Board Members
The Citizens' Review Board on Police Practices is comprised of twenty-three (23) members who represent a diverse cross section of San Diego's citizens. Board members were appointed by the Mayor to serve terms of one year. The Mayor also appointed a high ranking civilian employee as Executive Director to the Board.
Additionally, up to twenty-three (23) members may be appointed each year as prospective members. These prospective members attend Board meetings and receive training but cannot vote on cases. They are appointed to the voting Board as vacancies occur.
If you are interested in applying for Board appointment, call the Citizens' Review Board Coordinator at (619) 236-6296 or email a letter stating your interest in serving and attach a current resume or biography that includes your name, address, and phone number to citizensreviewboard@sandiego.gov. Your name will be put on a list to receive information during the next recruitment period.
Brief Member Profiles
FY2013 Executive Team
William H. Beck
Mr. Beck is currently the President of the Renaissance La Jolla Community Association Board of Directors. Mr. Beck also served as the President of the La Florentine of Renaissance Board of Directors and was an executive member of the University Community Planning Group. Before retiring Mr. Beck was an educator in New York City. Mr. Beck also volunteered in the Ardsley, New York Fire Department, where he served as Fire Chief for 6 years. Appointed 7/1/2011
Harry J. Bonnell, M.D.
Dr. Bonnell is a Forensic Pathology Consultant. Dr. Bonnell is the former Chief Deputy Medical Examiner for the County of San Diego. He is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the National Association of Medical Examiners. He is an Associate Clinical Professor, Pathology, UCSD Medical School. Dr. Bonnell was recognized as Physician of the Year by the San Diego County Child Abuse Coordinating Committee in 1999. Appointed 07/01/2005.
Benetta Buell-Wilson
Ms. Buell-Wilson is a native San Diegan, and has undergraduate degrees in German and Microbiology and a Masters of Education degree in cross cultural language and academic development and holds a teaching credential. She worked in biomedical, clinical and forensic laboratories and as an educator. She is currently a small business owner and an advocate for consumers and people with disabilities. Appointed 08/21/2009
Joe Craver
Mr. Craver is currently the CEO of the San Diego and Imperial Counties American Red Cross. Mr. Craver is the founder of the Galaxie Management, Inc., a nationwide marketing company. Mr. Craver is a retired Colonel in the U.S. Air Force and served in the Pentagon as a procurement specialist. Mr. Craver is a highly decorated Officer of the Air Force, among Mr. Craver’s recognitions he currently holds a Silver Star, Bronze Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart. Alternate Appointed 1/24/2012.
James Herrera
James Herrera has been a resident of City Heights for 18 years. He has been employed by Solar Turbines for 26 years. He is active in neighborhood affairs as a member of the Mid-City Community Court and the Prostitution Impact Panel. He has two grown children and two grandchildren. He has for many years been a High School Football Referee and Baseball Umpire. Appointed 08/03/2007.
Godwin H. Higa
Mr. Godwin Higa currently serves as Principal at Cherokee Point Elementary School in City Heights. As an educator, Mr. Higa served ten years as a teacher for San Diego Unified School District and also taught at Donovan Correctional Facility. He was named San Diego City Schools Teacher of the Year in 1997. He served as a language arts consultant for the state Program Quality Review committee and participated in developing state standards for Humanities and Social Science. Mr. Higa serves the community as an active team member of the Mid-City Curfew Sweep held monthly at his school site. He is a member of the Anti-Violence task force – Mid-City, and a member of the Hispanic alliance community Association. Appointment 7/1/2011
James H. Hurl, Jr.
