2023 Officers
Bob Judevine (he/him)
Chair
Redwood Capital Bank
Term Ends April 2026
Bob Judevine is a commercial loan officer and branch manager at Redwood Capital Bank and has been there since 2013. In previous work, he and his wife owned Bon Boniere ice cream and manufacturing from 1995-2002. For the next 11 years, Bob helped small businesses grow with the Small Business Development Network, first as founder for the BizNet information service, then at Humboldt State University as Deputy Director for their Office of Community and Economic Development.
Bob’s career has been grounded in business and business concerns and he is excited to continue to connect with and advocate for small business through the Arcata Chamber of Commerce.
J.D. Garza-Valencia (he/him)
Vice Chair
Cal Poly Humboldt
I have been supporting students at Cal Poly Humboldt as a Career Advisor since May 2022 and the faculty member for the Political Science Internship course since August of 2023. I graduated from Cal Poly Humboldt with my Bachelor’s degree in Communication (2014) and completed my Master’s degree in Leadership and Organizational Studies from Fresno Pacific University (2019). I have been working professionally in higher education for over nine years with experience in student life and more recently career services. I recently participated in the first cohort for Leadership Redwood Coast, a leadership development program hosted by the City of Eureka Chamber of Commerce. This sparked my excitement to further participate, support and engage with businesses and community members within the City of Arcata.
Outside of higher education, I have been active in the community as a singer-songwriter and I also do event promotion through Daisy Crew Shows. Since moving back up to Humboldt in May of 2022, I have organized over a dozen shows and one Music Meet-Up Mixer at various venues including The Siren’s Song Tavern, Blondies, Outerspace Arcata, and Arcada. I am thankful for the support of these venues, both as a performer and promoter, and look forward to forging new relationships with venues and local musicians. I typically work with local and touring acts who are singer-songwriters, indie, rock, metal, and hardcore bands.
Lastly, I am excited to support our local businesses and community from my perspective as an educator, musician/promoter, and community member. I value and promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and representation in the work that I do and look forward to bringing this lens to the City of Arcata Chamber of Commerce.
CliftonStrengths: Strategic, Communication, Ideation, Maximizer, and Woo
Ashley Osia (she/her)
Secretary
Sequoia Park Zoo Foundation
Term Ends November 2025
Ashley Osia is an alumna of Cal Poly Humboldt and has continued her career locally as a nonprofit executive for over ten years. Ashley earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from the University of Central Missouri and relocated to Arcata, CA for a post-baccalaureate certification in Museum Studies and Gallery Practices from Cal Poly Humboldt. She has worked with the Humboldt Arts Council, Humboldt Botanical Garden, Discovery Museum, and served as Executive Director for the Greater Trinidad Chamber of Commerce. Ashley has worked for the Sequoia Park Zoo Foundation in various roles, currently as Director of Community Engagement. She fell in love with Sequoia Park Zoo and the missions of both the Zoo and Foundation and hopes to help develop the visionary future of the Zoo for years to come. Ashley serves as Vice Chair of the Marketing Committee for the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). AZA represents more than 235 facilities in the United States and overseas, which collectively draw more than 200 million visitors every year, and is the accrediting body for Sequoia Park Zoo. Ashley is currently volunteering locally with the Northern California Association of Nonprofits (NorCAN) Leadership Team to usher in a new era with the organization.
Ashley loves her husband Kenny, their ornate uromastyx lizard Chili Boo, the ocean, conservation, animals, art, light shows, music, and surfing. She enjoys the many outdoor opportunities Humboldt County has to offer. Ashley performs locally as light artist Biomorphic Light. She looks forward to uniting the Arcata Chamber of Commerce community with businesses from the greater Arcata area and is thrilled to be the voice for nonprofits of our area within the context of a business membership organization.
Dr. Humnath Panta (he/him)
Treasurer
Cal Poly, Humboldt
Term Ends October 2025
Humnath Panta, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Finance at Cal Poly Humboldt. Before joining Cal Poly Humboldt, he served as an Associate Professor and Program Director at a prior institution. He earned his Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Texas at Arlington and a master’s degree in Financial Economics from Ohio University. He also received a master’s degree in International Relations and a BA in English and Economics. He is a volunteer, an active scholar, a dedicated teacher, and an effective mentor for students with diverse backgrounds and career goals.
Dr. Panta has over twelve years of university teaching, five years of public service, more than five years of high school teaching, and three-plus years of corporate work experience. He has extensive experience in planning, budgeting, financial policies, capital improvement plans, spending, revenue policy, policy formulation, policy and procedure, strategic implementation, coordination, collaboration, and team building. Currently, he serves the City of Arcata as a Vice-Chair of the Economic Development Committee. He also serves North Coast Co-op as a Board Secretary. He recently joined the Arcata Chamber of Commerce as a Board Director.
Board of Directors
Roger James (he/him)
Board Member
Gelinas James, Inc.
Term Ends October 2025
Roger James is a Managing Director of Gelinas James, Inc. He has more than 40 years of experience as an organizational consultant. Prior to forming Gelinas James, Inc., Roger was the Director of Organization Development for Pacific Gas & Electric Company. In that capacity, he managed a consulting group that received the American Society for Training and Development’s national award for consulting excellence.
Roger has specialized in collaborative approaches to complex, comprehensive change, leadership development, and executive coaching. He has served clients in the not-for-profit, for-profit, education, and government sectors including Cal Poly Humboldt, College of the Redwoods, Humboldt County Office of Education, Kokatat, Brio Baking, Cypress Grove, City of Eureka, City of Arcata, Southern Humboldt Healthcare District, Food for People, Schatz Energy Research Center, Humboldt Area Foundation.
