Our Team
CABS Staff
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Patte Kronlund
Executive Director
Big Sur became my backyard long before it was my home. After years in Cambria, a two-year adventure in Australia, and plenty of camping trips along the coast, my husband Butch and I finally moved here in 1993. That was when our “Big Sur master class” began—learning from mentors, finding ways to give back, and weaving ourselves into the fabric of this place. I worked across hospitality at Post Ranch, Ventana, and Nepenthe, and later with impact investing and philanthropy, all of which prepared me for nonprofit service. In 2023, I stepped into the role of Executive Director at CABS, a leap of faith that has become my proudest work. Every day, I’m guided by a question I first heard here: “What will you give to Big Sur?”
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Rachel Goldberger
Program Manager
When my husband and I arrived in 2017, Big Sur wasn’t in our plans. We pitched a tent on friends’ land, learned native plants, and immersed ourselves in the history and ecology of this place. Something about the cliffs, the fog, and the extremes demanded growth, and even with challenges like housing affordability, we stayed. At CABS, I wear many hats: coordinating committees and volunteers, supporting disaster relief and housing efforts, fundraising, and working with partners on long-term challenges like sustainable visitation. With a background in marine biology and a love of data, I’m passionate about turning complex issues into something accessible. Big Sur asks us to keep growing, and my work with CABS is one way I give back to this land and community.
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Rayner Marx
Program Manager - Fire Adapted Big Sur
My first Big Sur memory was an evacuation during a wildfire on a family vacation—an experience that stuck. Years later, I moved here permanently in 2011 after many weekend motorcycle trips up the coast. Today, I manage Fire Adapted Big Sur (FABS), a CABS program helping residents and businesses prepare for wildfire. We coordinate Firewise USA®, resiliency assessments, a chipping program, newsletters, town halls, and partnerships with fire agencies. Before joining CABS, I worked in IT, served as a Big Sur Fire volunteer, and sat on the Big Sur Health Center board. Supporting FABS has been deeply rewarding, and I’m grateful to serve alongside neighbors committed to strengthening wildfire resilience and protecting this extraordinary community.
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Shelley Dearhart
Programs Manager
My first Big Sur memory was in 2018 with my pup Henry at the Big Sur Bakery under the redwoods—instant magic. Since then, I’ve fallen in love with this place through trail time, cliffside sunsets, and moonlit drives. Nature has always been my compass, but the roots here run especially deep. I work with The Safina Center, supporting strategy, partnerships, and fundraising, and I also teach fitness in Carmel by the Sea. When I was invited to join CABS, it was an easy yes. This community has given me a sense of home and connection, and I was honoured to give back as a board member through the 2025 year, helping to support both the land and the people who make Big Sur so extraordinary.
Board of Directors
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Ryne Leuzinger
Board Chair
From my first drive down Highway 1 in 2009, I knew I wanted to return to Big Sur. Years later, after interviewing for my current role at Cal State Monterey Bay, I found myself at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park imagining how to make this home. I now serve as a tenured faculty member in the library, and have also served as Director of the First Year Seminar Program, and taught Sociology and Global Studies. My first CABS meeting in 2019 left me impressed with its inclusive, thoughtful leadership and the practical way it responded to community challenges. I felt welcomed right away, and it was clear CABS was the right place to invest my time. Today, I’m proud to serve as Board Chair and on the Housing and Fundraising Committees.
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Martine Palafox
Board Vice-Chair
I first visited Big Sur in the late ’70s, arriving during a road closure and quickly realizing I didn’t want to leave. I started at the River Inn as a dishwasher and soon became Chef, worked nights at Ventana, and landscaped by day with Earth Friends. In 1989 I joined the Post Ranch Inn landscaping team, and in 1990 my wife Esther and I moved onto the property. We raised our three sons here, working hard and building community roots. I’ve been Post Ranch’s Maintenance and Landscape Supervisor since 1992 and still run my own business. Joining the CABS board in 2018 felt like the right time to give back - I already felt I was included in the organization through Butch Kronlund.
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Colin Twohig
Treasurer
I grew up with Big Sur as my backyard, spending weekends hiking and backpacking with my dad. After college and years working in San Francisco, I returned full-time, drawn by the same rugged beauty and even more so by the strength of this community. I now manage the Big Sur River Inn and serve as Treasurer on the CABS board. Giving back to the place that raised me feels natural, and I’m grateful to work alongside such dedicated neighbors. Together, we’re making sure Big Sur remains a thriving community and I know that together we can help make this amazing Big Sur community even more special. I also serve on the CABS Housing Committee.
