Like all non-profits, we are governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Cooking with Kids Advisory Board is comprised of former board directors and other community members and experts. We are grateful to these volunteers in our community for championing the mission of Cooking with Kids!
Board of Directors

Michael holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Accounting from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa and was qualified as a Chartered Accountant and CPA.
He enjoys spending time cooking for his family, playing tennis, fly-fishing, walking his dog. He and his family moved to Santa Fe in 2018. Michael is focusing the next stage of his life on offering his expertise to local non-profit organizations.

Prior to becoming Superintendent of Santa Fe Public Schools, Bobbie served as an elementary and middle school teacher, elementary principal, director of curriculum and instruction, as well as associate superintendent for instruction, and deputy superintendent for operations. Since retiring for a second time from Española Public Schools, Bobbie has returned to work for the Coalition of Educational Leaders (NMCEL) and Cooperative Educational Services (CES) as the facilitator for the Aspiring Superintendents Academy and conducts professional services and training in several areas related to public education. She coaches five first-year principals and serves on the board of a small non-profit organization, in addition to service on the Cooking with Kids Board of Directors. She also served on the Santa Fe Children's Museum Board of Trustees and is the President for the New Mexico Retired Superintendents' Association (NMRSA).
Bobbie is a native of Lubbock, Texas and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education with certifications in secondary reading and language arts. She has a master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of New Mexico and has participated in school district leadership training through the Panasonic Foundation and Stanford University. Bobbie comes from a family of educators, has five grandchildren that inspire her daily to continue her work in public education, and loves a great debate on just about any topic related to education.
Bobbie has a long history with Cooking with Kids and is honored to serve on the Board of Directors.


Lawrence’s career in finance spans 45 years. He spent 26 years in London managing trading accounts for Continental Bank and was the bank’s youngest board member at the age of 32. He later founded and successfully sold trading and asset management groups and recently retired as the executive director of Arbiter Capital Management.
Lawrence received a BA from Middlebury College and an MBA from Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University. Lawrence and his wife Suzanna are active members in Santa Fe’s culinary and philanthropic communities, making his service on the Cooking with Kids board a natural fit!

In February 2013, Charles opened Bouche Bistro in Santa Fe, which has garnered substantial acclaim and press, including Travel and Leisure Magazine’s “Top Ten French Restaurants in the U.S.” In August of 2017, Charles sold Bouche to NM Fine Dining, a restaurant development group based in Santa Fe. Charles has stayed on with NMFD as Consultant, spearheading the development of two new projects, the Modern Southwestern Maize Restaurant and Trattoria A Mano, which features freshly-made pasta nightly. NM Fine Dining has several new projects in the works, including the revival of the iconic Bobcat Bite, on the outskirts of Santa Fe.
When not developing new dining opportunities for Santa Fe locals, Charles cooks with his wife and children, enjoys an active lifestyle of hiking and yoga, and travels the world seeking new flavors and ideas.

When she is not eating or lawyering, Shannez can be found with her Miniature Bernedoodle, Millie, and husband Keith. She is also an avid enthusiast of miniature golf and bowling.


Mary Anne enjoys gardening, photography and cooking together with her husband.

In addition to being a Co-Lead Chef Instructor at his Alma Mater, the Santa Fe Community College, he also teaches at The Santa Fe School of Cooking. He loves working with the students and getting the opportunity to help shape and impart his knowledge and experience into the culinary potential of these bright individuals.

Advisory Board
Veronica C. García, Ed.D.
- Former Superintendent of Santa Fe Public Schools
- Former Executive Director for New Mexico Voices for Children
- New Mexico’s first Cabinet Secretary of Education
Cheryl Alters Jamison
- Four-time James Beard award-winning author
- Culinary Consultant (culinary tourism & outdoor kitchen design)
Carl Luff, CPA
- White & Luff Financial Inc./Raymond James Financial, co-founder & co-owner
Deborah Madison
- Founding chef, Greens restaurant in San Francisco
- James Beard award-winning cookbook author
- Former board member, Santa Fe Farmers’ Market
Susan Nelson-Blakely
- Food Marketing Consultant, retired
- Expertise in nutrition education and communications
Lynn Walters, PhD
- Licensed Nutritionist
- Founder, Cooking with Kids, Inc.
Former Directors of the Board
Steven Lustig
2021 – 2023, Director
Kristina Martinez
2016 – 2022, Director
2020 – 2022, Chair
Tim Foster
2016 – 2022, Director
2017 – 2020, Secretary/Treasurer
Matt Bunkowski
2015 – 2021, Director
2019 – 2020, Chair
Gloria Zamora
2013 – 2019, Director
2016 – 2018, Chair
Tony Gerlicz
2012 – 2018, Director
Jodi Vevoda
2012 – 2018, Director
2013 – 2017, Secretary/Treasurer
Susan Nelson Blakely
2012 – 2018, Director
2013 – 2016, Chair
Jennifer Fresquez
2011 – 2013, Secretary/Treasurer
2013 – 2017, Vice Chair
Cheryl Alters Jamison
2010 – 2016, Director
2011 – 2013, Chair
Diana Gonzales-Pacheco
2010 – 2013, Director
2011 – 2013, Vice-chair
Carla Lopez
2006 – 2012, Director
2010 – 2011, Chair
Marion Kalb
2006 – 2010, Chair
Blanche Harrison
2006 – 2010, Secretary/Treasurer