NAM Board of Directors

Officers

Deborah Szekely, Chairman

Deborah Szekely, daughter of Jewish immigrant parents, was born in Brooklyn, NY.  Her father worked in the garment business, and her mother was a nurse and vice-president of The New York Vegetarian Society.  She has been a navigator of many cultures.  Her family moved to Tahiti in 1930 to escape the harsh circumstances of the Great Depression when she was the age of eight.  There, they lived for several years.  Not only was it a place where Deborah’s mother found she could raise her family as vegetarians, but also where the practice of being resourceful was born out of embracing Tahiti’s infrastructure and social environment: gardening as a way of life and learning French arose from their adaptation. Then, by the age of eighteen, Deborah moved to Tecate, Mexico, with the late Edmond Szekely, and founded Rancho La Puerta, a center for maintaining and discovering personal well-being and health, and is a highly prized spa to this day.  The family-owned resort has flourished for over 72 years, and have received many accolades in its time.  Deborah also opened the Golden Door in Escondido, California, in 1959.  

A philanthropist, activist, educator, and author, Deborah has been a lasting devotee to the promotion of health and well-being. She lectures weekly at Rancho La Puerta, and frequently around the world, speaking about the benefits of living a healthy life, and advocates for health reforms; she also founded Wellness Warrior, a non-profit organization that aims to facilitate national wellness. She has been deeply passionate and committed to the children at risk in our nation, so that all may equally have access to the opportunities to flourish and contribute their talents.  For six years, she was president of the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), an independent government agency that aids in facilitating nongovernmental and grassroots organizations in becoming self-sustaining by providing development assistance to organized groups in need, in Latin America and the Caribbean.  Further, Deborah is the author of the book “Setting Course - A Congressional Management Guide,” a book that has served, since 1984, as a reference manual and comprehensive guide for newly designated congressional staff.  She has won many awards for community service, and, in 2012, Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan bestowed upon her a very special honor: the Order of the Aztec Eagle award.

Dr. Michael Hager, Co-Vice Chairman

Dr. Michael Hager, has over 50 years of experience in the museum profession.  In 1973-78, he was a Professor of Geology at Augustana College, in 1978-89, Director of the Museum of the Rockies, and in 1989-91, Director of the Virginia Museum of Natural History.  Then, in 1991, he seized the opportunity to develop and restore the San Diego Natural History Museum, and became its President and Chief Executive Officer.  Since then, the museum has prospered; he re-established its’ mission, purpose, and identity in the region, and guided it to the path the institution is on today.  Under his leadership, the Biodiversity Research Center of the Californias and the Environmental Science Education Center were founded, and the museum doubly expanded under a Capital Campaign for museum renovations.  He has been President of CinemaCorp of the Californias since 1998, and has been the Executive Producer of the award winning film, Ocean Oasis, which was influential in UN’s recognition of the Sea of Cortez as a world heritage site.  He always maintained a great passion and enthusiasm for science, education, and museums throughout his career, and has enjoyed sharing his expertise with others.  Mr. Hager received a B.A. in biology from Grinnell College, and a PhD in geology from the University of Wyoming.

Richard B. Gulley, Co-Vice Chairman

Richard B. Gulley serves on the Board of Trustees of the San Diego Zoo as the Global Chairman.  He has been a leader in helping the organization realize its mission and dedication to preserve and bring back endangered species.  The zoo’s Wildlife Conservancy, which represents both plants and animals, has facilitated the wildlife conservation efforts of the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and the international field programs in more than 35 countries.  Rick has also been involved in many community organizations.  He is a trustee and past Chair of the San Diego Zoological Society, past president of Anza Borrego Foundation, Director’s Council of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and board member of Committee of 100, Balboa Park Conservancy, and San Diego Circus Center.

