Profiles

 David Baumgartner is a lifelong resident of Hollister and San Benito County. He attended local schools and plays an active role in the community. David has been involved in the real estate industry for over 30 years and with continued education and study earned his Brokers License designation in 1987.

ENJOYING THE EVENING SKIES: David has been involved with Pinnacles Partnership since its conception. His main interest and contribution to PIPA is his knowledge of the night skies, which the Pinnacles National Park has some of the best in Central California. Now, every year he sets up a number of evenings at the park to entice people to visit the skies at night and to enjoy the park itself during the daytime. Read More About David Baumgartner

Mike lives near the west side of the Pinnacles and is often seen hiking the trails or riding his bike to the Park. His interest in the park started as a Boy Scout camping and hiking the area back in the 1960’s. Mike has lived in San Benito and Monterey counties for the last 25 years after being raised in the Bay Area. He has worked in the Planning Departments for both counties, ensuring that land uses are carefully planned and that open space is preserved. Mike helped start the San Benito County Land Trust while living in Hollister and has recently retired as Planning Director for Monterey County. Mike also helped start the Monterey Bay chapter of the Association of Environmental Professionals over twenty years ago and leads a hike for that group in the Pinnacles in spring.

Mr. Dornbush has close to 30 years of C-suite executive experience across a variety of different industries. While he has spent most of his career as a biotechnology executive, his prior ventures also include investment advisory services, hedge fund management, third party logistics and Chinese venture capital. He has served on many for profit and non-profit boards including Iconic Therapeutics, the National Park Foundation and The Carter Center. His specialty is helping start-up to medium size organizations identify and implement the organizational infrastructure necessary to become sustainable and thriving entities, with a special emphasis on fundraising (start-up through Series B), operational and financial management.

Tim Foley has lived and worked on the California Central Coast for many years. He served as San Benito County Superintendent of Schools from 1996-2009. From there he was able to bring community groups together in YMAC, 4H Club, the SB County master plan and many other capacity building efforts. Tim currently serves on the SB County Parks and Recreation Commission. He is dedicated to preserving the beauty, culture and history of the central coast. Tim's work with the Pinnacles National Park Foundation provides a great opportunity to bring together several community threads.

Jennifer Westphal is a Canadian transplant who has called Hollister home for the last nine

years. She worked as a bike messenger, an accounting clerk, and a park naturalist at Grand Beach Provincial Park and Narcisse Snake Dens Wildlife Management Area while earning her BSc in Biology and Geography at the University of Winnipeg. She is now a mom of three boys and has volunteered on the Boards of the MOMS Club of Hollister and with the Hollister Dual Language Academy Parents Club. She has already enjoyed many wonderful hikes and outreach activities with her family at the park hosted by Pinnacles Partnership and believes that the mission of Pinnacles Partnership is important to the communities of the Central Coast.

Karen Beppler-Dorn began her public service career in 1985 as a seasonal park ranger in northeastern Ohio. Today she serves as a park unit superintendent for the National Park Service, whose mission is to preserve America’s most treasured landscapes and cultural icons. 

Beppler-Dorn’s 28 year career has taken her from emergency services dispatcher to law enforcement ranger to resource management specialist to park manager. She has worked in many unique national park sites from West Virginia to Washington State, including the Blue Ridge Parkway, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Petrified Forest National Park, and Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.  Read More About Karen Beppler-Dorn

Ensuring Excellence in Education, Resource Stewardship, and Visitor Experiences at Pinnacles National Park

Ensuring Excellence in
Education, Resource Stewardship, and Visitor Experiences at 
Pinnacles National Park