Board Members

Maggie Hempen
President
Maggie comes to Laguna Beach Sister Cities with a background in corporate and non-profit event planning. As an account manager with a major corporate event planning company she was responsible for several Fortune 500 company product launches and high-end incentive programs. In early 2000 Maggie started her own event planning and catering company called Such A Great Party. That company kept her busy planning parties and events for Laguna Beach elites as well as many local non profit organizations. With the downturn of the economy in 2008 Maggie closed her company and began giving her efforts to helping her husband run his construction company. Her past experience with non profit organizations includes work with the Laguna Beach Seniors Center, where she chaired their annual Legacy Ball for several years. She was also played a major role in creating and producing the Healthy Girl Festival at the Festival of Arts grounds with Soroptimist International of Laguna Beach. Recently Maggie worked with the LBSCA Fete de la Musique planning committee, helping to successfully produce the acclaimed 10th Annual. Today Maggie spends as much time as she can with her 3 adorable granddaughters. Never one to say NO to a party Maggie loves to cook for her family and entertain her friends.

Karyn Philippsen
Founding President
A native Californian and long-time resident of Orange County, Karyn Philippsen’s multi-faceted career encompasses over thirty-years experience in the hospitality industry. She played a major role in the success of such luxury properties as Montage Resort & Spa and Surf & Sand Resort in Laguna Beach, and was a key player in the opening of the world class five star Ritz-Carlton/Laguna Niguel. As an influential and active community leader, Ms. Philippsen has served on several non-profit boards, and currently serves in her tenth year as elected president of the Visit Laguna Beach.

Justin Myers
Immediate Past-President
Justin Myers is an Orange County native growing up in Newport Beach and attended college locally as well at Orange Coast College and continuing on to Chapman University. He has a long history of involvement with Sister Cities participating in an exchange program between Newport Beach and Okazaki, Japan at the age of 14 in 1997. He has also served as Chaperon for students going to Japan and Newport’s French Sister City, Antibes. He chaired the committee for Newport’s French Sister City for 5 years. After serving for well over a decade with Newport Beach Sister Cities he joined Laguna Beach Sister Cities to help guide the organization with his years of experience as a student and as a chaperon. Justin owns his own events and catering company and also works as a private chef creating culinary experiences in individual’s homes. He is also actively involved with the Laguna Beach community serving on the Board of Trustees of the Laguna Playhouse and the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Laguna Beach Library.

Pat Kollenda
Vice President
- 2010 Laguna Beach Arts Alliance, STAR AWARDS
- Innovation and Art Leadership Award Recipient
- Chair – Laguna Beach Arts Commission
- Secretary – Festival of Arts Board of Directors
- Co-Founder LagunaTunes Chorus

Nancy Beverage
Secretary
Nancy Beverage was born in Ontario, Canada and moved to the US in her early years, becoming a citizen at age 17. She graduated from UCLA and was hired by IBM shortly thereafter. Spending her entire professional career at IBM, she worked in various marketing and technical management roles including managing the Orange County Executive Briefing Center. Since taking early retirement from IBM, Nancy has been active in many not for profit organizations. She served two terms on the Leadership Tomorrow Board, having received their annual Leadership Excellence award this year. She was a member of the Laguna beach Arts Commission for nine years, serving two terms as Chair, is currently Vice Chair of the a Laguna Beach Arts Alliance and is on the Executive Committee of the Laguna Beach Sister Cities Association. Nancy is married to Gary Beverage, another cheerful community volunteer. They enjoy boating and trying to train their new pooch, Winston.

Michèle Monda
Treasurer
Michèle Monda has lived in Laguna Beach for over 15 years. Born in Indonesia and raised in Europe she loves the idea of Sister Cities and has served in many different roles in LBSC. She speaks French and was involved in cultural exchanges with Menton, France and was with the inaugural delegations to visit San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico and St. Ives, England. As Treasurer she is using her business background to full advantage. She and her husband Emil have 3 sons and travel as much as they can now that they are retired.

Fabiola Kinder
Future Cities Chairman, and Liaison to San José del Cabo, Mexico
Fabiola Kinder moved to Laguna Beach in 1995, after a regional management stint at the headquarter hotel for The Master’s Golf Tournament at Augusta National. Prior to this, she was National Sales Manger for Hotel Nikko Atlanta (owned by Japan Air Lines – JAL Hotels) and various nationally branded hotel companies in Georgia and Florida. Ms. Kinder was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti into a family of hotel owners. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from Florida International University. As a third generation hotelier and second generation real estate broker, she brings eighteen years of hospitality management and fifteen years of resort real estate experience. She and her husband, Charles, were founding board members of the Prudential Real Estate Mexico master franchise. Currently, she is expanding the Keller Williams Realty brand locally and internationally. She has served LBSCA since 2009, and has also served on the Executive Board of Sister Cities International, Southern California Chapter, Inc. as Secretary and Annual Meeting Chair. She is a National Association of Realtors Certified International Properties Specialist (CIPS) and a Resort and Second-Home Specialist (RSPS). Ms. Kinder speaks English, French, and Creole fluently, along with some Spanish.
Members at Large
Ken Aubuchon
Fête de la Musique Chair
Susan Davis
Social Committee
Ed Postal
Membership Chair
Bill Atkins
Graphic Art Designer
Toni Iseman
Laguna Beach City Council Liaison
Betsy Jenkins
LBSC Garden Chair and Nomination Chair
Fred Karam
Emeriti
Jennifer Karam
Member at Large and French Consulate Liaison
Carol Reynolds
Emerita
Richard Schwarzstein
Legal Advisor
Cookie Lee
Member at Large

Laguna Beach Sister Cities is a 501c(3) California Corporation.
All donations are a tax deductible contribution.
FEIN #80-0188779
Artwork by Bill Atkins: Laguna Poster
CONTACT
Phone
ADDRESS
PO Box 1011
Laguna Beach, CA
92652