Board Members

Sara Fernandez, President

Sara Fernandez has been a homeowner in Morongo Valley since 2020 and has called Southern California home since 2002 after growing up in Florida. She has an educational background in architecture and more than 25 years of professional experience in land planning and design. An avid hiker and naturalist, Sara chose to raise her young son in Morongo Valley so he could develop an appreciation for nature and a respect for wildlife. Through her work with Friends of Morongo Valley, she hopes to help foster those same values of stewardship and conservation for future generations.

 
Meg Foley, Vice President

Meg Foley moved to the desert in the early 1980s and has been a resident of Morongo Valley since 1985. She was fortunate to have several, experienced naturalists/mentors who introduced her to hiking, birdwatching, botany, and wildlife observation, which sparked her lifelong passion for the desert and its natural resources.

She has been involved in desert conservation and preservation, both professionally and as a volunteer, for more than 35 years. She is proud to have been associated with several local organizations, including the Morongo Basin Conservation Association, Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, Joshua Tree National Park Association, and the California Desert Coalition. She finds working alongside our engaged local community of like-minded individuals is both enriching and rewarding, making the challenging work required to achieve meaningful change more enjoyable.

Kimberly Keilbach, Secretary-Treasurer

Kimberly Keilbach first came to the hi-desert in the 1990’s and has been a full-time resident of Morongo Valley for the past six years. She is a professional writer, published author, and syndicated columnist who has focused on environmental issues and sustainable business practices. She also taught at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business. Kim is now retired and lives with her husband here in the hi-desert, where she enjoys hiking, reading, and hosting friends and family.

Karen McKendrick, Director

Since moving to the desert in 2020, Karen McKendrick has embraced the challenges and wonders of desert living. With a background in public health, she works as a Biostatistician for the Icahn School of Medicine in Geriatric and Palliative Medicine collaborating on research to improve the quality of life for older and seriously ill adults. She is committed to creating safe and healthy living environments and protecting the natural beauty that makes Morongo Valley unique.

Dorene Quinn, Director

Dorene first came to the Morongo Basin in 2010 as an artist in residency at the Joshua Tree Highlands Artist Residency program. Having fallen for the natural beauty and creative culture she vowed to return and make the Basin her permanent home. In 2016 she purchased property in Morongo Valley and in 2017 retired from a career of teaching art and directing a non profit educational art program for inner city youth in Syracuse New York. Since arriving in Morongo Valley she has focused on her art practice inspired and influenced by the desert environment. As a resident of the Basin Quinn is dedicated to protecting and preserving the outstanding beauty and unique flora and fauna that is Morongo Valley’s most precious asset.