Mr. James H. Hurl, Jr., currently serves as a loss prevention officer at the Downtown San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina. His prior service was with the City of San Diego Fire Department where he served as a Facilities Maintenance Officer, Fire Captain, Fire Investigator, and Fire Engineer. He furthered his education with fire protection, disaster services, and peace officer certificates. He reached out to the community in his role with the Community Education Speakers Bureau and served as the Adopt-A-School Coordinator for the department. He also served the City as a Motor Sweeper Supervisor and Sanitation Supervisor. He was in the U.S. Navy as a E-4 Hospital Corpsman. Appointed 7/1/2011
James E. Kaese
Chair
Managing Member and Co-Founder of Athletic-Minded Traveler, LLC, a web based health and wellness company that provides premium content to individuals and Fortune 500 corporations. Mr. Kaese, an attorney, is the former Founder and President of a Chicago law firm bearing his name. After tremendous growth, his law firm merged with another Chicago firm in 2001. He is a former sponsored All-American triathlete, Triathlete magazine Travel Columnist, and Business Travel columnist for Inc.com. Mr. Kaese received a B.S. in Finance from Indiana University-Bloomington and his J.D. from DePaul University in Chicago. Appointed 07/01/2005.
Jason Kaplan
Jason Kaplan is the director of the criminal justice department for Kaplan College, where he also teaches courses including Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, and Criminal Procedure. He served as a compliance investigator for the Sycuan Casino Gaming Commission, and as a Police Officer and Deputy Sheriff in the state of New York. He received his Juris Doctor from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, where he was president of the American Constitution Society, and a member of the Public Interest Law Foundation. He volunteers weekly at Legal Aid’s Homeless Advocacy Program at Father Joe’s Village providing a wide array of legal and non-legal assistance to the homeless and impoverished communities. Alternate Appointed 9/27/2011
Robin Kaufman
Ms. Robin Kaufman has a long history of volunteerism and service in the San Diego community. She has served on the Rancho Bernardo Community Council since 2000, holding the position of President on and off for six years. Ms. Kaufman was recently appointed Committee Chair; Chair for the Fire Station Renovation Committee; President for the past three years of the Rancho Bernardo Hall of Fame; Co-Chair of the Rancho Bernardo CERT team for the past three years. Ms. Kaufman is currently serving as Dog Park Liaison for the Rancho Bernardo Off Leash Dog Park. Ms. Kaufman has been serving as the President of the San Diego Love On A Leach Chapter for pet assisted therapy for the past seven years. Ms. Kaufman was honored in 2003-2004 as the San Diego North Chamber’s Volunteer of the Year, was inducted into the Rancho Bernardo Hall of Fame in 2004 and was named Woman of the Year in her Assembly District in 2012. Appointed 7/1/2011
Yuki Marsden
1st Vice Chair
Ms. Marsden is currently a Business Officer at UCSD's California Institute for Telecommunications & Information Technology (Calit2). She currently oversees the administrative and operational activities of programs involving multi-million budgets and has over 18 years of experience in financial and budgetary management for public and private business entities. She is a graduate of LEAD San Diego. Appointed 02/01/2008.
Ken Martone
Mr. Martone is a retired executive from civil service. Mr. Martone served as Deputy Executive Officer/Clerk for Los Angeles County Superior court, Executive Officer/Clerk for San Diego Superior Court, and Chief of Administrative Services for San Diego County’s Department of the Marshal. Mr. Martone earned a BA in Public Administration from San Diego State University. Mr. Martone has worked extensively with criminal justice agencies, local law enforcement, community representatives and other stake holders in the justice system. Appointed 7/1/2012
Lucille Pearson
Ms. Pearson is currently a Retired University of California San Diego official, serving 14 of her 33 years at UCSD as Director and Associate Director of the Human Research Protections Program. The Human Research Protections Program is a regulatory office that promoted high quality, ethical research while serving as advocates for the rights and welfare of persons who participated in UCSD research. She is a member of the Latino-American Political Association (LAPA), currently holding the office of Vice President. Appointed 07/01/2008
Barbara J. Penn
Mrs. Penn is a retired Civil Rights Coordinator and Investigator with the San Diego County Health and Human Services Department. The grandmother of 4, she is a long time community volunteer in San Diego. Appointed 07/01/2005.
