Jack comes to the Council with over 30 years of public service experience. During his 29 year career as a California State Park Superintendent, he developed management skills and created statewide community involvement programs. His time with State government included being a supervising Peace Officer and an instructor for Community Policing and cultural diversity.
Jack has advocated passionately and effectively for environmental protection, healthy communities, human rights, and social justice. As president of the Cleveland National Forest Foundation for the last 25 years, he worked to preserve open space and protected wilderness areas. Through litigation, the Foundation helped to change State laws that will reduce pollution and build healthier communities.
In La Mesa he served on the Wellness Committee to improve nutrition for our youth. Recently he advocated for the establishment of the city's Citizen Task Force on Homelessness and served on the Citizen Public Safety Oversight Task Force.
Jack has a degree in wildlife management from Humboldt State University. He has earned various forms of recognition from the Senate Rules Committee, California Police Activities League, People for Parks, California Department of Education and others. He enjoys hiking and backpacking.
Jack has lived in La Mesa since 1986 with his wife, Mary Ellen, a former clinical social worker who now works for the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District. They raised three children all of whom attended La Mesa Dale Elementary, La Mesa Middle School (now La Mesa Arts Academy), and graduated from Helix High School.