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Our Approach

THE NATURAL NIGHT...  A DISAPPEARING RESOURCE


 Once a source of wonder, and one half of the entire planet’s natural environment, the star-filled nights of just a few years ago are vanishing in a yellow haze. Human-produced light pollution not only mars our view of the stars; poor lighting threatens astronomy, disrupts ecosystems, affects human circadian rhythms, and wastes energy to the tune of $2.2 billion per year in the U.S. alone. 

Who We Are

Cathy Handzel

Officer  -  Vice President


 Cathy has always loved the experience of night-time and gazing up at the moon and stars in the sky. She began researching light pollution after noticing excessive light trespass at her home from streetlights and neighbor’s lighting. Cathy is a graduate of the Mid-City CAN Leadership Academy and works in Information Technology as a Business Systems Analyst. She thoroughly enjoys being immersed with like-minded, dark sky advocates at the IDA annual conferences and stays abreast of IDA’s work by reading Nightwatch and attending monthly IDA Advocates meetings. As a breast cancer survivor, Cathy is committed to raising awareness about light pollution and its potential effects on human health. 

Paul K. Ericson, PE, IALD

Officer  -  Treasurer

Design Principal, Electrical, Stantec Consulting Services Inc.


Paul has over 40 years of continuous involvement in the consulting engineering profession with broad design experience and a special interest in lighting design. Paul is responsible for project management including overall concept designs, specifications, and supervision of design personnel.
He is actively involved with the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) at the Society level and has received lighting design awards from the IES. He currently chairs the Society’s Computer Committee.
He is a member of the International Dark-Sky Association and a past member of their Board of Directors. He is currently the Chair of the IDA San Diego Section and helped Borrego Springs achieve their Dark Sky Community designation. He is currently working with the Julian Dark Sky Network to help the Julian community achieve a Dark Sky Community designation.

Chip Fox

Board Member


Chip is Manager of Residential Energy Efficiency Programs at SDG&E.  


Sally Theriault

Board Member  -  Anza Borrego Desert Representative


Sally is a California State Park Interpreter and member of IDA. She has managed the Visitor Center at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park since 2010, and is a charter member of the Borrego Springs Dark Sky Coalition. Responsible for much of the Park’s night-sky interpretation, Sally also wrote and submitted the Park’s application for International Dark Sky Park recognition, which was granted by IDA at the Silver Tier level in January 2018.

Betsy Knaak

Board Member  -  Borrego Springs Representative


 Betsy is the Executive Director of the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association, and a charter member and current chairperson of the Borrego Springs Dark Sky Coalition. She served as Honorary Mayor in 2009, the year Borrego Springs was designated the world’s second IDA International Dark Sky Community and the first, and still only, Dark Sky Community in California. 

 

Doug Sollosy

Board Member  -  Julian Representative


Doug is the Treasurer and Member of the Board of Directors for The Julian Dark Sky Network, which promotes the enjoyment and preservation of Julian's dark skies, through astronomy related public outreach programs and activities.

Dorothy Wood

Board Member


Dorothy is active in semi-retirement as a Docent at Palomar Observatory, and doing Astronomy Outreach in various National Parks. She is very interested in the various facets of light pollution from affecting our night vision to the effect of light pollution of various animals 

Other Board Members and Representatives:


John Freese,  Officer  -  President

Maris Brancheau,  Board Member

Lynn Jarman,  Board Member

Nancy Tomich,  Board Member

Chelsea Felbeck,  Audubon Representative

Steve Flanders,  Observatory Representative

Kate Steinauer,  Webmaster

San Diego International Dark-Sky Association

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