NOMA Board of Directors

Board members serve a two-year term.

Board of Directors - 2019
Chair - Nancy Coleman       
Vice Chair - Danilo Bach
Treasurer - Victor Fresco
Secretary - open
Membership Chair - Caryn Marshall

Jeff Brecht
Derek Devermont
Phillis Dudick
Jeff Gordon
Ann Greenspun
Todd James
​Evelyn Lauchenauer
​Steve Lissik
​Sonya Fox Sultan
Jim Williams
Doris Sosin - Emeritus
Mary Jo Stenger - Emeritus

Board of Directors Biographies

Danilo Bach 
I've been a resident of the city for 44 years, the first ten as a renter and homeowner in Ocean Park, where I was involved with preservation and local zoning issues and with my wife and friends helped save and rehab the Irving Gill-designed Horatio West Court apartments, the first Santa Monica landmark to be listed on the National Register. I've since been a resident of north of Montana for over 30 years, made my living as a screenwriter, have a wife who, if anything, is more passionate about the singularity of our city than I, and two sons who are products of Santa Monica's extraordinary public school system. 

Jeff Brecht
My wife and I have lived on 4th and San Vicente in Santa Monica for the last five years.  I've made my career as a Financial Consultant focused on promoting financial health and literacy. I first became involved with the community as an active member of the Historic San Vicente Coalition. In  the coalition, I worked side by side with numerous NOMA members and countless North of Montana residents in creating the largest historic district in Santa Monica.  AS a member of the NOMA board, I hope to promote the welfare of our neighborhood and it's citizens through furthering the democratic process.

Nancy Coleman
I returned to Santa Monica after a 40 year period in Washington, DC in mid-2011 and joined NOMA shortly thereafter. I graduated from Roosevelt, Lincoln, and Santa Monica High School and continued to visit the area during the intervening years. My observations include the McMansionization of NOMA and the growth and density of the City of Santa Monica. A few months ago I joined the NOMA LUC committee to see if NOMA and others could slow the growth of commercial developments in Santa Monica.  

Last year I served as a member of the Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury where the change is to look at all of the governmental entities within in the County.  We considered questions of fiscal health of the cities and specific issues in the county. 

I have spent my professional life looking at better ways for citizens to influence public policy whether at the national or local levels.  I hope to be able to use my skills to work with NOMA to influence the Santa Monica City Council and other Commission's such as the Planning Commission. 

Derek Devermont
I am a progressive grassroots activist, an advocate for our homeless community and a proponent for the expansion and further recognition of disability rights/protections. My family has been in Santa Monica for almost 100 years and has had our law office in Santa Monica for 50 years.

I am a strong proponent of conservancy. The character, identity and attributes of Santa Monica must be preserved. I have donated many times to the Santa Monica Conservancy and believe them to be a wonderful organization. 

Within the Democratic Party, I have served as the treasurer of the Santa Monica Democratic Club for 3 years. My entire legal career has been spent fighting for the disabled to ensure they are treated fairly. I pushed for criminal justice reform and was successful in changing the policy within the Santa Monica Prosecutor's office regarding eligibility of mentally ill veterans for diversionary programs. I served on the board of the Abraham H. Pishevar II Pro Bono Clinic at the LA Mission and helped countless homeless with their legal issues on a pro bono basis. I am currently working to set up a pro bono clinic (a clinic where lawyers help homeless for free) in Santa Monica. I believe homelessness and the severity of many disabilities is a result of the government's failure to provide adequate healthcare. Lastly, I believe in "duty". I believe if you are able to create a better world there is a duty to do what is within our power.
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Phillis Dudick
A north of Montana resident for over 2 decades, member of the Historic San Vicente Coalition Steering Committee, a founding member of the Docent Council at Annenberg Beach House, and member of the Santa Monica Conservancy.

Career in public service focused on quality of life issues for senior citizens, building bridges in diverse communities, special event, community and cultural arts program development.

Victor Fresco
I have been a member of NOMA since the organization began and am currently serving as its treasurer. I think it’s vital that our neighborhood has an organization that informs residents about Issues and events important to our area. Additionally, I am alarmed at the amount of new development coming to Santa Monica and the effect it will have on north of Montana residents, in terms of increasing traffic and reducing our quality of life. I would like to see NOMA focus more on development issues. 

