Marin Honors Volunteers And Interns At Board Of Supervisors Meeting

MARIN COUNTY, CA — County departments recognized 137 exceptional volunteers and unpaid interns for their significant contributions at Tuesday’s board of supervisors meeting.

The Marin County Board of Supervisors recognized several individuals for their significant contributions, including four MarinShares volunteers, one of whom served for 29 years, and four Marinterns students, each accumulating over 1,000 hours of service.

“Our County volunteer honorees embody the spirit of service,” said Anne Starr, MarinShares coordinator. “They brought experience, enthusiasm and expertise. They made Marin a better place for all of us, whether serving solo in a Fire Department lookout tower, leading a committee to update the Civic Center tour script, or joining a team to uproot invasive plants from County lands.”

Honorees completed their roles between January 1, 2024, and January 16, 2025, having served in 16 of the county’s 22 departments.

This volunteer group performed a variety of services, including raising flags on the Avenue of Flags at the Marin Civic Center campus, patrolling county open space preserves, investigating elder financial abuse, teaching arts and crafts, cataloging Marin history, shelving library materials, monitoring for wildfire smoke, supporting emergency communications, searching for lost hikers, assisting veterans, proofreading articles and documents, and leading tours of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Marin Civic Center.

Unpaid interns were recognized for their contributions and the experience they gained across a variety of fields. These areas included fire services, housing policy, elections registration, public policy, health and wellness, search and rescue operations, library science, information services and technology, community planning, communications, social services, human resources, and sustainability.

Marinterns Coordinator Joy Fossett highlighted the varied contributions of students in the program. Some students developed lasting initiatives for Marin youth, such as Homework Helpers, now available at four Marin County Free Library branches, and Find Your Way, which links youth with local services. Other students brought fresh perspectives and enthusiasm to county departments while gaining exposure to potential county careers.

“The dedication of all interns is truly motivating,” Fossett said.

According to their latest annual impact report, MarinShares and Marinterns volunteers and interns contributed over 206,000 hours of service throughout the county. This equates to an estimated value of $10.4 million, thanks to the participation of approximately 8,500 individuals.

MarinShares and Marinterns honorees commended are listed here by hometown, name, role, and the County of Marin department in which they served:

Belvedere

• Samuel Lee, Youth Chair Intern and Marin 9 to 25 Program Intern, Board of Supervisors;
• Tawny Strotz, Suicide Prevention Action Team Intern, Board of Supervisors

Corte Madera

• Sadie Arneson, Housing and Grants Intern, Community Development Agency;
• Amber Dashiell, High School Intern, Public Defender’s Office;
• Shyla Lensing, Restrictive Covenant Project Intern, Board of Supervisors;
• Marlene Philley, Volunteer Senior Peer Counselor, Health & Human Services;
• Maya Rembrandt, Pre-Law Intern, Public Defender’s Office;
• Rayna Saron, Law School Intern, Public Defender’s Office;
• Paul Tewhill, Marin Search & Rescue Volunteer, Marin County Sheriff’s Office;
• Ryan Vilefort Barbosa, Summer Project Intern, Board of Supervisors

Fairfax

• Mary Bramblett, Volunteer Investigative Aide, District Attorney’s Office;
• Daisy Kessler, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Stella Vasquez, Teen Shelver at the Fairfax branch, Marin County Free Library

Greenbrae

• Karen Hege, Marin Search & Rescue Volunteer, Marin County Sheriff’s Office;
• Nathan Morales, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Sydney Tirschwell, Pre-Law Intern, Public Defender’s Office;
• The late Frank Woolard, Air Patrol Volunteer, Marin County Sheriff’s Office

Inverness

• Anna Von Thaer, West Marin Intern, Health and Human Services Department;
• Annika Parmar, High School Intern, Board of Supervisors

Kentfield

• Joan Brown, Marin Civic Center Tour Docent, Cultural Services Department;
• Gabriel Hartka, Pathways Program Intern, Marin County Parks;
• Kate Lane, Teen Leadership Crew at the Fairfax branch, Marin County Free Library;
• Sarani Puri, Board of Supervisors Intern, Board of Supervisors, and Homework Helpers Intern at the Novato branch, Marin County Free Library

