How do we protect the natural beauty of Carmel Valley while sharing it with the visitors who contribute to our economy? How can we promote the vitality of locally-owned small businesses, while at the same time preserving the Valley’s rural character? How can we encourage the addition of affordable housing for those who work in this community while maintaining our quiet neighborhoods? Marianne became a CVA member many years ago because she realized that CVA is where Valley residents work together to find solutions to these challenges.
As CVA president, Marianne believes that the CVA should serve as a resource for Valley residents, whether by helping to convey their collective concerns to county government, informing them about simple steps to protect our natural environment (root out that invasive genista!) or sharing best practices for fire risk reduction (again--get rid of genista!). Marianne hopes that the CVA can increasingly collaborate with other organizations that are working to support the cultural vibrancy of the Valley, the well-being of its residents, and the ecological health of the Carmel River watershed.
Marianne looks down on the Carmel River from her hillside home in mid-Valley, a house that has been in the family for seventy years. The river’s resilient cottonwoods, once stressed by overpumping from the river but now showing renewed vigor, provide Marianne with inspiration for her advocacy work. Marianne is a proud alumna of York School and holds degrees from Stanford and UC Berkeley as well as Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has worked as a public utility regulator and serves on several non-profit boards. Marianne aspires to have a beautiful waterwise garden; so far, the gophers, voles, raccoons, rats, squirrels, deer and rabbits are winning. Marianne’s two adult children live on the East Coast but consider Carmel Valley a home for their hearts.
