PATCH brings together creative minds from prominent organizations across the Ridge that share a dedication to enhancing and supporting the arts.

The PATCH Board

David Leon Zink, Executive Director & Chair

  • David has an ear for music, business and community. He consults in the areas of management, marketing and federal grant-seeking for firms serving both nonprofits and a few select for-profits — organizations that heal people, educate people, house people, create jobs for people, and feed people. As a performing songwriter, David has recorded several albums and toured internationally. He serves on the boards of several local organizations active in weaving together community relationships through arts and culture, organic gardening and regenerative practices. A Butte County native, David and his soulmate since 1981 live in Magalia, California.

Kathleen Dysert, Secretary
Paradise Arts Center

  • Kathleen Dysert retired to Paradise from Mendocino County in 2010. She received her master’s degree in education from University of San Francisco and is a credentialed teacher, a special education teacher specializing in behavioral disorders, a school counselor and a school administrator. Her first art lesson was after turning 50 at the insistence of two friends who thought she was working too hard and needed to develop another interest. She developed a love for acrylic, oil, watercolor and colored pencil painting. She became a member of Paradise Art Center in 2011 to further her interest in art and soon was elected to the Board of Directors, becoming President in 2019. She has been instrumental in finding ways to meet the challenges Paradise Art Center has endured in the last 3 years, such as closures due to both the Camp Fire and COVID, financial loss, and needed health and safety repairs to PAC’s 100+ year-old building.

Judy Clemens, Treasurer
Theatre on the Ridge

  • A lifelong supporter of the arts, Judy is the Executive Director of Theatre on the Ridge, the oldest California non-profit community theatre north of Sacramento. Judy and her husband Michael have been at the helm and have served as the heart and soul of TOTR for 45 years, from the earliest days of performing in the Paradise High School gym to the renovation of the old silk screening and woodshop on Neal Road to the Playhouse of today undertaken in 1979. Judy also serves on the board of directors for the Paradise Arts Alliance and the Paradise Ridge Chamber of Commerce, coordinating their annual Johnny Appleseed Days and Party in the Park events. Her position as TOTR's Executive Director does not include her regular standout performances as an actor and singer, as well as a director for the theatre (over 200 productions at last count) in addition to her past involvement with Chico Cabaret, Chico State University/Court Theatre, Chico City Light Opera, CR Productions, and other theatre endeavors in Butte County. Judy and Michael lost their home of 40 years in the Camp Fire and recently moved back into their rebuild on the same property where they raised their three children and are the proud grandparents of five and great grandparents of three.

Greg Sanchez
Alt - PAC

  • Greg is retired after 32 years of teaching art, athletic administration and coaching at Live Oak High School in Live Oak, CA. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in art with an emphasis in watercolor and drawing from California State University, Chico, where he studied under local art icons Sal Casa, Tom Griffith, Richard Hornaday, Ken Morrow and Janet Turner. His first art mentor was Lynne Mills, art teacher at Paradise High School, where he was the Outstanding Art student in 1977. Greg recently returned “home” to Paradise after 5 years on the road in a RV and joined the Paradise Art Center in the fall of 2022. Since becoming a teacher (Drawing classes)/member at PAC, he has worked on the Fundraising Committee and currently works on the Gallery Committee hanging in Wheeler Gallery, as well as being in charge of facilities at PAC.

Zack Connell
Gold Nugget Museum

  • Zack was raised in Paradise, graduated from Paradise High School in 2022 and is currently working toward a B.A. in Political Science at California State University, Chico while gaining work experience at The Community Legal Information Clinic, also in Chico. A natural leader and communicator with a passion for our town’s culture, Zack joined the board of Gold Nugget Museum in 2023 and is a candidate for the board of Paradise Unified School District.

