President/CEO & Board Members

Board Member Whitney Benzian is a real estate agent and advisor with Douglas Elliman. Whitney represents clients focused on acquiring and selling real estate throughout California with a particular focus on coastal properties in the City of Coronado and San Diego.

His background includes marketing, public relations, land-use and government affairs developed from his time working for a leading San Diego public relations and marketing firm. He was an executive for the California Apartment Association, establishing and leading the San Diego office for 11 years before opening his real estate practice.

Board Member Benzian served as a Coronado City Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tempore from 2016 to 2020.

He was raised in Coronado, where he has lived and worked since moving back. Following graduation from Coronado High School he went on to pursue his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Sarah Lawrence College and Pepperdine University, respectively. He received his Masters in Public Policy and his B.A. in Liberal Arts.

Board Member Benzian is married to January Benzian and has three children: Emma, Annie and George.

The South County Mayors appointed Mr. Benzian to the Board for a term ending on January 31, 2027.

Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe was elected to the County Board of Supervisors in December 2023 to represent District 4.

She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Spelman College and a Juris Doctor from California Western School of Law.

In November 2018, Montgomery Steppe was elected as San Diego City Councilmember for District 4 and served as Council President Pro Tem. As a San Diego City Councilmember, Montgomery Steppe served on several outside agency appointments, including: MTS Board of Directors, San Diego Workforce Partnership, the City-County Reinvestment Task Force, and the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans.

Prior to that, Montgomery Steppe worked for the American Civil Liberties Union as an attorney, focusing mostly on bail reform. She also worked as an attorney helping families avoid foreclosure during the Great Recession.

Montgomery Steppe worked as a staffer for Councilmember Todd Gloria during his term as interim mayor, Mayor Kevin Faulconer, and Councilmember Myrtle Cole.

For her leadership, Montgomery Steppe has received many notable accolades and awards, including 2018 Voice of San Diego Voice of the Year, the 2019 San Diego Democratic Party Making a Difference Award and the 2021 Ashley L. Walker Social Justice Award from Alliance San Diego.

The Chair of the Board of Supervisors appointed Montgomery Steppe to the Board for a term ending on January 31, 2028.

Rafael Perez is a Realtor and Adjunct Faculty Member with broad community experience and service on several boards and commissions.

As a Real Estate Professional, Rafael has over 18 years of experience working with homeowners and home buyers in most corners of San Diego County. Rafael has experience in both finance and as a Realtor. Rafael is also an instructor in the Real Estate Department at Cuyamaca College, where he teaches Real Estate courses in Principles, Practice, Finance and Internship.

Rafael has been named two-time Realtor of the Year recipient at the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (2017, 2020) where he currently serves on the board of Directors. Rafael was also recognized as a 2022 Fair Housing Champion by the National Association of Realtors where he serves on the Fair Housing Policy Committee. Rafael is an active member in the real estate community and has presented around the country as an expert in fair housing and small housing.

Mr. Perez has served in board leadership roles for several nonprofits, working on issues ranging from hyper-local to National in scope. Rafael serves as Board Chair of the Sherman Heights Community Center, which services thousands of people in the surrounding communities each year providing programing for youth, Seniors and other populations in need. Rafael has Chaired the facilities committee for two years and has overseen major publicly and privately funded Capital Improvement Projects in this capacity.

In 2013-2014, Mr. Perez served as President of the San Diego Chapter of NAHREP (National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, a trade association with the mission to “advance sustainable homeownership.” Under his leadership, NAHREP San Diego emerged as a civic leader in the housing space and partnered with other similar organizations. Rafael has also served several terms on the Board of Directors of the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors since 2015, as the organization advocated for private property rights and maneuvered providing access to the critical need of housing through the Pandemic. Rafael is also a Board Member at the Casita Coalition where he has advocated for Federal Finance reform and worked with stakeholders to continue to tackle California’s housing shortage.

Mr. Perez was appointed by San Diego’s Mayor to an at-large position on the City’s Citizens’ Equal Opportunity Commission, which addresses the cities Equal Opportunity program. Through the Commissions advocacy, the City funded the first disparity study in decades and the commission has overseen the implantation of several of the recommendations that were identified as a result of the study. He has served in that role since 2013 with his term concluding at the end of 2022. Mr. Perez is a 2004 graduate of San Diego State University.

The Chair of the San Diego County County of Supervisors appointed Mr. Perez for a term ending on January 31, 2026.

Esther Sanchez is the first woman, first Latinx Mayor of Oceanside and first Latinx Mayor in North San Diego County. Daughter of an immigrant, Esther is also part of a 5 generation Oceanside family.

Esther is an attorney and past President of San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association. She earned her BA in Urban Studies from Brown University and JD from UC College of the Law, San Francisco.

Esther served as Deputy Public Defender, San Diego County, for 20 years. In 2000, she ran for city council in her hometown of Oceanside, where she was born and raised. Esther grew up in the Eastside barrio community, the same neighborhood as her dad, and her first language was Spanish.

