Profiles North Bay 2024

North Bay 2024 Scientist now supe

PUBLISHER

Rosemary Olson

CO-EDITORS

Daedalus Howell

Simone Wilson

COPY EDITOR

Suzanne Michel

CONTRIBUTORS

Kary Hess

Cincinnatus Hibbard

Jen Hyde

Nish Nadaraja

CREATIVE SERVICES PRODUCTION MANAGER

Deb Fisher

PRODUCTION OPERATIONS MANAGER

Zk Bradley

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Jennifer Meyer

Jackie Mujica

Elena Razganov

Rowdy Tomkins

EDITORIAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Phaedra Strecher

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Lisa Marie Santos

OFFICE MANAGER

Liz Alber

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGERS

Erin Hanson

Danielle McCoy

Mercedes Murolo

Lynda Rael

Dianna Stone

FACES PHOTOGRAPHERS

Will Bucquoy

William Wayland

Michael Woolsey

Marouane Zouari

CEO

Dan Pulcrano

CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR

Cindy Couling

VICE PRESIDENT, REVENUE

Daniel Payomo

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES DIRECTOR

Stephen Buel ON

So, sit back, relax and prepare to meet the remarkable individuals from Sonoma, Napa and Marin who are defining the area on their terms. They’ve pivoted, they’ve innovated—and most importantly, they’ve kept us inspired. — Daedalus Howell, Co-Editor North Bay 2024

Face Time

The local case for places and faces

Welcome to our inaugural issue of Profiles—a magazine dedicated to highlighting the people who make the North Bay the extraordinary place it is.

Co-editor Simone Wilson and I were impressed, moved and occasionally brought to moments of convulsive laughter by the “People of the Year” whose stories are shared within these pages. These standout individuals have reminded us that genuine inspiration still exists outside of Netflix watchlists and Instagram feeds.

Throughout, we shine a light on those who have managed to rise above the humdrum of daily life in Sonoma, Napa and Marin counties and impress us with their vision—not to mention their knack for simply being interesting.

There’s the career scientist who is disrupting politics as usual in Napa; the Sonoma County librarian “making sure

people can access information, because information is power”; the herbalist bringing the wisdom of traditional medicine back to daily life; and the local leader and author who sees the power of story to cohere community. Not to mention what it means to build a life and wine label in contemporary Wine Country, or to bring new energy to local stages as a working thespian—everyone in these pages is doing something transformative to our collective experience of the North Bay.

But let’s not kid ourselves; we’re also here for the gossip, the quirks and the idiosyncrasies that make our chosen luminaries downright luminous.

A New Breed of Pol Amber Manfree

Career scientist voted into Napa County government

BY Simone Wilson

In the buggy dusk of a recent spring evening, the newest elected member of the Napa County Board of Supervisors was walking—or, it seemed, almost bouncing—along a manmade floodplain carved through the middle of Napa proper, a project she sees as the pinnacle of smart urban planning.

Amber Manfree, 47, a career environmental scientist and fifthgeneration Napa Valley native from rural

Soda Springs, appeared weightless as she walked—wired with the same boundless energy and enthusiasm that laces the lore surrounding certain politicians.

Everything else about Manfree is decidedly anti-pol. She’s soft-spoken and bookish, with dainty floral glasses and a bubbly candor. Her words have a scientist’s precision and a schoolteacher’s grace, reflecting the many years she has spent, since earning her Ph.D. in geography circa 2014, working as a map-maker for various

publications and a science writer for the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis, where she explains dense research to the public.

“Finally, we get a scientist,” said St. Helena resident Elaine de Man, who estimates she spent at least 600 hours volunteering for Manfree’s campaign. “And not only a scientist, but someone who’s local—who’s not just boots-on-theground, but waders-in-the-river. Who’s doing the research, collecting the data.”

De Man remembers being blown away when she first saw Manfree presenting scientific information at a government meeting. “She really knew her stuff,” De Man said. “I fancy myself a biologist and naturalist, but I pale in comparison to Amber’s knowledge of everything.”

Another of her campaign volunteers, former county planning commissioner Jim King, called Manfree “the most authentic, caring and knowledgeable candidate I have ever helped along this path.”

Manfree’s followers agree: Her election represents a sea change in wine-country politics. She campaigned mainly on climate and land conservation issues in a county world-famous for its booming wine and hospitality industry—winning her the adoration of a growing activist crowd in Napa Valley, concerned about dwindling resources and what they see as the methodical degradation of the smalltown way of life.

As former city planner King puts it: “Folks want more of a balance.”

Manfree eked out a win against longtime local politician and businessperson Pete Mott in the March primaries to claim the 4th district seat of outgoing supervisor Alfredo Pedroza. Her predecessor has attracted increasing scrutiny for some of his land-use decisions, and is now tangled in a sweeping U.S. Dept. of Justice investigation into Napa County government and industry.

“It’s the voters saying what they want,” Manfree said of her win. “My observation was that I offered an alternative.”

She added: “I think people are in a place where natural resource issues are impacting their lives directly, and there might be more appeal for a scientist in that. Another thing I ran on was ethics—bringing ethics to leadership.”

Come January, Manfree and the four other women joining her on the Board of Supervisors will make history as members of the second-ever all-female county board in California. The first was formed in 2020 down in Los Angeles County, a region 75 times larger.

More important to Manfree than gender: She feels these particular women share a vision for the long-term health of their land and people. “It’s a special thing that we’re going to have a board who is really well-aligned on wanting to serve the families in our community,” she said. “We’ll be restoring that direction.”

Many of their decisions will touch on hot local topics like wine, water and wildfire. Unlike in some counties, where electeds govern a sliver of unincorporated land, the women leading Napa County—a largely rural area with around 140,000 residents, less populous than Santa Rosa but 10 times its physical size—wield serious influence over the direction of the region.

Manfree sees the landscape of big-box wineries peppering the valley as “a direct result of permitting decisions made over the last 30 years” by the Napa County Board of Supervisors.

In recent months, some of her future colleagues in county government have been accused of taking anti-ag and antidevelopment stances that threaten an

economy propped up by these same forces. Local wine moguls have complained to news outlets—some as far away as the Daily Mail tabloid in England—about how difficult it is to get approval for any new vineyards, wineries, events or other projects in the Napa Valley.

It’s a narrative that will likely continue to snowball with Manfree on board. But she insists she’s not against the wine industry as a whole. “There are thousands of people in our community involved in this industry,” she said, “and that narrative comes from a very specific group.”

According to Manfree, she’s spoken to many other winemakers who favor slow growth and sustainability.

As far as “good development” goes, Manfree also finds inspiration in the Oxbow Public Market—a 40,000-square-foot dining emporium built in the Alta Heights neighborhood of Napa circa 2007, reminiscent of an open European marketplace. “Everybody loves it,” she said. “I meet people here all the time.”

Her favorite, though, is the Napa River flood protection project.

