Meet new board member Lisu Thachet: Newsletter / Website production

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I have lived in Berkeley on and off since 2002. I’m originally from Chicago and have also lived in the Washington, D.C., area. Workwise I’ve mostly been in the nonprofit and government world. Currently I work for the City of San Francisco.

How did you become interested in Berkeley's paths?

I discovered the paths while wandering around North Berkeley with a friend who lived nearby, so I was beyond thrilled when I stumbled upon the book Secret Stairs East Bay by Charles Fleming. Over the course of the next few years we did all of the walks in that book at least once.

What do you hope to achieve as a BPWA board member?

I’m looking forward to learning more about how BPWA works and helping to spread the news about the great work it does.

Meet new board member Zuzana Ikels: Grants and Development

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am litigation partner at the international law firm of King & Spalding. I have two daughters that I cherish and hope will discover the paths earlier than I did. I live in Albany.

How did you become interested in Berkeley's paths?

I have always known about the paths, but I only “discovered” them because of the pandemic. I walk them most mornings, became fascinated with learning about their origin, the Maybecks, and the Hillside Club. There is something magical that happens to our thoughts, ideas and creativity when we cross *paths* with the land, animals and other humans.

What do you hope to achieve as a BPWA board member?

I am excited about getting involved in the BPWA and serving as a board member. I am hoping that I can give back, share with and encourage others, and, most importantly, weed and work on the paths so that everyone else can enjoy them!

Meet BPWA's New Treasurer: Karen Ebadi

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I'm Karen Ebadi and live in North Berkeley. I grew up in Livermore. I work as an accountant and in my free time I enjoy reading, riding my bike, and traveling.

How did you become interested in Berkeley's paths?

I like to hike/walk and was looking for some walks close to home when I found BPWA. I like that the walks are usually about 3 hours, leaving time for errands later in the day. I enjoy the people I've met walking with BPWA and I'm always amazed at how many new places I see on the walks, which are right in our backyard.

What do you hope to achieve as a BPWA board member?

I'd like to facilitate the continuation of the work that BPWA does, maintaining the current paths, adding handrails and building new paths. I also think it would be great if we could find an artist to do a mosaic stairway on one of the paths (similar to the mosaic stairways that are in San Francisco).

Meet BPWA's New Emergency Preparation Liaison: Chris Cullander

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was born 3 score and 11 years ago, and have been told that I learned to wander early on. I live in Berkeley and grew up just outside of Washington, DC. I’m enjoying retirement — reading, concerts, travel, volunteer work, and the occasional talk. 

How did you become interested in Berkeley's paths?

When we moved to Berkeley, I wondered where the fire trails at the top of Dwight Way and Derby Street led, and one path led to another.

What do you hope to achieve as a BPWA board member?

I’m the emergency preparation liaison, keeping BPWA connected with Berkeley’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Berkeley’s  Office of Emergency Services and Public Health’s Emergency Preparedness program. I hope to bring the Disaster and Fire Safety Commission into this mix and to establish links with the Berkeley Disaster Preparedness Neighborhood Network (BDPNN) and NALCO, an amateur radio group that performs fire patrols around the Berkeley parks and Hills area during fire alert days.