Board of Directors
Meet the Board
Anne Rast, President
Anne Rast is a retired land use planner and a property owner who resides in Uptown. Her extensive community service includes Mission Hills Business Association, National Conflict Resolution Center, Voices of Women, Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Center, and the San Diego Human Dignity foundation.
Her professional experience and volunteer activities make a valuable contribution to Uptown Partnership. Anne is as passionate about finding solutions to issues that affect the community as she is familiar with the political processes that often determine the outcomes
David Gatzke, Vice President
David Gatzke is a Senior Project Manager for Acquisitions for Community HousingWorks, a San Diego non-profit that helps people and neighborhoods move up in the world by providing a full range of housing options combined with training and support. His career includes experience in land development and entitlements, master-planned communities, regulatory requirements, due diligence, and financial analysis. In his current role, David is responsible for securing funding from multiple local, state, and federal sources and obtaining community support for mixed-use development.
David earned a graduate degree in urban planning from the University of Washington and he has served on Uptown Planners, the local community planning group, since 2007. In addition to being licensed in California as a contractor and a real estate broker, David has earned the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Certified Green Builder designation and he is a Build It Green Certified Green Building Professional.
Ronald Baranov, Treasurer
Ronald Baranov, Certified Public Accountant and San Diego native, is a shareholder of Baranov Properties Inc. He previously ran a CPA practice called Baranov and Baranov Accountancy Corporation which was located on Fifth Avenue in Uptown. As a CPA he adds his expertise to the Board in matters of accounting.
Ronald has been active in property management and business ownership in Hillcrest since 1975. He supervised the recent renovation of his class Fifth Avenue commercial building. He also serves as an officer and director of the Hillcrest Business Association, and previously was an officer of the Balboa Park Kiwanis and a director of the Helix Computer Centre Inc.
Ronald wants to increase the parking inventory in the Uptown area. He enjoys working with the community which has been a part of his life for so many years.
Greg Nowell, Secretary
2009 marked Greg's 40th year in the landscape architectural profession, and his 30th year as a resident of San Diego. He came to San Diego in 1979 to open a local office for a well-known planning firm, and he played a key role in the planning and design of such significant regional projects as Sail Bay, Mission Trail Regional Park, and La Jolla Colony. Greg opened his own landscape architectural design firm in 1986, whose portfolio includes numerous civic and regional projects, hospital master plans, office campuses, residential and mixed-use communities, educational campuses, public plazas, community parks, and retail centers. His firm has garned numerous awards for their creative approach to design and planning.
Greg's commitment to giving back to his community is evidenced by his many years of service on neighborhood and community groups, such as the Mission Hills BID and the Mission Hills Town Council. He previously served as a board member of the Uptown Partnership (2003-04) and is familiar with the mission and operations of the organization.
John Eisenhart
John Eisenhart is an Uptown resident and architect with a firm based in the Marston Hills neighborhood in Uptown. He contributes his experience and insight in architecture, planning, and historic preservation to Uptown Partnership. Prior to becoming a Board member, John had been and remains actively involved in the Five Points Community Advisory Committee.
John has also shown his commitment to the well-being of the Uptown community by volunteering as a Board member of Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO).
Jim Frost
Jim Frost is a resident of Bankers Hill-Park West who is committed to neighborhood development that benefits all sectors of the general public. He has world-wide airport design experience from Europe to Asia and including the United States. His expertise also includes architecture, airport design, building failure analysis, and urban planning and development.
Jim is involved in numerous professional and community groups and is dedicated to working with and improving the Uptown Community. He brings to Uptown Partnership the analytical and public participation skills he learned as a consultant on projects including airport master planning and design, urban infill housing, construction quality control, residential design and project organization management.
Sean Schwerdtfeger
Sean Schwerdtfeger brings to the Board his expertise in land use, housing law, municipal law, and civil litigation. He also is involved with Mercy House and the San Diego County Bar Association.
As a native of Uptown, Sean “appreciates the opportunity to make a contribution to the community by donating my time and professional expertise to help reduce traffic related impacts created by the growth of the community.
Tom Curl
Tom Curl grew up in San Diego and lives with his wife in Mission Hills. He retired from the convention and trade show industry in 1995 where he was a senior account executive for many years. Presently, Tom is a realtor with Ascent Real Estate Inc and a director for the Mission Hills Business Improvement District. Additionally, Tom serves on the board for his homeowners association. Tom is very knowledgeable about urban neighborhoods and is interested in transit, walking, and biking opportunities in our neighborhoods.
Join the Board
If you are interested in becoming a member of the Uptown Partnership Board of Directors please contact us for information on how you can be involved!