Napa’s founders, she explained, originally built the city on a natural floodplain. So when a big rainstorm would come through, waterways overflowed and swamped the downtown area, causing millions in damage. To solve the problem, she said, “The Army Corps wanted to make this a channelized river—a concrete, trapezoidal channel, like the L.A. River. And the residents said, ‘We don’t want that in our town. That’s not the vision we have for our community.’”

Instead, a slew of different agencies and citizen groups collaborated to design and build a labyrinth of bridges, floodgates, walls, wetlands and plant-lined channels, costing hundreds of millions. As a result, downtown Napa has been flood-free for nearly 20 years, allowing the business sector to flourish. Much of the anti-flood infrastructure now doubles as a habitat for native birds and shrubs. Humans, too, gather on the floodplain for events from casual hockey games to full-scale festivals.

The impact of the project was “huge,” Manfree said. “And it was a process that brought the community together in this really beautiful way. It’s something I’d like to see us be able to continue doing.”

PHOTOS BY ISRAEL VALENCIA

NAPA NATIVE Amber Manfree, a career scientist now in politician’s clothing, wants to apply her vast knowledge of natural ecosystems to policy decisions that fortify the Napa Valley landscape.

Renaissance Thespian

Meet the ‘busybody with a dream’ driving the local theater scene

BY Simone Wilson

Catch a play in the wine country these days, and chances are it was touched in some way by 29-year-old Jonathen Blue—a jack of all theater trades currently making the rounds between playhouses and drama classrooms across Sonoma and Napa counties.

Blue’s day job is to run the kids’ program for the 6th Street Playhouse in downtown Santa Rosa, where enrollment has surpassed pre-Covid levels to reach around 500 kids per year. The program is now so popular that “we have waiting lists for every new show,” according to Emily Lynn Cornelius, executive director of 6th Street. Tickets for the shows that kids perform at the end of each session—like Matilda The Musical Jr. this May—have begun selling out as well.

Blue likewise has his fingers in all aspects of production for the professional adult plays at 6th Street, according to his boss. Script selection, choreography, costumes, wigs, makeup, set design, stage lights, sound—the works. He even “stays here overnight to paint the stage,” Cornelius said. She called Blue “the very reason we have had a successful season.”

Cornelius remembered one particularly epic save in winter. “I called him with an hour to spare for a performance of Fences a few months ago,” she said. “Our actor was out, our understudy’s car was broken down and we had no other option but to cancel unless he could step in. He did not hesitate to accept the challenge and save the performance—memorizing lines in the background and performing a pivotal role with grace and style.”

Blue was also in charge of hair and makeup for Fences. Now, for the run of Kinky Boots coming up at 6th Street in June, he’s overseeing hair and makeup again, plus costume design—a “huge

Theater really exposes the human condition. That’s what it boils down to. I’ve found that trying to bring other people’s stories to life has made me more empathetic to people who are not necessarily like me. JONATHEN BLUE

task,” Cornelius said, “since this show has over three times the number of costumes, hair and makeup than anything else we have produced this season.” Blue stars in the play, too, as lead drag queen Lola.

At Kinky Boots rehearsals, during downtime between scenes, Blue said he can be found backstage, “sewing some costumes together or building a boot or something like that.”

In his words: “I’m just a busybody with a dream.”

That dream keeps getting bigger. This year, on top of everything, Blue has begun writing plays for the 6th Street kids’ program himself—an attempt to air perspectives he believes are missing from other scripts on the market. Blue’s new jam, Holly Day and the Rainbow Road, is about emotional health, told through the story of “a girl giving her colors away, and figuring out what color really fits for her,” he said. And his ambitious twist on Alice in Wonderland is a musical in which each song belongs to a di erent genre.

Blue is now teaching “large groups of kids to sing di cult rhythms and harmonies,” according to Cornelius. She has been blown away by his “commitment to the successful training of the next generation of artists.”

Outside 6th Street, Blue works both onstage and behind the scenes for other theater troupes and stages like the ones

at Napa Valley College, Sonoma Arts Live and Left Edge Theater.

Cornelius called him “a foundational support system for other theaters and our large community of actors” in the greater area. For example, she said, “a recent opening weekend at another local theater had quite a few sick actors, and he spent his free time making them special vocal support tonics.”

At the end of the day, Blue said the best part of his job is watching young thespians-in-training find a pathway to the heart of the character they’re portraying—and, in the process, deepen their sense of empathy toward themselves and others.

“Sometimes it’s as small as changing a pair of shoes,” he said. “The student will put on a new pair of shoes for their character and be like, ‘Oh, yeah. Now I feel like I’m this person.’ Then they realize, ‘Oh, I don’t have to stay in the same old things that I don’t like. I can make changes in my life.’”

He added: “Theater really exposes the human condition. That’s what it boils down to. I’ve found that trying to bring other people’s stories to life has made me more empathetic to people who are not necessarily like me. We’re really just trying to teach the kids what it means to be a person and be tolerant of other people.”

DRAMA KID There’s no theater job too small—or big—for Jonathen Blue, director of education and community engagement for Santa Rosa’s popping 6th Street Playhouse.

Erin Masoko Wilkins Herbal Storyteller

BY Kary Hess

LEGACY Erin Masako Wilkins in the kitchen with her daughter, Zoë Wilkins.

When meeting with Erin Masako Wilkins, time slows down a little bit. Her creative presence is a calm respite in the busy world. She laughs easily, shares generously and listens enthusiastically.

We first became acquainted at her shop, Herb Folk, in downtown Petaluma—an herb and gift boutique selling scores of bulk herbs, tea supplies, books and zines, along with workshops in herbal medicine and her acupuncture business.

Recently, we met at a favorite downtown cafe, Stellina, and chatted about her new book, Asian American Herbalism: Traditional and Modern Healing Practices for Everyday Wellness, and the challenges and excitement of life paths, herbs, business, family and shifting identities.

Masako Wilkins’ path to herbalism began when a friend gifted her an acupuncture treatment.

“I thought, ‘That’s for old people,’ because my grandparents did it,” she says, laughing. “But acupuncture was lifechanging for me. I felt spiritually aligned from it.”

That first acupuncture treatment led her to eventually attend school to become an acupuncturist. At the time, it didn’t feel like the most logical decision, but she felt called to do it anyway.

It was the first step on a path where she learned over and over again to trust in the unfolding process and opportunities that arise, and that who we think we are can change over time.

Cultural Connections

Part of her program at school involved learning about herbs and foods as complementary medicine to acupuncture practice. “My grampa was a farm laborer, and my grandparents always had a garden,” she says. “In class, I recognized some of the foods from my gramma’s kitchen: herbs, green tea, mushrooms.”

She instantly resonated with herbs and food as medicine for healing. While she didn’t link it to her heritage at the time, she came to realize that it was connected—and also that food and herbs in general are more prevalent in all our modern lives than we realize.

“It’s in our homes,” she says. “We have a cultural connection to foods.”

My book was written from my perspective as an acupuncturist and herbalist, with the intention of making traditional Chinese medicine and folk herbalism more accessible and relevant to daily life. — ERIN MASAKO WILKINS

When Masako Wilkins worked as an acupuncturist, she kept a wall full of herbs to complement her clients’ treatments. And when she realized herbalism was her true passion, she opened her shop, Herb Folk.

