Board of Directors
The Animal Samaritans Board of Directors is a high-level volunteer body of influential individuals who work with the Animal Samaritans executive staff to advance the organization’s mission. Animal Samaritans could not exist without their tireless service.
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Board President
Len is the Board President for Animal Samaritans. He is a graduate of the Kodaikanal International School in Tamil Nadu, India, received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Baylor University and a Masters in City and Regional Planning from Ohio State University.
Len spent his career as a City Planner for the City of Los Angeles. He has participated and served on boards for non-profit housing, social services, and community organizations.
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Board Member
Mark is a native of the Northeast and has an undergraduate degree from the University of Vermont and an MBA from The Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University.
His prior experience is wide and includes both senior management and financial positions in the publishing, extreme sports, and HOA Management Industries. Mark is currently the President and CEO of Associa Desert Resort Management, the largest HOA management company in the Coachella Valley, and a Regional Vice President at Associa, Desert Resort Management’s parent company. Mark is an active volunteer and currently serves in Board Director roles for Animal Samaritans, The Coachella Valley Chapter of the Community Associations Institute, and Associa Cares, a national charity supported by funding from Associa employees providing disaster relief assistance nationwide.
Mark lives in Palm Desert with his wife Jamie and his three children, Jack, Sophia, and Alex.
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Board Member
John was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of California, Berkeley in 1974 and a Juris Doctorate from the University of West Los Angeles School of Law in 1980. John worked for the IRS for 36 years, serving in many roles including supervising a nationwide team of attorneys responsible for tax controversy matters in connection with estates, gifts, and generation-skipping transfers. After John retired from the IRS, he practiced law in California and specialized in probate, tax controversy, and estate planning. John also taught at UCLA Extension for over 25 years and was an adjunct professor at the University of West Los Angeles School of Law.
John lives in Rancho Mirage with his husband Tom and their two awesome dogs: Kobe, a 17-year-old Shiba Inu they rescued 15 years ago and Barney, a 5-year-old gray Standard Poodle they are fostering through Guide Dogs of the Desert.
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Secretary
Originally from Chicago, Fera has been practicing law in California for over 30 years and is also licensed to practice law in Illinois and Nevada, working first as a trial attorney for the Internal Revenue Service, and then as Vice President, Music Legal first for Paramount Pictures and then for the Walt Disney Studios. She also has a master’s degree in psychology and is a licensed marriage and family therapist. Fera has also had extensive experience in animal sheltering and animal rescue. After retiring from Disney, Fera started volunteering at the Palm Springs Animal Shelter and soon became the Recovery Room Administrator for the Palm Springs Animal Shelter Veterinary Clinic. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of Wings of Rescue, a prior board member of Untied Hope for Animals and is also a docent in the Wildlife Hospital at The Living Desert.
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Founding Board Member
Barbara is a founding Board Member for Animal Samaritans. She grew up in South Pasadena, California, and lives in Palm Desert. She attended college at the University of Alabama, University of California Los Angeles, and California State University, Los Angeles. She received her Master’s Degree at Azusa Pacific. Barbara was also a teacher in Indio and Palm Desert.
Barbara is one of the founding members of Animal Samaritans and started its Humane Education Program and Animal Companion Therapy Program. Barbara has 2 children, 5 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. Barbara resides in Palm Desert with her rescue dog and cat.
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Board Member
John is from Colorado where he attended grade school and went to college at UCCS, where he received a degree in Business Sports Management. John is now the Vice President of Commercial Lending with Pacific Premier Bank and has nine years in the banking industry. Additionally, John has many years of experience with non-profit organizations, including being the President of sports and officiating organizations and recent CFO of the Palm Desert Chamber. John is a big supporter of all things non-profit and loves connecting businesses and volunteers to organizations.
John recently moved to Henderson, NV, with his wife Hillary and two children, Breecan and Darby.
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Board Member
Marcia was born and lived most of her life in Southern California. After graduating from Stanford University, she returned to Los Angeles and became a leader in historic preservation and architectural history of the area. She served for 9 years as commissioner on a state commission developing a 42-acre historic site in the heart of the city. She served on numerous boards including founding member of Guide Dogs of America Foundation.
In 1989 she and her husband, Judge Vincent N. Erickson, moved to Palm Desert. Locally, she served on the board of Guide Dogs of the Desert, published a book, “Wit and Wisdom of the Coachella Valley” and founded a popular destination management company, Desert Discovery. She lives with her black lab Holly in Palm Desert and likes to play golf and travel to the slopes of Mt. Hood with Holly in the summer.
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Board Member
Patrick Evans is News Channel 3's Chief Meteorologist and host of Eye on the Desert. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia, with a degree in Environmental Science and Political Science. He moved to the Coachella Valley in 2002 after stints with WVIR TV in Charlottesville, VA; WDBJ TV in Roanoke, VA, and the Orange County News Channel in Santa Ana, CA. Patrick helms our weather coverage every weekday morning from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., and again from Noon to 1 p.m. along with "Eye on the Desert". You can also hear him weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunny 106.5 FM, playing the adult contemporary hits of the 80s, 90s and 2000s!
Patrick and his wife Andrea, along with their children Karina and Vesta, love to travel and take care of their rescue dachshunds and rescue cats. Patrick has served on the Board of the Family YMCA of the Desert, the Desert Symphony, and Loma Linda Children's Hospital Foundation. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Animal Samaritans and Variety, the Children's Charity of the Desert.
In April of 2014, Patrick was the 366th recipient of a Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars as a result of his work with philanthropic organizations throughout the Valley. He also earned an Emmy Award for his work on the KESQ morning newscast, and in 2023 was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences "Silver Circle", recognizing his over 30 years of broadcasting and service to the community.
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Board Member
Bert has 45 years of sales experience, 34 years in real estate sales and brokerage, 10 years of aircraft sales in three states and has owned and operated an insurance brokerage in five western states managing fifty plus employees. In addition to being a land use consultant and wetland conservation banking experience, Bert is an accomplished developer in self-storage facilities, shopping center rehab, multi-story office building rehab, industrial parks and subdivisions.
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Treasurer
Clark Hallren is a former investment banker who has spent over 30 years financing and advising those operating in or investing in the entertainment industry. While still involved in that business, Clark moved to his home in the desert in 2011 and focuses on his philanthropic goals while “helping nice people buy and sell real estate.” Clark has previously served on the boards of and related financial roles with both Guide Dogs of the Desert and the FIND Food Bank.
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Board Member
Lanny was born in Ohio and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, where he graduated Cum Laude from Ohio State Medical school. After finishing his training, he was a captain in the Air Force, spending most of his time in Italy.
After moving to California, he was one of the founders of Mullikin Medical Centers, which became the largest private practice corporation in the country. During that time, he was Chief of the family practice section and Chief of Staff of Pioneer Hospital in Artesia.
Lanny was a board member of Desert Aids Project for 10 years before joining Animal Samaritans. Lanny resides in Palm Springs with his spouse Mark Miller, and their three rescue dogs.
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Board Vice President
Aurora is a native of Chicago and is a 30-year resident of the Coachella Valley. She holds a master's degree in public administration from local CSUSB and served as an elected Trustee of College of the Desert for 10 years. She worked in local government for over 20 years managing projects related to homelessness, air quality and animal services. She has served as Board Chair of the Joslyn Senior Center and also of The John F. Kennedy Foundation. She is currently the vice chair of The RAP Foundation and the proud mom of daughter, Ashley and is a resident of Palm Desert.