Jeff Gordon
I have lived in Santa Monica since 1988. I am a retired attorney (inactive status.) Over the years, as part of my litigation practice, I have worked on protecting women’s and first amendment rights and to help ensure gender equality for girls in LA park's programs and numerous other pro bono projects. I have received recognition from the State Bar and the ACLU's Pro Bono Advocacy Award for my work.

I am concerned about traffic gridlock in our city caused by overdevelopment and preserving the character of our wonderful NOMA neighborhood and city as a whole. I am a member of our Home Owners Association Board and have been involved with neighborhood issues as part of this responsibility.

Ann Greenspun
I have lived in the North of Montana neighborhood of Santa Monica for 41 years.  Our three daughters received a wonderful education in the Santa Monica schools where I served as PTA President, a school nurse and board member of the ED foundation. Later, I was a City Commissioner for the Bayside District and President of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce. 
 
I love this city, and recognize that, with growth, comes challenges. Yet, I believe its best days are still to come and want to remain involved. Santa Monica has given our family so much and I would like to give back. My strengths are networking, thinking outside the box and listening.  

Todd James 
I currently serve on the NOMA board and am a two decade Santa Monica resident who has restored four homes in NOMA. I am saddened and concerned by outside interests' increasing stranglehold on our city which has led to excessive and unsightly development, clogged streets and dilution of our lovely city's character. I would like to continue the process of helping a revitalized NOMA represent our neighborhood's interests and priorities and hopefully reverse some of these unfortunate trends. 
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Evelyn Lauchenauer
A lifelong resident of Santa Monica, graduate of Samohi and Santa Monica College before studying at UCLA and graduating from CSUN, I have seen the city grow from a quiet retirement town to a large city and experienced firsthand how those changes affected residents of the area. I strongly believe that increasing awareness of NOMA to residents is key to building a strong and effective voice for the community. To that end, my focus is on building resident participation during this time of tremendous growth.

As a Realtor, I know the neighborhood well and am in touch with residents and merchants in my daily business. I am often reminded of our quality of life, and hear concerns about changes to the city and how those changes impact our daily living. As we grow I want to assure that the needs of the residents are placed first and foremost in any community planning.

In addition to being a NOMA member, I am on the board of the Montana Avenue Merchants Association; I volunteer at SMC’s Sustainable Works Community/Residential Greening Program and serve on the board of The Charitable Foundation, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties.

Steven Lissik
I have lived and worked in downtown Santa Monica for nearly 20 years. In that time I became gradually aware of the downtown area’s increased building heights, traffic, parking and density issues. When I joined NOMA I met other members with similar concerns. I soon became active on NOMA's Land Use Committee and in the Historic San Vicente Coalition. I have volunteered at Venice Art Walks, Venice Garden and Home tours, and am a member of the Santa Monica History Museum and the Santa Monica Conservancy. I graduated from Woodbury University and have been with the international design firm Knoll, Inc. for 30 years.

Sonya Fox Sultan
In 1990 my husband Bruce and I were fortunate to move to Santa Monica and purchase our first home North of Montana. Three years later, we founded the two-attorney Santa Monica law firm of Sultan & Sultan, Attorneys at Law, which remains devoted to the practice of trusts, estates, probate and conservatorship law. We have three adult children; one daughter and two sons.

I consider myself a social justice activist. I serve on the Steering and Executive Committees of Santa Monicans for Renters Rights (SMRR) and the Steering Committee of Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS). I am a member of the Santa Monica College Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee and the Advisory Committee of Jewish World Watch which assists survivors of Genocide in Darfur and the Congo. I am a founding member of Santa Monica’s Kehillat Ma'arav Synagogue and served as its longtime social action chair. I am active in other organizations as well.
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I believe that one of my key strengths is the ability to communicate with and bridge gaps between people of widely divergent backgrounds and interests. I love Santa Monica and I am dedicated to protecting and enhancing the quality of life in NOMA and all of our neighborhoods.

Jim Williams
I have lived in our home at 11th and Carlyle in Santa Monica since 1973. I was appointed as City Manger of Santa Monica at the time, a position I held until 1978. Following that, I managed the development of regional shopping centers and office buildings for various commercial property owners and conducted economic analysis for real estate financing and development. I am retired and have become actively interested in the policies and actions of the City of Santa Monica. In that context, I hope that I can be of some help to NOMA in developing its policies and communications with the city government.