Founding Board Member and Former Chair Art Chapman moves to Tahoe Fund Council of Special Advisors; Meg Sandman joins Board of Directors

TAHOE CITY, Calif. (Jan. 21, 2020) – The nonprofit Tahoe Fund today announced that founding board member and former board chair Art Chapman will step down from his board role and join the Tahoe Fund’s Council of Special Advisors alongside former Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and former Tahoe Fund board member and long-time Tahoe advocate Steven Merrill. This change comes at the same time Meg Sandman, a seasoned technology and operations executive with significant experience in fundraising, has joined its board of directors.

A Tahoe Fund board member since the nonprofit’s inception in 2010, Chapman was instrumental in building support for the organization from the private community and federal and state leaders. Under his leadership as Board Chair, the Tahoe Fund welcomed President Obama to Tahoe as the organizing sponsor of the 20th annual Tahoe Summit. Chapman also helped develop and grow the $1 for Tahoe program, enlisting the support of Tahoe businesses to help in the mission of the Tahoe Fund. During his tenure, the Tahoe Fund celebrated the groundbreaking of the Tahoe East Shore Trail after raising more than $1 million from the private community for the project. .

“On behalf of the board, I’d like to thank Art for his leadership and tremendous contributions to the Tahoe Fund over the past 10 years,” said Katy Simon Holland, Tahoe Fund board chair. “The experience he has brought, and the invaluable contributions he has made have helped the Tahoe Fund contribute to the success of environmental projects that are helping to establish a sustainable future for Lake Tahoe.”

Going forward, Chapman will serve on the Tahoe Fund’s Council of Special Advisors, which was created to encourage the involvement of influencers who have demonstrated care and concern for Lake Tahoe and are willing to help advise and provide assistance to the Board of Directors. Specifically, members nominated to this advisory group will weigh in on the organization’s strategic direction, provide counsel on issues facing Lake Tahoe and help introduce other supporters and partners to the Tahoe Fund.

Prior to joining the Tahoe Fund board of directors, Meg Sandman held senior leadership roles at companies including UpCounsel, Inc., 2nd Address (formerly HomeSuite) and HotelTonight. She co-founded Dabble, a personalized shopping aggregator in 2014, and has developed extensive business strategy and fundraising skills throughout her career. Sandman is a graduate of Yale University with a B.A. in Psychology.

“As a fourth generation Californian with family history and involvement in the Tahoe area that dates back to my great grandparents running the Kit Carson Lodge near Kirkwood, I’m thrilled to join the Tahoe Fund’s board of directors,” said Sandman. “I am passionate about Lake Tahoe, and want current and future generations to all be able to enjoy this wonderful place that my family loves so very much. I am confident that my professional experience in areas such as fundraising, partnerships, team building, and operations will allow me to add value to the Tahoe Fund board and the projects it supports.”

“Meg is a perfect fit as a member of our board of directors,” said Simon Holland. “The experience she brings — specifically as it relates to business strategy and fundraising — is sure to be a tremendous asset to the organization.”

The Tahoe Fund is a nonprofit organization that supports environmental improvement projects that restore lake clarity, expand sustainable recreation, promote healthier forests, improve transportation and inspire greater stewardship of the region. Learn more about the Tahoe Fund and its current and completed projects at www.tahoefund.org.

Titled “How to Get Trails Built in Three ‘Easy’ Steps”, the REI blog highlights the powerful partnership between the US Forest Service, Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association, and the Tahoe Fund.

Excerpt from the article:

“I think right now we’re in a special moment for trails in the Tahoe region,” says Amy Berry, CEO of the Tahoe Fund. If the Forest Service agrees on a project, and TAMBA says they’ll build it, the Tahoe Fund is usually on board to help fund it. “The level of trust is really high amongst everyone.”

Berry points to McNamara as one of the people responsible for creating that energy.

“Chris McNamara is a big reason why trails are exploding around this place,” she said. “He has this big vision.”

Thanks to this partnership and your tremendous support, we are helping get more trails built around Tahoe.

To read the article, click here.

The Take Care Tahoe Campaign uses humor to share stewardship messages

TAHOE CITY, Calif. (Jan. 10, 2020) – This month, a new digital billboard campaign has been unveiled on behalf of over 50 partners who have collaborated on the “Take Care Tahoe” effort to encourage more responsible behavior while in Tahoe. Designed with messages that use humor, the campaign was created to capture the attention of visitors when they are en route to Tahoe to encourage stewardship and responsible recreation during their stay. Thanks to financial support from the Tahoe Fund on behalf of the Take Care Tahoe partners, digital billboards carrying the Take Care™ messaging are visible on I-80 Eastbound in Colfax, California.

“With the ‘Take Care Tahoe’ digital billboard campaign, our goal is to educate visitors before they arrive about how they can take care of the environment when they’re here,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “This includes things like cleaning up after their dogs, not leaving broken sleds behind, eliminating the use of plastic straws, and blazing a trail of kindness on public trails throughout the region.”

The concept for the Take Care Tahoe campaign was developed by a collective group of organizations that love Lake Tahoe and want to see more people connect with the beautiful natural environment. Via the Take Care website, visitors and residents can find out more about Earth Day festivals, beach cleanups, nature walks and more. In an effort to encourage sustainability and responsible recreation, the campaign also includes ways people can help “Take Care” of Tahoe using humor to poke fun at the mistakes that are made. The campaign was developed by the creative team of Nate Laver and Meg and is directed by BRONTOSAURUS! Los Angeles.

With more than 100 destinations around the world grappling with negative impacts from tourism, according to a European Union report, Tahoe is not alone in asking visitors to be part of the solution to protect the environment. Lake Tahoe is one of the clearest large lakes in the world and the second deepest in the United States. “We’re hoping the millions of visitors to Tahoe will become part of the solution to protect this special place,” said Joanne Marchetta, Executive Director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.

The digital billboards will be active throughout the winter season, cycling through the campaign’s humorous but informative messages regularly.

Learn more about Take Care Tahoe online at takecaretahoe.org or via Instagram @takecaretahoe. To see all the environmental projects supported by the Tahoe Fund, visit tahoefund.org.