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Board of Directors

Marilyn Bauer
Windermere Real Estate

Marilyn Bauer moved to the Desert from Toronto, Canada in 1991 and has been a Rancho Mirage resident since 1997. Marilyn has dual Citizenship in the U.S. and Canada. Prior to achieving her Real Estate License in 1997, Marilyn was Owner/Operator of Dakota Bar & Grill on El Paseo. Community involvement is an effective way to give back to the many people and organizations and say, “Thank You” for their continued support and friendship. Marilyn joined the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce in 2002, has served as Board Chairman and currently serves as Commissioner for the Rancho Mirage Historic Preservation Commission. Marilyn, a Premier Director with Windermere Real Estate, specializes in Residential Real Estate with emphasis “From Grand Places to Cozy Spaces....It’s all about the Client.

Jane Brady
Hilton Garden Inn Palm Springs/ Rancho Mirage

Jane is the Director of Sales and Marketing for the Hilton Garden Inn Palm Springs/Rancho Mirage since 2006. Originally from New York, Jane has worked for various hotels and destinations across the country. Jane has been a member of Rancho Mirage Chamber since 2006 and has served on their board of directors since 2009. Jane also serves on the city of Rancho Mirage Tourism Advisory Committee.

Burt Carter
Desert Business Interiors

Born in Southern California into a large family, Burt Carter is the fourth child of six. Burt was taught at a young age to have an inclusive attitude. He feels that this is important in the Chamber because we can’t help grow each other’s businesses unless we feel like we are all involved. Although Burt lived have the majority of his life in California, he moved to Alaska at the age of 19 to fulfill a childhood dream, to visit the last frontier. He had a working tour for three years.

Burt thinks of the Chamber of Commerce as a big family that is trying to better a community. We have many different personalities and interest with one common goal, to better the business in Rancho Mirage. The same skills he learned from his large family, he feels, will be appropriate in his work as a Board Director. Hard work, good communication skills, a happy attitude, leadership ability to be a team player are all key. Burt has spent most of his career in small businesses where you see a job that needs to be done and you do it. This is Burt’s pursuit serving on The Rancho Mirage Board of Directors.

Colleen A. Charrette, CPA

Colleen has been a member of the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce since 1990 when she opened her accounting practice at Bob Hope and Highway 111, where The River is now located. She has been a member of the Board of Directors since 1991 and has held all officer positions including Chairman in 1996, 2005 and part of 2011. Colleen is very dedicated to accomplishing the Board of Directors’ goals for the Chamber, as well as setting new goals for the continued growth and success of the Chamber. In her free time, Colleen works as a race official for various organizations, plays pool in a local billiard league and walks her dog Lucky.

Matthew Creighton
Thai Smile of Rancho Mirage

Matthew moved to the desert about five years ago, after buying the Thai Smile restaurant at Rancho Las Palmas Shopping Center. A native of Alberta, Canada, Matthew graduated from New York’s Culinary Institute of America and later received his degree in hotel/restaurant management from Cal Poly Pomona. Matthew has worked in most every capacity in restaurants and is also proficient with computer programming. Matthew, his wife Irene and their eight-year-old son Bennett, make their home in Palm Desert.

Stacia M. Doyle
Provident Bank

Stacia M. Doyle was born in Encino, California, and has been a desert resident and banker since 1980. Stacia worked at Bank of America for 23 years and has been with Provident Bank for over nine years. As a banker, Stacia has worked in almost every capacity in banking, from that of teller, to a manger and everything in between. Stacia is currently the Vice President and Branch Manager of Provident Bank in Rancho Mirage. Stacia has three children and a wonderful husband, who is also a banker. As a long time Chamber member, Stacia is excited to be more involved and become an integral member of one of the many tasks forces associated with the Chamber. Stacia will bring her vast knowledge of the financial industry to the table in order to assist the chamber membership. Community involvement is Stacia’s priority.

E. Brian Hansberry
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Chief Operating Officer

Brian started his career in Atlantic City, the first legalized jurisdiction outside of Las Vegas in the United States. During these years he was able to hone his leadership skills and expand his operational knowledge to develop him into the seasoned executive he is today.

After Atlantic City, Brian was recruited to be part of the opening team for the Isle of Capri Casino in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He was responsible for design of the casino layout, hiring of the entire casino staff and implementation of the rules and regulations for casino operations. After a successful opening, he opened a second casino for the Isle of Capri in Lake Charles. Eventually returning to Atlantic City as a Casino Manager, Brian was again recruited for a project in the Niagara Falls area, to open a casino for the Seneca Nation of Indians. He was named CEO for Seneca Gaming in 2007 and listed in the Top 25 Executives to Watch in 2009. In 2010, Brian came to the desert and joined the wonderful team at Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Brian and his wife Denise have been married 32 years and have five children.

Bruce Landgarten
Jewish Federation of the Desert

Bruce Landgarten is the Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation of the Desert. Bruce has a long and distinctive career of over 20 years with Jewish Community Centers and Jewish Federations. Prior to his moving here he was the Executive Director of the Peninsula of the San Francisco Jewish Federation, CEO of the Jewish Community Center of Charlotte, North Carolina; CEO of the Contra Costa Jewish Community Center and CEO of Wellness Institute of America.