Rick is a native of Louisiana.  He received a Bachelor of Science from Louisiana State University and a Masters in Business Administration from Loyola University.  He retired from the insurance business in 2015, having served as CEO, Executive VP and Vice Chairman of Alliant Insurance Services, Inc. (Robert F. Driver Co.)

Dan McAllister, Treasurer

Dan McAllister, San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector, was first elected in November 2002 and re-elected for a fourth term in June 2014.  His office oversees the Investment Pool in addition to being responsible for collecting over $5 billion in property taxes annually, while ensuring that investments of funds are wisely done, and safeguarded for cities in the San Diego County and school districts.  He has made many operational improvements ever since he assumed office, and has constantly strived to improve outreach and communications initiatives, as well as customer service.  Prior to being elected, Dan succeeded in being an investment broker and financial consultant.  He is a great promoter of diversity, and leads a staff of professionals, each of whom come from different backgrounds.  He has served as a member of the San Diego County Employees Retirement Association and as the former chairman of San Diego Convention Center Corporation’s Board of Directors.

Dan has been deeply committed to serving and engaging the community.  He has served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Micronesia, Chair of the San Diego Unified School District’s Special Audit and Finance Committee, participating member of the Jackie Robinson YMCA’s Board of Directors, and Habitat for Humanity.  He has a B.A from California State University, Fresno, and a MBA in Business Administration from the United States International University; he has also completed executive education programs at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and Stanford University in management and portfolio concepts.

Dr. Mary Walshok, Secretary

Dr. Mary Walshok is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Programs and the Dean of Extension at the University of California San Diego.  She has been the head of the continuing education and public programs branch for over 35 years, and has played a significant part in assisting the University in expanding its local impact, national reputation, and global reach.  UC San Diego has become one of the top 50 institutions for higher education and research in the world.  Mary has also authored more than 100 reports and articles on workforce development, regional innovation, and the role of research institutions in regional economies, and has co-authored book chapters on the area of work, which include Blue Collar Women, Knowledge Without Boundaries: What America’s Research Universities Can Do for the Economy, the Workplace, and the Community, and Invention and Reinvention: The Evolution of San Diego’s Entrepreneurial Economy.  

Mary is a native of Palm Springs, California.  She received her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Pomona College, and her master’s and PhD in sociology from Indiana University.  For many years. She was a visiting professor at the Stockholm School of Economics, and held an international appointment at Oxford University in England in 2004 in the department of continuing education.  She has studied the dynamics of regional economic transformation and development as an industrial sociologist, and has researched various regions in the nation for the U.S. Department of Labor, NSF, and Lilly Foundation.  Walshok is also the co-founder of CONNECT, a renowned innovation development organization in the world, and is active on numerous community and national boards.

Linda Caballero Sotelo  (Ex Officio)

Linda C. Sotelo, is the Executive Director of the New Americans Museum, was born and raised in Tijuana, Mexico.  She is a first generation immigrant fronteriza who crossed the border daily to attend school, from the age of 8.  Linda has over 20 years of professional experience as a senior level executive, activist, and advocate for prominent national and international projects and organizations.  She has led initiatives and high performing teams in a variety of corporate, public, and nonprofit settings in both the U.S. and abroad, and has led a successful strategic consulting business, Toltec Media, with local and national clients.  She has been a contributing guest curator, speaker, writer, and editor, and has organized and produced a variety of large-scale events, forums, and festivals.  Linda has been completely devoted to the advancement of immigrants of all backgrounds; she is also a firm believer in the power of civic engagement and education as catalysts for their empowerment, and mobilizers for the integration and celebration of immigrant contributions into the American Experience.  