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Tim Bills
Secretary
While working at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, I brought a group of students to Pfeffier Big Sur. It was my first taste of the redwood magic and beauty of this area. I’ve been in love with Big Sur ever since. I serve as the Coordinator of the Big Sur Station Visitor Center, and have a close working relationship with many community leaders and agencies. I have been inspired by the community's response to disasters and challenges. CABS has always been at the forefront of caring for our community in times of need. Witnessing CABS efforts to partner and collaborate in addressing community concerns, managing visitation, and modeling stewardship for this unique and beautiful place, I felt honored and motivated when a friend encouraged me to consider being more involved with these efforts as a CABS board member. I take great pride in Big Sur and want to provide leadership in serving the people who live and work here. I also want to contribute to developing "best practices" for serving and educating visitors so that the beauty and uniqueness of Big Sur are preserved for generations.
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Pam Peck
Board Director
I came to California to retire, but Big Sur had other plans. After the 2008 Basin Complex Fire threatened my home, I dove headfirst into community work focused on fire preparedness and resilience. I serve as Treasurer of the Fire Safe Council for Monterey County, leading grant-writing efforts to secure wildfire prevention funding, and I bring that expertise to my role on the CABS board. My focus is on practical, collaborative solutions that strengthen our community in the face of wildfire risk. When I’m not working on nonprofit projects, I’m usually in the garden, coaxing vegetables into life despite the challenges of deer, gophers, and coastal conditions—a reminder of both the beauty and persistence this place requires.
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Mike Gilson
Board Director
I came to Big Sur for its beauty and stayed for its people. That’s the heart of it. I work in hospitality and real estate, but what matters most is being part of this community. Serving on the CABS board gives me the chance to work with neighbors who care deeply about this place. It’s inspiring and rewarding to collaborate on solutions that strengthen our community while honoring the land we call home.
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Tom Collins
Board Director
I was first introduced to Big Sur when a supervisor told me about land for sale near Prewitt Ridge. With four kids and limited savings, it seemed impossible, but with neighbors’ help and generous terms, I became a landowner. After fire destroyed my first cabin, we rebuilt with the help of family, friends, and even a helicopter—a true community effort. I retired from engineering in 2001 and now split my time between Big Sur and sailing with my partner, Colleen. My focus is on road conditions and visitor use management, critical issues for South Coast residents. CABS matched my drive to find practical solutions, and serving has given me a deeper connection to neighbors and to the land we all share. I am a liaison for community issues on the South Coast and sit on the VUM implementation team, which addresses visitation on federal lands.
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Katie Day
Board Director
My husband and I honeymooned in Big Sur and dreamed of making it home. When he joined Caltrans, that dream became possible, and years later we moved to the South Coast. Today, I work as Assistant Program Manager at Ventana Big Sur, curating hikes and experiences for guests. In the 2022–23 storms, when slides trapped about 200 residents, I helped coordinate support and resupplies with neighbours and nonprofits. That experience showed me the power of this community and led me to CABS. Serving here allows me to give back to the people who make Big Sur extraordinary. I’m proud to continue this work on the Disaster Relief Committee.
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Melissa Morris
Board Director
I’m a third-generation Big Surian, born and raised here. I left in my teens, but when I returned in my 20s to raise my family, I saw how special this community truly is—how everyone looks out for one another. I now manage Glen Oaks Big Sur, Big Sur Roadhouse, and Hidden Valley Inn. Joining the CABS board is my way of giving back to the place that shaped me and ensuring Big Sur remains a vibrant, caring community for future generations.
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Lucas Handy
Board Director
We’ve lived full-time at Treebones Resort—the place our family built—since 2005, land my parents purchased in 1982. A 2009 graduate of Pacific Valley School, I was a teenager facing a difficult transition, but Big Sur quickly became my favorite place on earth. Today, I’m proud to be raising my own family here while helping manage the business we built, grateful to call this remarkable community home. I also run Two Feathers Collaboration, a media company specializing in photography, video production, brand storytelling, and website design. Since moving here, my family has felt deeply called to serve our community. I volunteered for six years with Big Sur Fire and currently serve as South Coast Representative for Big Sur Multi-Agency Advisory Council (BSMAAC). Through past media work with the CABS, I’ve found the organization’s leadership and commitment to community truly inspiring.The late Butch Kronlund was a friend and a longtime inspiration. His dedication to Big Sur and leadership within CABS continue to shape my perspective motivating me to seek meaningful ways to serve. I resonate with and support the mission of CABS. This opportunity is another positive way to serve our community and the visitor experience in Big Sur.