Roger was co-director of the Cascadia Center for Leadership from 2001-2021. Roger received his doctorate in Applied Behavioral Sciences from the University of Massachusetts (1978) and is a graduate of Columbia University’s Advanced Program in Organization Development (1984).
Katherine Almy (she/her)
Board Member
Solutions for Small Businesses
Term Ends 2024
When I started this business in 2012, I really didn’t know where it was going to take me. I just knew that I enjoyed bookkeeping, I was good at it, and a lot of people needed a good bookkeeper. As it happens, more people than I could take care of on my own. So, I found a few other people who like this line of work.
We now have a team of four, very competent bookkeepers, an indispensable client support person, and a wonderfully creative and talented graphic artist. We work as a team, teaching each other new skills, sharing cute pictures of our pets, trading information, and supporting each other when our cars won’t start or we’ve locked ourselves out of the office (never happens to me!).
Every business needs a bookkeeper, but most business owners don’t really love doing it. The kind of personality that makes a good bookkeeper (nerdy, has relationships with computers, gets a kick out of organizing stacks of paper), isn’t what makes a great entrepreneur (outgoing, ambitious, full of creative ideas). So, we make a great team with our clients. They get to spend their time doing what they are passionate about, and we get to live vicariously through them while we keep their books in order.
Leif Kamrud (he/him)
Board Member
Express Employment Professionals
Term Ends April 2026
Leif Kamrud currently holds the position of Operations Manager at Express Employment Professionals located in Eureka. He aspires to play a crucial role in the community, and his involvement in esteemed organizations like the HSRC and Veterans Resource Center has only strengthened this resolve.
Hailing from Montana, Leif is an avid outdoor enthusiast, who enjoys activities like fishing and hiking. In his younger days, he served as a wildland firefighter, gaining valuable experience that honed his leadership skills.
Leif earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Leadership Studies from Humboldt State University, which opened doors to pursuing business analytics and human resource management. As a committed member of the community, Leif is determined to serve in any way he can.
Tanya Trump (she/her)
Board Member
Humboldt County Office of Education
Term Ends April 2026
Tanya Trump is the Director of Career and College Resources at Humboldt County Office of Education and has worked in education for over 20 years as both a teacher and in leadership. Tanya’s department at HCOE supports Humboldt County school districts to build connections with local business and education partners and create opportunities for youth to explore career and college options. She loves that her work helps young people navigate their path to their preferred future.
Tanya grew up in Arcata and is an alumni of Arcata High School and Humboldt State University. Following graduation, she moved to Colorado where she worked in many industries including travel and hospitality, health and fitness, and various secretarial positions before returning to school at Colorado State University for a teaching credential. Tanya also holds a Master’s degree in Education from San Diego State and an Administrative Services Credential from Humboldt State University.
In her free time, Tanya enjoys spending time in the Arcata Community Forest running or hiking the trails.
Nicole Fryer (she/her)
Board Member
Humboldt Social – Social Spas
Nicole Fryer is a dedicated professional with a passion for spa hospitality and wellness. As the Co-Founder and Vice President of Spa Hospitality at Humboldt Social and the General Manager of Humboldt Bay Social Club, Nicole has made significant contributions to the industry. With 15 years of residency in Humboldt County and her roots in upstate New York, she brings a diverse perspective to her work. Nicole holds a BA from SUNY Albany and has been a licensed massage therapist since 2007. Her extensive experience, spanning over 35 years in both cannabis and wellness, reflects her commitment to promoting holistic health. Outside of her professional life, Nicole cherishes quality family time at the river and finds solace in hiking through the majestic redwoods with her beloved dogs. She is eager to play a pivotal role in shaping a positive and productive future for Arcata, making her a true asset to the community.
Mark Ritz (He/Him)
Board Member
Kinetic Koffee
Mark Ritz has lived in Arcata since 1999 and co-founded Kinetic Koffee in 2005. Prior to starting Kinetic Koffee, he was a Category Business Manager at Yakima Products. He has an extensive background in Sales, Marketing, and Product Development in the Outdoor Industry, with over 40 years of experience. He has recently become an Advisor with SBDC to assist entrepreneurs and other small business owners to improve and prosper. Mark brings a wide range of business skills to the Board and looks forward to helping the Chamber and its members to thrive. This is his second time as Board Member, having served two terms from 2006-2012 and was President (now Chair) in 2010.
Wil Franklin (He/Him)
Board Member
North Coast SBDC/Trinity River Vineyards
Wilfred “Wil” Franklin has over 11 years of experience educating and expanding minds teaching biology and plant science, at the college level, and as an instructor, for the Wine Certificate Program at Cal Poly Humboldt College of Extended Education & Global Engagement. In 2012, he started Trinity River Vineyards where he stewarded and grew a successful local agri-business based in Humboldt County.
As the Director of North Coast Small Business Development Center, he combines his teaching and entrepreneurial past to help build a connected, diverse, and equitable economic base in our region. Wil Franklin was born and raised in Humboldt County and has a Bachelor’s in Botany and Master’s in Biology from Cal Poly Humboldt. He even graduated from Arcata High – Go Tigers! He feels blessed to be serving on the Board of Directors for the Arcata Chamber of Commerce where he can give back to the community that has given him so much.