Board of Directors

An Art Major graduate from University of Wisconsin-Parkside with concentration in graphic design, he pursued further education in photography at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara. Currently Derek has his own photography and design business and studio and has a range of clients seeking photography, design and advertising strategy.

Derek has managed the website and social media for the garden working on growing the outreach through his skills in photography and graphic design, presenting the garden to the public and growing its visibility and accessibility.

Eva is the owner of Creative Garden Design 805 with 20 years of landscape Design experience in Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Barbara County. Eva is a garden column writer for Santa Ynez Valley News, a wife of 31 years to her husband Warren, and mother of their two children.

Previously garden’s Education Director, she managed and scheduled a growing list of exciting and educational school field trips and classes, hosted either at the SYV Botanic Garden or in the local area. Eva is also involved in coastal preservation, seeking protection of what undeveloped land that is left in Santa Barbara County, protecting our wildlife, native fauna and promoting managed public access.

Puck Erickson Lohnas is a principal of Arcadia Studio and has worked in the field of landscape architecture since 1977. She, along with her partners, established Arcadia Studio in 2001 to create a full service firm, which emphasizes the collaborative design process as a fundamental component of site-specific design. She brings that spirit of collaboration in to the community by working on a range of projects including the updating of the University of California Santa Barbara campus landscape plan, working with public and private schools in the Santa Ynez Valley planting native plants, and lecturing on environmentally conscious landscape design strategies.

Josh Kindervater is an accomplished Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with over 20 years of experience in building and executing financial operations across various industries, with a specialization in Software as a Service (SaaS) and Technology sectors. With a proven track record of success, Josh has consistently contributed to the growth of companies through strategic financial planning and execution, mergers and acquisitions, and global expansions.

Throughout his career, Josh has distinguished himself as a valuable member of C-suite teams, leveraging his expertise in Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) to drive informed decision-making and optimize financial performance. His keen eye for identifying gaps in financial processes and his commitment to regulatory compliance have earned him a reputation for integrity and reliability.

As a senior finance leader, Josh takes pride in his ability to find opportunities for improvement and help organizations pivot to meet evolving challenges. He has a demonstrated ability to implement effective solutions that fill in financial gaps and ensure operational efficiency. With his strong leadership skills and deep industry knowledge, Josh is dedicated to driving sustainable growth and success for non-profit organizations.

Laura Newman is a practicing, licensed psychotherapist and a founding and active board member of Brave Trails. Her lifelong passion for social justice advocacy has involved her in Santa Ynez Valley PRIDE , The Relational Center, mentoring at-risk youths, the AIDS Hospice Care Center and numerous volunteering experiences.

As owner of Lefty’s Coffee Co., a certified B Corp coffee shop in the heart of Los Olivos, Laura promotes equality, sustainability, environmentalism and good will for the the planet. In addition, she runs an organic stone fruit and wine grape farm, Honeybear Orchard.

Laura sits at the helm of Newman Properties, LP, a real estate holding and development company, and has been a licensed general contractor for over two decades working on commercial restaurants, high-end retail stores, and numerous residential projects. Laura spearheaded the purchase, development and pending construction of the first in the country LGBTQIA+ camp - Brave Trails Forever Home, owned, operated and serving the LGBTQIA+ community.

In her spare time (Ha!) she enjoys caring for her garden of native plants, chickens, goats, donkeys and 3 dogs and husband.

Julio is an Environmental Technician at Santa Ynez Valley Band of Chumash, and involved in Chumash Environmental Office from landscaping, the Chumash BioFuel Program, Water Quality monitoring and the Community Energy Program. Julio is a Board Member of the SYV Botanic Garden, oversees the gardens interpretive Chumash section, and is actively involved with education programs, events and classes. In 2020 he started his own company, 805 Garden Solutions, focusing on environmental consulting, youth programs, permaculture design and natural building.