“Herb Folk and my book, Asian American Herbalism, were both born from my work as an acupuncturist,” she explains. “My tea blends are based on the herbs that I most commonly recommend to patients.”

While the brick-and-mortar shop is now closed, Herb Folk lives on as an online store where clients can still purchase her hand-chosen and -blended herbs, tea blends, herbal formulas and broth herbs.

Resonant Plants

Masako Wilkins realized that the ability to use herbs was a lost body of knowledge for many people, and she wanted to change that. She also felt committed to local plants.

The healing herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine or East Asian and South Asian herbalism are e ective and potent. But incorporating the e ective and potent herbs and plants that grow well here too is a passion for her.

She brings that passion to her practice and her workshops, where one of the first things she does is to ask people to name a food that resonates with them.

“I really wanted everyone to have access to herbs,” she says, “so I began teaching my workshops at farms. And I had a real clarity that I should work with the herbs that grow here.”

There are plenty of plants growing around us in California that o er many of the same solutions. And since they grow near us, they are the ones who know us and know what we need, according to

Masako Wilkins. While herbalism treats specific ailments, it’s also about health maintenance. Many of the herbs she shares in the book are easy to find, and can be used to move chi and stress out of the body.

“We share a resonance with the plants here,” she says. “And I always ask myself, ‘How can I honor the roots of the work and ancestors, and be creative?’”

As a practitioner of Asian American herbalism who is also of Japanese descent, Masako Wilkins believes that her heritage infuses the business and the process, and that finding the balance between tradition and modern culture is always a part of it.

Her book is packed with gorgeous photographs, practical remedies, simple recipes and inspiring information about ways to incorporate supportive plants into our lives. She says she loves the beginning of the book-writing process—the limitless potential it o ers.

“My book was written from my perspective as an acupuncturist and herbalist, with the intention of making Traditional Chinese Medicine and folk herbalism more accessible and relevant to daily life,” she explains.

Writing the book was also a real grind. “I thought, ‘What did I get myself into?’ The book was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” she says. “And I’m a mom!”

Masako Wilkins laughs, but then becomes more serious. “It consumed my life,” she says. “I had to really dig deep. It was like writing three to four books. I didn’t know when I began what it would look like. The biggest lesson was a renewed sense of trusting the process.”

And that is at the heart of everything Masako Wilkins does: trusting her process.

“It’s about appreciation,” she says, smiling and sipping from her cup of tea.

PHOTO BY SARAH DERAGON

Emma Kallok

Radical Librarian

A social-justice star rises in the Sonoma County Library system

BY Simone Wilson

Growing up in West Sonoma County in the ’90s, Emma Kallok was big into books—so much so that by age 11, she had become the published author of a 128-page novel called The Diary of Chickabiddy Baby

In an April 1999 review of the book, the Bohemian called it “truly delightful”—“an accomplished work.”

But even to the region’s most ambitious lit kid, the local public library branch in

Sebastopol never quite felt like home.

“I would just grab a book and leave,” Kallok said. “I didn’t interact with anybody.”

These days, our recovering child literary star is a certified librarian who serves as second-in-command for the Sonoma County Library’s PR department. From within the belly of the beast, Kallok has set out to make the system’s 13 branches feel more like a home for kids like herself—and everybody else.

NEW GUARD Sonoma County Library flack Emma Kallok stands up against acts of racist vandalism at the same Sebastopol library branch where she checked out books as a kid.

“That’s my mission: making sure that libraries are for everyone,” said the 37-year-old, who now lives with her wife in Sonoma Valley and works at the Rohnert Park branch. “And,” she added, “making sure people can access information, because information is power.”

Kallok represents “a new breed of librarian that is going to define librarianship for the next two generations,” in the words of her boss, Ray Holley, a longtime Sonoma County newsman who now runs communications for the library system.

For most of her life, Kallok said she never considered going into library work—largely because, as “one of the few Black people growing up in Sonoma County,” she hadn’t seen any librarians who looked like her. “I didn’t think it was something that sounded cool,” she said. “I got the picture that I think everybody has in their minds: a bespeckled, older white woman with a bun and a cardigan.”

But a few years ago, burnt out from jobs in food service and marketing, Kallok was having one of those Covid-era come-to-Jesus moments—searching for her life’s calling—when her aunt, who worked in libraries for many years, told her that “being a librarian gives you the opportunity to be an activist,” Kallok recalled. “I got chills. I was like, OK, I’m going back to school.’”

Her first opportunity to take a stand arrived right after she signed on at the Sonoma County Library in the fall of 2021. That November, the N-word was found spray-painted onto the Sonoma Valley library branch, near where she lives.

In response, Kallok and others at library HQ launched an initiative to hang Black Lives Matter and Pride banners at every branch.

“These are symbols that are letting folks know they’re safe here,” Kallok said. To her, the banners don’t show allegiance to a particular political group or org, but instead to a “movement a rming the rights of everyone.” In this way, they serve as “a sign of welcome” to the library, she said.

Then, in early 2022, a Black Lives Matter banner at the Sebastopol branch was set on fire by a mystery vandal.

“I was shocked,” Kallok recalled. “On

the other hand, I was not that shocked, because I grew up here, and I know that it’s not all rainbows and sunshine.”

After the two acts of hate, the library updated its fundamental “statement of inclusivity” to include a clause on racism and social equity, crafted in part by Kallok. “The Sonoma County Library stands with Black Lives Matter and our community in calling for peaceful, yet powerful action to turn the tide of systemic racism and begin the transition to a just and sustainable society,” the statement said.

Library o cials chose to keep the banners hanging, despite some pushback; they can still be spotted at all the branches, to this day.

Kallok also helped set up a postermaking station that winter at the Sebastopol library, in the same brick building where she felt somewhat estranged as a kid. At the station, community members could scrawl their own social-justice slogans onto signs and hang them outside.

“One of the big misconceptions in the community is that libraries are neutral,” said Holley, head of library PR. “If we were neutral, we would not protest against book bans. We would not protest against institutional and social practices that make it hard for kids to get access to literacy and reading. We are as radical as it gets, when it comes to freedom of information and access to information.”

He said Kallok has been one of the biggest rabble-rousers and changemakers within the system, pushing for a more diverse and inclusive library, inside and out.

“When you work with Emma, you have to bring up your game,” her boss said. “She’s completely unafraid to ask questions about why we do certain things.”

Part of Kallok’s e ectiveness seems to be that she has perfected the tightrope walk between activist and diplomat. “She’s very appropriate in how she does it,” Holley said. “She’s very kind and thoughtful—and absolutely relentless.”

Some of Kallok’s proudest recent accomplishments have been keeping the library’s internal “racial equity team” alive and thriving; helping bring a colorful new library card to life, printed with art

Part of Kallok’s e ectiveness seems to be that she has perfected the tightrope walk between activist and diplomat.

by Hadassah GreenSky, an Indigenous artist and activist; launching Spotify ads as a new way to reach people; surveying community members about what they’d like to see at the library; and working with in-house translators to make sure both the English and the Spanish versions of all library announcements are “welcoming, authentic” and jargon-free.

