Board members are vital in directing and assisting the organization in meeting its fundraising and program goals. The CaUFC board is made up of individuals who are passionate about trees, dedicated to the cause of urban forestry and value the social and community building benefits that serving the organization brings.
Representatives
Robert Blum
Board Member
I am an attorney who has practiced law in San Francisco for more than 30 years. Throughout my career, I have especially enjoyed my representation of clients who are active in vegetation management and tree care.
Laura Burnett
Board Member
For 30 years Laura Burnett has practiced planning and design of urban communities, parks, campuses, transit-oriented facilities, and regional open space networks where infrastructure, buildings, and landscape are a coordinated whole.
Mona Cummings
San Joaquin Valley Representative
Mona N. Cummings has been the CEO of Tree Fresno since October 2019. Mona has experience in natural resource conservation, organizational development, and the building of meaningful partnerships.
Emina Darakjy
Board President & LA OC Representative
Anne Fenker
Sacramento Valley Representative
Anne is a project developer for Davey Resource Group and works with communities throughout the west to help them achieve their vegetation management goals.
Sarah Gaskin
Board Member
Sarah is an Executive at A Plus Tree, Inc and has been in the tree care industry for over 10 years. She’s a Registered Consulting Arborist, Certified Arborist, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of California, Berkeley.
Gordon Mann
Board Member
I am a consulting arborist and trainer living in Auburn, CA, with 40 years of municipal tree management, public administration, and urban forestry experience.
Gordon Matassa
Bay Area Representative
Gordon Matassa represents the Bay Area Region as the chair of the Bay Area Urban Forest Ecosystem Council. He is the Urban Forestry Project Coordinator for the City of Oakland, where he does everything from helping nonprofits plant trees to developing Oakland’s first urban forest plan.
Nancy Sappington
Vice President
Ms. Sappington has helped produce more than 25 urban forest management plans for organizations including municipalities, universities, and nonprofit foundations throughout California.
Meha Senthil
Board Member
Meha Senthil is passionate about the environment and is currently working on a circular economy initiative to provide reusable food serviceware to schools.
Magen Shaw
San Diego Representative
Magen Matison Shaw – Representing the San Diego Region. Magen has been a certified arborist since 2015 and obtained the TRAQ certification in 2017.
Emily Spillett
Past President
Ms. Spillett is a Program Manager for Davey Resource Group’s Western Region Urban Forestry Program. She joined the DRG Team in 2001 as a consulting forester and has over 17 years of professional experience working with utility forestry, urban forestry, land use planning, and natural resource management issues.