Lagunitas

• Carl Miller, Senior Peer Counselor, Health & Human Services Department

Larkspur

• John Haubold, Restrictive Covenant Project Intern, Board of Supervisors

Mill Valley

• Elinor Clark, Elections Intern, Elections Department;
• Solveig Drexel, Pre-Law Intern, Public Defender’s Office;
• Benjamin Johnson, High School Intern with the Radio Shop, Department of Public Works;
• The late Larry Lewis, Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service/Auxiliary Communications Service Volunteer, Marin County Fire Department;
• Evan Lichtblau, Public Guardian Intern Project, Health & Human Services Department;
• Lucy Maher, Find Your Way Visioning Team Intern, Board of Supervisors;
• Brooke McIntire, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Tula Peltz, Board of Supervisors School to Career Intern, Board of Supervisors

Novato

• Ken Brownfield, Radio Communications Volunteer, Department of Public Works;
• Vivienne Chador, High School Intern, District Attorney’s Office;
• Ruth Deleon Reyes, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Julia Gibson, Intern, Board of Supervisors;
• Wendy Gramajo, Probation Intern, Probation Department;
• Meredith Hagler, Probation Intern, Probation Department;
• Eva Hellmold, High School Intern, District Attorney’s Office;
• Jerry Kay, Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service/Auxiliary Communications Service Volunteer, Marin County Fire Department;
• Tristyn Lai, Property Team Intern, Information Services and Technology Department;
• Jon Pittman, Patrol Volunteer, Marin County Parks;
• Delwin Rodas, Student Service Volunteer at the South Novato branch, Marin County Free Library;
• Noel Ryan, Marin Civic Center Tour Docent, Cultural Services Department;
• Robert Shaw, Contract Policy Intern, Health and Human Services Department, and Post-College Intern, Public Defender’s Office;
• Amelia Smith, Teen Shelver at the Novato branch, Marin County Free Library;
• Akshara Subramanian, Legal Process Intern, District Attorney’s Office;
• Edward Thelen, Pre-Law Intern, County Counsel’s Office;
• Elliott Thurlow, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department

Ross

• Joseph Moore, Law School Intern and Certified Legal Intern, Public Defender’s Office

San Anselmo

• Maija Blom, High School Intern, District Attorney’s Office;
• Hannah Brown, Sustainability Intern, Community Development Agency;
• Ruben Gillaspy, Student Service Intern at the Fairfax branch, Marin County Free Library;
• Carrie Lange, Pre-Law Intern, District Attorney’s Office;
• Chloe Levenson, Restrictive Covenant Project Intern, Board of Supervisors;
• Ethan Lewis, Student Service Intern at the Fairfax branch, Marin County Free Library;
• Leslie Miller, Volunteer Proofreader, Human Resources Department;
• William Molineaux, Student Elections Ambassador Program Intern, Elections Department;
• David Moshal, Digital Literacy Aide at the Marin City branch, Marin County Free Library;
• Nancy Oswald, Administrative Aide at the Veterans Services Office, Health & Human Services Department;
• Matthew Tom, Building Plan Scanning Intern, Community Development Agency

San Rafael

• Leo Bezard, District 1 Intern, Board of Supervisors;
• Lennon Brandt, Parks Intern, Marin County Parks;
• Susan Buster, Shelver at the Fairfax branch, Marin County Free Library;
• Breiner Calderon, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Jesus Flores, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Matt Ford, Veterans Office Administrative Support Aide, Health and Human Services Department;
• Robert Gehlen, Marin Search & Rescue Volunteer, Marin County Sheriff’s Office;
• Victoria Gonzalez, Volunteer Arts & Crafts Instructor, Probation Department;
• James Gravelle, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Gabby Grujic, Find Your Way Program Intern, Board of Supervisors;
• Priscilla Hopkins, Senior Peer Counselor, Health and Human Services Department;
• Nicole Kobalter, Pre-Law Intern, District Attorney’s Office;
• Alysha Lee, Student Elections Ambassador Intern, Elections Department;
• Kelley Litz, Newsletter Proofreader, Human Resources Department;
• Cecilia Martin, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• The late Richard McGrath, Flag Raiser along the Avenue of the Flags, Cultural Services Department;
• Alison Paxtor, Public Health Pathways Intern, Health and Human Services Department;
• Rafael Sanchez, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Diego Sanchez, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Jackson Scollan, High School Intern, Marin County Parks;
• Lyla Stanger, Marin Teen Girl Conference Ambassador, Human Resources Department, and Suicide Prevention Action Team Intern, Health & Human Services Department;
• Maryjane Wets, Senior Peer Counselor, Health and Human Services Department

