Introduction: PPCC has one standing committee (the Executive Committee), three committees required under the PPCC Bylaws for specific purposes, and several ad hoc committees. Current committee names and membership are listed below. All ad hoc committees dissolve as of June 30th of each year; on July 1st each year, the Executive Committee’s officer membership is automatically reconstituted and other committees are formed or reconstituted at the Chair’s/President’s discretion and/or as directed by the Bylaws. For further information about committee formation please see PPCC Bylaws & Procedures, or contact info@pacpalicc.org.
PPCC’s liaisons to regional coalitions, committees and/or government, appointed by the Chair/President under his/her general administrative authority, are also listed below (following the PPCC committee listings).
Standing Committee
Executive Committee (2023-2024 reappointed on July 1st):
Function: to act on behalf of the PPCC Board only when immediate action is required and the Board is unable to act, and to give advice and counsel from time to time as requested by the PPCC Chair/President; the officers and Chair Emeritus (automatic committee members) by majority vote appoint the two remaining members (one Organizational and one Area/At-large representative).
PPCC Bylaws (Art. V, Sec. 3)
Maryam Zar, PPCC President (Committee Chair)
Sue Kohl, PPCC Vice-President
Jenny Li, PPCC Treasurer
Beth Holden-Garland, PPCC Secretary
David Card, PPCC Chair Emeritus
Joanna Spak, PPCC Area 1 2nd Alternate Representative
John Padden, PPCC Organizational Representative (Palisades PRIDE)
Required “Specific Purpose” Committees
Nominating Committee (Officers Election, 2024):
Function: to nominate PPCC officers who may be elected by the PPCC Board for each new term.
PPCC Bylaws (Art. VII, Sec. 1)
Membership pending (April 2024)
Election Committee (Elected Representatives Election, 2024):
Function: to implement and supervise the public election of PPCC Area and At-large Representatives.
PPCC Bylaws (Attachment A, Sec. 1)
Membership pending (June 2024)
Committee of the Three Chairs (Alternates Nomination, 2023-2024):
Function: to nominate Alternate Area and At-large Representatives who may be elected by the PPCC Board when vacancies arise during the current term.
PPCC Bylaws (Art. VIII, Sec. 1.C & D)
David Card, PPCC Chair Emeritus (Committee Chair)
Steve Boyers, past PPCC Chair (2006-20028)
Maryam Zar, PPCC President
Other Ad Hoc Committees (2023-2024 term)
Awards Selection Committee (PPCC Citizen of the Year/Golden Sparkplug/discretionary Pride of the Palisades Awardees, 2024):
Function: to review nominations and select the person(s) to receive the Citizen and Sparkplug Award(s) and under special circumstances to select a recipient of “Pride of the Palisades” recognition.
Awards Guidelines & Honoree Archive (Sec. 4.a)
Membership pending (Fall 2024)
Awards Event Committee (PPCC Awards Event, 2024):
Function: to coordinate all details and produce the annual event honoring the PPCC Awardees.
Awards Guidelines & Honoree Archive (Sec. 4.d)
Membership pending (Fall 2024)
Bylaws Committee:
Function: to consider, draft and recommend proposed Bylaws amendments for adoption by the PPCC Board.
PPCC Bylaws & Procedures
Andrew Wolfberg, Palisades resident and former PPCC At-large 1st Alternate (Committee Chair)
Haldis Toppel, PPCC Area Three Representative (Committee Vice-Chair)
David Card, PPCC Chair Emeritus
Andy Frew, Palisades resident and past PPCC Board member (Theatre Palisades)
Betsy Handler, PPCC Area Five 2nd Alternate
Maryam Zar, PPCC President (ex officio/non-voting)
Land Use Committee (LUC):
See PPCC Land Use Committee (LUC) information here.
Function: to help standardize and professionalize the PPCC Board’s consideration of zoning and land use related issues by offering thorough, consistent and well-researched analysis and recommendations to the Board.
LUC Policy & Procedures
Committee email/requests to review projects: info@pacpalicc.org.
