Veterans Park Conservancy Announces New Board Officers

Veterans Park Conservancy (VPC), a 25-year-old nonprofit organization dedicated to the enhancement and preservation of the Los Angeles National Veterans Park (LANVP), announced that its Board of Directors has elected a new slate of officers. The election coincides with the group’s kickoff of a major multi-million-dollar fundraising campaign to complete the next phase of developing healing environments for veterans at the 16-acre park in West Los Angeles.

VPC has refined the overall LANVP design concept to incorporate various recreational and athletic amenities. These will support the recuperation of veterans as part of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (DVA) new patient-centered healthcare initiative. As a

501(c) (3) entity, VPC derives virtually all of its funding for the park from private donors and foundations.

            The newly elected Board officers include:

• Chairperson:  Sandy Krause
• President:  Carl Murray, U.S. Navy veteran
• Vice President: Thomas R. Givvin, U.S. Marine Corps veteran
• Vice President: Harry L. Macy, U.S. Army veteran
• Vice President: Rear Admiral Frank Raab, U.S. Navy veteran
• Secretary: Alexa Scharff, co-founder of VPC
• Chief Financial Officer: Lester Stein, CPA, Air National Guard veteran
• Parliamentarian:  Michele Coyle, J.D.

Susan C. Young, Executive Director of VPC, said, “We are extraordinarily fortunate to have such depth and range of experience on our Board, with so many veterans and those with expertise in business, philanthropy, community activism, finance and other fields. It’s a particularly exciting time for all of us involved with the Park, and we have strong leadership to carry us through the final fundraising and developmental stages.”

Among the planned amenities for the LANVP are a state-of-the-art running/walking trail; outdoor amphitheater with “kitchen garden” and labyrinth as well as entertainment facilities; designated areas for physical activities; and a historic promenade.