Linda received her B.A. in International Relations and History at (UCLA) and  U.S. International University, and M.A. in International Business and Economics, concentration in marketing, at Webster-Regents College at UK & London School of Economics.  She has also completed executive training and holds certificates in organizational management and leadership studies from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.  She has continued her activism, advocacy, community and civic involvement, serving as one of the co-founders of the coalition San Diegan’s United for Commonsense Immigration Reform.  She also currently serves as a board member of the Balboa Park Trust, the SD Media Arts Center, the Institute for Mexicans Abroad, president emeritus of the National Latina Business Women Association-SD, and founder & chair of Latinas In Business Foundation, a 501c3 women's leadership, advocacy and education forum.  Linda has been honored with various recognitions throughout her career for her contributions to binational understanding and cooperation, which include NAWBO's Advocate of the Year, KPBS' Hispanic Heroes award, Women Who Move the City, 40 Under 40, San Diego Magazine's 50 People to Watch, and is featured in the City of Tijuana's Paseo de la Fama [Walk of Fame] corridor.

Directors

Rosa Buettner has earned a reputation as a highly-motivated and detail-oriented professional. She is particularly adept at managing simultaneous escrows for sellers and buyers. Her diversification in the real estate industry and stellar knowledge of San Diego coastal communities, allows her to find her clients the perfect home. Her reputation for negotiation, contract knowledge and personal service has allowed her to build a referral based business throughout San Diego. Her diligent work ethic, tenacious attitude and comprehensive understanding of the real estate industry has kept her as an annual award-winning top agent for Coldwell Banker. She is versed in bank-owned, investment, and coastal property sales and acquisitions.

Originally from Mexico City, Rosa has been a resident of San Diego since 1981. She is bilingual in Spanish and English. Simultaneously building a successful 15 year career in the luxury travel industry, Rosa earned her real estate license in 1989 and began investing in real estate As Vice President of Sales for the luxury division of Expedia’s Classic Custom Vacation Division, she acquired valuable international business skills in sales, marketing, communications, negotiations and customer service.

In 2005, Rosa made the business decision to enter real estate as a full-time practice representing sellers and buyers. Rosa’s professional motto is “Opening doors to your dreams”. Her goal is, and always has been, to provide clients unparalleled service based on knowledge, as well as the highest quality of marketing and technology, to successfully achieve the best results in either the home buying or selling experience.

The same integrity and high level of professionalism and drive that has propelled Rosa to success in her real estate practice has transferred to her volunteerism and service to others. Rosa was a board member for the National Latina Business Women’s Association, San Diego Chapter from 2005-2012 where she gave of her time, talent, and resources to advance the hope and dreams of Latina entrepreneurs. She is a volunteer serving as an officer for her son’s school PTO and is actively involved as a founding board member for the Latinas in Business Foundation where she is leading efforts to bring community-based educational, mentoring and leadership entrepreneurship programming for San Diego girls and women around the world.  Rosa remains grounded in family life, savoring the time spent traveling with her son, enjoying all his school and extracurricular activities and entertaining family and friends.

Nathan Fletcher is a politician, business executive, educator, news commentator, and veteran of the United States Marine Corps.  He presently serves as the Senior Director of Corporate Development for Qualcomm, Inc., and the Professor of Practice teaching political science at the University of California San Diego.  Nathan was also a State Assemblyman representing California’s 75th District.  He was continually rated one of the most effective legislators in California, and has been honored Legislator of the Year award by a variety of groups such as Crime Victims United, Tech America, Black Chamber of Commerce, BIOCAM, and Veterans of Foreign War.  As an assemblyman, he devoted his time in office to finding solutions and delivering results.  He authored more than 30 pieces of legislation that were signed into law, including Chelsea’s Law, which was a landmark piece of legislation that reformed California’s process in dealing with violent sexual predators who target children.  The legislation for which he authored dealt with issues relating to job creation, pension reform, water infrastructure, veterans, public safety, healthcare, and the modernization of state government.  He has appeared on national television programs such as Larry King Live, The Today Show, CNN, and Dr. Phil, as well as in nationally printed publications featured in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times.  He currently is a news analyst and commentator for Fox 5 San Diego, and columnist for San Diego Magazine.  

