Rhonda Farrar, Founder and President, Advocacy Program Director

Rhonda brings a wealth of experience to the Friends of Lake Hodges.  She is the founder and past president of the Friends of Stevens Creek Trail, a San Francisco Bay Area non-profit which just celebrated its 30-year anniversary.  In the Bay Area, she also served as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Mountain View and a Parks Commissioner for Santa Clara County.  With her husband, they built the Farrar Green Home, a LEED Platinum, carbon neutral, green home, overlooking Lake Hodges which was San Diego AIA Home of the Year in 2014.  She is currently president of Farrar Financials, a wealth management company in Escondido and has been a volunteer with Kayaking for the Birds for the past four years.

Maryam Ramin, Vice President

Maryam, with a PhD in Environmental Management from the University of Toronto, accumulated a decade of experience as a data scientist and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) manager. Throughout this professional journey, she demonstrated a deep commitment to environmental causes, aligning academic and career pursuits with a passion for sustainable practices. Beyond her formal roles, Maryam actively contributed to environmental conservation, driven by a vision for a cleaner and healthier Earth for future generations. Residing in the Lake Hodges area for the past six years, she found profound joy in the natural surroundings and local community.

Lea Anshus, Board Member

Lea has been dedicated resident of Escondido for over 33 years.  She brings a background in the fine arts and extensive experience in design and event planning to Friends of Lake Hodges.  Professionally, she holds a fine arts degree and has spent more than 30 years working in interior design, complemented recently by floral design for weddings and events. Her involvement with nonprofit organizations has deepened through active roles in event coordination and volunteer management, collaborating with groups such as the Junior League of San Diego, the Beach and Country Guild, the Boys and Girls Club of Escondido, Escolife Conservation, and Boys To Men Mentoring.
Together with her husband John, she helped design their beautiful home overlooking the serene Lake Hodges, cultivating a deep connection to this special natural area. She is passionate about hiking, gardening, cycling, art, and animal rescue, and she looks forward to contributing these interests and skills to support the organization’s mission through volunteer coordination and event planning.

Brian Caldwell, Kayaking for the Birds Program Director

Brian has been a resident of the Del Dios community, on the banks of Lake Hodges, for over 28 years, and ran the Lake Hodges Aquatic Center and Concession for 12 of those years.  He is an award-winning photographer, avid outdoorsman, and nature enthusiast who is an expert on the local climate, seasons, weather, water management, lake level and how these affect the flora and fauna in the area.  He is also a performing musician and front man for the Celtic Band, Highland Way. He currently serves as treasurer of the Del Dios Town Council, a grassroots community organization dealing with local issues. He recently spearheaded a coalition of 10 environmental groups in 2019 to secure a full nesting cycle of Clark’s and Western Grebes nests, which have been adversely affected by the addition of the Pumped Storage Facilities, and continues to monitor the situation. He is currently exploring ways to ensure successful Grebe nesting cycles on the reservoir when the water levels and conditions present themselves.

Bill Hays, Founding Board Member, Board Secretary

Bill was an attorney for 35 years, practicing commercial and public finance law with several companies including Citigroup and Nissan. After retiring from the legal practice, Bill assisted with the formation and operation of Switch Energy Alliance, an Austin, Texas-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides film-based energy education. Bill continues to assist Switch Energy Alliance as needed, and volunteers with Kayaking for the Birds.

Bill Modi, Board Member

Bill brings a deep background in genetics and community engagement to the Friends of Lake Hodges. He spent over two decades at the National Cancer Institute working in human and animal genomics, followed by positions at the San Diego Zoo Research Center and Retrogen Inc., where he focused on animal genetics and DNA diagnostics. A longtime Escondido resident, Bill is active in several local organizations, including the Senior Anglers of Escondido, where he serves as Program Director, and the Oceanside Senior Anglers, where he is Assistant Charter Master. He also leads the Senior 8-Ball Social Club as its current president and volunteers with the Escondido Elks, coordinating college scholarships and youth events. A lifelong outdoorsman, Bill enjoys kayaking, cycling, hiking, cooking, woodworking and gardening.  He holds advanced degrees, a BS in Zoology, a MS in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, and a PhD in Biology from Ohio State, Texas A&M, and the University of Illinois.

Malinda Romine, Board Member

Malinda Romine, Sales Representative for Edible San Diego Magazine. Malinda has a bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, SDSU Extension Certificate in the Business of Wine, UC Davis Certificate OIV Wine Marketing, UCSD Certificate in Leadership and Management for Technology Professionals. She spent eight years in sales and marketing in the wholesale produce, floral and horticultural industries. She helped build the Proflowers.com brand, an early ecommerce DTC floral brand, now owned by FTD. After raising her family, she began her career in the local wine industry. As a writer, photographer, and lover of local agriculture, she has been an avid supporter and promoter of the local wine industry. She served on the San Diego County Vintners Association board and is a member of the Ramona Valley Vintners Association. 

Sandra Welch, Board Member

Sandy is a San Diego native and lifelong lover of the outdoors. Her accounting career began while attending college and upon graduating with an accounting degree from SDSU, she immediately began working in public accounting for a local firm. Her initial focus was on audit and financial accounting, but she re-focused on taxation to reduce work related travel and start a family in the early 2000s. She opened her own firm in Escondido in 2018 with a focus on individual, small business and non-profit accounting and tax related services. She is a licensed CPA with over 25 years of public accounting experience. Sandy is a long-time trail runner and hiker that appreciates the beauty and atmosphere of Lake Hodges.  She has lived in Ramona with her family since 2000 where she thoroughly enjoys the beauty of the backcountry.