Board of Directors

Raymond Suarez

Executive Director
Lake Link Microtransit Service

Raymond Suarez serves as the Executive Manager for the South Shore Transportation Management Association’s (SSTMA) Lake Link service. For information or questions related to the Lake Link Service, please contact Mr. Suarez by email or by phone: 650-520-6714.

Mr. Suarez was selected by the SSTMA due to his extensive industry experience implementing mobility innovation programs, best practices, and thoughtful urban designs to ensure transportation options are more accessible to the general public, improve mobility, and add value to stakeholder communities. His experience working with Boards of Directors, communities, funding partners, non-profits, and private businesses to deliver innovative mobility solutions were important selection criteria to the SSTMA. Mr. Suarez currently serves as an industry strategy advisor and innovation leader, implementing multi-modal solutions, microtransit programs, transit-oriented development projects across the US. He has already proved invaluable to the SSTMA board, stakeholders, and the service provider, coordinating multi-stakeholder engagement to ensuring a smooth program launch of the Lake Link service.

Jerry Bindel

Treasurer
Lodging Association Representative

Jerry Bindel is the General Manager at Forest Suites Resort at Heavenly Village, where he is actively involved with many aspects of the local South Shore lodging, including holding the position of current chair of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, and South Lake Tahoe Tourism Improvement District.
Jerry is currently a member of the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Commission, a new Recreation and Swim Complex steering team.  He is also the Valhalla Tahoe treasurer, and member of the South Lake Tahoe Lodging Association board. Jerry enjoys time away from work on the lake sailing, in the mountains mountain biking, hiking or road biking, and with his family doing anything.

Karie Hall

Board Member
STAR Representative

Karie Hall, SVP and General Manager at Harrah’s and Harvey’s Lake Tahoe where she oversees property operations and leads a team of casino and hospitality professionals.   Karie is responsible budgeting, forecasting, planning, analysis, leadership development, employee engagement, diversity and inclusion strategy and service execution for all related areas on property.
Karie is currently member of the Board of Directors of STAR and TDVA.  She has previously been involved on a number of philanthropic boards including Atlantic Cape Community College Foundation, WIL United Way of Greater Philadelphia, WIL United Way of Southern Nevada, Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada, Nevada State FBLA and the Nevada Restaurant Foundation Board. Karie was born in South Lake Tahoe and is thrilled to have returned home.  She is passionate about being outdoors either riding on a mountain or cruising on the lake.   In her spare time, she spends time with her husband of 16 years and three daughters.  They enjoy traveling, gardening, camping and being in the outdoors.

Carol Chaplin

Board Member
Business Community Representative

A South Shore resident for over 35 years, Carol Chaplin is the President/CEO of the Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe Douglas Visitors Authority.  She has served on many boards focused on quality of visitor experience and quality of life for residents including the Tahoe Chamber, Tahoe Prosperity Center, the Western Nevada Development District, the Regional Air Service Corporation, and the Reno Tahoe Airport Authority.  Chaplin is currently focused on the TDVA construction of a year-round event center that will significantly impact and diversify the south shore economy.

Ami Chilton

Board Member
Education Representative

Ami Chilton, MBA is the Capital Projects Finance Manager at Lake Tahoe Community College, where she maintains financial control of the district capital outlay program, including management of budgets and debt service, development and negotiation of construction and service contracts, and ensuring the use of bond funds aligns with voter approved bond measure language. Ami spends her free time exploring off-road trails, working her alaskan malamutes, and supporting various mental illness and youth suicide prevention initiatives.

Gavin Feiger

Secretary
Community Mobility Representative

Gavin Feiger, Senior Policy Analyst, is a member of the League to Save Lake Tahoe’s advocacy team, where he implements targeted campaigns and programs to help protect, restore and advocate for the health of the Lake Tahoe Basin. Gavin is responsible for the development, implementation, and enforcement of applicable planning policy within the greater Lake Tahoe region, with an emphasis on land use and transportation planning. Gavin co-chairs the Community Mobility Workgroup and sits on the Board of the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition. When not working, spends his time enjoying all of the outdoor recreation opportunities the Sierra has to offer.

Frank Gerdeman

Vice Chair
Social Services Representative

Frank Gerdeman is the founding Director of ADVANCE, a publicly-funded collaborative network housed at Lake Tahoe Community College. Designed to help adults meet educational and career goals as well as support partners and employers in meeting community and workforce needs, ADVANCE has been operating in the Tahoe Basin since early 2016. Frank also sits on the boards of the Tahoe Chamber and the Tahoe Prosperity Center and is an appointed member to the Alpine County Economic Development Advisory Committee. An avid snowboarder, sailor, and musician, Frank has been car-free for many years and is a staunch supporter, and consumer, of public transportation.

Darcie Goodman Collins, PhD

Board Member
Environmental Community Representative

As chief executive officer, Darcie is responsible for mobilizing the League to achieve the most effective protection of Lake Tahoe. She oversees all aspects of the organization’s management, leadership, and strategy. Darcie serves as an ambassador to advocate for the Lake with state and federal leaders, and ensures the League’s advocacy is grounded in the best available science. Born and raised in South Lake Tahoe, Dr. Goodman Collins first became involved with the League as a summer intern in 1996. Darcie serves on the Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory Committee, is past board president of the Tahoe-Baikal Institute, and is a former board member of the League.

Chris Proctor

Board Member
Health & Wellness Representative

Chris Proctor, MPT, MBA is the Director of Community Benefit for Barton Health. With the creation of this new division within the Barton Healthcare system he has been focusing on business development and community benefit strategies for Barton Health in order to better serve our community in areas of food insecurity, housing instability, social vulnerability, transportation, and healthcare disparity. Chris has worked in the medical field as a clinician and/or administrator for the last 25 years.

Chris also serves on the Barton Foundation Board of Trustees and has led or been affiliated with several local boards of directors and community initiatives over the last two decades that he and his family have lived in Lake Tahoe. Chris and his wife, Christina, have two children (Cole and Quinn) who were born and raised in South Lake Tahoe and are currently in college. Chris enjoys all the outdoor recreational activities that are available in Tahoe but is especially passionate about playing hockey at our local rink.

Ryan Smith

Board Member
Recreation Provider Representative

Ryan Smith is the Senior Manager of Building Maintenance at Heavenly where he oversees the snow removal, parking, and transportation departments. Ryan currently resides in Meyers with his wife and two daughters, spending as much time as possible with them on the lake during the summer and on the mountain in the winter.

Steve Teshara

Chair
Business Community Representative

Steve is recognized throughout the Tahoe region as an effective policy, planning, legislative, and community advocate. His resume includes more than 25 years as the chief executive for various business and community organizations. In addition to his role as Chief Executive Officer, Steve also serves Tahoe Chamber as its Government Affairs Liaison. Steve also owns his own consulting company, Sustainable Community Advocates, based in Zephyr Cove.

Sharla Hales

Board Member
Douglas County Representative

Sharla Hales was elected in 2022 to the Douglas County Board of Commissioners. She has lived in Minden, Nevada for 33 years. She spent twelve years as a school board trustee, during which she served on various state-wide education committees and as president of the Nevada Association of School Boards. By vocation, Sharla is an attorney currently serving as general counsel for Churchill County School District.

Sharla and her husband of 40 years, Jim, raised their children in Carson Valley and love living near the Sierra Nevada mountains. Sharla and Jim enjoy skiing, biking, kayaking, boating, and rafting. Sharla appreciates the opportunity to be part of a group dedicated to both supporting economic vitality and protecting the extraordinary beauty of Lake Tahoe.