A person with short, dark hair, wearing large black glasses with a reflection in the lenses, bold red lipstick, hoop earrings, a gold necklace, and a septum piercing, against a black background.

Marie Ortega

BOARD CHAIR

Marie Ortega owns Feathered Outlaw at 1506 Webster Street in Alameda. The Feathered Outlaw is a sacred space & lifestyle boutique that offers a wide variety of tarot, crystals, jewelry, books, candles, and ritual goods. She aims to provide a space that offers holistic and magickal solutions to facilitate spiritual growth and empowerment.

A man with short brown hair, a beard, and light skin, wearing a blue shirt with sleeves rolled up, standing with his arms crossed in a room with gray walls and a door.

Daniel Hoy

SECRETARY

Architecture & Project Management
314 Pacific Avenue
510-520-6528

danielhoyarch@gmail.com
www.danielhoyarch.com

A smiling man with glasses, wearing a suit, blue shirt, and red patterned tie, against a plain white background.

Chris VavRosky

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

I consider myself a Renaissance Man, and my life journey has been enriched by a tapestry of diverse experiences offer a perspective that can rarely be found. My 25 year adventure in the real estate world began with assisting my Top Producing mother, investing in rental properties and then a prestigious tenure at the former top brokerage of Alain Pinel which eventually led me to my current role at Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty.

A man with a light beard and mustache wearing a striped fedora hat with a purple band, smiling outdoors with mountains and a clear sky in the background.

Evan Phillipe

TREASURER

Executive Director of the nonprofit Pacific Pinball Museum at 1510 Webster Street since 2024. A lifelong resident of the Bay Area, Evan has lived on Alameda's West End for over 20 years, and his kids have attended schools on the West End since Preschool. Evan really believes in WABA's mission to strengthen West End business relationships and support, and is proud to be part of WABA's invested board.

An elderly woman with short blonde hair wearing a red shirt and black cardigan sitting outdoors at a table.

Linda Asbury

Board member

Linda Asbury recently retired from a 40 year career representing business through Chambers of Commerce and Business Improvement Districts.

Professional motto: creating community through business.

Personal passions: family with an emphasis on Grandchildren and community.

Personal activity: volunteer at Thrifty Kitty, a thrift store to benefit Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter.

Man wearing a black hat, gold glasses, a black shirt, a yellow and black scarf, a maroon jacket, and a large ring, giving a thumbs-up gesture.

Tanoa Stewart

Board member

Owner A-Town Agency. Celebrating 25 Years in Business producing Live Sound/Lighting/Stage/AV/Pipe&Drape/Talent Buyer

Audio Consulting: Installs, Corporate, Setup, Signal Flow

Smiling middle-aged man with gray hair, glasses, and a black shirt, resting his head on his hand indoors with a window in the background.

John L. Lipp

Board Member

John L. Lipp is a nationally recognized leader in the nonprofit sector with comprehensive experience in fundraising, leadership, governance, and community engagement. He has worked with a variety of organizations over his career and has served as a trainer and keynote speaker for local, national, and international audiences. John’s book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Recruiting and Managing Volunteers, was published in 2009 by Alpha/Penguin. In 2015, he was a featured contributor to the anthology Volunteer Engagement 2.0: Ideas and Insights Changing the World from Jossey-Bass. John served on the board of Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter (FAAS) from 2011 to 2017 before joining the staff as Executive Director/CEO from 2017 to 2025. In recognition of his lifelong commitment to a more humane world for people and animals, he was the recipient of the San Francisco Shanti Project’s 2019 “Dede Wilsey Champion of the Human-Animal Bond Award.” As an advocate for people living and thriving with Parkinson’s disease, John is an active volunteer for the Michael J. Fox Foundation and serves on the City of Alameda’s Commission on Persons with Disabilities.

John L. Lipp
Member, FAAS Leadership Council
(he/him)

Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter (FAAS). 1590 Fortmann Way, Alameda, CA 94501

www.AlamedaAnimalShelter.org

A young woman with short curly hair wearing sunglasses and a brown shirt smiling in an indoor setting.

Madden Lockin

Board member

Madden (he/they) manages The Thrifty Kitty and The Diggity Dog through Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter (FAAS). They hold a B.S. in Child Psychology from St. Mary’s College of CA and have a diverse background in mental health advocacy, the second-hand sales industry, and animal welfare. Passionate about transgender rights, Madden volunteers with a trans teen mentorship program. They deeply value the sense of community in Alameda and are excited to see the Westside flourish. In their free time, Madden enjoys thrifting and refinishing vintage furniture, embroidering, and spending time with their chosen family and their beloved orange tabby, Doris.

A brindle-colored dog with a purple collar sitting on a wooden floor inside a room, looking at the camera.

Althea

Board Member - WABA Mascot - Non-voting member