“As custodians of Starr King Open Space, we are committed to providing community stewardship of the land so that it remains a place of discovery and beauty.”
Starr King Open Space, the only hilltop open space not owned by San Francisco Recreation & Parks under the Natural Areas Program, is owned by a nonprofit corporation managed by a Board of Directors elected by Potrero Hill residents. Join the Board for one of our upcoming meetings. Learn more about candidate and voter eligibility.
Sarah Burton
President
Sarah Burton is President of the Starr King Open Space Board and has served on the board since 2021. She holds an M.S. in Environmental Management and is a research affiliate at UC Berkeley’s Jepson Herbarium, where she studies the biodiversity, phylogenetics, and conservation of California lichens. Sarah also serves on the board of the California Lichen Society. She is passionate about protecting San Francisco’s remaining native habitats, particularly its grasslands and serpentine ecosystems, and can often be found botanizing, birding, and biking around the city.
James Hetherington
Secretary
James Hetherington has been a Potrero Hill resident and neighbor of the Open Space for many years. The hillside provides a space to stretch his legs, walk his dog, and take in the beauty of the City and County of San Francisco. James began volunteering at the Open Space in 2021 and joined the Board in 2022. He currently serves as the Board’s Secretary.
The Starr King Open Space is part of a long and historic tradition of land held by the community for the benefit of the community. It is intended to be left as undeveloped as possible in our urban environment, and provide a habitat for native plants and animals. James is proud to be part of a chain of Hill neighbors who have supported the mission of the Open Space for over forty years.
When James is not at the Open Space he plays passable bass in Sunset Hill, a local band.
Debie Abella
Treasurer
Born and raised in San Francisco, Debie has lived on Potrero Avenue and Potrero Hill since the 1970s. She enjoys walking the Starr King Open Space with her dog and upon retiring from her career as a bank regulator she volunteered to join the board of SKOS in 2022 and has since served as Treasurer. Having used the open space for many years Debie is happy to contribute and maintain this valuable neighborhood resource any way she can. Debie enjoys traveling the world as well as meandering walks with her dog Chip throughout the Potrero Hill neighborhood.
Daniel Rozynski
Board Member
When life shuts a door
Just open it. It’s a door.
That is how doors work.
Jeremy Blank
Board Member
Originally from Virginia, Jeremy is a litigation attorney and has been a resident of Potrero Hill for more than 30 years. He is an avid traveler and scuba diver, a beekeeper, a voracious reader, a film buff and occasionally a basketball prodigy. He hopes to maintain SKOS as a soothing natural respite from the madness that is life in San Francisco.
David Kelley
Board Member
David has lived in Potrero Hill for ten years and looks out on Starr King from his window. He walks the space often with his dog, a habit that has made him attentive to what grows there — particularly the invasive plants that crowd out natives and can be hazardous to animals. A research scientist by training, he came to the board without a background in plant ecology but with the tools to build one, and he’s eager to work toward restoration so native species have room to return. He keeps an eye on the resident coyotes and counts a nighttime owl sighting among his favorite moments on the hill. He hopes every visitor catches a sunset over the city from up there. Outside board work, he plays roller hockey at Mission Dolores.
Nancy Adams
Board Member
Nancy Adams lives near Starr King Open Space and has explored it with her dogs for many years; her current dog seems to stop to enjoy the spectacular views, then moves on to sniffing and ball chasing. The birds of the Open Space initially captured Nancy’s attention — the riotous calls, and then the silence as a hawk hovers lazily above. She joined the Board in 2026, finally realizing she should do what she can to preserve this special spot for our community. Starr King Open Space allows one to roam without being aware of the urban hum surrounding it; it is a spot for all to slow down and enjoy the native flora and not always native fauna (primarily dogs). Nancy enjoys reading, baking and walking her canine when not participating in Open Space activities.
Julie Shumate
Board Member
Julie moved from Michigan to the Bay Area in 1992 and Potrero Hill in 2005. She’s advocated for public education and open spaces as a previous SKOS board member. She looks forward to helping protect SKOS from development in perpetuity. When she’s not working or spending time with her family, you may find her walking the neighborhood with her pup, Juni.
Review of Bylaws — Current and Future Board Membership
Past Board members were elected to an initial term of two years. The membership of the Board was not at full capacity for several years prior to the 2009 Annual General Meeting and Board of Directors Election. An attempt was made at that meeting by the outgoing Board Secretary to restore a rotation for current and future years by assigning years of tenure based on number of votes per elected Board member.
The past Board has put hours of time vetting and scrutinizing prior Bylaws. Their first concern was to determine which set of Bylaws is in effect with full and current legitimacy following the several uncertainties of prior years. Their second concern was updating the Bylaws after approximately 13 years without a completed review and update. Through both of the above, ongoing and concurrent steps, the past Board determined that there was no actual basis for setting up that rotation at that time, therefore; all nine terms remain two years.
Under the new Bylaws, provisions have been made to stagger the terms at the next election, such that three members will have 3-year terms, three will have 2-year terms, and three will have 1-year terms. From that point forward, each year, three seats will open up for 3-year terms.
Additionally, a provision in the new Bylaws allows for the Potrero Hill Boosters to appoint a non-voting 10th member of the Board. Currently, the Boosters have not appointed anyone to this position.