HMB resident John E. Chamberlain Joins POST board

Peninsula Open Space Trust had appointed John E. Chamberlain, a resident of Half Moon Bay, to its Board of Directors. The appointment brings to 11 the number now serving on POST’s Board.

Formerly of Hillsborough, Chamberlain has lived in the Bay Area since 1978. A retired information technology consulting executive, he served on the board of directors of Cotelligent, Inc., established Chamberlain Associates, Inc. (later acquired by Cotelligent), and was among the founders of the National Association of Computer Consultant Businesses. He has been a POST donor since 1990 and a land stewardship volunteer for the nonprofit land trust since 2001. As a result of his leadership efforts, he was named POST Volunteer of the Year in 2002.

“John has long been a stellar volunteer leader for POST. After retiring from a very successful career in computer consulting, he committed himself to POST’s land stewardship program and came to know our coastal conservation properties firsthand,” said POST President Audrey Rust. “When he moved to Half Moon Bay last year, we even joked that he was moving to be closer to his ‘job.’ With John now on our Board, POST will benefit even further from his extensive executive and leadership skills and love of the land. We’re grateful he has chosen to share his time and talents with us in this new role.”

On behalf of POST’s land stewardship program, Chamberlain has led a team of volunteers in eliminating Pampas and Jubata grasses on the land trust’s Cloverdale Coastal Ranches property near Pescadero. His team, along with another led by POST donor and volunteer Ted Vian of Portola Valley, is now doing exhaustive work clearing invasive species from POST’s northern San Mateo County coastal properties.

“When I retired in 1998, I wanted to work outdoors, hands-on, and POST needed help maintaining and restoring properties it owns. It has been immensely rewarding work,” said Chamberlain. “POST does a great job acquiring land and conservation easements, but it also takes its mission a step further with responsible land stewardship. The Bay Area is one of the best places in the world to live because of the unique balance between world-class San Francisco and beautiful open space lands just minutes away. I want my great-grandchildren to be able to hike on coastal trails and in thriving redwood forests within the Santa Cruz Mountains, just as we do today. With POST leading the way, we can tap into the talent and ingenuity of the Bay Area so we can continue to improve our open lands for future generations. I’m honored to be a part of POST’s exciting, visionary work.