Fletcher’s work has not been limited to local and national issues, but have extended abroad.  He is a strong advocate for the democratic process, and has devoted time in other counties working with philanthropic non-governmental organizations to create and facilitate democracy in Myanmar, East Timor, Cambodia and Serbia.  He has also been very active in fostering relationships and strengthening cultural ties by participating in international delegation trips, which include visits to Mexico, Korea, and China.  Fletcher faithfully served as a Marine for nearly half a decade, and was awarded a number of medals and achievements, such as the Combat Action Ribbon, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Corps Achievement Medal with Combat “V” for valor, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.  He is an avid athlete and outdoorsman who enjoys alpine mountaineering, mountain biking, surfing, and is an Ironman Triathlete and marathon runner.  

Sheila Lipinksy is a devoted volunteer and philanthropist.  She has been a lasting supporter of the arts in San Diego with the  Lipinsky Family Foundation.  Through the foundation, she and her husband, Jeff, have supported a variety of organizations, festivals and projects that use, specifically, the arts as an instrument for sharing narratives.  

Sheila graduated from UCLA, and received her masters at SDSU in Speech Pathology/Audiology.  She has been a teacher and educational therapist, taught deaf and hard-of-hearing students in the Chula Vista School District for 12 years, and has helped students with learning differences.  She has also supported research and graduate studies at SDSU in the School of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences.  Sheila currently serves on the board of the Old Globe Theater, as well as the Patient Advisory for UCSD Moores Cancer Center.  

Gad Shaanan is the founder and CEO of GadShaananDesign, Inc.  He has also established a second firm, GadLight, which has succeeded in becoming one of North America’s leading product design firms.  The entrepreneur has over 30 years of experience in industrial design, and is the owner of numerous patents.  His firm has helped many companies (from startups to the Fortune 500) exceed their goals, and advance the markets with innovatively designed products.  He has developed a comprehensive approach to designing that has been effective and successful in many industries; the incorporation of strategy, research, the consumer experience, and revolutionary engineering has achieved ingenious designs that have touched and affected many lives.              

Gad studied engineering in Montreal, at Concordia University, then received a degree in industrial design in Milan, at the Scuola Politecnica di Disegno.  He is an international Board Member of the Salk Institute, and member of the Industrial Design Society of America in both the United States and Canada.  He is also a founding member of the Institute of Industrial Design of Montreal.  He has served on the Board of Directors of the La Jolla Playhouse, and is an advisor for a number of Chief Executive Officers.

Su-Mei Yu is a widely recognized chef, restaurant owner, and cookbook author.  She has demonstrated cooking on national television shows, such as Good Morning America, Martha Stewart Living,  Home Cooking on PBS, Cooking Live on the Food Network, and the Today Show, and has been a popular guest commentator for NPR in San Diego.   Su-Mei also has a television show, Savor, which has completed its third season.  Her highly acclaimed restaurant, Saffron Thai Grilled Chicken, was the first authentic Thai restaurant to open in San Diego, in 1985.  Later, she opened a second restaurant in 2002 called Saffron Noodles & Sate.  Both award-winning restaurants are celebrated for their traditional Thai dishes that are prepared by using methods rooted in Thai culture, and healthy cooking techniques that were learned from the elders in her homeland.  

Su-Mei grew-up in Bangkok until the age of fifteen, then moved to America to attend boarding school.  She received her master’s degree in social welfare, worked as a social worker for 12 years, and has taught as an assistant professor at the San Diego State University.  She received The Julia Child Award for Best First Time Author from the International Association of Culinary Professionals in 2001 for “Cracking the Coconut: Classic Thai Home Cooking,” and has also authored “Asian Grilling” and “The Elements of Life: A Contemporary Guide to Thai Cooking and Traditions for Healthier Living.”

Advisors  [Ex Officio]

Phyllis Quan, Board Advisor

Robert Caplan, Chief Legal Counsel, Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek

Christopher Roberts, CPA, West Rhode & Roberts