Leadership

Current Members of the Board of Directors of The Anza Trail Foundation include:

Richard Rojas
In December 2007, Richard completed a 32-year career with California State Parks rising from the ranks of Park Ranger, and culminating as District Superintendent for the Channel Coast District from 2000-2007. During his career, he held posts throughout the State.
Rich RojasBefore his retirement, Richard was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to represent the State of California on the NPS Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail Council and is currently the Chairman of the Anza Trail Foundation. Richard has a passion for ensuring that the Anza story becomes known as an American story, especially for the children of Arizona and California. Richard remains active in positions of responsibility for CASA of Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation and the Kiwanis Club of Santa Barbara.

Dr. Reba Wells Grandrud
Researching and exploring Anza and other historic trails across Arizona has been a 30-year passion for Reba, with the Yuma Crossing a focal point as all early Arizona travelers forded the Colorado River there. Appointed to the Anza Advisory Commission, she has been an active member of the Anza Trail Coalition of AZ, Anza Society, and assisted with the formation of the Anza Trail Foundation, serving as board Secretary, Vice-President and President.
 Reba GrandrudReba serves on the Executive Committee for the Partnership for the National Trails System and works closely with other National Historic Trails–her goal: protection and preservation of the significant and unique American heritage that national trails represent. It is vital that both California and Arizona be represented on the ATF Board so efforts can be coordinated for benefit to the Juan Bautista de Anza NHT.

Beverly Lane
As a local history museum curator, author and California historian, Beverly has a special interest in California pre-Gold Rush history and Anza’s 1776 exploration of San Francisco’s East Bay. She is the author of several history books on Danville, the San Ramon Valley and Contra Costa County.
 Beverly LaneBeverly is currently an elected Director of the East Bay Regional Park District which covers both Alameda and Contra Costa County and includes 115,000 acres in 65 regional parks. Thirteen Anza Trail wayside panels (produced in cooperation with the NPS) are now in place in the East Bay and the Delta de Anza Regional Trail covers the 1776 expedition throughout the East Bay. She is currently Membership Chair for the ATF.

Gregory Gandrud
A Southern California native, Greg moved to Carpinteria in 1987, and founded Gandrud Financial Services Corporation. He is an avid back-packer, slightly experienced cattle herder and a health/fitness advocate. Greg served on the Carpinteria City Council and, in 2005, was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to the California Recreational Trails Committee. Greg 2012-March CroppedSince then, he has traveled the entire state promoting trails. His home has been an environmental showcase and because of its edible landscape, vermiculture, and permeable hardscape, it has been featured twice on the Sustainability Project’s Parade of Green Building.
Greg serves as Treasurer of the Anza Trail Foundation. This historic national trail runs along the coast of Carpinteria. Greg is working to secure important missing links so that the Anza trail can run through Carpinteria without interruption. The Franklin trail is another project that Greg has been working on for the last several years. When completed, it will provide the Carpinteria community with direct access to the amazing Los Padres National Forest.

Elizabeth Stewart
A retired attorney at law, Elizabeth serves on the Anza Trail Foundation Board and represents the ATF at the Partnership for The National Trails System.

Tina Clark
Tina Clark is the Historian/Archaeologist/Curator for the City of Yuma tasked to the Yuma Crossing National Area. She also serves as the Director of Programming for the Yuma Territorial Prison and the Yuma Quarter Master Depot, both within the Yuma Crossing Tina headshotNational Historic Landmark. Deeply involved in almost every historic project in the City’s Redevelopment Plan, she brings years of experience to her work. She has academic credentials (BA, MA) in History and Anthropology and has done field archeology at the San Diego’s Mission and Presidio.
Tina is also personally involved in the renovation of several historic Yuma properties including Old St. Paul’s Church (1909), and Parish House (1929) which together form St. Paul’s Cultural Center. Tina hopes that her work here will help to revitalize Historic Yuma and play a small part in the renaissance that is certain to follow the designation of Yuma as the first National Heritage Area West of the Mississippi.

Dr. Carlos Herrera

Dr. Carlos R. Herrera is Associate Dean For Academic Affairs at San Diego State University, Imperial Valley Campus. He holds the rank of Associate Professor of History, and is also the founder and director of the SDSU-IVC Borderlands Institute. Dr. Herrera received a B.A. and M.A in history from the University of San Diego, and he earned his Ph.D. in History from the University of New Mexico. He has been active in numerous hererra croppedcommunity organizations. He served as president of the Calexico Educational Foundation and is co-founder of the Calexico History Museum. Dr. Herrera is the author of Juan Bautista de Anza: The King’s Governor in New Mexico.  Published by the University of Oklahoma Press, this book covers Anza’s life from his early days on the Sonora/Arizona frontier to his ten-year term as governor of New Mexico.  The book emphasizes Anza’s efforts to create a lasting peace with Native American tribes of the far north, and to implement the Bourbon Reforms in the New Mexico Colony.  Since its publication in January 2015, Juan Bautista de Anza has received positive reviews and recognition, including a finalist ranking in the 2015 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards, which is sponsored by the New Mexico Co-op.  Herrera’s book has also received a 2016 Spur Award Finalists ranking from the Western Writers of America.  The Historical Society of New Mexico selected Juan Bautista de Anza: The King’s Governor in New Mexico as the 2016 winner of its prestigious Gaspar Pérez de Villagrá award.

Jim Toevs

Jim Toevs

 

 

Former Members of the Board of Directors of The Anza Trail Foundation include:

Dr. Michael Weber
Director of Estrada Weber Cultural Connections, Michael has worked to research and articulate the Anza narrative for over 20 years.

Jeannie Gillen
Jeannie Gillen

Comments are closed.