Candidate blurbs for 2023 Annual Meeting of the Members

Gabby Espinosa

I have been living in RE for almost 2 years now, and even though it may not seem that long, me and my husband and 2 pups felt at home the moment we moved in. I would love to help shape the future of our community and ensure we protect this piece of heaven we are lucky to share. I have lived in the bay area for 8 years. I am originally from Mexico and went to graduate school in Texas. I am a biomedical engineer by training, and have been working as a healthcare data scientist at Google for 6 years

Angela Hedges

As a member of the RESA Board of Directors since 2021, I have guided our community through everyday operations and new challenges. Our little slice of mountain paradise is facing unprecedented changes in everything from extreme weather to rising maintenance costs. I’ve witnessed many of those changes just in my 10 years raising a family in Redwood Estates. Talking with decades-long residents, I hear the pride and ingenuity it took to build and maintain this community. Welcoming new families just starting their lives here, I see a bright future ahead. I’m proud of this neighborhood and have worked passionately to preserve and enhance the services that make it great, from our parks and pool to our roads and fire preparedness. I will continue to advocate for transparency and efficiency so that RESA thrives as a financially responsible and supportive community with sound infrastructure for generations to come.

In my nearly 30-year career in product and project management, my greatest skill has been to deliver what people need while working within the constraints of budget, time, and limited resources. It’s not easy to develop a single solution that works for everyone, but it begins with listening and connection. As the cost of everything rises, thoughtfully prioritizing our work will be critically important. I encourage all residents to be a part of the conversation and get involved. Attend a meeting, join a committee, cast a ballot!  We’ve all come here from different places and perspectives, from long-time mountain residents to recent transplants, but together we are one community. I would be proud to continue serving RESA and using my experience to preserve and improve this amazing corner of the woods we call home. 

Joseph Bruna

As a third-generation resident of Redwood Estates, I look forward to serving and supporting the people of this community.  I will apply my decades of experience in disaster response and fire safety from my long career as a firefighter, emergency services manager, and logistics planner to my role on the RESA Board of Directors. It is my hope to improve existing community disaster plans and strengthen our communities’ capability in times of adversity.

My family and I were active in our local 4-H Club for many years and I’ve held multiple leadership positions with other non-profit and volunteer organizations; this has helped form my wide-ranging perspective on working with people. My motivation in seeking appointment to the RESA Board of Directors is simple: it is to serve and benefit my neighbors and friends of Redwood Estates and to make this a better place to live.  I look forward to working with all the people of Redwood Estates.

Pete Heller

My Background: I’ve been a Redwood Estates homeowner for 3 ½ years. Now that I’ve gotten experience as a resident and familiarity with the community, I’d like to contribute some of my time and experience to ensuring our funds are optimally spent and we’re getting the best use of our resources. I’m retired now but worked over 40 years in the valley in product management for software companies including 15 years at Cadence. I’m also familiar with the workings of volunteer committees having served for 8 years on Cupertino’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Commission.

My primary interests in joining the board (in priority order):

  1. Given the difficult winter we’ve had we’re going to have to manage our expenditures carefully, especially road repairs. I want to ensure we get multiple quotes and have a few options to select from. Given the amount involved, it also seems a special assessment might be necessary. If so, I want to be involved in that decision.
  2. We need to ensure we’re maintaining the Pavilion to keep it as a revenue generating asset. That’s also going to require funds and project management. I have skills in those areas that I can bring to bear. In addition, I believe we can/should do more to promote the Pavilion. My experience in marketing will be helpful for that as well.
  3. The current board has been working to increase pressure on those not paying their monthly dues. I support this and want to ensure this continues. Those of us who pay our dues don’t need to subsidize those that don’t.
  4. Our community is beautiful and we live in an expensive area. I’d like to see if there’s an appetite for working together to make it even more beautiful…such as exploring solutions to get trash cans off the streets in between trash pickup days.
  5. 5. I’m also a dog enthusiast and think we could hold occasional dog get-togethers and/or group walks.

I look forward to serving the community!

Matt Sheikh

Dear Neighbors,
I am writing to express my interest in running for the board of directors of Redwood Estates Services Association. As a resident of our wonderful community, I am passionate about ensuring that our neighborhood continues to thrive, and I believe I can make a meaningful contribution. With an Industrial Engineering degree, I have a strong background in leading projects centered around manufacturing medical devices, which has taught me how to work with others to solve problems and implement efficient solutions. I am confident that I can apply these skills to serve our community effectively and help to address the issues that matter most to our residents. I kindly ask for your vote and support in this upcoming election. I look forward to meeting more of our neighbors in the near future.
Best regards,
Matt Sheikh

Lucia Arredondo

My name is Lucia Arredondo.  I am a life-long resident who, after living in many places as an adult, returned home to Redwood Estates to raise my family in this wonderful community.  This year I came full circle and returned to my alma mater, Lexington School, as the kindergarten teacher.  While the heart of this community is much the same as it was in my youth, many seemingly modern issues (traffic, long power outages, fire, weather, etc.,)  are challenging Redwood Estates.  These past few months have been very hard on our community.   We need our board to come up with solutions quickly to fix the many problems we are facing and help us be better prepared for issues that may arise in the future.  My goal is to bring my positive outlook, my community mindedness, my fiscal responsibility, and my work ethic to help the community I love, Redwood Estates.