Leadership
Dr. Robert Reed
Chair
Dr. Robert Reed, Medical Director, VCA Rancho Mirage Animal Hospital joined the Friends Board in January 2021, and became Chair in January. 2024. Robert is a Certified California Naturalist and serves on our Finance and Investment Committee.
Tara Bravo Mulally
Marketing & Development Committee Chair
Tara Bravo, Sr. Vice President, CV Strategies joined the Friends’ Board in 2021.
Matthew Gonda
Treasurer and Finance & Investment Committee Chair
Matthew Gonda, CPA and CGMA, CEO of Gonda + Co. joined the Friends’ Finance & Investment Committee in 2019 and was elected to the Board of Directors in September 2020.
Deborah McGarrey
Secretary
Deborah McGarrey, Public Affairs Manager, Southern California Gas joined the Board in 2014, served as Board President in 2017 and 2018, and serves on the Marketing & Development Committee.
Robert G. Berriman
Board Member
Retired, currently serves on the Palm Springs International Airport Commission. Friends’ Volunteer beginning in 2015, Bob was elected to the Friends Board in 2023, and now is a member of the Property Committee and Friends’ Land Monitoring Lead.
Kathy Coleman
Board Member
Kathy Coleman, Co-CEO, Sunnyland Kansas LLC. was elected to the Friends’ Board in 2018 and served as Board Vice President in 2020.
John Criste
Property Committee Co-Chair
John Criste, President & Principal Planner, Terra Nova Planning & Research, Inc. was elected to the Friends board in 2018. John Serves on the Desert Lake Shore Committee.
Rebecca Driscoll
Past Chair
Rebecca Driscoll, President, Keith Driscoll Farms, Inc. Rebecca was elected to the Friends’ Board in 2014 and served as Board Chair November 2020 – December 2023. Rebecca serves on the Marketing & Development, Fundraising, and Finance & Investment Committees.
Melina Duarte
Fundraising Committee Chair
Melina Duarte is the Founder and Principal Consultant of MyDuarte Strategy Group. Melina was elected to the Friends’ Board in June 2023. Melina serves on our Social Justice Committee.
Gordon Fidler
Board Member
Gordon Fidler, Retired Chef was elected to the board in 2016 and serves on the Property Committee. Gordon is an avid Volunteer for Friends’.
Robert Hargreaves
Board Member
Robert Hargreaves, Attorney and Partner with Best, Best & Krieger was elected to the Friends Board in 2012 and served as Board President in 2015 and 2016. Bob serves on Friends’ Finance/Investment and Social Justice Committees.
Stephen D. Hockett
Board Member
Stephen Hockett, Principal (retired), Fairfax County Public Schools Virginia, was elected to the Friends’ Board in May 2022.
Anne J. Kane
Board Member
Anne Kane, Attorney with Cosgrove, Cosgrove and Humphery was elected to the Friends’ board in March 2020. She served as Board Secretary November 2020 – February 2023.
Cheryl McKinley
Program Committee Chair
Cheryl McKinley, Retired was elected to the board in 2012 and served as Board President (Chair) in 2019 and 2020. She serves on the Programs and Social Justice Committees.
Joan Taylor
Property Committee Co-Chair
Joan Taylor, Conservationist is a founding member of Friends of the Desert Mountains. Joan has served Friends in many roles since 1987. Joan served as Treasurer of the Board in 2020-2023.
P. Sienna Thomas
Social Justice Committee Chair
Sienna Thomas, Whitewater Preserve Ranger was elected to the Friends’ board in September 2020. Sienna also serves on the board of the Malki Museum in Banning.