The California Garden
Frances Brandon, President, has served in a management capacity and as a special
projects administrator overseeing multimillion dollar statewide projects during her 30 years of
service with the State Of California. She is a certified facilitator and mediator, and has earned
multiple certificates in management and horticulture. She is a Master Gardener certified by
that organization to train “Sustainable Landscaping” to members and the general public. Ms.
Brandon holds a business license for landscape design and consulting and has become a
historian of large public parks and gardens in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, and
South America.
Jeff Townsend, Vice President, is the Director of Planning and Landscape Architecture,
and is a Principal, at Jacobs’ Sacramento office. He has extensive experience in landscape
architecture, land planning and urban design projects with a variety of public and private
sector projects throughout the United States. He complements his design creativity with site-
sensitive planning techniques to compose unique solutions to complex project programs. He
is involved with multiple aspects of project development, including programming, public
outreach, design development, project management, construction documentation, phasing
and construction administration. He has worked with various local and state agencies
processing discretionary entitlements for land use, CEQA requirements, zoning, variances,
tentative subdivision maps, planning permits and others.
Mr. Townsend holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University in Landscape
Architecture and is a Registered Landscape Architect in California and Texas. He is Trustee
and Past President of the American Society of Landscape Architects Sierra Chapter, a Board
member of the Sacramento Tree Foundation and a member of the Urban Land Institute as
well as the American Planning Association. Mr. Townsend has also volunteered with Habitat
for Humanity, United Way, and the Sacramento Food Bank.
Michele Froyd, Secretary, has served as a project manager during the past 30 years,
implementing statewide programs as a result of changes in legislation, regulation and policy
for the State of California. As a staff manager, she has written legislative and regulatory
proposals, and worked with State Congressional offices in the process. Mrs. Froyd
represented the State of California on a North American committee comprised of high ranking
members of the public and private sectors in the U.S. and Canada to research, establish, and
document best business practices for identity security. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Journalism from California State University, Sacramento, and currently owns a floral design
business. She is a docent for the Crocker Art Museum, a life time supporter of the
Sacramento Zoological Society, and has had an interest in Sacramento and California's
historic preservation programs.
Dick Pryor, Treasurer, worked for the California Department of Transportation as an Office
Manager responsible for the preparation of plans and specifications for landscape designs
and erosion control of major highway projects. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Landscape Architecture from Iowa State University. Mr. Pryor has actively served on various
local and state professional boards and is a past president of the California Council of
Landscape Architects.
Ron Allison, Director, and past president of the Board for 6 years, is a landscape architect
specializing in custom residential landscape design. During his tenure with California’s
Department State Parks and Recreation and Department of Transportation, his work included
interpretive and master planning for historical state parks and landscape design. He holds a
Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture from Cal Poly, Pomona. Mr. Allison
has served on the boards of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the California
Landscape Contractors Association, and is a past member of the Environmental Council of
Sacramento and past affiliate member of the Building Industry Association of Northern
California.
Rick LaMantain, Director, is currently an accounts manager for the Valley Crest Tree
Company, a division of Valley Crest Companies, where he has been employed for the past 25
years. Valley Crest, the nation’s largest integrated landscape company, is renowned for such
distinguished project successes as Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park, Duke University Gardens,
Dodger Stadium and the world- renowned Chinese Gardens at Huntington Gardens. As a
community leader, Mr. LaMantain also has served on the Board of Directors for the
Sacramento Tree Foundation, is Chairman of the Landscape and Nursery Expo, and served
as a board member of the California Landscape Contractors Association. He holds a degree
in Marketing from Fullerton College.
Alan Vail, Director, is a Managing Partner for Pacific Urban Properties, LLC, and has 35
years of experience as a major stockholder and director of an engineering/architectural firm,
consultant to a national home builder and developer of infill projects. His project experience
has involved large-acreage-mixed-use projects, resorts and infill developments throughout
northern California. He has been directly responsible for program development for projects
involving up to 11,000 dwelling units, public facility plans for up to $350,000,000 of
improvements, obtaining financial backing for development projects, development of public
financing programs to support master planned communities and creative involvement in land-
use planning and infrastructure planning. Mr. Vail currently is a member of Brookfield Land
Company Development Policy Committee for three master planned communities in California
totaling approximately 30,000 units. He holds both Bachelor and Master of Science degrees.
Nancy Wise-Hutton, Director and Web Site Manager, co-founded NetWorks Events, an
event promotion and fundraising business. She has vast experience in media
communication, event coordination and advertising, and has been a guest lecturer on visual
design for Ashland University and the University of Akron. She has won multiple honors in
media communications and advertising and served as Assistant Director of the Porterville
Chamber of Commerce and co-chaired their successful bid to be named All America City.