“We want people to feel at home,” she said. “We want people to know that we’re thinking about them.”

Social justice aside, Kallok also just wants Sonoma County residents to understand what a radical resource we have at our fingertips—totally free of cost. “I think about all the cool things that the library has, and not necessarily everyone in the community knows,” she said. “So then it’s about kind of zooming out, like: Why don’t they know? And how can we let them know? And rather than assuming what people want or what we think is good for them, why don’t we hear directly from them?”

PHOTO

BY

ROSALIE ABBOTT

Greg Sarris Memory Keeper

For over three decades, Greg Sarris, 72, has served as elected tribal chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, a group of around 1,500 descendants of Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo in Sonoma and Marin counties.

That’s longer than they’ve been a federally recognized tribe. Indeed, Sarris’ advocacy earned his tribe its stamp of

recognition from former President Bill Clinton, circa 2000. Thirteen years later, the Graton Indians opened their wildly successful resort and casino in Rohnert Park.

The tribe’s chief, who’s openly gay, has become something of a mythological figure in the time since—attracting a herd of truthers, as his success grows, who question the legitimacy of the tribe and Sarris’ ethnicity. (He was adopted as a

Bigger casino, nature projects, new book for Graton Indians leader

BY Simone Wilson

child and eventually self-traced his lineage back to Indigenous blood.)

His haters haven’t slowed him down one bit. The Graton Resort & Casino is currently undergoing a $1 billion expansion that will double the size of its gaming floor, making it the state’s second-largest casino. The construction project will also add 200-plus hotel rooms and a 3,500-seat theater—the biggest in the North Bay. “I’m very proud that the

REMEMBERER In his last three books, Greg

of the Federated

poorest people in this community are now the most influential,” Sarris said at the groundbreaking last summer.

Sarris is having a milestone year for his personal legacy, as well. In 2023, he was elected board chair of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, then appointed to the University of California’s Board of Regents by Gov. Gavin Newsom. (He calls the latter position his “hardest job.”) And this spring, Sarris released his seventh book, The Forgetters—a collection of American Indian stories-within-a-story, told by two crow sisters on a fence, about “remembering our shared histories and repairing the world,” no less.

Stories are the only thing that humans have. We don’t have great legs. We don’t have wings. We don’t have great claws. The only thing we have are stories—and stories have immense power. —GREG SARRIS

On a recent Thursday evening in Marin County, the author read from his new book to a crowd gathered at Sausalito Books by the Bay, a cozy bookstore parked like a boat in the local yacht harbor.

“I got pegged as a casino guy, which I hate,” Sarris said while mingling with fans before the reading. “I’m a writer, first and foremost.”

The author isn’t exactly mad at the success of his side hustle, either. Asked how the Graton Resort & Casino fits into his vision of a better world, Sarris pointed out that the casino has created around 2,400 jobs and funneled more than $200 million to the governments of Sonoma County and Rohnert Park to mitigate impacts on the community and fund local services.

The tribe has doled out another $120 million or so of the casino money to charity, according to Sarris—supporting social and environmental causes like California’s Prop 1 for reproductive freedom, Jane Fonda’s ongoing battle against Big Oil and a University of California scholarship fund that allows all in-state Native American students to attend for free.

“I wish we could just grow carrots to do all this,” Sarris said. “And eventually, maybe we will.”

A large chunk of the casino wealth also goes toward environmental stewardship. The Graton Indians currently co-manage around 25,000 acres of the Point Reyes

National Seashore with federal park o cials—an arrangement that the feds have called “the only one of its kind in the country.” There’s a similar setup at the 3,400-acre Tolay Lake Regional Park southeast of Petaluma, a preserve the Graton tribe co-manages with Sonoma County park o cials. (Again, a partnership “thought to be the first of its kind in California,” according to the county.)

Sarris’ tribe also just opened a new “learning center” with Sonoma State University at the school’s 450-acre nature preserve at the base of Sonoma Mountain—marking a long-awaited shift, Sarris said at the ribbon-cutting in January, wherein white people have begun turning to the Indigenous for wisdom.

The author circled back to this sentiment at his Sausalito book event.

“We’ve been living in an ‘us versus them’ world rather than a ‘we’ world,” Sarris told the small bookstore crowd. “The day must come, if we are going to survive, that we must understand the ‘we’ once again.”

One way to get there, he said, is by revisiting “the old stories that the old people used to tell.”

Sarris continued: “We have to go back to some of those principles and ethics of the Indigenous people here. We can’t go back and repeat it—the grass is gone, so much is gone. But we can remember the stories, and remember that each thing we do has its consequences.”

PHOTO BY TASH VAN ZANDT, SEBASTIAN ZECK, WILDBOUND

Sarris, leader

Indians of Graton Rancheria, has retold American Indian stories riddled with familiar Sonoma County landmarks.

Lynda Hopkins

West County Warrior

SoCo Supe seeks third stint helming local water towns

BY Cincinnatus Hibbard

SEASONED Farmer, entrepreneur, journalist and mom Lynda Hopkins now leads a ‘wild and wonderful’ West County.

Lynda Hopkins is a progressive politician currently running unopposed for a third and perhaps final term as elected supervisor of Sonoma County’s fifth district.

Lynda, as she had me call her, leads the county as part of the five-member executive, legislative and quasi-judicial Board of Supervisors. Her district corresponds to West County and includes the Lower Russian River area and most of the coast.

She began her career as a mother, small business owner, farmer, journalist and activist—then entered the political process at the beginning of an eightyear stretch of county emergencies. And she is now a settled incumbent with a sophisticated, operable understanding of how this county works.

In the immediate run-up to her uncontested re-election this spring, I had the pleasure-privilege of an extended interview with the supervisor in a casual setting. To her credit, this former journalist put no limits on my questions.

Lynda, you were an activist for progressive policy before you were a politician. What surprised you most about becoming a powerful o ceholder?

Sometimes politics is far more personality driven than it is policy driven. Sometimes you see “odd” alignments—say, around someone perceived as the most progressive person on the board and the most conservative person on the board, because they actually think and approach problems in a similar way.

Then how would you characterize your personality in a political sense?

Maybe even more than my political predilections or policy perspectives, I am willing to take risks. I am willing to try things that haven’t been tried before just to see if they work, because the status quo is so broken.

We have to make leaps forward. Just making small improvements around the edges is not going to fix the challenges we have today—rampant homelessness, rampant income inequality, our clear threats from climate change in Sonoma County. Being bold means being willing

‘I am willing to try things that haven’t been tried before just to see if they work, because the status quo is so broken.’ — LYNDA HOPKINS

to accept failure, sometimes humiliating failure, in order to move forward.

What else surprised you about taking o ce?

For most of the past seven years, we have been caught up in a cycle of disaster, response, recovery—and that has been a huge focus that I didn’t anticipate. I am hoping that we can get a few years without disasters so we can really get to think about those big-picture policies and longer-term investments.

