Board of Directors

Cheryl Montelle has worn many hats. Starting as a professional dancer and an actress in her youth, she has run a Pilates fitness business, she is a writer and performs her own stories, and currently conceived and curates Live From Joshua Tree, an annual community-based spoken word fundraiser for Mil-Tree. Mil-Tree was formed out of her wish to have the community at large embrace returning veterans and their families. Mil-Tree was founded in 2012, inspired by Dr. Ed Tick and his book, “War and The Soul: Healing Our Nation's Veterans from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Danielle Giudici Wallis is an experienced arts administrator, educator, and visual artist based in Yucca Valley, California. She has served as Executive Director of Arts Connection, Creative Strategist for the Ontario Museum of History & Art, and Project Director for the Redlands Eco Arts Community Home with The Artlands Creative. Danielle has also worked as a consultant for the Garcia Center for the Arts and as a Cultural Arts Commissioner for the City of Redlands. She has developed multiple community-driven arts initiatives that integrate art, ecology, and civic engagement. 

Pat Wallis, AICP, GISP, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP has led Esri’s indoor practice since 2011. He develops the methods and processes to create and use indoor location information to meet the needs of employees, visitors, students, and business operations worldwide. After graduating from Tulane University with a master’s degree in architecture, Pat began his career as an engineer officer in the US Army, serving in various roles before leaving the service with the rank of captain. More recently, Pat worked as a senior asset manager for the United States Coast Guard, overseeing a real estate portfolio of over 4,000 assets totaling more than 8.6 million square feet, with a value exceeding $3 billion.

Julia C. Bookout is our expert in all things non profit. She is currently the ED & Co-Founder of The Chimaera Project, a nonprofit focusing on advocacy and action for female filmmakers. As an individual artist, Bookout is included in the California Women Artist Project archived at the University of Southern California and Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries, a project organized by Gloria Orenstein, Professor of Women in Literature and Art at USC. Bookout has co- produced two award-winning short films and is co-producing a feature-length documentary film with a 2023 release date.

Nadia Clark is a U.S. Army veteran and former Police Sergeant who has dedicated her life to service. After being honorably discharged as a Captain in 2021, she transitioned into entrepreneurship, helping small businesses grow through merchant services. She now leads 2717 Consulting, offering payment solutions and business coaching. A proud desert native, Nadia uses her skills to uplift others, especially fellow veterans, by providing tools, mentorship, and community support. As a board member, she is committed to advancing the mission of supporting veterans through connection, empowerment, and shared purpose.

Sarah is a resident of Morongo Valley, but grew up in a military family and has lived across the country as well as abroad in Germany. Her Grandfather served in WWII, her father is a retired Army Colonel and her brother is a retired Army Warrant Officer and Flight Instructor. She attended Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA and is 24 year Starbucks partner. Sarah opened the Twentynine Palms Starbucks, a dedicated Military Family Store, in February 2020. Through partnership with Starbucks Armed Forces Network, Starbucks military family stores function as the hub within military communities. Partners at these stores represent their communities, with an emphasis on hiring partners that are veterans or military spouses. Each MFS is designed to recognize, honor and appreciate veterans, active members of the military and their families. These stores are designed with military-inspired art, feature unique merchandise and are a convening place for local military community.

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Tracy  is a carbon removal specialist and leads Meta's effort to procure high-quality carbon removal credits as part of Meta's Net Zero 2030 climate commitment.  She received her MS in climate policy and forest ecology from ASU's Center for Science, Policy and Outcomes.  She has worked at the intersection of climate policy, finance, and land use for over 15 years, and has specialized in natural and technological carbon removal over the past 4 years. 

Crystal was born and raised in Los Angeles. After living in different parts of the country, she returned to her beloved Southern California desert 13 years ago. She is a trained chef and educator and is the former Culinary Arts professor at Copper Mountain College. Because of her love of food and desire to teach people how to feed themselves and others in a healthy way, Crystal helped start the Mil-Tree Community Garden in Joshua Tree.

Barry Scanlan was stationed at 29 Palms in the early 1970s. Following his service, he received a graduate degree in education and was a school teacher, and eventually a Teacher on Special Assignment. In this role Scanlan coordinated school safety programs, trauma response teams for student and staff deaths or suicides, drug and alcohol counseling, support for vulnerable populations, and anti-bullying measures. Scanlan is from a family of veterans, with his father serving as a paratrooper in combat in WW2, and both his older brothers serving during the Vietnam War, one of which is suffering from Agent Orange at this time. Upon retirement, Scanlan and his wife moved to the Mojave Desert, a place he never forgot. He is an artist and has had shows in New York, Louisiana, Minneapolis, and other places around the country.