Roger Taylor, DDS, Director is co-founder/director/vice chairman of the board for the
American River Bank, American River Bankshares, and American River Bankshares
Foundation. He is also director of Community Vision Inc. in El Dorado Hills. Dr. Taylor
graduated from the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry and founded the Orchard
Dental Group in Fair Oaks, CA, from which he is now retired.
Deborah Thomas-Smith, Director, Deborah Thomas-Smith, Director, is founder of
LifeSpace Design, which includes consultation on community garden design and
implementing sustainable practices. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government
from Connecticut College and a JD in Law from the American College of Law. She has also
taught Political Science at the college level and has a strong interest in building a botanical
garden that educates children and youth.
Ms. Smith is certified in landscape design, conflict management and mediation, and writes
grant proposals. She has also worked in the insurance industry managing commercial liability
civil litigation, including construction defect and environmental claims
Michael McKechnie, Associate, is the current Executive Director of the San Francisco
Botanical Garden Society. He recently spearheaded the garden’s successful branding
project, and now leads the Society in a $30 million dollar capitol campaign to renovate or
build eight gardens, endow increased garden maintenance, develop accessible path and way
finding systems, and construct a state-of-the-art “green” Nursery and Center for Sustainable
Gardening.
Tallying 39 years of experience managing non-profits, he directed the successful growth of
four regional or national charitable organizations. Additionally, he served on the governing
boards of a number of research, fundraising and civic organizations where he provided
governance, financial and strategic oversight. Michael has built a number of consortiums and
partnerships among potentially competing agencies, non-profits and corporations, funders
and fund recipients. He enjoys the creative programming that brings together the abilities of
partner organizations.
Michael holds a BA from DePauw University, a Master of Regional Planning from Cornell, and
an MBA from Xavier University.
Joe Coomes, Associate, is a senior shareholder in the Sacramento law firm of McDonough
Holland & Allen PC, with a statewide practice representing private developers and public
agencies in land use, downtown redevelopment, and reuse planning, acquisition and
development of closed military bases. He has been recognized by his peers by being listed in
"Best Lawyers of America," and in March 2008 he received a "Lifetime Achievement Award"
from the California Redevelopment Association.
In a civic capacity, he has served as President of the Metro Chamber of Commerce, the
Sacramento Commerce and Trade Organization, Valley Vision, and founder and chairman of
the Capitol Area Development Authority, among others. He is a past Metro Chamber
"Sacramentan of the Year," Sacramento County Bar "Lawyer of the Year," and recipient from
the Sacramento Chapter of Lambda Alpha International of its "Samuel J. Cullers Outstanding
Achievement Award" in recognition of his civic activities. His strong support of the California
Garden is part of his vision for the Sacramento region to grow with first class amenities for its
citizens and visitors.
Amy Lapin, Associate, is Vice President of Economic & Planning Systems, Inc., (EPS).
She has assisted public and private entities in evaluating financial and market feasibility,
measuring the fiscal and economic impacts of new development, and identifying funding
mechanisms to finance public infrastructure and urban services.
Ms. Lapin’s recent projects include assisting the City of Sacramento in preparing analyses to
finance public facilities and ongoing municipal services and evaluating the construction and
ongoing economic impacts of the Sacramento RailYards project, a 230-acre redevelopment
project adjacent to downtown Sacramento. Ms. Lapin also recently prepared an economic
and fiscal impact analysis detailing the potential implications of a real property development
moratorium over the next seven years in the City of Seaside.
Ms. Lapin is an active member of the American Planning Association, where she serves as
Membership Director for the Sacramento Valley Section. She is also an active member of
Urban Land Institute (ULI) and ULI Young Leaders Group (YLG). Ms. Lapin earned a Master
of Community and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Arts in
Economics and Psychology from Ohio Wesleyan University.
Jackie Rogers, Associate, offers more than 25 years of expertise as an accounting
manager, payroll manager, internal auditor, and analyst with such companies as Advance
Education, Verizon Wireless, Amador County, Franklin Templeton and the Mountain Lion
Foundation. Her professional writing and editing portfolio includes grants, financial
statements, brochures, annual reports and direct mail solicitations. Additionally, as a
development writer, she has helped raise more than $100 million for UC Davis.
CALIFORNIA CENTRAL VALLEY HORTICULTURE FOUNDATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ASSOCIATES
The CCVHF was founded to develop a base of support for the California Garden Project. A diverse range of
skills is required for The Garden to be a success and a combination of administrative and organizational
skills are needed to form a cohesive working group. These skills are evident in the Board of Directors and
advisors.