I’m excited to move past a bit of that exhaustion into a more hopeful phase. There are signs. I am seeing all these small towns in West County come together around community space. Graton wants a downtown plaza; Guerneville wants a community building; Occidental wants to redo their Community Center and make all kinds of cool things, like a playground for kids.

It feels like everywhere I go, people are wanting to rally around positive infrastructure projects that bring them closer to their neighbors. That’s almost a reaction to the pandemic, where we were all isolated and in our corners. I’m really hoping that in the next four years, I can work with all of those communities and really make some positive, lasting improvements that are not just helping folks clean all of the river muck out of

their garage after a flood, or visiting folks who’ve just lost their house to a massive wildfire.

If these kinds of disasters do become more frequent, do you think that Sonoma County is better prepared, or just exhausted?

Can I say both? Thinking back to 2017, it felt like the apocalypse. I remember driving to work, and the fences along the side of 101 were on fire. No one was even putting them out, because they were so focused on life safety and trying to protect homes.

Back then, we did not have any redundancy in emergency alert and warning systems. We did not get out the notices like we should have. We did not have the wildfire cameras on every mountaintop so that we could tell where the blaze started and where it was headed.

Now, we have those things. We have more firefighters; at the county, we’ve made a multimillion-dollar-per-year ongoing investment into more boots on the ground. We have helped facilitate consolidations among agencies so there are cost e ciencies and economies of scale. We do have those wildfire cameras, and we’re able to use that technology to get a little bit of a jump on where the fire is, and respond more quickly. We are so much better prepared.

Meet Coral Wang, creator of the natural wine label Maison des Plaisances. Wang’s mission is to build an inclusive community for wine lovers from all walks of life. When she isn’t working in her vineyard or at the crush room, one can find Wang serving dinner at Valley Bar + Bottle in Sonoma. She will learn someone’s name and how they take their coffee. Over email, we chatted about how she’s building a life and label here in Sonoma.

How did you end up making wine in Sonoma County?

In 2018, I moved from New York to the south of France to study wines and winemaking. But when the pandemic hit, I had to leave. I moved in with my mom in New Jersey while waiting for the borders to reopen. And when they didn’t, I looked to California for opportunities to work with natural winemakers I’d been admiring (and drinking!). I did a brief stint at the French Laundry and departed to start harvest. What and/or who inspires you about Sonoma?

I am most inspired by the history here. There is a richness to the stories of families farming here for generations,

Coral Wang Wine Natural

Wine Country transplant carves out a niche—and invites the rest of us

BY Jen Hyde

growing some of the oldest organic and dry-farmed vines in California. I was able to meet and work with many of the living legends we have here, like Will Bucklin, Phil Coturri and Joel Peterson. I get inspired seeing their next generations continue their heritage with new projects. How did you find community in Sonoma as a winemaker?

Between working at Magnolia, the custom crush where I work and make my wines at, and working at Valley Bar + Bottle, I became fully immersed within our community. These days, I know the usual coffee or drink order for so many friends. My friendships have just sprung out of seeing people all the time.

When did you start your Maison des Plaisances?

Right when I arrived in summer of 2021, but that wasn’t my intention. I went through, you could say, a culture shock. The process of winemaking is very different from France. I don’t mean the fundamentals but the tanks, tools and division of labor between vineyard and winery. I just didn’t want to leave behind the culture of winemaking, or the way I’d first learned to do things. So I decided to dive in and make my own wine.

Do you consider yourself a New Yorker or a Sonoman these days?

I like to say I’m a New Yorker at heart and will always be, but gave up my city mouse ways a long time ago. I’ll never let go of my NY influences in art, music or culture, which I like to showcase in my wine labels and names.

What gets you through winemaking season?

Dumplings from Amy’s next to Sonoma Market. They’re house-made and a must when you need a fix. The best lunch that gets me through winery or vineyard work is my soba sesame buckwheat noodles. A spicy peanut sauce, edamame, shredded carrot and scallion. Furakake sprinkled on top. I also live in linen during summer in the vineyard. For working at the winery, I wear nylon stretch overalls from Dickies. I am never without a Sharpie or flashlight. And the front of my shirts stay protected and clean because of my overalls.

When you’re not making wine, what are you up to?

My dog, Shumai, is my main love and biggest job, the reason I call myself a single mom. We love exploring new beach hikes together. Our faves so far are Half Moon Bay and Pinnacle Gulch in Bodega Bay.

BY

PHOTO

EILEEN ROCHE

COUNTRY MOUSE Coral Wang’s journey into natural winemaking took her from New York to the south of France to New Jersey to, finally, the vineyards of Sonoma.

We head to Spud’s for a crab sandwich and clam chowder, then to the beach.

What surprised and delighted you most about your journey, and how long have you been here?

The most surprising thing has been finding the deeper connection and meaning to my own Chinese culture. You have been working on situating your work both within the winemaking community and the history of Chinese in Sonoma. When did it first occur to you that you were part of history?

Emma Lipp, chef and co-owner of Valley Bar + Bottle, had been in contact with the Sonoma Valley Historical Society since opening the restaurant, to learn the building’s history. The building itself was built in 1841 by Jacob Leese, a merchant who would charter ships to bring goods back.

One trip he brought back three Chinese men to work in the building that is now Valley, including one who was a cook. It was a mix of this history, plus our burning desire to bring Chinese cuisine to Sonoma, plus bring my mom here to cook with the chefs.

In December, we created a Chinese pop-up menu at Valley to celebrate the history of Chinese in Sonoma and my wines. My mom and sister flew in to create a menu based on our family dishes. Creating the menu with my family’s recipes reminded me of all that I have yet to learn from my mother, and I realized that if we don’t share the stories of the Chinese history here, then they will be forgotten.

How did it feel to have your mom involved in your projects?

It meant so much for my family to visit me here for the first time, and see my life here in Sonoma: my vineyard, the winery and the widespread community I’ve helped to build, and to see my mom so proud of me. All of this excavating of Sonoma’s history has also brought a much deeper meaning to what I’m doing.

Where’s the best place to find your wines?

Valley Bar + Bottle! They’ll always have a few di erent wines, as long as they’re not sold out. You can also reach out directly via Instagram DM at @maisondesplaisances.

What’s the best way to enjoy a glass? Eat Peking Duck!

Adam Cohen The Marinfluencer

‘The Marin Dad’ nails a local archetype

BY Nish Nadaraja

Even before I interviewed Adam Cohen, I already felt like I knew the guy, and that’s all thanks to his hilariously on-point social media reels about life in the county of Marin. Follow along on Instagram: @Marin.Dad.

What do you do?

I’m The Marin Dad, aka Marinfluencer. I promote Marin County businesses through The Marin Dad (themarindad. com) and build o sites for corporate teams through Marin O site (marino site.com).

Where do you live? Mill Valley.

How long have you lived in Marin? Since 2019.

Where can we find you when you’re not at work?

Marin is my work. I’m driving around Marin County all day long, interfacing with the community and local businesses to promote our amazing home. Oh yeah, and taking my kids on Marin adventures. I also serve on the board of the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce.

