Gleneda Borton grew up in California, Colorado and Kansas. She spent 24 years in International finance, traveling extensively throughout Asia, Europe and North America. She was Vice President and Manager of Wells Fargo’s International Correspondent Banking division for many years and had responsibility for billions of dollars in credit relationships world-wide. She served on the Administrative Board of the University of Washington’s Pacific Rim Bankers Program, including two terms as President. Gleneda has a BA in Political Science, minor in Sociology, from Kansas State College, and is a graduate of the University of Washington’s Pacific Coast Banking School. Gleneda is also an artist, recognized with a prestigious Marin Art Council grant in 2000. She has always been interested in nature, and was a volunteer hawk bander and taxidermist with Golden Gate Raptor Observatory. She also volunteered for 8 years at the Marin County Public Defenders Office, working on major cases but primarily specializing in helping people clean up their criminal records via expungement. She and her husband designed and started building their home, GlenMar, on the bluff overlooking the ocean south of Bandon in 1991. She was a founding officer of the Sunset Neighborhood Association in Bandon and continues to serve on its board. While doing beach clean-up in 2017 she discovered a green sea turtle buried in the sand – she participated in its extraction and with other OIMB volunteers worked on its reconstruction – the turtle is now on display at CMLC.

Peter Braun is a graduate of Bandon High School. He studies theater in college, before formalizing his education at the Northwest Film institute. He enjoyed a career in the film industry before returning to Bandon to take over the family business. He helped form The Old Town Merchants Association, while serving 8 years as a board member of the Bandon Chamber of Commerce, and eventually became President of the organization. Peter helped organize the collective advertising efforts in Bandon, and Helped form The Greater Bandon Association. He sits as a board member of the Port of Bandon Economic Developmen fund, which oversees economic development loan to start up businesses on the south coast. He was elected to the Bandon City Council, and is serving as council President in his second term. He continues to advocate for renewable infrastructure within the City of Bandon.

Helen Farr has been an award-winning elementary educator for 25 years in the Coos Bay School District. She is a graduate of Marshfield High School in Coos Bay, and received her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from The University of Oregon. During her teaching career Helen has taught grades 1-6 and in the last few years has focused specifically on 5th grade and in setting up sustainable practices and recycling programs in the schools. Prior to working as a volunteer with Washed Ashore she was teaching her students about marine debris and organizing beach clean-ups. After spending several months volunteering with Washed Ashore, Helen joined the Artula Institute Board of Directors. Both volunteering and serving on the board have given Helen the opportunity to involve many of her students and colleagues with the project, connecting two of her passions.

Larry Safley was born and raised in Western Oregon, has a BA in Political Science, and has had the good fortune of living and working throughout the state. He currently resides in Roseburg where, most recently, he was the Executive Director of Common Ground Mediation, a nonprofit community dispute resolution center serving Douglas and Coos Counties. He continues to volunteer for the organization as a mediator, facilitator, trainer, and coach. Larry has spent the last 20 years immersed in the visual arts and maker culture, both as a practicing studio artist and arts/maker advocate. Through many volunteer positions he has led and supported several community arts programs including art walks, arts festivals, and the development of the Umpqua Makers Guild. Larry is honored to be part of Artula Institute and its flagship program Washed Ashore, where art, observation, conservation, education, and participation are bound into one enduring conversation about how we want to be in this world.

Dana Nichols is the Planning Manager for the City of Bandon and a new board member at Washed Ashore. With a passion for reducing waste, educating our communities, and integrating art into all aspects of life, Dana is excited for the opportunity to volunteer with this organization. In addition to these roles, Dana is also a board member with the Greater Bandon Association and sits on the statewide Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee. She holds a B.S. in Geology and a Masters in Community and Regional Planning, enjoys growing food, spending time with cats, and riding her bike.

Diane Shakin grew up on Long Island, New York, and now splits her time between the coasts of Southern California and Southern Oregon. Diane holds a B.S. with Distinction from Cornell University, a J.D. from New York University School of Law and built a career as a litigation attorney in both New York and Los Angeles. Diane has held longtime Board leadership positions serving foster youth and the arts, as well as Cornell University’s alumni, scholarship, and fundraising efforts, through which she managed a global network of 10,000+ alumni volunteers. In other pursuits, Diane has also been an entertainment news producer at CNN, founded a website that connected kids to culture and the arts, wrote a monthly award-winning magazine column, and co-owned an interior design and management firm. Diane loves to travel, read, cook with her family, and take long runs with her dog Rafa on the beaches of Bandon.