Bruce has taught at Wayne State University as well as the University of Detroit. He holds Masters Degrees in Education, Physiology and Gerontology.

Bruce has a record of community building, strategic and programmatic thinking, implementing new and innovative projects and accomplished fundraising. He has welcomed the opportunity to promote Federation’s mission and to help insure a bright and viable future for both the Jewish and general community. Bruce and his wife are residing in Rancho Mirage, and are deeply committed and very passionate about the Desert area community, focused on caring for the vulnerable and education in Israel and overseas.

Linda J. Long
Lamar Outdoor Advertising

Linda Long has been a Coachella Valley resident since 2000. Relocating from Ohio, she resides in Palm Desert with her husband Doug and two dogs, Godiva and Kody. She has two daughters, Kristina and Karolyn, Kristina is a Pediatrician in the Navy, currently serving in 29 Palms along with her husband David and daughter Isabel. Karolyn is a graduate of Azusa Pacific University. Linda is a Senior Account Executive with Lamar Outdoor Advertising. She has been serving on the board since 2006 and is a past chairman.

Virginia Nelson
All Pro Broadcasting

Virginia Nelson grew up in a small town in northern Wisconsin, where the local radio station was also her family’s business. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Sociology. The family business was in her blood, and she naturally fell into a career in the radio industry. Having worked in local sales with radio stations in Wisconsin, Virginia moved to southern California in 1991. She worked in Palm Springs for a brief time, and then moved on to Riverside and San Bernardino. In 1995, she ventured into national radio sales with Interep in Los Angeles, and then with CBS Radio. Virginia returned to the Coachella Valley in 2005 to join the Desert Radio Group. In 2011 she joined All Pro Broadcasting as Operations and Sales Manager. Their radio stations include KCXX 103.9 FM, KQIE 104.7 FM in Riverside/San Bernardino and KATY 103.1 FM in Temecula. Her education definitely contributes to her success in sales, as Virginia is a self-described student of human behavior. She prides herself on striving to be a leader by example and mentoring, and also believes in continual learning and growth.

Mary E.B. Perry
Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands

Mary E. B. Perry is Deputy Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands, a high-level retreat center, with the lofty goal of affecting change in the world. Sunnylands Center and Gardens provides the newest tourism option for Rancho Mirage and the Valley. She has been a full-time resident of the desert for over 15 years, following close to 10 years as a weekend homeowner from Los Angeles. A former member of the board of the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce and of the Girl Scouts of San Gorgornio, she was previously employed by the Palm Springs Art Museum, the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism and the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum. Mary and her husband Ed, a teacher at Cathedral City High School, travel the world but like to say that they have chosen to live in Coachella Valley.

Sheilah Reed
Crab Pot Restaurant and Bar

Sheilah Reed moved to the desert in 1984 from a small Cajun town of Maurice, Louisiana. Sheilah worked in the medical field until August of 1994. In 1994, Sheilah was hired to market Bananaz Bar and Grill, and has been in the hospitality business since. Sheilah has marketed several successful restaurants in the Coachella Valley. She also worked for the Palm Springs Air Museum as business development manager. Sheilah has served on the Palm Desert Chamber, HSMAI and Palm Springs Hospitality Association. When not working she likes to camp, read and garden.

Sheldon Robinson
Robinson Marketing

Sheldon operates Robinson Marketing, which markets products and develops property. He was formerly Senior Vice President for Stores and Senior Vice President for Marketing of Home Department for RH Macy, Inc., where he merchandised and developed “cellar” concept at Macy’s West in San Francisco. Sheldon is a former member and board director of the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce and served as president of the Sacramento Downtown Merchants Association for over three years. He is a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Rancho Mirage. Sheldon is the author of the recently published book, Wake Up America: Your Alarm is Ringing. He co-founded and is the chief financial officer of the Nurses Crisis Foundation, a group formed to help solve the nursing shortage in the Coachella Valley. In addition, Sheldon is a member of the Public Relations committee of the Joslyn Center. He has currently written A Daily Guide to Promote Happiness and Fight Depression and Stress.

Charles Townsend
Charles Townsend Collection

Charles Townsend has been a resident of Rancho Mirage for the past 16 years. He moved here from Pasadena, where he lived and ran The Charles Townsend Collection, a furniture and accessories store for 25 years. Charles and his late partner of 42 years, Gordon Moller, opened their business in Rancho Mirage 11 years ago when they purchased property for their store. Charles is a supporter of many local charities and a past board member of the Desert Rainbow Foundation, an educational scholarship program. Charles has served as a Director of the Chamber Board for the past six years.

Carol Zale
The River

Carol Ann Zale is the Senior Asset Manager for The River in Rancho Mirage. She is responsible for the day-to-day operations, financial management, staff supervision, center marketing, center value enhancement and customer relations. Carol has 39 years of retail management, leasing and development experience and has worked for top U.S. developers holding senior executive positions for most of her career. She has been a contributing member of the International Council of Shopping Centers serving two consecutive terms as a state Operations Chairman, has been a faculty member for the ICSC, guest lecturer at many conventions, recipient of numerous awards for marketing, leasing and management excellence, and has penned many articles on various topics relevant to retail and the shopping center industry. The biggest delight of her life currently is from her newly adopted pup, Timmy.


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