If you had to convince someone how awesome Marin is, where would you take them?

Just look at Marin Dads. They send it o chunky steep trails, surf overhead »

Let’s embrace the new people moving to Marin. We’ve had a wave of new residents arrive, and they only desire to share in the Marin Magic.

—ADAM COHEN

«

waves before work and ski Tahoe like they were 16 years old. By far the most Marincredible experience is riding the Dawn Patrol Tam. We ride up in pitchblack darkness to the summit of Mt. Tam to see the sunrise.

What’s one thing Marin is missing?

School buses for public schools. Let’s reduce the tra c.

What’s one bit of advice you’d share with your fellow Marinites?

Let’s embrace the new people moving to Marin. We’ve had a wave of new residents arrive, and they only desire to share in the Marin Magic. I’ve benefited from what I call “Tam Glad.” It’s the spirit of Marin, where folks who’ve lived here way longer show me the best of Marin Magic.

If you could invite anyone to a special dinner, who would they be?

Arnold Schwarzenegger!

What’s some advice you wish you knew 20 years ago?

Be curious, not judgemental. I think Walt Whitman said that…and Ted Lasso. What’s something that will seem cringeworthy 20 years from now?

Obsession with Stanley water bottles. There’s more to life than water bottles. Big question. What’s one thing you’d do to change the world?

Think small and local. Helping people doesn’t need to be at scale. The most immediate impact you can make is helping your neighbor.

Ana Diaz Heart of Roseland

‘As leaders, let us be the gardeners of unity—cultivating a culture where every individual, like a rose that grew from concrete, is seen, respected and given the opportunity to flourish despite any adversity. Together, we can transform our communities into vibrant landscapes of hope and possibility.’

Ana Diaz is an elected board member for the Roseland School District in Santa Rosa and an appointed member of Sonoma County’s Commission on the Status of Women.

In

Memoriam

Eleanor Coppola

1936–2024

BY Daedalus Howell

Eleanor Coppola was a portrait of poise. An acclaimed filmmaker, artist and author, she was known for her documentary, Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse, and, more recently, the romantic dramedy, Paris Can Wait, among other achievements. Throughout, Coppola blended storytelling, visual artistry and great personal style into all her endeavors.

“I’m going into my studio every day, and it’s really great to have a time of transition, where you can look in your books and make sketches and think about all things you might want to be doing in the future,” Coppola said in an interview with this reporter 12 years ago. “Right now, I’m making a series of watercolors. I don’t know where that’s leading, but part of it is going down the unseen path.”

That “unseen path” led Coppola through a dizzying array of life experiences, not least of which was meeting her husband of six decades.

“A lot of things in life are very ‘happenstance,’” Coppola said of her choice to join the set of a first-time filmmaker in Ireland. The film was Dementia 13, and the director was Francis Ford Coppola, who became her husband shortly thereafter. The gravitational pull of the man and the movies would impact her life (and eventually those of her children) significantly. Film, however, was not her first choice as a medium of expression.

‘I think life should be a process of doing what you do well and enjoying it.’

— ELEANOR COPPOLA

“No, I don’t think it would have been film,” admitted Coppola. “I would be doing something in the visual arts, but I don’t think it would be film. That happened because of Francis.”

“My nature is to try things I don’t know how to do—one after the other. Dance costumes? I’ve never done that, but let me try!” she said, referring to her work with the Oberlin Dance Collective. “Write a book? I’m not a writer, but

I’ll give it a try!” Notes on a Life, an autobiography, was published in 2009.

“If you’re really doing what you’re meant to do, there are a lot of wonderful highs,” she said. “In the creative process, there are also a lot of discouraging moments when you can never reach your internal vision and the frustration that you can’t get things exactly right. I think life should be a process of doing what you do well and enjoying it.”

THE GODMOTHER Artist, author and filmmaker Eleanor Coppola sought the ‘unseen path.’

The Faces of Head Start of Sonoma County

Jessica Vega’s connection to Sonoma CAN’s Head Start began in childhood. Her mother, Maricruz Reynoso, worked at CAN and knew how critical preschool was to childhood development. Years later, Jessica enrolled her own son, Roberto. Jessica has now worked at Sonoma CAN Head Start for 14 years and oversees a team of case managers and outreach workers, and Roberto just joined our team, bringing three generation to Sonoma CAN. Since 1965, thousands of children have benefited from Head Start, which offers free kindergarten prep, wellness checks, nutritious meals, and parent education. Maricruz, Jessica and Roberto’s story shows that Sonoma CAN Head Start not only improves children’s lives, but those of their families and future generations.

The Face of Fashion

Chris Bryant, the owner of Healdsburg’s One-o-One boutique, defines her fashion aesthetic as very wearable yet elegant. Stylish, non-corporate, appropriate for all ages. “People should smile when they see you wearing it,” said Bryant, who has owned a women’s fashion store in Healdsburg since 1993, and opened One-o-One in 2002. She buys twice a year in New York and Paris, selecting the best of what she sees from European designers. A carefully curated selection of shoes, jewelry and other accessories complement the clothing. She notifies clients when items arrive she knows they’ll love—and they do.

The Face of Hot Yoga & Pilates

Rebecca Pennington, the owner of Energize Hot Yoga Santa Rosa, enjoys seeing the transformations of her hot yoga and Pilates students. She has seen dramatic improvements in the strength, posture, muscle tone and overall happiness of many Energize students. Many students transform their bodies, reduce aches and pains and benefit greatly from a regular yoga or Pilates practice. Rebecca and her Energize team have created a safe, positive, encouraging, uplifting and inclusive environment for all people to challenge themselves physically and become stronger, healthier, happier and stress-free. “Yoga and Pilates help to bring greater happiness into your mind and body through movement, exercise and breath.”

The Face of Napa Realty

The golden hills of Napa Valley are a homebuyer’s daydream. But the key to building a life in California’s wine country is grounded in reality: being able to trust your agent. Gianni Busato of Napa Valley Realty focuses on loyalty, authenticity and personability with his clients—the same high standards that first drew him to the Napa firm. “We never compromise on service quality. We provide in-depth market knowledge, personalize our approach, and attentively address clients’ needs and concerns, including proactively identifying potential obstacles in the buying and selling journey. In today’s high-tech and glamorous real estate landscape, we take pride in maintaining a traditional and authentic touch.”

NAPA

The Face of Russian River Valley Winemaking

A quality bottle of wine is a small miracle: the timing, sourcing, planning and labor require years of training to fully master. That’s why wines from lifelong Sonoma vintner Gio Balistreri of Russian River Vineyards have earned more than 200 awards since 2008. All of Balistreri’s wines tell a story; each wine comes from one vineyard, and he only works with the most exceptional fruit. “I’m a minimalist when it comes to winemaking,” he said.

“I let the grapes speak for themselves. You don’t overthink things. It’s a complicated process, but it’s not difficult—you just make the best wine that you can.”