Esther won her first race and has consistently won re-election, supported by neighborhoods, environmentalists, labor, business and community leaders. Esther served 20 years as a city council member before winning her position as mayor.

Esther has been successful in creating systemic change. She led in transitioning her city into a community policing model reflective of the diversity of her city, created over a thousand affordable housing units, led on a Climate Action Plan, and worked to increase and protect open space and public parkland. She successfully led on a referendum to protect rent control for mobile home park residents, protected senior housing, and helped create after school programs for at-risk youth.

Esther has a lifelong commitment to addressing social, racial, economic and environmental justice and equity/equality issues and creating livable cities/neighborhoods for all.

The North County Coastal area mayors appointed Mayor Sanchez to the Board for a term ending on January 31, 2026.

James Sly is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the East County Economic Development Council (EDC). Sly is responsible for defining and implementing the East County EDC’s ambitious project portfolio, which cuts across education, industry, workforce, and government. Additionally, Sly leads many of the organization’s strategic partnership and business development efforts, working to make the EDC a locus of economic activity in San Diego.

Sly joined the East County EDC in 2012, initially as a Program Manager tasked with helping the Department of Defense (DoD) and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) fine-tune their procurement systems to make government solicitations more attractive to American manufacturers. After leading the development of a new supply chain software solution, he expanded his attention to include the EDC’s other flagship projects: the East County Small Business Development Center, the Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Pipeline, and the “Connectory” SAAS platform.

Prior to joining the East County EDC, Sly worked as a management consultant, servicing startup and mid-size businesses throughout San Diego’s private sector, and as a sought-after workforce expert for the One-Stop Career Center Network and San Diego’s CalWORKS Welfare-to-Work and Refugee Resettlement programs. He has been able to leverage this multifaceted skillset to the EDC’s benefit, coordinating resources from across the spectrum to drive the organization’s mission and support stakeholders throughout East County and the larger San Diego region.

Sly was born and raised in San Diego, California. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from San Diego State University, a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification from the University of California, San Diego, and leadership certifications from the San Diego Public Leadership Institute and Harvard Business School.

The East County area mayors appointed Mr. Sly to the Board for a term ending on January 31, 2028.

Steve Vaus is currently serving his third term as the Mayor of Poway after being elected in 2014, 2018 and most recently in 2022. Prior to his time as Mayor, he served on the Poway City Council beginning in 2012.

Mayor Vaus sits on the San Diego Association of Governments Board of Directors as well as on SANDAG’s Executive Committee. He served as Chair of SANDAG from 2018 to 2020.

Steve is a Grammy Award winning recording artist, having won Emmy Awards for his work in television, and has performed several times at the White House. The multi-award winner has performed at the Grand Ole Opry and several times at the White House.

His music has appeared in popular television programs and movies, and he has created theme music for the America’s Cup and the US Navy Blue Angels. His musical collaborations include work with artists Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Kenny Loggins, the Commodores, Randy Travis and others.

Steve is the founder and executive producer of Carols by Candlelight – an annual Christmas concert (founded in 1990) that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Rady Children’s Hospital and other charities serving children.

The North County Inland Mayors appointed Mr. Vaus to the Board for a term ending on January 31, 2027.

Councilmember Marni von Wilpert represents District 5 on the San Diego City Council and was previously a San Diego Deputy City Attorney. She is proud to serve as Chair of the Committee on Active Transportation and Infrastructure, Vice Chair of the Committee on Environment, member of the Committee on Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods, and member of the Committee on Rules. Councilmember von Wilpert was also appointed to the San Diego Regional Airport Authority Board, the San Dieguito River Valley Regional Open Space JPA, and the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.

Councilmember von Wilpert now lives in Scripps Ranch, just miles from her childhood home. She received a B.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies from UC Berkeley and served in the Peace Corps in Botswana, Africa where she helped improve access to healthcare and worked on treatment, prevention, and care for children and adults living with HIV/AIDS.

After returning from Botswana, she obtained her law degree from Fordham University School of Law in New York and graduated Magna Cum Laude. She was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 2011 and was awarded the Skadden Fellowship for Public Interest law, where she worked with the Mississippi Center for Justice to create the first HIV/AIDS civil rights law practice in the state. She provided free legal services to people facing discrimination based on race, HIV-status, and LGBTQ identity.

Councilmember von Wilpert served as a Law Clerk from 2013 to 2014 for Hon. James E. Graves, Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit, and worked as an adjunct professor at Mississippi College School of Law teaching legal writing, research and analysis. From 2014 to 2017, she was a litigator in the National Labor Relations Board’s Appellate and Supreme Court Litigation Branch, where she represented the federal agency in the United States Courts of Appeals. During 2016, she served as an attorney in the U.S. House of Representatives for Congressman Robert C. Scott, drafting national legislation to promote workers’ rights on the job. Councilmember von Wilpert then served as an Associate Labor Counsel for the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., drafting state legislation and regulations affecting workers’ rights, wages and working conditions.

