Ocean Park Association Board Election 2014
This document is for informational purposes only and is not the official ballot.
The following
individuals are running for seven (7) open director seats. All have met the criteria of residency and membership.
Andrew Gledhill - (incumbent) I'm asking for your vote because I can do more to help improve the quality of life in
Ocean Park with the weight and support of OPA behind me, than I can on my own. I played a part in encouraging the City to
plant over 80 trees in our beach parking lots this year, after years of neglect. I know that as a private citizen the task would
have been much harder. As a 17-year resident of Ocean Park I've spoken many times at City Council meetings on issues
affecting us all including the airport, conservation and planning, fiscal prudence and the operations of the Big Blue Bus. I'm
committed to our area's interests and to the welfare of my fellow residents. I hope to continue serving you on the OPA Board.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sadat Huq – (incumbent) Sadat moved to Santa Monica in 2008 and was instantly drawn to the beautiful scenery,
casual attitude, and eclectic people of Ocean Park.
He has served the OPA Membership Chairperson since 2010, and has been actively supported and helped organize OPA events
such as July 4th parades, Holiday parties, and local festivals, and citywide clean-ups. If re-elected to the Board, Sadat hopes to
continue his support for the OPA cause through his volunteer efforts.
Sadat holds a Quantitative Economics degree from Stanford University. He has worked in retail e-commerce, and he is
currently working to develop a new mobile app called myTikr.
In his spare time Sadat enjoys fitness, music, cooking and photography.
Roger Swanson - Roger has lived in Ocean Park since 1998 and was appointed to the OPA Board in April 2010. Since
then he has taken an active role in OPA by serving as Secretary, working on numerous July 4th Parades, as well as performing
a variety of duties to support the Board of Directors and the community.
In 2012, Roger helped form the Lincoln Boulevard Task Force (LBTF), which represents the neighborhoods along Lincoln
south of the Freeway. Serving as chairperson since its formation, Roger and the LBTF have collaborated with the City in
attacking visual blight through code enforcement and volunteer cleanups.
In addition, the LBTF conducted surveys and analyzed data from 638 residents in an effort to guide discussions with City
Staff. These discussions resulted in the Lincoln Neighborhood Corridor Plan that was formally launched by the City on Oct. 1,
2014. Roger earned a BS degree from UC Berkeley, and an MBA from UCLA.
Evan Meyer – (incumbent) Evan Meyer is the Founder, and Chief Operating Officer at RideAmigos.com, a
Transportation Demand Management software platform that helps government agencies understand commuter habits and
make intelligent transportation-based investments. Evan is also the Founder and Executive Director of the non-profit
BeautifyEarth.org, which started here in Santa Monica as Beautify Lincoln. Beautify Earth transforms neglected communities
through public art and murals, art education, dance, and community engagement.
Evan loves the outdoors, is a master of creative projects, and an avid artist/musician.
Mary Marlow – (incumbent) Mary Marlow joined the board in 2007 and quickly joined the Fourth of July parade
committee where she found local sponsors to help defray costs and join the fun. She served as OPA president in 2009 and
2010. She grew up in Michigan and attended schools in both Michigan and California receiving an MBA from USC while
working for AT&T in Business marketing and sales to Fortune 500 companies. She serves occasionally as a mentor for current
USC MBA students.
Mary is most interested in protecting neighborhood character and quality of life. She is active as a voice for residents as Chair
of the Ocean Park Association General Plan Committee, which ensures meaningful input into the development decisions that
affect their lives. She currently serves on a Neighborhood Council advisory committee, working with the Director of City
Planning and his staff on both neighborhood and city-wide issues.
She is Chair of the Santa Monica Transparency Project, an all volunteer group of residents concerned about openness and
accountability in our city government.
Sara Faulds - Sara’s passion is creating pedestrian friendly public spaces. During her time in Ocean Park, she has
worked on creating places where people can feel safe and enjoy pleasant experiences interacting with others in our
neighborhood and benefitting from a livable and inviting environment.
Sara has lived in Ocean Park for 4 decades, and until she began working at UCLA in the mid-90’s, she was very active in the
Ocean Park community [local parks, the bike path, Promenade, Pier, Main Street, etc.] and now that she is retired, she is
looking for ways to once again help make a difference in our community. She has already participated in workshops and
meetings on the Pier, Civic Center, pedestrian amenities and the Promenade. She has also become a member of the Santa
Monica Conservancy. She has been attending OPA meetings since March and became an OPA member in April.
Scott Schonfeld - Scott moved to Ocean Park in 2008 and immediately realized he was never leaving. He enjoys hiking,
biking, playing tennis and running with his dog along the beach parks. He looks forward to working with the OPA Board to
protect and enhance Ocean Park’s small-town character
Scott graduated from Columbia University with a BA in Economics. He is a partner in a small real estate investment company
based in Santa Monica. He is on the board of the Chamber of Commerce and has played an active role in conversations
surrounding urban planning and land use issues affecting our ever-changing city.
Scott is currently leading an effort to realign the 4th Street off-ramp with Olympic Drive, which will have game-changing
effects on access, circulation and traffic for the Downtown, Civic Center and Ocean Park areas, including better pedestrian and
bike connections between Ocean Park and Downtown.
Thane Roberts – (incumbent) Thane attended UCSC where he graduated in 1970 with a BA degree in Environmental
Studies. He continued his studies at UCLA and attained a Masters Degree in Architecture in 1976. He practiced architecture in
Santa Monica for 20 years before selling his business in 1997 to fulfill a childhood dream of sailing around the world. After a
10 year 30,000 mile sailing odyssey, he returned to Los Angeles in 2007. Since then he has married, had two children and is
currently living in a modern home he designed in Ocean Park.
Thane’s vision for Ocean Park is of a community that is a model for sustainable living both in terms of its environmental
footprint and limits on growth. Santa Monica residents must continue to work with other community organizations to
monitor the City’s policies to insure that the Santa Monica’s allure does not become its undoing.
Jodi Summers – (incumbent) Jodi Summers – (incumbent) - Jodi enjoys being a 19-year resident of Ocean Park.
She currently serves as the Communications Chair for the Ocean Park Association and is proud to assist her neighborhood, as
well as be a voice for her community.
As a Broker Associate with Sotheby’s International Realty, Jodi has sold many properties in the area, and brought vibrant new
residents to Ocean Park.
Jodi is also a member of the Civic Working Group – a specially selected group to envision the future of the Santa Monica Civic
Auditorium site. She is proud to be an active resident in our dynamic city.
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Kate Kennedy - Since joining the Ocean Park Association in June, Kate has become an active participant by attending
meetings, hosting a “swag” event at her home to discuss OPA promotional items and volunteering at the OPA booth during the
National Night Out in August.
Kate, the daughter of a lobsterman, was raised in a small town on the coast of Maine, and knows first hand how special it is to
live by the ocean. Growing up, she frequently attended town hall meetings with her father and volunteered at various
community fundraisers and events with her mother. That sense of community and civic duty is still an integral part of her life
here on the West Coast. Kate has been living in the Ocean Park neighborhood for over a decade. She is passionate about local
issues and challenges facing the Ocean Park community. She would love to bring her enthusiasm and a fresh perspective to
the board to help keep Santa Monica moving forward, while retaining everything that makes our beach town the best!