The Face of Senior Living in Marin

Marin’s ancient redwood forests are a testament to the graceful passage of time. It follows that The Redwoods, premier senior living community in the North Bay, represents the very same. The Mill Valley nonprofit provides a path for seniors to age in place with comfort and dignity. Finding community at The Redwoods means simply stepping outside your door. “The Redwoods offers a sense of connection,” said one resident. “I love the fact that many of our activities and exercise groups are led by  residents—it is so nice that we know each other’s names! The volume and vibrancy of programming creates an eclectic and diverse community.”

THE REDWOODS—A COMMUNITY OF SENIORS, 40 CAMINO ALTO, MILL VALLEY, 415-383-2741, THEREDWOODS.ORG

The Face of Probate in Napa

Because it usually coincides with the death of a loved one, navigating probate is one of the most stressful legal processes an individual can go through—sometimes thorny, often emotionally charged. But Mary Luros knows the probate path in California and Washington like the back of her hand. “I have found helping families navigate the probate process to be extremely rewarding,” Luros said. “I help my clients untangle the affairs of the deceased person. I once had a client who told me after his probate case was complete that he enjoyed the experience because he felt like he had a trusted friend helping him all along the way.”

HUDSON AND LUROS LLP, 952 SCHOOL ST, STE 280, NAPA, 707-418-5118, MARY@HUDSONLUROS.COM, HUDSONLUROS.COM

The Face of Local Family Entertainment

Launched in 2016 and owned by nine local families, Santa Rosa’s Poppy Bank Epicenter is unique nationally because it combines sports and entertainment facilities under one roof. The facility is 130,000 square feet and houses over 100 arcade games, 16 bowling lanes, a sports bar, indoor soccer fields, and so much more. “What I like best about the job is watching the kids and families enjoying themselves,” said Epicenter’s Director of Operations Andrew Kilsheimer. This includes his seven-year-old daughter Harper. “She has the run of the place, she bosses people around,” added the proud father. “Everyone knows Harper’s here.”

The Faces of Criminal Law

Wilber Law Offices has handled more than 2,000 DUI and other criminal cases since 2012, but it’s still a mom and pop firm, run by husband and wife Ryan and Rachel Wilber. The attorneys focus on matters where there is much more on the line than the immediate consequences of an arrest. Exceptional skill is required to obtain the best possible outcome. Whether it’s protecting a professional license, limiting impact on a career or ensuring you are not incarcerated, they are highly experienced at navigating complex criminal cases. “The criminal justice system can be complicated and often baffling, and we take pride in ensuring each client’s rights are protected,” says Ryan.

The Face of Apartment Living

Like the weather, everyone complains about the Bay Area housing shortage, but almost nobody does anything about it, because it’s such a formidable task. Phoenix Development Co. is a notable exception. The Novato-based housing developer has added a total of 235 apartment units to the existing North Bay housing stock over the past 5 years, focusing on adaptive reuse and urban redevelopment. The former Laws and Yaeger Lumber yard on Wilson Street between 8th and 9th Streets in Santa Rosa is now Pullman Modern Urban Apartments, a vibrant and pet friendly, 1- and 2- bedroom luxury community with more phases to come.

PHOENIX DEVELOPMENT CO., NOVATO, 707-528-3631, PHOENIXDEVCO.COM

The Face of Ceramics Education and Artistic Expression

Residents of the North Bay interested in exploring sculpture or functional art are in for a treat. Tucked into the Marin County’s Terra Linda neighborhood, just a mile away from the freeway, lies Terra Linda Ceramic Artists. This studio boasts award-winning artists and offers a range of opportunities for both beginners and seasoned artists alike. Classes cater to children and adults, from introductory levels to more advanced techniques. Director Nadia TarziSaccardi finds clay’s ancient origins fascinating, describing it as “million-year-old decomposed stardust.” Working with clay, she says, is being part of a continuing 29,000-year-old human story. We find community and our own expression thanks to this unique medium.

TERRA LINDA CERAMIC ARTISTS, 670 DEL GANADO ROAD, ROOM 1, SAN RAFAEL, 415-370-1694, TERRALINDACERAMICARTISTS.COM

The Face of Personal Injury Law

Even after decades practicing personal injury law, Neal Kuvara still enjoys helping injured people. He calls it “solving cases,” and it typically begins with a one-on-one conversation. “I try to talk to the injured party first,” says the founder of Kuvara Law Firm. “You can literally call me up and I’ll answer the phone, unlike most other lawyers.” People who have slipped and fallen, been in a car crash, or suffered other injury should call 1-800-4-INJURY. Then, Kuvara recommends that they check out his firm’s stellar Yelp reviews and A+ Better Business Bureau rating. And Kuvara Law Firm only gets paid when you win your case.

KUVARA LAW FIRM, 550 LAS GALLINAS AVE., SAN RAFAEL, CA, 94903, KUVARALAWFIRM.COM, 1-800-4-INJURY

The Face of Marin Realty

Susan Ferrington is a real estate veteran, a top 1 percent agent in Marin for more than 25 years. In a competitive market like Marin, where multiple offers and competition reign, Susan will make the difference that puts you over the top to get what you want. She blends practical knowledge as a successful agent, landlord, and property manager with a unique ability to understand your needs and translate them into reality.

BANKER OF MARIN, 104 TIBURON BLVD., MILL VALLEY, 415-519-3240, SFERRINGTON11@GMAIL.COM, SUSANFERRINGTON.COM

The Face of Private Schools

Headlands Preparatory School in Sausalito is a small, innovative middle and high school where students can master course content at their own pace and take advantage of one-to-one personalized learning. “When I walk out of my office I am inspired; a steady, joyful buzz fills the air as students and teachers work alongside one another, collaborating while deep in dialogue,” said Executive Director Kristie Moore-Arauz. “There is a true sense of ‘We’re in this together’ and learning can be fun and exciting. This relationship between our students and teachers is the heart of the transformational experience at Headlands Prep.”

The Face of Sonoma County Assisted Living

Healdsburg Senior Living’s nine-acre campus features an organic garden, special farm animals, and stately oaks, ashes, and redwoods. Amenities at the Assisted Living and Memory Care community include gourmet meals in a restaurant-style dining room, transportation, housekeeping and laundry, fitness classes and social events. “One of the things I most enjoy is talking with our residents and hearing their stories,” said Executive Director Cinthya Gamino. “We have all kinds of people; doctors, people who served in the military, people who helped build their communities. It’s one thing to read a history book, and quite another to learn about it first-hand from the people who made it happen.”

The Face of Custom-Made Furniture

Wine Country Décor is a labor of love for Jorge Martinez, who makes and sells one-of-a-kind creations including tables, cabinets and light fixtures at his Santa Rosa store. Working primarily with repurposed and reclaimed timbers including Mexican pine and parota, a wood common in Mexican furniture, Martinez uses the artistic sense he inherited from his painter mother, and the skills he learned from his carpenter father to create custom furnishings. Clients choose the size, type of wood, hardware and finish and he does the rest, cutting the wood and shaping new pieces. “I work hard making my clients’ visions come to life,” the woodworker said.

