Tom Appelbaum (President):
Tom was born in Des Moines, Iowa, moved to Orinda, California when
he was ten, and earned a geography degree from UC Berkeley in 1975. He started his current firm, Apple Trucking, in 1980.
Tom has been coming to Donner Summit since he was a child. He first learned to ski on the Soda Springs rope tow. Tom, his
wife Jeanne, and their family own a cabin in Soda Springs where they hike, fish, ski, train watch and enjoy Van Norden Meadow.
As a life-long conservationist, Tom started Save Van Norden Meadow in order to preserve the meadow for everyone.
Joe Gray:
Joe was born in Bakersfield and raised in Fullerton, California. He graduated with
engineering degrees from UC Irvine and UC Berkeley. In 1991, Joe and his wife, Katie founded Graychip Inc., which has since
been sold. Joe has hiked most of the Sierras over the last 45 years, including leading a YMCA group on a seven week backpacking
trip on the John Muir Trail from Yosemite to Mount Whitney. Now retired, Joe and his family live in Palo Alto and spend as
much time as they can on Donner Summit.
Nancy Latimer:
Nancy was born and raised in San Francisco and moved to Donner Summit in 1974
and has been there ever since. While on Donner Summit she has done everything from being a ski instructor and a bartender
to co-founding a bakery/deli called the Cheesestore in Soda Springs. Her love of Van Norden Meadow includes getting married
in the Meadow to Mickey Gray, another long time Summit resident, in 1984. Together they own and operate Woodcraft Construction.
Every year Nancy spearheads, with the Donner Summit Area Association, the Donner Summit Cleanup Day. She is an avid
hiker and skier and loves living on Donner Summit.
Susan Snider:
Susan, a fifth generation Californian, was born in Sacramento and raised in Menlo
Park. She graduated from California State University Sacramento and now lives with her partner, Michael, in Nevada City. Her
interest in social justice led to work with Marin Abused Women's Services and Marin Aids Project. As an environmental activist,
she has volunteered extensively on behalf of the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL). A former board member, Susan guided
raft trips for elementary school students during fall salmon spawning runs on the South Yuba River. Currently a river monitor,
her other involvements have included montane meadow monitoring (including Van Norden Meadow) and coordinating SYRCL's Save
Yuba Headwaters campaign. Besides hiking and skiing on Donner Summit, she enjoys snowshoeing, particularly in the Castle Peak
area.
Bob Riksheim:
Bob became aware of the Donner Summit and Sierra Mountains areas as a Boy Sprout,
and enjoyed earning six 50-miler patches as well as his Eagle badge. He has practiced law for 32 years, and is licensed as
a CPA. Bob is grateful for the opportunity to volunteer his time for this most important cause, and looks forward to enjoying
the meadow in its original pristine state.
