PALM SPRINGS, CA (November 27, 2018) California Governor Edmund Brown Jr. has announced three new appointments to the Mount San Jacinto Winter Park Authority, the governing board of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.
Brian Conley, 69, of Big Bear Lake, has been president and chief executive officer at Community College Connections since 2012. He was department chair/professor at Golden West College from 1975 to 2012. He was also an elected trustee/board president at Rancho Santiago Community College District from 1988 to 2012. He served on the California Student Aid Commission from 2010 to 2015, California Board of Governors of California Community Colleges from 2000 to 2004. Conley was also California state chair of the Association of Community College Trustees from 2009 to 2012. He was an aide to U.S. Congressman Jerome R. Waldie from 1972 to 1974. He is a member of the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges and a lifetime member of the Association of Community College Trustees. Conley earned a Master of Arts degree in fine arts and education from California State University, Fresno and has done advanced studies at UCLA and Pepperdine University.
“I am very honored to be appointed to the Mount San Jacinto Winter Park Authority by Governor Brown,” says Conley. “I look forward in using my background in public policy, institution management and budget to make the Tramway the best it can be.”
Sandra Magana Cuellar, 47, of Corona, has been director of government affairs at Charter Communications since 2000. She was project director at Hispanas Organized for Political Equality from 1997 to 2000, project coordinator at the Contreras-Sweet Company in 1997 and an intern at Consensus Planning Group from 1996 to 1997. Cuellar was an assistant account executive at Oralia Michel Public Relations from 1995 to 1996 and assistant tour publicist at Levine-Schneider Public Relations from 1994 to 1995. She was a member of the California Respiratory Board from 2006 to 2013 and is a member of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership Board of Directors, National Latina Business Women Association of the Inland Empire Board of Directors, Coachella Valley Economic Partnership Board of Directors and Inland Action Board of Directors. Cuellar earned a Master of Arts degree in communication management from the University of Southern California.
“It is an honor to have been appointed to the Mount San Jacinto Winter Park Authority,” says Cuellar. “I look forward to ensuring this signature attraction continues to add to the unique and vibrant Palm Springs culture.”
Jeff Ohlfs, 56, of Twentynine Palms, has held several positions at Joshua Tree National Park from 1990 to 2016, including chief park ranger, district park ranger and park ranger. He has worked in parks at the local, county, state, national, and international level. Ohlfs is a member of the World Commission on Protected Areas, International Association of Chiefs of Police Environmental Crimes Committee, Ranger Federation, California State Park Rangers Association, Park Rangers Association of California, Twentynine Palms Historical Society, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Morongo Basin Search & Rescue Team, and the Boy Scouts of America.
“The Authority is unique amongst the over 700 park entities in California and I look forward to continuing to make it the premier destination in Southern California,” says Ohlfs. “The Tram holds a special place for me as it was one of the first dates with my wife. And we both look forward to the Tram’s holiday festivities.”
According to Tramway General Manager Nancy Nichols, “We welcome—and congratulate—our new board members and sincerely thank departing members Jan Oliphant and Jon Sheinberg for their many years of service to the Authority and Tramway.”
The other four Authority members are Jerry Ogburn and Nancy Stuart, appointed by the Palm Springs City Council, and Bary Freet and Brian Nestande, appointed by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.