After she was admitted to the California Bar, Councilmember von Wilpert became a Deputy City Attorney in the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit of the San Diego City Attorney’s Office. She represented the City and people of the State of California in court, enforcing laws that protect consumers, employees, and the environment. She initiated legal action to protect public health and safety, restore environmental quality, and sustain economic vitality in San Diego.

Councilmember von Wilpert will continue serving on the boards of several community organizations, including San Diego Youth Services, Teen Health Mississippi, and the National Women’s Political caucus.

The Mayor of San Diego appointed Councilmember von Wilpert to the Board for a term ending on January 31, 2028.

Colonel Herrmann graduated from the United States Naval Academy in May 2000, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and receiving his commission as a Second Lieutenant. Following graduation from The Basic School in January 2001, he underwent Naval Flight Officer training at NAS Pensacola, earning designation as a Naval Flight Officer in June 2002. His career progressed with assignment to Electronic Attack Squadron 129 (VAQ-129) at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, WA, where he completed EA-6B Prowler training in November 2003. He subsequently served with Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 3 (VMAQ-3) at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, NC, fulfilling roles including Legal Officer, Awards Officer, S-1 Officer, Aircraft Division Officer, and Quality Assurance Division Officer. During this tenure, Captain Herrmann deployed twice between 2005 and 2007 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom and completed the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) Course in spring 2006.

In June 2007, Captain Herrmann attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA, where he earned a Master of Business Administration (Financial Management) degree and Certification as a Defense Financial Manager (CDFM). His subsequent assignment in January 2009 was to the United States Naval Academy, serving as Financial Manager of the Humanities and Social Sciences Division and as a military faculty member in the Economics Department.

Transitioning to MAWTS-1 in February 2012 as an EA-6B instructor, Major Herrmann assumed duties as EA-6B Division Head from June 2012 to November 2014. Returning to VMAQ-3 at MCAS Cherry Point, NC, he served as Operations Officer, deploying on a Unit Deployment Program to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan. In June 2016, Major Herrmann became VMAQ-3 Executive Officer, deploying to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
From January 2018 to May 2019, Lieutenant Colonel Herrmann returned to MAWTS-1 to serve as Executive Officer before assuming command at Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron Three (MWHS-3), 3d Marine Aircraft Wing, MCAS Miramar, CA. During his command, he qualified as a co-pilot/qualified observer in the UC-12W King Air 350 with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron Camp Pendleton. Relinquishing command in June 2021, Lieutenant Colonel Herrmann was reassigned as the 3d Marine Aircraft Wing Inspector General.
From May 2022 to June 2024, Colonel Herrmann served as Aviation Colonels Monitor, Manpower Management, Manpower and Reserve Affairs at Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA. In this capacity, he oversaw the assignments of over 7,000 officers across various aviation-related military occupational specialties and directly managed assignments for over 700 Colonels. Colonel Herrmann was assigned back to California to be the commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in July 2024.

Colonel Herrmann has accumulated over 2,400 flight hours in the EA-6B Prowler. His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with three Gold Stars, Air Medal-Strike/Flight with Numeral 15, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Gold Star, and Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

Ann Fox was appointed as the District 11 Director effective 11/18/2024.

For the past year, Ann has served as the Acting Deputy Director for Planning and Modal Programs, responsible for the guidance and policy recommendations of the planning functions of Caltrans, including program areas of Transportation Planning, Local Assistance, Mass Transportation, Rail, Aeronautics, Research Innovation & System Information, and emerging transportation and data systems.

With 29 years of diverse experience in Planning, Design, Project Management, and Traffic Operations, Ann has established strong relationships with the district’s partners, including Regional Transportation Planning Agencies and Native American tribes.  She has actively participated on project task forces and regional committees, contributing to solutions across a wide range of departmental programs.  Her experience in program and project management and strategic planning has enabled her to develop initiatives that meet community needs while advancing climate goals.

Ann has held several significant roles within District 11, including Deputy District Director for Planning and Local Assistance, where she managed wide-ranging multi-modal programs.  She has also served as the District 11 Permit Engineer, and as a Corridor Project Manager, implementing a portfolio of highly visible, complex transportation projects within San Diego and Imperial Counties.

Ann is active in professional organizations, a mentor, and an advocate for women in transportation.  She is a member of the American Planning Association and the San Diego chapter of WTS which aims to advance women’s careers in the transportation industry.  She is also the Executive Liaison and founding member of the District 11 Women’s Collective, empowering women at Caltrans through education, career development, service, and allyship.

Ann earned her degree in civil engineering from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and is a licensed professional civil engineer in California.  Outside of her professional pursuits, she is a below-average golfer, rising pickleball player, and a proud mom to two daughters.

Michele Perrault, of Plumas Lake, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director of Policy at the California Department of Finance, where she has served as Deputy Director of Legislation since 2022.

She was Executive Director of Communications at the Roseville City School District from 2021 to 2022. Perrault was Director of the Administrative Services Division at the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing from 2015 to 2021.

She was Advocacy and Communications Director at the California State University Chancellor’s Office from 2005 to 2016. Perrault earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from California State University, Sacramento.