Meet Your New Directors

The Open Space Authority recently welcomed two new members to its Board of Directors: Margie Matthews (District 2) and Lisanna Dominguez (District 6). Margie and Lisanna will work alongside existing board members Alex Kennett (District 1), Helen Chapman (District 3, Chairperson), Kathy Sutherland (District 4), Vicki Alexander (District 5, Vice Chairperson) and Kalvin Gill (District 7) to oversee the Authority's business including the approval of policies, work plans and budgets. 

Directors Matthews and Dominguez join the Board at a crucial moment in time when local nature, agriculture and wildlife need considerable support. Through their appointments, Directors Matthews and Dominguez look forward to joining their fellow Board members as advocates for the environment while supporting local communities and preserving open spaces on the public's behalf.

The Open Space Authority's Board of Directors consists of seven elected members who each serve a four-year term. The Board holds public meetings once a month (with the exception of two meetings in June and January) to discuss conservation efforts, hear and relay input from Santa Clara Valley constituents and set policies to guide business operations. As a result of their efforts, Board members uphold the Authority's mission while ensuring that community voices play a significant role in decision-making processes.

One of the Board's most recent item of business included approving the Authority's Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget and Annual Work Plan. This detailed proposal explains how the agency intends to spend funding in the coming year as well as future projects and initiatives from each of the Authority's departments. 

Director Matthews was sworn in as the District 2 representative on April 24, replacing the late David "Mike" Flaugher. As a long-time advocate for open space, Director Matthews served on the Authority's interim Board of Directors at its inception and held positions on the San José City Council and San José General Plan task force.

Director Lisanna Dominguez will serve as the District 6 representative, completing Mike Potter's term, and looks forward to continuing to improve the Authority's accessibility efforts. Lisanna is the Chief of Staff & Strategy Officer for the Silicon Valley Education Foundation where she oversees the Eastside Education Initiative, a collective whose mission is to advocate for equal funding for East San José schools and to provide supplemental educational services to promote a college and career readiness culture.

As Board members, Directors Matthews and Dominguez also participate in board committees which provide additional support and oversight to the Authority's land use and stewardship initiatives as well as budget and administrative processes. As a whole, board committees:

• Discuss and review agency policies
• Permit broader participation by board members, stakeholders and the public
• Deliver thoughtful recommendations to the full Board of Directors