WINE COUNTRY DÉCOR, 6001 SONOMA HIGHWAY, SANTA ROSA, 707-843-7619, WINECOUNTRY-DECOR.COM

The Face of Spa and Wellness in Napa

You might not associate the phrase “cutting-edge” with rest and relaxation. But April Rose of Napa Valley Massage and Wellness knows that novel experiences, like Instagram-ready Tea Parties, make NVMW stand out. “We were the first day spa in Napa to offer gua sha, cupping, and madera contour massages,” she said. Napa’s highest-rated day spa is always innovating; Rose blends her own serums, exfoliants and body butter. And gua sha, a traditional Chinese method using a smooth-edged tool pressed and stroked on the face, has become an integral part of NVMW’s most popular treatment, the Spa Decadence.

“It’s everyone’s favorite because you get a lot of everything.”

The Faces of Advocacy for Farming & Ranching

Sonoma County farmers and ranchers have been producing food and fiber for generations. Their labor and expertise represent an essential part of our county’s food landscape, but feeding our community has never been more challenging than it is today. The Sonoma County Farm Bureau is a grassroots organization that has been advocating for and working to protect family farmers and rural living for over 100 years. “Our wins are embedded in the relationships we garner with policymakers and community stakeholders,” said Executive Director Dayna Ghirardelli. “Being at the table to educate others on how their decisions directly affect Sonoma County farming is an integral part of who we are.”

SONOMA COUNTY FARM BUREAU, 3589 WESTWIND BLVD., SANTA ROSA, 707-544-5575, SONOMAFB.ORG

The Face of Cosmetic Dentistry

Dentist Sean Wilson has brightened the smiles of North Bay residents for nearly 20 years. After graduating from the University of the Pacific Dental School, Dr. Wilson worked with Dr. Jeff Morley of San Francisco, one of the world’s premier cosmetic dentists. After five years of mentorship, Dr. Wilson opened his own Santa Rosa practice in 2005. “What’s cool about dentistry is if someone falls and breaks their front tooth, I can fix it the same day; that’s rare in medicine,” said Dr. Wilson, who also practices general dentistry. “Your smile is the first thing others notice. A smile is something anyone can change for the better.”

SEAN WILSON, DDS, 98 MONTGOMERY DRIVE, SANTA ROSA, 707-578-7424, SEANWILSONDDS.COM

The Face of Commercial and Residential Construction

Santa Rosa-based Western Builders just completed a new office campus for Redwood Credit Union in Napa, among other projects that have had a big impact on the North Bay landscape. The company also does residential construction and tenant improvements. Robert Cantu, the company’s president, started out as a laborer at age 14, and founded his own company at age 30 in 2002. “Over the years, what has emerged as a core value for the company is sharing in and fighting for our client’s goals,” Cantu said. “That’s what takes a project to the next, highest level.”

WESTERN BUILDERS, 1400 NORTH DUTTON AVENUE, SUITE 19, SANTA ROSA, 707-542-3213, WESTERNBUILDERS.INFO

The Face of Deck Building

Deck specialists are rare, and the North Bay is lucky to have one of the nation’s best. Winner of both national and regional awards, Weston Leavens revolutionized the deck industry when he patented the Deckmaster Hidden Bracket. All hidden fastening systems can trace their roots to this invention, and it eliminates all surface screws. Great decks start with great designs and are built by conscientious craftsmen. Deckmaster Fine Decks set the quality standards that others cannot attain. “We overbuild, meaning that we work to our own standards,” Leavens said. “We don’t cut corners. Code is a minimum—we want decks that feel like sidewalks, not trampolines.”

The Face of Italian Cuisine

Il Davide is one of the North Bay’s leading Italian restaurants, putting a unique spin on familiar favorites such as chicken parmesan seasoned with toasted pumpkin seeds, panko and cayenne, served with kale, basil, mozzarella and torche pasta. Owner David Haydon’s commitment to consistency is one reason it’s remained popular since 1995. “You don’t want to come to a restaurant you love and have your food be different each time you come,” he said. Supporting the community is important to Haydon, who won San Rafael’s 2016 Citizen of the Year for contributions such as donating to nonprofits including Likehouse, which supports people with developmental disabilities.

The Face of Luxury Transportation in Wine Country

Elevate Your Wine Country Experience. Got Luxury Ride of Napa and San Ramon is redefining luxury transportation in California’s wine country. Specializing in bespoke experiences for events, weddings, winery tours, corporate travel, and discerning clientele, Got Luxury Ride can customize your travels with regional, national and international transportation connections. “Luxury is not just a mode of transport; it’s a service we provide,” says CEO Deep Singh. “Our clients seek relaxation and comfort, and we deliver precisely that. Every detail is tailored to your needs, ensuring a truly personalized journey.” From the moment you step into our meticulously maintained fleet, you’ll feel the difference.

The Face of Information Technology

True IT launched in 2023 after thriving for decades under sister company West County Net and has the same devotion to customer care. The company provides outstanding enterprise IT solutions to a wide variety of local businesses. Clients include Charles M. Schultz Creative Associates and Andy’s Produce. Working with True IT is similar to having in-house IT services. The company offers complete system administration, network security, software support and managed services including cloud-based data backup and Office 365. “My number one commitment for decades has been to empower the community through innovative technology solutions,” said owner Chris Frost.

The Face of Digital Marketing

Santa Rosa-based West County Net launched in 1994 when the Internet was in its infancy, and has been leading the way in website design, website development and search engine optimization ever since. The company’s clients include Children’s Museum of Sonoma County, Oliver’s Market and Campway’s, the Bay Area’s largest retailer of camper shells and truck accessories. “We aim to become an extension of our clients’ own businesses,” said Chief Technology Officer Julian Skye, winner of a Sonoma County 40 Under 40 award this year. “We work to ensure local companies succeed on a global level.”

WEST COUNTY NET, 1611 4TH STREET, SANTA ROSA, 707-755-5857, WESTCOUNTY.COM

The Face of Healthy Aging

Marin County has more than 60,000 seniors; onethird live by themselves without any support system. Joe O’Hehir of Vivalon is adamant: no one should struggle alone in their golden years. Vivalon’s Healthy Aging Campus proves that when seniors have their social, medical and transportation needs met, it can be the happiest time of their life. “Connection works wonders,” O’Hehir said. “In a comprehensive care model, we can deal with the social determinants of health that are affecting seniors’ ability to age with dignity, independence and grace. If you come to the campus, you see the smiles, you see the happiness that these people deserve.”

The Face of Heating and Air Conditioning

Monaco Mechanical, a Mitsubishi Elite Diamond Dealer, advocates for energy-efficient HVAC systems. Owner Casey Monaco, inspired by his grandfather, conservationist Loyal Martin Griffin Jr., incorporates available rebates and tax incentives into his mechanical designs. “People ultimately want to positively impact their environment and community, while also cutting costs,” Monaco notes. Electric systems not only ensure comfort but also enhance indoor air quality, reduce energy bills, and foster sustainability. Although initial costs may surpass traditional setups, the long-term benefits are substantial. Monaco Mechanical prioritizes clean, renewable solutions for homes, businesses, and apartments, facilitating a harmonious relationship between occupants and the environment.