Richard Kirschman, Founder, lived for more than 40 years in West Marin, California. Among his many interests were the effect money has on individuals and on society in general. Introducing a $3.00 coin as local currency to foster community spirit and to raise funds for food banks, for local senior services and local education—and to help support the community’s many non-profit organizations—was one manifestation of that long-held interest.
Richard Kirschman
Doris Ober is also a West Marin resident, author, and managing editor for the literary and art journal, West Marin Review. She is Coastal Marin Fund’s assistant and Treasurer.
Richard and Doris
Designer of the Coastal Marin Fund’s $3.00 coin, Keith Hansen is a wildlife artist who specializes in the accurate and imaginative portrayal of birds. He has illustrated more than a dozen books, 100 t-shirts, and innumerable commissions. He is currently illustrating a Guide to the Birds of the Sierra Nevada, which depicts that region’s 320 species. Keith works and shows out of his gallery in Bolinas, California. Visit his website for more information:www.keithhansen.com.
Mark Dowie, Board President, is a long-time resident of the West Marin community, is an investigative historian, founder of Talking Point Radio, former publisher and editor of Mother Jones magazine and former editor-at-large of InterNation, a feature syndicate based in Paris. During his 35 years in journalism, Mark has written over 200 investigative reports for magazines, newspapers and other publications. He taught science and foreign correspondence at UC Berkeley’s graduate school of journalism and is recipient of 19 journalism awards, including four National Magazine Awards, a George Polk Award, Best American Science Writing and Best Science and Nature Writing. He received citations from the National Press Club, University of Kansas and University of Missouri, a bronze medallion by Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Media Alliance’s Meritorious Award for Lifetime Achievement, and a Doctor of Humane Letters by John F. Kennedy University. Mark has written seven books; his most recent is Conservation Refugees: The Hundred Year Conflict Between Global Conservation and Native Peoples.
Mark Dowie
David Miller, board member, is an international development specialist and has worked in over 30 countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. His career has included the Peace Corps, the United States Agency for International Development, and Save the Children Federation. He founded the International Community Economic Development Program at Southern New Hampshire University, which has trained hundreds of community leaders and social entrepreneurs from over 90 countries, in 1986. He now serves as a consultant to international development organizations in Asia, Africa and the Middle East on the design and implementation of microenterprise projects. In 2009 David joined the faculty of UC Davis as a visiting professor in the Center for the Study of Regional Change, where he teaches courses in micro-enterprise and economic development. He has served on the board of Tomales Bay Library Association and was one of the founders of the West Marin Review. David has lived in West Marin since 2000.
William Barrett, board member, is a long time resident of West Marin, having moved here in 1980. Equipped with a degree from a prestigious West Coast art school, he started his life in West Marin as a dishwasher, waiter, housecleaner, carpenter, house painter and artist’s model. Somehow, he became executive director of the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, a position held for several years. Once his eco-credentials were cemented, he opened a freelance graphic design office. A few awards were obtained, many books were designed. In 2001 Bill entered the real estate trade. There he found his métier, his passion, and the dream he’d been chasing.
William Barrett
Sarah Cane, Executive Director, is a part time music educator living in West Marin. She met our founder Richard -an accomplished musician himself- when he observed her teaching music to first graders at Inverness School. It was the beginning of a mutual appreciation that led to becoming the one staff person for the project. She is delighted to be our administrator.
Sarah Cane
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