Steve Cron, PPCC Area Two Representative (Committee Chair)
Howard Robinson, Palisades resident, planning consultant and past PPCC Board member (Committee Vice Chair)
Richard Blumenberg, PPCC Board member representing Civic League (Civic Organizations)
David Card, PPCC Chair Emeritus
Michael Edlen, PPCC Area Three 2nd Alternate
Danielle Samulon, Palisades resident and past PPCC Board member (Area 3 Representative)
Joanna Spak, PPCC Area One 2nd Alternate
Chris Spitz, PPCC At-Large Representative
Maryam Zar, PPCC President (ex officio/non-voting)
Outreach Committee:
Function: to strategize ways to reach out to the community and inform people of our work at PPCC, our value to the community and the ways in which we volunteer our time, as a collective, to preserve and protect what is most important and unique about the Palisades. This committee will concern itself with communication, outreach, social media and the development of other tools with which the PPCC can interface effectively with the community. The committee will consider a community app, possible surveys, events, PSA’s, media outreach as well as local PR to craft a community engagement strategy that will help inform the community of our work, and help raise awareness and funds for PPCC. The committee will also be working on the 50th anniversary celebration ( a community-wide event) for 2023, scheduled for September 30th.
Maryam Zar, PPCC President (interim Committee Chair; ex officio/non-voting)
Randy Young, past PPCC Treasurer (Advisor)
Haldis Toppel, PPCC Area Three Representative
Diana Daniele, PPCC Area Two 2nd Alternate
Courtney Macker, PPRA Representative (Residents Association)
Murray Levy, PPCC Area One Representative
Cindi Young, PPCC Area One 1st Alternate
Nina Kidd, Friends of the Library Representative (Cultural and Aesthetics)
Michael Edlen, PPCC Area Three 1st Alternate
Kimberly Bloom, PPCC Area Five Representative
Potrero Canyon Oversight Committee (PCOC):
Function: to monitor, communicate and make recommendations to the PPCC Board about conditions at George Wolfberg Park at Potrero Canyon.
Committee email/reports of conditions & concerns: potrero@pacpalicc.org
Maryam Zar, PPCC President (interim Committee Chair; ex officio/non-voting)
David Card, PPCC Chair Emeritus
Sue Kohl, PPCC Vice-President
Jenny Li, PPCC Treasurer
Rick McGeagh, PPBA Representative (Recreation) and Area 7 1st Alternate
John Padden, Palisades PRIDE Representative (Business & Commerce)
Julie Silliman, PPCC Area Seven Representative
Cindy Simon, PPCC Area Six Representative
Chris Spitz, PPCC At-large Representative
Rob Weber, PPCC Legal Advisor
Caroline Wittcoff, Palisades resident (Potrero Canyon west rim)
Wildland Interface & Fire Hazard Mitigation Committee
Function: To collaborate with an effort begun by the Council Office in September 2023, to address wildfire and other natural disaster threats in our community. this committee will assist in helping develop strategies (and to work with the agencies CD11 brings to our committee) in a collaborative effort to address emergency information communication, evacuation preparation, Fire Councils creation, and to help educate the community with respect home hardening and other mitigation measures. We will also discuss using existing assets or implementing cameras, drones or other visual aids to monitor the threat of fire and attempt to keep the community informed and proactive, particularly during fire season.
Maryam Zar, PPCC President
Lou Kamer, PPCC Transportation Advisor
Sue Kohl, PPCC Vice-President
Steve Cron, PPCC Area Two Representative
Dave Card, PPCC Chair Emeritus
Michael Edlen, PPCC Area Three 2nd Alternate
Rick McGeagh, PPCC Area Seven 2nd Alternate
Bruce Schwartz, PPCC Area Two 1st Alternate
Julie Silliman, PPCC Area Seven Representative
Cindi Young, PPCC Area One 1st Alternate
Liaisons to Regional Coalitions/Committees/Government (2023-24 term beginning July 1, 2023)
PCH Task Force
David Card, PPCC Chair Emeritus
Lou Kamer, PPCC Transportation Advisor
Ready LA & RYLAN:
K.C. Soll, Palisades resident, CERT training professional and PPCC Emergency Preparedness Advisor
Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (WRAC)
www.westsidecouncils.com
WRAC Board representatives:
Primary – Chris Spitz, PPCC At-large Representative and WRAC Vice-Chair;
Alternate – Maryam Zar, PPCC President
WRAC Committee representatives:
Land Use & Planning (LUPC): Primary – Maryam Zar, PPCC President and LUPC Chair; Alternate – Joanna Spak, PPCC Area One 2nd Alternate
Homelessness (HOC): Primary – Cindi Young, PPCC Area One Alternate, PPTFH interim co-Director of volunteer outreach; Alternate – Maryam Zar, PPCC President
Mobility & Transportation (MTC): Primary – Steve Lantz, Palisades resident, former PPCC Board member & SBCCOG Transportation Director; Alternate – Lou Kamer, Palisades resident, former PPCC Board member & PPCC Transportation Advisor
WLA Community-Police Advisory Board (C-PAB)
Maryam Zar, PPCC President