has also managed operations at a telecommunications company and has done analog design at a bio-medical start-up. In addition, Marty has also volunteered as a docent at Henry Coe State Park and with other local charities, including Second Harvest, RAFT (Resource Area for Teaching), City Team, and Sunnyvale Urban Forest, and maintains the trails on a 13.5 acre Open Space preserve in his neighborhood. When not working he enjoys time with his family, hiking, flying sailplanes, traveling and doing photography. Marty has an M.S in Cybernetic Systems, a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, and holds 10 patents related to personal computers and communication.
Until early 2018 Marty Michael was Senior Director of Technical Support and Training at Synopsys, where he managed their worldwide technical support and training group and previously their Field Application Engineers in Silicon Valley and the Pacific Northwest. Prior to that he worked at National Semiconductor doing detailed architectures of electronic chips, managing chip design, chip verification and chip validation groups. He has also managed operations at a telecommunications company and has done analog design at a bio-medical start-up. In addition, Marty has also volunteered as a docent at Henry Coe State Park and with other local charities, including Second Harvest, RAFT (Resource Area for Teaching), City Team, and Sunnyvale Urban Forest, and maintains the trails on a 13.5 acre Open Space preserve in his neighborhood. When not working he enjoys time with his family, hiking, flying sailplanes, traveling and doing photography. Marty has an M.S in Cybernetic Systems, a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, and holds 10 patents related to personal computers and communication.
Anastasia Neddersen, M.S. - Board Director
Anastasia joined SFBBO's board to engage more with local communities and to fulfill her lifelong desire to protect and improve the environment. SFBBO's mission to bring back the diversity of bird species in the Bay Area is very close to her heart. Anastasia relocated to the United States from Russia as a girl and had to learn to embrace cultural differences and communication nuances. She earned a B.A. in Bioengineering from UC Berkeley and a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Santa Clara University. Anastasia worked for more than six years at Stanford University in the field of microfluidics and genomic sequencing. Later she worked as an engineer for a number of biotech companies in Silicon Valley, including Genomic Health and Ximedica. Anastasia's 15 years of experience in leading and executing on cutting edge biotech product development led her to start a company in the Bay Area that uses biotechnology to clean the air. Overcoming the many challenges of a startup has led her to believe that the most inspiring and fulfilling work includes the mindfulness practice of acceptance, compassion and sincerity. Aside from her professional aspirations, she volunteers at schools and educational organizations, shows a keen interest in a holistic approach to medicine, regularly practices yoga and mindfulness, and enjoys an active and healthy lifestyle. In her spare time, Anastasia writes a blog on emotional intelligence and children's and non-fiction books. Currently, Anastasia is working as a Project Manager for a product development company in Medical Device and Diagnostics. Anastasia is an advocate for integrity, zest and finesse in any undertaking that brings genuine value to the world and people.
Anastasia joined SFBBO's board to engage more with local communities and to fulfill her lifelong desire to protect and improve the environment. SFBBO's mission to bring back the diversity of bird species in the Bay Area is very close to her heart. Anastasia relocated to the United States from Russia as a girl and had to learn to embrace cultural differences and communication nuances. She earned a B.A. in Bioengineering from UC Berkeley and a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Santa Clara University. Anastasia worked for more than six years at Stanford University in the field of microfluidics and genomic sequencing. Later she worked as an engineer for a number of biotech companies in Silicon Valley, including Genomic Health and Ximedica. Anastasia's 15 years of experience in leading and executing on cutting edge biotech product development led her to start a company in the Bay Area that uses biotechnology to clean the air. Overcoming the many challenges of a startup has led her to believe that the most inspiring and fulfilling work includes the mindfulness practice of acceptance, compassion and sincerity. Aside from her professional aspirations, she volunteers at schools and educational organizations, shows a keen interest in a holistic approach to medicine, regularly practices yoga and mindfulness, and enjoys an active and healthy lifestyle. In her spare time, Anastasia writes a blog on emotional intelligence and children's and non-fiction books. Currently, Anastasia is working as a Project Manager for a product development company in Medical Device and Diagnostics. Anastasia is an advocate for integrity, zest and finesse in any undertaking that brings genuine value to the world and people.
Leah Russin, J.D. - Board Director
Leah joined SFBBO’s board after reconnecting with a childhood friend who happened to be one of SFBBO’s waterbird experts. Leah has served as an attorney and policy advisor on environmental matters, water policy, and public health for non profit entities, public agencies, and elected officials. She is passionate about environmental sustainability and appreciates the work SFBBO does to develop science to better understand climate change and mitigate its impacts through habitat restoration. She is mother to college student and a preschooler, and spends her free time outdoors and volunteering on progressive causes. She received a law degree from Duke University and a B.A. in Biological Sciences from Smith College.
