Baykeeper Board of Directors

Jeff Russell, J.D. – Chair
Jeff is the co-founder of a real estate development firm that focuses on sustainable, green, infill development. He previously practiced land use and environmental law in San Francisco and San Diego. A water enthusiast, Jeff swims in the Bay nearly every day and enjoys surfing and exploring California’s coastline. Jeff holds a J.D. from the University of Southern California and received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University. He also serves on the board of San Francisco Urban Community Housing Corporation.

Brian Drue – Treasurer
Brian is a founding partner of Corporate Diligence Specialists, LLC, (“CDS”) a financial consulting firm providing due diligence and advisory services to private equity firms and strategic buyers on mergers & acquisitions transactions. Prior to the formation of CDS, Brian was in the Transaction Services group at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP in San Jose and Coopers & Lybrand, LLP in Los Angeles. Brian graduated with honors from University of California at Santa Barbara. He has served a variety of nonprofits over the years, with a primary focus on environmental advocacy and youth assistance and education.

James A. Kuhns – Secretary
Jim is retired and has more than 40 years of consulting and management experience and retired as Chairman and Managing Director of Independent Consulting Resources, Inc., a compensation and organizational consulting firm. Formerly a Principal at Sibson & Co. and Kwasha Lipton, where he retired as a Partner, Jim has been CEO of Olanie, Hurst & Hemrich; a Partner at Hewitt Associates and VP of Personnel at American Express. Jim was a Baykeeper Board Member from 1993 to 2001 and once again joined the Board in 2006. He served on the Advisory Council in the intervening years. Jim has served on numerous nonprofit organization boards and advisory councils over the years, including Outward Bound, the Headlands Institute, Yosemite Institutes and Warren Wilson College.

Sejal Choksi-Chugh, J.D.
Sejal served as Baykeeper and Director of Programs from 2004 to 2009, directing all advocacy, litigation, legislation and monitoring efforts. Sejal joined Baykeeper as a legal fellow in September 2002, spearheading Baykeeper’s pesticide campaign, including efforts to secure the nation’s first regulations to control agricultural pollution. Sejal holds a J.D. with a specialization in Environmental Law from the University of California, Berkeley and has a B.S. in Anthropology from Emory University.

Susan Cleveland-Knowles, J.D.
Susan is a Deputy City Attorney with the City of San Francisco. She works in the land use division, representing the mayor, board of supervisors, planning commission, planning department and other city agencies. She received her J.D. from Stanford Law School, and an undergraduate degree in international economics from Georgetown University. Prior to law school, Susan spent four years in the Czech and Slovak republics working with emerging environmental organizations. She lives in Sausalito and has served on the Baykeeper Board of Directors since 2004.

Doreen Gounard
Doreen is Harbor Manager and a resident of Galilee Harbor, an affordable, cooperative, floating community of Maritime Workers & Artists on the Sausalito waterfront. With her husband, Marc, she helped construct their home – a 33ft sailing catamaran Imani. Aboard Imani, they completed a circumnavigation of the world between 1999 and 2004 while homeschooling their two children. Living aboard for the last 17 years has given Doreen a unique perspective of our local and international waters. She currently serves on Sausalito's Parks and Recreation Commission. Doreen received her BA in Communications from American University in Washington, DC.

Gary Groff
Gary is Vice President and Branch Manager of New Resource Bank, which focuses on banking services for nonprofit organizations while financing green businesses. Gary has more than ten years of banking experience—as well as a commitment to socially responsible banking and community service. Gary is a volunteer advisor for Pacific Community Ventures, a nonprofit that invests in businesses serving low-income communities, and is a member of the Surfrider Foundation. After serving for two years on Baykeeper’s Advisory Council, as an active member of the finance and development committees, Gary became a member of Baykeeper’s Board of Directors.

Francesca Koe
Francesca is a dive instructor and expedition leader holding advanced teaching qualifications from both PADI and DAN. An avid freediver and oceans advocate, Francesca co-founded the tsunami relief project, Paavima.org. When she’s not in the water, Francesca directs strategy and communications for a non-profit, and manages editorial content as the senior editor for Deeperblue.com, where she contributes articles on diving safety across all disciplines. In 2007, Francesca was appointed to the Board of the Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association; and in 2009 she was elected as the V.P. of the U.S. Apnea Association. Having played a leadership role in establishing the new Marine Protected Areas off the North Central coast of California, Francesca also contributes as a member of the state’s Department of Fish & Game science dive team, which is dedicated to conducting underwater surveys & monitoring.

Anuja Mendiratta, M.E.S.
Anuja is an independent consultant working with foundations, donors, nonprofits, and coalitions on a range of environmental, human rights and social justice issues. Prior to launching her consulting business, Anuja worked with the Women's Foundation of California, the Marin Community Foundation, and the San Francisco Foundation. She is a co-founder of the California Healthy Nails Salon Collaborative and serves as on the board of Women’s Voices for the Earth and advises another local nonprofit in environmental justice grant making in California. She holds an undergraduate degree from Antioch College and a masters in environmental studies from York University.

Peter Molnar
Peter manages Poseidon’s Vineyard and Obsidian Ridge Vineyard, and is a partner in Tricycle Wine Company and Kadar Hungary wine cooperage. He is Board Chair of the Lake County Winegrape Commission and Co-President of Califrance. Peter has been involved as a volunteer skipper with Baykeeper’s Bay patrol program for more than a decade and is an avid sailor and open water swimmer.

Benjamin Patton
Ben manages financing for commercial scale solar distribution for SunEdison and previously worked in solar finance and strategy with Chevron Energy Solutions. Prior to that, he worked in carbon emission reduction and renewable energy certificate markets with 3Degrees, a company dedicated to the development of a low-carbon renewable energy economy. Ben also has worked as a consultant to banks in risk management and has a BS in Symbolic Systems with a minor in East Asian Studies (focused on Japanese) from Stanford University. Outside of work, he stays busy surfing, kiteboarding, and making Japanese style pottery.