Don Criswell, Vice Chair
Alt - NBHF

  • Don Criswell is a Paradise native and a true renaissance man. He's an Eagle Scout, and Army veteran who did a tour in Vietnam. His expertise as a police officer led to law school, and a long career specializing in criminal defense investigation. Don is a published author, poet, and musician. He has a BA in History and enjoys reenacting local pioneer characters. Don and his lovely wife Deborah Damonte are professional equestrians and owners of a livestock ranch on the Ridge. They have ten grandkids and are active members of Paradise Lutheran Church. Don was a long-time director of Gold Nugget Days and Museum and currently serves on the board of Norton Buffalo Hall Foundation. He is a key organizer of PATCH.

Janet Mann
Alt - GNM

  • After serving for decades as a volunteer, Janet at last consented to join the board of Gold Nugget Museum in 2023. She knows the history of Paradise better than most, enjoys telling her tales of the Ridge in costume when she gets a chance and continues to champion the rebirth of the museum as treasured asset of our community.

Pam Hartley
Norton Buffalo Hall Foundation

  • Pam Hartley has been a resident of Paradise since 1981.  Pam and her husband, Bill, raised their two children in Paradise and now are happy grandparents to four children who all live locally.  Pam worked as a parent volunteer coordinator for the Paradise School District in the mid 1980’s and then moved on to becoming an executive assistant at the PUSD Superintendent’s Office.  All the while Pam was working and raising her children, she continued her education in Business and Art at Butte College and Chico State.  In 2000, when Pam’s husband retired from police work, the hard working couple decided to switch careers and bought Joy Lyn’s Candies, a well established chocolate manufacturing and retail store in Paradise. 

    After losing their home and business in the Paradise Camp Fire of 2018, the couple decided to rebuild their home and bought a small still standing building in the heart of Paradise to re-establish their business.   Pam and Bill co-own and manage Joy Lyn’s Candies with their son, Glenn.

    Over the years, Pam has served on a variety of Boards and organizations such as, Paradise Ridge Chamber of Commerce, Retail Confectioners International Board, Norton Buffalo Hall Foundation Board, Paradise Chocolate Fest, Paradise Citizen’s Alliance Board and Paradise Art Center Board. 

    Pam’s love of the community and mission to see it thrive is evident in her involvement in PATCH to establish a cultural center in Paradise where diverse organizations can collaborate and provide arts and culture to the area.

Andy Hafer
Alt - TOTR

  • After serving for decades as a volunteer, Janet at last consented to join the board of Gold Nugget Museum in 2023. She knows the history of Paradise better than most, enjoys telling her tales of the Ridge in costume when she gets a chance and continues to champion the rebirth of the museum as treasured asset of our community.

Nicole LaJeunesse
Administrative Director, PATCH

  • Nicole LaJeunesse is a professional writer, editor, and curious person from Northern California. As a fractional executive, Nicole serves as Executive Director for Regenerating Paradise and Administrative Director for Paradise Arts, Theatre & Culture Hub. Nicole uses her passion for storytelling to help local nonprofits craft compelling grant proposals that connect community ideals to on-the-ground efforts. She writes interviews, tutorial articles, essays, and poems in her spare time. Outside, Nicole grows pumpkins and chats with scrub jays. Inside, she indulges in cat antics, homemade food, and the strangest mysteries she can find. The weirder the better. Nicole holds a Master’s in Cinema Studies from San Francisco State University and is most enthusiastic about community resilience, media literacy, and the arts.

PATCH Special Government Liaisons

Isaiah Meders
Mechoopda Tribal Council

  • Isaiah Meders is a Maidu Mechoopda tribal member and is currently serving on Tribal Council.  A life-long artist and entrepreneur, Isaiah has 20 years of experience as a dancer, choreographer, artistic director, and filmmaker. Isaiah is passionate about community arts and has been involved with programs and non-profits such as Dance Salsa Jax and the Norman Studios Silent Film Museum in Jacksonville, Florida. Now enjoying life in Chico, Isaiah has continued to create and support the arts as co-owner of Happy Valley Film Company and Affinity Arts and Entertainment. Isaiah recognizes the important role art plays in healing and community building; he is thrilled to collaborate with PATCH as we work to support local artists and the enrichment of the Ridge.

