Board of Directors
These amazing individuals take us a step further everyday towards our goals.Board of Directors
Mari Pritchard Parker
Chair
Mari Pritchard Parker, Adjunct Professor of Anthropology at Pasadena City College teaches introductory courses in Anthropology, as well as oversees supervision of the Applications of Archaeology Field Work Program. She has spent 35 years as an archaeologist working closely with the indigenous American populations of California. She has an MS from the University of California at Riverside, and is the co-author of six national publications. Professor Pritchard Parker is the founder and president of the Milford Archaeological Research Institute (see below), Chair of the FOSM, and Founder the LLL.
Dr. Lauren Arenson
Treasurer
Dr. Lauren Arenson, completed her MA in Museum Studies at Johns Hopkins University and her Ph.D at USC in Intercultural Education. She is a tenured professor at Pasadena City College where she teaches courses in Anthropology and Humanities and teaches part-time at CSULA in the departments of Anthropology and Chicano/Latino Studies. Dr. Arenson previously worked at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the Page Museum, and the Los Angeles Zoo. She received the Ralph’s Story Service Award for significant contributions to colleges, the community, and the field of Education.
Heather Seiden
Secretary
More info coming soon!
Jesse Rosas
Board Member
Jesse Rosas, has served as Treasurer for the FOSM for the past five years and is a founding member of the LLL. Mr. Rosas has been a business owner in Los Angeles and Highland Park where he has lived with his family for over 30 years. He has been active in community organizations and associations, including the Audubon Center at Debs Park, Northeast Business Association, Highland Park Neighborhood Council, Friends of Highland Park, and Lincoln Heights Chamber of Commerce.
John Neese
Board Member
John Neese, a native Angelino with over 50 years in Highland Park and owner of Galco’s, an Italian family grocery store he transformed into an internationally known destination for soda and beer, has a business model of inclusion and reciprocity with small businesses supporting each other. He has drawn media attention and been interviewed on topics from business to politics. In 2000 he moved two houses which contributed to the revival of the Neighborhood. He has volunteered and served on various committees including the Highland Park Heritage Trust and FOSM, and is a founding member of the LLL.
Annotated Advisory Council Members
Dennis Harbach
Dennis Harbach worked for the Los Angeles Personnel, Harbor, and Public Works Departments retiring from the position of Human Resources Director, Department of Public Works in 1999. He has volunteered at the Autry, Southwest, and Huntington Museums. An expert on Charles F. Lummis, he wrote a two-volume account of 7,000 historically significant visitors to the Lummis home, including John Muir, Will Rogers, Frederic Remington, and Clarence Darrow. Charles Lummis’ Home: El Alisal’s Remarkable Visitors, published in 2015.
Charles Douglas Lummis
Charles Douglas Lummis was born on August 27, 1936 in San Francisco, California. He received a bachelor’s in political science with honors, University California, Berkeley, 1958. Master of Arts in Political Science, University California, Berkeley, 1964. Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science, University California, Berkeley, 1972. During his career he was assistant to associate professor Fairhaven College, Bellingham, Washington, 1973—1979. Professor Tsuda College, Tokyo, 1980—2000. Rajni Kothari chair Democracy Center Study Developing Societies, Delhi, India, 2004—2005.
He was instructor at Deep Springs College, California, 1972, 82, 2007, 09, Okinawa International University, Ginowan City, since 2008. He served in United States Marine Corps, 1958-1961 in Virginia, California and Okinawa.
He is the son of Keith and Dorothy Lummis and grandson of Charles Fletcher Lummis.
Christian Rodriguez
Christian Rodriguez, Department of Recreation and Parks, City of Los Angeles is the docent at El Alisal, the home of Charles Fletcher Lummis, founder of the Southwest Museum. In addition, he is the Operations Coordinator at the Institute for the Study of Los Angeles (ISLA) at Occidental College and a staff member of the Historical Society of Southern California.
Ernie P. Teutimez-Salas
Ernie P. Teutimez-Salas, Chief and spiritual leader of the Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians—Kizh Nation has proven to be the most recognized and most accurately documented direct lineal descendant of former native ancestors of Kizh/ Gabrieleño Villages (rancherias), and the Villages of Sibangna Siba, Tameobit, and Atongai/Tamet in Gabrieleño history. Chief Salas is the great-great-grandchild of Nicolas Jose, a man of great power who had an important role in the rebellion of 1784 at Mission San Gabriel. He has taught his Tribe to have self-respect and to keep their culture and way of life alive.
Matthew Teutimez
Matthew Teutimez, son of John Teutimez Jr., Elder of the Kizh- Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians, is an active member of the Tribe and has served as Tribal Biologist since 2010. He studied Kizh Gabrieleño culture from Chief Ernie T. Teutimez-Salas and multiple members of the Tribe. Mr. Teutimez received both his BS and his MS from Cal State University Long Beach and has become the Tribe’s specialist in ethno-botanical and cultural uses of native plants and animals as well as historical natural resource distributions within the traditional Kizh Tribal territory.
Mark Thompson
Mark Thompson, noted biographer and authority on Charles Lummis. His works include, American Character: The Curious Life of Charles Fletcher Lummis and Rediscovery of the Southwest, 2001. He has a blog: charleslummis.com.
Ann Walnum
Ann Walnum, a volunteer nurse during WWII received her BA and teaching credential at USC, married, and moved to Mt. Washington in 1952 where she retired from teaching public school and continues to teach piano and violin privately. Politically active, she is dedicated to the restoration of the Southwest Museum, is a founding member of FOSM, and LLL, and volunteers with Anahuak Youth Sports Association, the Los Angeles River Center, the Audubon Center, Cypress Park Neighborhood Council, Mt. Washington Homeowners Alliance, Highland Park Heritage Trust, and the Lummis Day Festival since its inception.