Alexis Torrey
Ms. Torrey is currently the Sole proprietor of Alexis Torrey Inspection and Consulting since 2006. Ms. Torrey was also an Area Compliance Officer for hospital construction in Southern California under the State Office of Health Planning and Development. For 27 years Ms. Torrey was a civil servant with the County of San Diego and the State. Alternate Appointed 8/14/2011
Lisa Sorce
Ms. Sorce is the Director of Compensation, Benefits and Internal Auditing for a local restaurant corporation. Ms. Sorce has extensive knowledge of employment law, corporate health and welfare programs, and compensation policy development and implementation. Previously, Ms. Sorce had directed the operations of two claims processing units for a medical management company. Ms. Sorce earned a BS in Business Management from Bellevue University and is PHR certified through the Society for Human Resource Management. Appointed 7/1/2012.
Nancy A. Vaughn
2nd Vice Chair
Ms. Vaughn is a career computer programmer. She is founder and President of Pretenders, Inc., a very small company specializing in software to simulate Navy shipboard systems. Ms. Vaughn is a 1964 graduate of the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. A resident of ocean Beach since 1987, she is an active community volunteer having served on the Boards of both Peninsula YMCA (1998-2007) AND Ocean Beach Town Council (2005-present).Appointed 2/10/2010.
Anthony J. Wagner
Mr. Wagner is a policy and media strategist for the Institute for Public Strategies. Mr. Wagner also collaborates with legislative, public health, and safety advocates on Alcohol and Other Drug issues to write and enact effective policy solutions. Mr. Wagner served as policy advisor, community and public affairs representative and political consultant for former Councilmember Michael Zucchet. Mr. Wagner earned both a BA and BS in Psychology and Women’s Studies from San Diego State University. Appointed 7/1/2012.
Martin Workman
Mr. Workman is a retired Electrical Engineering Manager. Originally from New York, Mr. Workman served as an Electrical Engineer specializing in factory automation in many parts of the country before coming to San Diego as the Manager of Electrical Engineering for Sony. Mr. Workman is a college graduate, and has served his Country in the United States Army. After retirement, Mr. Workman worked as an estimator for a local construction company, and he is currently helping teach math where his daughter teaches 3rd grade. Appointed 7/1/2012.
Executive Director
Dr. Danell Scarborough
Dr. Danell Scarborough is Executive Director of the San Diego Human Relations Commission – a 15 member Commission devoted to issues of equal opportunity and access, mutual respect and inclusion. She is also Executive Director for the City’s Citizens’ Review Board on Police Practices – a 23 member Board providing civilian oversight of local law enforcement.
Danell supports the Human Relations Commission in advocating for and advising the Mayor and City Council on social justice issues, conducting and promoting activities that foster mutual understanding and protect basic human and civil rights. Recent projects include educational forums for the Regional Hate Crimes Coalition and Disabilities Employment Awareness Month, the Harvey Milk Diversity and MLK All People’s Breakfasts, and the Safe Schools Coalition
(anti-bullying policy) for San Diego City Schools. The Citizens’ Review board seeks to increase public confidence in, and effectiveness of, the San Diego Police Department through review of serious complaints brought by members of the public against officers. This important work has intensified as a result of recent issues in the department and the community. The CRB is working with the National Association of Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) on organizing the annual conference to be held in San Diego this year.
For the past 20 years, Danell has led public sector organizations in organization development initiatives in the areas of leadership, management and board development, change management, diversity, strategic planning and community involvement processes. Danell has served as director of administration for a twice-elected City Attorney, managed internal organization development and training unit, served as project leader for The Diversity Commitment, San Diego’s nationally recognized and highly successful culture change effort, and was associate director during the creation of THE CENTRE for Organization Effectiveness.
She currently serves as Board Secretary for the California Association of Human Relations Organizations (CAHRO) and on the board of Public Conversations West. Danell is a trained and experienced mediator. She is a graduate of Leadership California’s Annual Issues Program. She earned her doctorate from the University of San Diego in leadership studies. Her dissertation focused on leadership in local government organizations.