Chair, Expiration 1/15/2028

O’Brien was Chairperson of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy from 2018 to 2024. He was a Senior Environmental Consultant at Environmental Resources Management from 2012 to 2014. O’Brien was Senior Advisor for Forests to Governor Brown in 2018. O’Brien was Environmental and Compliance Advisor to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management on Renewable Energy Development in the Western U.S. from 2012 to 2013. He was Deputy Director of the Environmental Protection and Siting Division at the California Energy Commission from 2002 to 2011. O’Brien was Chief Advisor to the Chairman of the California Energy Commission from 2000 to 2002. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Arts degree in Geography from the University of California, Davis. 

Vice Chair, Expiration 1/15/2027

Elizabeth Forsburg Pardi,  Davis. Forsburg Pardi has been Associate Director of Policy for The Nature Conservancy since 2011. She was a Graduate Student Researcher at the University of California, Berkeley from 2009 to 2011 and a Research Associate for the Congressional Budget Office in 2009. Forsburg Pardi was a Policy Associate for The Nature Conservancy from 2005 to 2009. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in environmental science, policy, and management from the University of California, Berkeley.

Forest Products, Expiration 1/15/2027

Mike Jani, Santa Cruz. Jani works as a Senior Advisor for Mendocino and Humboldt Redwood Companies. Collectively the timberlands consist of approximately 440,000 acres of redwood and Douglas-fir Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified forestlands located along the north coast of California. Prior to joining Mendocino Redwood Company in 1999, Mike worked for Big Creek Lumber Company in Santa Cruz County, California for 24 years where he held a number of positions, including Chief Forester. Big Creek Lumber was the first company in California’s redwood region to be certified under the Forest Stewardship Council’s program. During that time he also was on the Board and served a term as President of the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau. In 2008, Mendocino Redwood Company acquired Humboldt Redwood Company (formerly Pacific Lumber Company) and Mike became President of the new company and Chief Forester of both companies. Additionally, Mike is an FSC certified Professional Resource Manager which allows him to engage with several non-industrial forest landowners and bring their lands into the FSC program.

Forest Products, Expiration 1/15/2026

Richard Wade, Pollock Pines. He has held multiple positions at Sierra Pacific Industries since 1995, including district manager and district forester. He was a forester at the Cal Oak Lumber Company from 1983 to 1995 and at James Nicklos and Associates from 1980 to 1983. Wade was a harvest inspector for the U.S. Forest Service from 1979 to 1980 and a forester at Western Timber Services Inc. from 1978 to 1979. He is treasurer on the Forestry Educators Inc. Board of Directors. Wade is a member of the El Dorado County Resource Advisory Committee, the Amador-El Dorado Forest Forum, California Licensed Foresters Association, the Society of American Foresters and the California Native Plant Society.

Range/Livestock Member, Expiration 1/15/2028

Katie Delbar, Potter Valley. Katie has been county executive director at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency for Humboldt and Del Norte Counties since 1998 and for Mendocino and Lake Counties since 1992. She was a program technician for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service from 1989 to 1992. Delbar is president of the California Association of Farm Service Agency County Office Employees and a member of the Potter Valley Community Parks and Recreation Board of Directors and the Potter Valley Community Unified School District School Board.

Forest Products, Expiration 1/15/2025

Christopher Chase, Mount Shasta. Chase has been timberland manager for the Michigan-California Timber Company and timber manager for its affiliate, Timber Products Company, since 2010. He has held several positions at Timber Products Company since 1997, including timber manager, log and fiber procurement manager, resource manager for the Michigan hardwood veneer and lumber division. Chase is a licensed professional forester. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry from the University of Montana and a Master of Business Management degree from Southern Oregon University.

Lopez, Pasadena. Served as a Forester and retired as Assistant Chief for the County of Los Angeles Fire Department Forestry Division.  His work involved forest management, urban forestry, forest nursery operations and reforestation, vegetation management, habitat management and restoration, defensible space, pre-fire engineering, and implementation of the forest and chaparral best management practices.  Mr. Lopez received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural-Forestry Engineering.  He is a Qualified Logistics Section Chief Type 2 and 3, and an Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Team past member.  He responded as a member of the Burned Area Response (BAER)Team, Watershed Emergency Response Team (WERT), and as Remote Sensing Infrared Interpreter. Mr. Lopez also acted as Incident Command System (ICS) instructor for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) for Latin America and the Caribbean.

He is a member of the California Fire Safe Council Board of Directors, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Fire Advisory Committee, F&A Federal Credit Union Supervisory Committee, Society of American Foresters, California Licensed Foresters Association, and California Urban Forests Council.  He has served on the Society of American Foresters National Board of Directors, chaired the Southern California Regional Area Safety Taskforce, co-chaired The Los Angeles County Weed Management Area and was a board member of the Theodore Payne Foundation.

He has also volunteered for the California Fire Science Consortium Advisory Board, FIREWISE USA, and various community organizations.

Public Member, Expiration 1/15/2028

Jahangiri has been Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eb5Investors and Uglobal since 2012 and has been Owner and Chief Executive Officer at Hotels Magazine since 2020. He was an Attorney at Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth from 2002 to 2005. Jahangiri earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of California, Irvine and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School.

Public Member, Expiration 1/15/2027

Dawn Blake, 50, of Hoopa, has been appointed to the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. Blake has been Forestry Director for the Yurok Tribe since 2021. She was a Wildlife Biologist for the Hoopa Valley Tribe from 2006 to 2021, where she was a Wildlife Bio-Technician from 2003 to 2006. Blake is a member of the Hoopa Tribal Education Association Board of Directors, the Intertribal Timber Council and the Wildlife Society. She earned a Master of Science degree in Natural Resources from Humboldt State University. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Blake is a Democrat.