2013

Don Schmidt
Supervisory State Park
Peace Officer/Ranger
Sierra District

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Don has over 25 years with the Department and has contributed numerous outstanding achievements in support of the Department’s mission. Don works many hours on his days off, works with teachers and pupils, volunteers as leader for winter snowshoe hikes, and he has educated thousands of children about the historical, natural, and cultural environments in the high Sierra.

Jessica Murany
 State Park Peace Officer/Ranger
Colorado Desert District

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Jessica worked with the local community at Palomar Mountain State Park and advocated to keep Palomar  from closing during the 2010/11 budget crisis. She was able to garner the necessary support to keep the park open and also increase the park’s popularity by working with locals to make the park a place of vitality, festivals, and fun.

 Suzanne Goode
 Supervisory Senior Environmental Scientist
 Angeles District

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For over 13 years, Suzanne spearheaded the enormous 8 million dollar Malibu Creek Ecosystem Restoration project while facing heartfelt setbacks and significant political pressures. She led the Angeles District through ongoing conflicts to protect habitats and species against illegal encroachments and the commercialization of parks at the expense of resource degradation. 

Ron Birkhead
Construction Supervisor III
Acquisition & Development

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Ron was tireless in his pursuit to improve the way the team’s construction projects were managed; so he created a unique software tool for tracking and managing construction projects in the California State Park system. It proved to be a huge success.

Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks
Accepted by Bonny Hawley
 Executive Director

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Since 1975, Friends has worked with the Santa Cruz District whenever the need has arisen. Their decades-long partnership with California State Parks has been integral to historical preservation, biological and cultural enhancements, events, local business support, and having fun at Santa Cruz state parks and beaches.

Save Mount Diablo
Accepted by Ron Brown
 Executive Director

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The restoration of the Eye of Diablo Beacon was a daunting project. This rare and cherished Beacon is meaningful to America and particularly to veterans and Pearl Harbor survivors. Every midnight on December 7th, veterans and visitors gather on top of Mount Diablo, under the Beacon's light, to celebrate our fight for freedom and America's victory in World War II.

David Carmen
Maintenance Mechanic
Santa Cruz District

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Dave was innovative and instrumental in the restoration of the sewer system at the Brighton Beach campground on Pajero Coast. The changes he implemented in the design undoubtedly saved countless staff hours and money that would have gone to future repair costs – thus averting a costly and messy potential plumbing disaster.

 

 
Stephen Barber
Supervisory State Park Peace Officer/Ranger
Central Valley District 

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Stephen worked hard organizing a section of Highway 1, in the San Francisco bay area, to be dedicated to Ranger Patricia Scully who was killed by a drunk driver in 1976. Stephen wrote a pivotal letter that resulted in: a resolution signed by Governor Brown; a commemoration ceremony held at San Gregorio SB; the highway section itself and signage; and the San Mateo Sheriff’s Office placed her name on its memorial to fallen officers. 

Kenney Glaspie
 Park Maintenance Chief III 
OHMVR Division

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Kenney acted as Interim Chief at Ocotillo Wells State Vehicle Recreation Area and proved to be an excellent role model who inspired enthusiasm among staff during a re-organization of the Ocotillo Wells management team. He used best management practices and helped initiate motivation and interest in staff assignments and also increased moral.

Andrea Sinkler-Kim
Park Maintenance Chief I
 Monterey District

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Andrea organized numerous projects in 2013 and is inspirational to her coworkers and supervisors. At Gilroy Hot Springs, she spearheaded a project to install temporary roofs on three dilapidated cabins that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Andrea is also actively participating in the preservation of historical buildings in Monterey State Historical Park. 

 
Mark Cleavenger
 State Park Peace
 Officer/Lifeguard II (Seasonal)
 Angeles District

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Mark rescued a man from a fast-burning vehicle near Thousand Oaks in Southern California, then the car exploded seconds after pulling the victim to safety.

Greg Hall
State Park Peace Officer/Ranger
North Coast Redwoods District

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Under extremely dangerous conditions, Greg helped pull three victims out of repetitive, crashing ocean swells at Big Lagoon in Humboldt County.
 

Jeff Wadkins
State Park Peace Officer/Lifeguard 
Santa Cruz District

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On September 12, 2013, Jeff was off-duty with a bad case of the flu when he heard a call on his radio about victims in a near-drowning scenario at Moss Beach. Jeff jumped from his sick bed and made haste to the site, leapt down into a deep narrow channel, and rescued a man just in the brink of time.

 
Robert Peek
State Park Peace Officer/Ranger
Inland Empire District
(Assemblyman Brian W. Jones on left)

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In the wee hours on March 31, 2013, Robert pulled his neighbor from a furious fire that was burning the man's house down. Then Bob went back and helped put the fire out where it was burning perilously close to gas tanks.   

Lake Perris Rescue Team
(pictured from left to right)
Dick DeBoer, Supervisory State Park Peace Officer/Lifeguard;
Seasonal lifeguards: Ryan Coats
 Eric De Jong, Jackie Miranda, and Not Pictured - Brian Olivo (see
 Brian in next lifeguard picture);
Bill Solylo, State Park Peace Officer/Ranger
Inland Empire District

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On July 28, 2013, this team worked together like clockwork and was able to rescue a young girl with a life-threating head & brain injury resulting from a boating accident. 

Lake Perris

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(pictured from left to right)

Seasonal lifeguards:
Chauncey Lockwood, Eric De Jong,
 Andy Wayment, & Brian Olivo (missing from ceremony picture)
 --and- 
Dick DeBoer, Supervisory State Park Peace Officer/Lifeguard