Al McGreehan
Paradise Recreation & Park District

  • Al has served the Ridge communities and other district areas in various public service capacities continuously since 1986. and on the board of PRPD since 1993. He is fully dedicated to the vision and mission of PRPD to serve the community interest through leadership and collaboration.

Mary Bellefeuille
PRPD - Alt

  • Mary Bellefeuille moved to Paradise in 1978. Earning a business management degree came in very handy, as she has co-managed her husband’s construction business since 1980. Raising three children in Paradise, Mary became very involved in the schools, youth sports, church and the community. She has served on the boards of directors for Paradise Ridge Youth Soccer Club, Paradise Little League, Paradise Piranhas Swim Team and Rotary Club of Paradise and currently serves on the Paradise Recreation and Parks District Board of Directors. Mary has been a member of Paradise Rotary for 22 years. Her passion is serving this community to help Paradise become the best that it can be, partly by being involved with organizations that provide various types of recreational activities and opportunities for the residents on the Ridge.

PATCH Advisory

Mark Adams
NorthStar Engineering

  • Mark is a co-founder, former President and Principal Civil Engineer of NorthStar. Born in Kansas, Mark grew up in Napa Valley, CA and earned his degree at California State University, Chico.

    He now serves as a senior resource to company leadership and as a mentor to the engineers on his team. Mark continues to work on select passion projects such as Chicken Ranch Rancheria, and Mooretown Rancheria and is an active member of the Camp Fire Collaborative and is a valuable advisor to PATCH. Mark’s best attribute in the office is his problem-solving ability that stems from his common-sense approach.

    If he could have any superpower, he would forgo laser vision for the gift of a great singing voice – frosting on the cake as far as PATCH is concerned! In his free time, Mark enjoys mentoring a group of young non-profit leaders and spending time with his grandkids.

Susan Dobra
Educator / Community Organizer

  • Susan Dobra, PhD, is a writer, editor, and educator who has taught at the university level for over 40 years; served as editorial director of the magazine Magical Blend; and worked as a grant writer and nonprofit consultant. A published writer, she currently teaches in the Philosophy Department at California State University, Chico. Until the Camp Fire, she lived with her partner of 20 years in Paradise, California, where they sang together, grew organic vegetables, hosted a weekly open mic, and participated in a range of community service organizations.

Colleen Corners
Corners Consulting

  • Colleen works both independently and collaboratively on business and economic development on the Ridge and beyond. She offers PATCH her business experience and wisdom along with valuable resources in for land acquisition and fundraising.

Lenn Goldmann
Artist, Architectural Illustrator

  • Lenn Goldmann is an experienced graphic artist with a demonstrated history of working in the arts and crafts industry. He is skilled in Art, Graphic Design, Architectural Rendering, Illustration, Visual Arts, Contemporary Art, and Graphic Arts. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art Painting Illustration, and Art History from California State University, Chico. Clients include book authors and publishers, and retail brands.

    Learn more at: lenngoldmann.com

Laura Cootsona
Good | Well Consulting

  • With 36 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, Laura Cootsona has dedicated her career to making an impact in the communities she serves.

    Her CV begins as a student at UC Berkeley, where she served on her first Board of Directors. From 2015 to 2021, Laura led the Jesus Center, a social service nonprofit in Chico, California, as Executive Director. During her tenure, she navigated the challenges of the largest fire in California's history and the COVID-19 pandemic, successfully rebuilding the board and staff, transforming the service model, and raising $18 million to create 47,000 square feet of collaborative program space. Under her leadership, the organization became a key partner to the City, overseeing a 177-unit shelter. Laura is also a founding board member of the Camp Fire Collaborative.

    She holds a Master’s in Nonprofit Administration from the University of San Francisco and a BA in Religious Studies from UC Berkeley. Beyond her work, Laura is passionate about travel, speaks fluent Italian, and cherishes time with her husband and two grown daughters.

    Laura’s consulting practice specializes in fundraising, marketing, CEO coaching, strategic planning, and board development, helping nonprofits achieve sustainable success.

    More about Good | Well Consulting at https://www.goodwellconsulting.com/