Friends of China Camp

As the first executive director of Friends of China Camp, Martin has successfully raised the profile and grown community involvement and commitment to the park. Prior to joining the organization, Martin had been consulting with nonprofits, sharing his expertise in resource development and governance.

From 2010 to 2013, Martin was board chair of the Jerusalem American International School, where he oversaw a doubling of enrollment (from 65 to 149 students), as well as significantly increasing the size of the facility.

Martin received his MBA from Georgetown University and his BS in Civil Engineering from Tufts University. He and his wife, Inbar, have three children, Tamara, Ben, and Maya.  Martin enjoys running at China Camp, reading spy novels and spiritual books, going to farmers’ markets with Inbar, and making his children laugh.

Contact: mlowenstein@friendsofchinacamp.org

Lucinda serves as a critical player in maintaining our member database, streamlining the process for getting annual passes, coordinating fundraising events, and handling the myriad other tasks that impact our members.

“Lucinda is a real professional,” says FOCC Executive Director Martin Lowenstein. “Her pleasant demeanor and effective communication style elevate China Camp’s customer service.

A local girl raised in San Rafael, Lucinda is delighted to be working at a place she loved as a kid. With a background in sales and marketing for financial services, she has a knack for organization, streamlining and efficiency—all huge pluses for her responsibilities at FOCC. She also loves the camaraderie at the park. “It’s great working with the other staff and volunteers, and I love the sense of purpose in giving back.”

Contact: info@friendsofchinacamp.org

Breana’s part-time position focuses on overseeing and managing FOCC’s extensive volunteer program. A native of the Bay Area, Breana says she is proud to be the first person in her family to put herself all the way through college. Her experience includes playing and coaching high-level competitive volleyball. She has also worked as an advisor to the Graduate Student Mentorship Program at New York’s Columbia University. She also contributed to research and helped with grant proposals targeting the compound effects of trauma.

Breana notes that being on the team at Friends of China Camp gives her an opportunity to work with and give back to the community.

“I’m so looking forward to learning from the many skilled volunteers here,” says Breana. “I’ve got an innate curiosity for learning and the idea that I get to work closely with so many people with lived experience and diverse backgrounds is so exciting. Oh, and the view’s not too bad either.”

Contact: breana@friendsofchinacamp.org

If something needs fixing, fix it. Simple. Intuitive. At least that’s how Colin Jaco is wired. Recently hired as China Camp’s new park aide, Colin had already been helping out at the park as a volunteer. He’s ever on the look-out for trash cans that need repair, barbecues that need cleaning, and weeds that need whacking.

“I’m a happy guy who loves mountain biking and the out-of-doors,” he says exuberantly. “What’s totally unique about China Camp is its volunteers. No other organization has such dedicated people.”

Colin is an enthusiastic, energetic young man who grew up in the suburbs of St. Louis, played football and basketball, and graduated two years ago from Babson College, a business school in Boston. His parents unexpectedly moved to California while he was in college, and he followed. He fast became a total convert to the West.

Contact: cjaco@friendsofchinacamp.org

Spend a day in the park and you’re likely to see Scott, wielding a chain saw to chop up a fallen tree, manning a tractor to clean up a slide, unlocking a gate, or picking up roadside trash. When it comes to helping out, Scott is China Camp’s everyman. “I also like meeting and talking to people who visit the park, telling them about the plants and animals here,” says Scott. “I just love it here.”

A local boy who grew up exploring Ring Mountain in his hometown of Corte Madera, California, Scott has always been attracted to nature. “I went into landscaping and tree work, and all of that experience, along with my love for plants and animals, trained me for what I do at China Camp.”

Now living in Fairfax with wife Sandra, Scott is often the first employee in the park, catching the sunrise on his early-morning rounds. One of his favorite jobs is prepping all of the tools and machinery that are needed for the park’s volunteer work days. “I want to make sure everything is ready for the volunteers. I don’t want them waiting around for their tools to be sharpened or filled with gas, or to have to wait while a trailer is hooked up.” The extra effort and attention to details is appreciated, Scott. Thanks for all you do.

Contact: Sgriggs@friendsofchinacamp.org

Whether she’s guiding a nature walk, cataloging historical artifacts, or leading a campfire  program, Carly’s got it down. As a park interpretive specialist for Hearst San Simeon State Park along California’s Central Coast, Carly handled a myriad of projects and programs—a perfect setup for her current position as Friends of China Camp’s Program Coordinator. She’s also involved in communications, helping our volunteers, and interfacing with park visitors.

Carly loves being back at China Camp: she grew up in San Rafael. “Some of my earliest memories of getting outside with my family were here at the park,” she says. “It’s good to be back, and give back.” Carly notes that she is really excited to create interesting programs for visitors. She also loves meeting and working with the park’s volunteers. “They feel like family here, and I really love that culture.”