Sausalito

• Kyrie Bryan, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Linda Davis, Volunteer Consumer Mediator, District Attorney’s Office;
• Sunita Ellenby, Volunteer Fire Lookout, Marin County Fire Department

Tiburon

• Kathleen Forte, Financial Abuse Specialist Team Volunteer, Health and Human Services Department;
• Madison Herrero, Board of Supervisors Intern, Board of Supervisors;
• Andie King, Homework Helpers Intern at the Corte Madera branch, Marin County Free Library;
• Taino Morris, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department

Sonoma County

• Alexander Castaneda of Cotati, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Rylee Cheney of Petaluma, Pre-Law Intern, District Attorney’s Office;
• John Dooley of Petaluma, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Emily Oliver Ferron of Petaluma, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Stefhanie Gallegos of Petaluma, California Department of Public Health Fellow, Health and Human Services Department;
• William Schimpf of Petaluma, Marin Search & Rescue Volunteer, Marin County Sheriff’s Office;
• Candace Karren of Rohnert Park, Intern, Probation Department;
• Elvin Sanchez of Rohnert Park, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Luis Alducin of Santa Rosa, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Omar Bueno Arroyo of Santa Rosa, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Lupe Duran of Santa Rosa, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Michael Kennedy of Santa Rosa, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Phil Danskin of Sonoma, Volunteer California Room Map Archive Docent, Researcher, and Cataloger at the Civic Center branch, Marin County Free Library

Other California Locations

• Louis Choy of Berkeley, GrizzlyCorps Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Anna Diaz of Berkeley, Pre-Law Intern, Public Defender’s Office;
• Eli Mizock of Berkeley, Legal Intern, Public Defender’s Office;
• Gloria Nunez of Berkeley, Certified Law Student, Public Defender’s Office;
• Alana Prado of Brentwood, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Esperanza Tene of Concord, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Kevin Johnston of Crescent City, Radio Communications Volunteer, Department of Public Works;
• Ari Berlfein of Daly City, Law Clerk, District Attorney’s Office;
• Alfedo Campos of El Sobrante, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Michael Burke of Napa, Certified Law Student, District Attorney’s Office;
• Nancy Alcaraz Arreola of Oakland, Certified Law Student, Public Defender’s Office;
• Malik Wilson of Pleasanton, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Victoria Morales-O’Connor of Sacramento, Certified Law Clerk, Public Defender’s Office;
• Caitlyn Barresi of San Francisco, Certified Law Clerk, Public Defender’s Office;
• Oscar Bomse of San Francisco, Student Service Intern at the Fairfax branch, Marin County Free Library, and Packet Assembly Team Member, Health & Human Services;
• Madeline Coke of San Francisco, Immigration Unit Intern, Public Defender’s Office;
• Julia Crowley of San Francisco, Certified Law Student and Post-Bar Intern, Public Defender’s Office;
• Bradly deMoll of San Francisco, Certified Law Clerk, Public Defender’s Office;
• Boone Dickins of San Francisco, Newsletter Writer Intern, Human Resources Department;
• Stephen Downs of San Francisco, Certified Law Student, District Attorney’s Office;
• Fiona Morford of San Francisco, Certified Law Clerk, Public Defender’s Office;
• Sarah Vega of San Francisco, West Marin Program Development Volunteer, Health & Human Services Department;
• Max Kohn of San Francisco, Summer Law Clerk, Public Defender’s Office;
• Priscilla Ledezma of San Francisco, Immigration Unit Intern, Public Defender’s Office;
• Siena Rossi of San Francisco, Pre-law Intern, District Attorney’s Office;
• Derek Rusher of San Francisco, Law School Intern, Public Defender’s Office;
• Gracie Winston of San Francisco, Certified Law Student, Public Defender’s Office;
• Jesus Chavez of San Pablo, FIRE Foundry Intern, Marin County Fire Department;
• Reagan Vandeburg of Turlock, Post-Bar Volunteer, Public Defender’s Office;
• Xareni Ortega Sanchez of Vallejo, Pre-Law Intern, Public Defender’s Office

Other U.S. Locations

• Jeff Young of Medford, Oregon, Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service/Auxiliary Communications Service Volunteer, Marin County Fire Department, and Radio Communications Volunteer, Department of Public Works;
• Stanton Klose of Newburyport, Massachusetts, Copy Editor, Human Resources Department, and Building Patrol Volunteer, Department of Public Works;
• Simone Feinblum of New York City, Pre-Law Intern, District Attorney’s Office