Leah joined SFBBO’s board after reconnecting with a childhood friend who happened to be one of SFBBO’s waterbird experts. Leah has served as an attorney and policy advisor on environmental matters, water policy, and public health for non profit entities, public agencies, and elected officials. She is passionate about environmental sustainability and appreciates the work SFBBO does to develop science to better understand climate change and mitigate its impacts through habitat restoration. She is mother to college student and a preschooler, and spends her free time outdoors and volunteering on progressive causes. She received a law degree from Duke University and a B.A. in Biological Sciences from Smith College.
Kiana Said, M.S. - Board Director
Kiana joins the SFBBO with a background in environmental sustainability and public health, with the eagerness to support her community through environmental education. Kiana moved from San Diego and earned a B.S. in Environmental Science from UC Riverside and a Master's of Public Health focused on Environmental Health from UC Berkeley. Kiana currently works as a quality improvement professional for the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s County Hospital, ZSFG. There she has learned the importance of continuous quality improvement and problem solving to improve health outcomes, or any type of outcome. Aside from working Kiana enjoys visiting her family, hiking, cooking, and being outdoors.
Kiana joins the SFBBO with a background in environmental sustainability and public health, with the eagerness to support her community through environmental education. Kiana moved from San Diego and earned a B.S. in Environmental Science from UC Riverside and a Master's of Public Health focused on Environmental Health from UC Berkeley. Kiana currently works as a quality improvement professional for the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s County Hospital, ZSFG. There she has learned the importance of continuous quality improvement and problem solving to improve health outcomes, or any type of outcome. Aside from working Kiana enjoys visiting her family, hiking, cooking, and being outdoors.
Christine Zack, M.S. - Board Director
Christine joined SFBBO as volunteer colonial waterbird monitor in 2016. She has a degree in biological anthropology from UC San Diego and masters in Biology where she studied chemical communication among polar bears. Christine worked in research for nine years at the San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research specializing in the breeding behavior, reintroduction, and translocation of endangered species such as the San Clemente loggerhead shrikes, burrowing owls, Stephens’ kangaroo rats, polar and panda bears. In 2016, she became a California naturalist, which was an excellent way to combine her interests in ecology, birding, reading, gardening, volunteering, and citizen science. Christine is now the education manager for Environmental Volunteers wear she builds hands-on science kits for k-6 students in the Bay Area.
Christine joined SFBBO as volunteer colonial waterbird monitor in 2016. She has a degree in biological anthropology from UC San Diego and masters in Biology where she studied chemical communication among polar bears. Christine worked in research for nine years at the San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research specializing in the breeding behavior, reintroduction, and translocation of endangered species such as the San Clemente loggerhead shrikes, burrowing owls, Stephens’ kangaroo rats, polar and panda bears. In 2016, she became a California naturalist, which was an excellent way to combine her interests in ecology, birding, reading, gardening, volunteering, and citizen science. Christine is now the education manager for Environmental Volunteers wear she builds hands-on science kits for k-6 students in the Bay Area.
Larry Spivak, M.S. - Board Director
Larry has supported SFBBO for the past 15 years, donating both money and wine for SFBBO special events. His parents were Sierra Club members, so he spent most of his childhood vacations in the woods, including five summers with his grandparents roaming freely through redwood forests. Even while he was married and raising a child he loved to enjoy the outdoors and often took his family camping. It was later in life, after retiring from his high-tech career, that birding came into his life. During the past 25 years he's become an avid birder, taught science to students in San Jose schools as a volunteer with the nonprofit Environmental Volunteers, taught beginning birders at Bay Area adult schools, and also became a strong advocate for the environment.
Larry has supported SFBBO for the past 15 years, donating both money and wine for SFBBO special events. His parents were Sierra Club members, so he spent most of his childhood vacations in the woods, including five summers with his grandparents roaming freely through redwood forests. Even while he was married and raising a child he loved to enjoy the outdoors and often took his family camping. It was later in life, after retiring from his high-tech career, that birding came into his life. During the past 25 years he's become an avid birder, taught science to students in San Jose schools as a volunteer with the nonprofit Environmental Volunteers, taught beginning birders at Bay Area adult schools, and also became a strong advocate for the environment.
Christina Siegel - Board Director
Christina Siegel has taught at the university level and has served as executive director and brings experience in the nonprofit field.
Christina Siegel has taught at the university level and has served as executive director and brings experience in the nonprofit field.