Contact: cjackson-clark@friendsofchinacamp.org

John has an MA in Cultural Resources Management from Sonoma State University, and was a Board Member of the Museum Small Craft Association for 16 years. He has worked for the National Park Service for 25 years at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, where he is the Curator of Small Craft. John restores, maintains, and interprets the park’s collection of historic boats, and also researches, designs, builds, and sails replicas of extinct historic Bay Area watercraft.

John designed and built the Grace Quan, China Camp’s flagship replica shrimping junk, which now resides at the maritime museum. John also leads a group of expert volunteers who maintain China Camp’s historic village and pier.

Even before he joined the board in October 2011, Ernie was already making a difference: Earlier that spring, he volunteered to help set up an outreach table by the campground kiosk to promote membership in Friends of China Camp. Ernie was Friends of China Camp’s first treasurer. He did everything from collecting cash to creating an accounting system to setting up FOCC’s first membership database.

Ernie remained treasurer until Ed Lai took over in late 2017. Ernie has been a long-time visitor of the Village beach and has supported the operations of the China Camp Village cafe since the passing of the former owner, Frank Quan, in 2016.

In his FOCC board “retirement,” Ernie continues to manage the China Camp Village Cafe, selling beverages and snacks at the cafe on weekends to park visitors. That is, after he finishes his trail run and a swim in the bay.

Andy retired in 2009 from a 35-year career in emergency medicine and medical administration. He grew up in Michigan, received his MD at the University of Michigan, and served as a medical officer in the Navy for three years in the SF Bay Area. Andy practiced at the trauma center at Muir Medical Center, as assistant director of the emergency department and as Medical Advisor for California Shock Trauma Air Rescue.

Andy also served on the executive compensation and pension committees for CEP America Medical Group, and as board member and president of Muir Medical Group IPA. He has served on the board of the Marin AIDS Project, as a tutor in the AVID program at San Rafael High School, and as a board member of the San Rafael High School Scholarship Foundation. He enjoys hiking, birding, music, art, and travel.

Yvonne joined China Camp as a Historical Docent in 1995 and subsequently served for 3 years as a Board member, involved in fundraising and political work.  She took delight in being a part of the process of gathering support that resulted in saving the Park from closing.

Yvonne has always liked to work with children and families and teach art; both interests were put to work at China Camp and Terra Linda Nursery School. She earned an MA from Sonoma State University in June of 1980. Yvonne owned and directed Terra Linda  Nursery School and Day Care for twenty-two years until 2000. For the last 15 years. Yvonne has substituted at the Jewish Community Center in San Rafael as a pre-school teacher, and is currently the Director of an Art Class at the San Rafael Recreation Center. She was President of Marin Society of Artists in 2013. She now specializes in watercolor painting, especially “plein-air”-style landscapes, and is a member of the Marin County Watercolor Society.

Yvonne and her husband Bud made their home in Peacock Gap for 55 years, raising 3 daughters.  They have seen many changes take place from 1963 to the present time.

Helen’s family moved to San Anselmo when she was only a year old, and she remained a Marin girl, attending local schools and ultimately graduating from San Rafael’s Dominican University. She married and raised her family in Marin, working at the Emporium/Capwell Department store and then Macy’s at Northgate Mall in San Rafael while her children were in school. Helen took an active role in Girls Scouts of America where she served on the Heritage Committee, and held positions as a troop leader and a national delegate. In 1996, Helen began to volunteer at the China Camp Village Museum. In 2005, she served as Head Docent. She joined the Friends of China Camp board of directors, and held the role of Board Secretary from 1998 until 2015. Helen also was a key leader for our annual Heritage Day event.

After retiring from the federal government in 2007, Steve started volunteering as a museum docent in China Camp Village. He was instrumental in negotiating an operating agreement with the California Department of Parks and Recreation when China Camp was threatened with closure in 2011. He served as board chair and vice-chair for several years, and played a key role in the early development of Friends of China Camp.

Steve had a deep passion for the park, serving as a history docent and trail ambassador as well as a board member. He sadly passed in winter of 2022 and will be remembered fondly as a champion of the park.

Frank was a shrimp fisherman and life-long resident of China Camp Village, a tenure interrupted only by his service in the US Navy during WWII. He saw the Village transition from a thriving fishing operation to a state park. He was the chief ambassador for China Camp State Park and specialist on its cultural and marine history, and was a board member of the Marin State Parks Association.

As a board member of Friends of China Camp, Frank kept us all aware of the natural and cultural treasure we are working to protect, and the community we serve.

Carl graduated from SF State with a degree in marketing. He worked for McCormick Spice Company at the corporate offices in Baltimore, Md. as Regional Sales Manager.  After returning to the bay area he worked for a steamship company in San Francisco.  Upon retirement, he joined Friends of China Camp and was its board president for many years. Carl loved being a docent and was active in our cultural history program since it began in 1996/7. He shared the history with visitors and he particularly enjoyed children and school
tours.