The Board of Directors

Dr. Lee Jampolsky - President

As a recognized leader in psychology and human potential, Dr. Lee Jampolsky has served on the medical staff and faculty of respected hospitals and graduate schools. A New York Times bestselling author, his eight books are published in over a dozen languages. Lee has appeared in hundreds of publications, including Psychology Today, The Wall Street Journal, and Business Week. He is a retired psychologist and the founder of Inspirational Psychology, a way to live, learn, and practice love. With a focus on the roots of our strength, creativity, happiness, and service, Inspirational Psychology includes art and the creative process as a tool for growth and expression. Dedicated to helping people discover their own pathways and how to turn obstacles into opportunities, Lee’s unique approach and easy-to-apply techniques allow people to shift limiting beliefs and attitudes. Lee continues to lecture and present workshops internationally, as well as offering coaching, mentoring, and online courses. For more information, please go to www.DrLeeJampolsky.com

Rolando Martinez - Treasurer

Rolando Martinez was born and raised in Mexico and moved to Salinas, California, at the age of 12. He attended CSU Monterey Bay, where he earned a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship. Additionally, he is a licensed real estate agent. From an early age, Rolando started working in various aspects of real estate. Over the past 14 years, he has been involved in every facet of the industry, including overseeing major construction projects, leasing office space, managing a diversified real estate portfolio, investing, starting a co-working space, and working as a realtor at Sotheby’s International Realty.

Martin Vargas Garcia - Secretary

Originally from Mexico City, Martin’s early interest in photography was generated by watching his father take photographs. His passion for the medium evolved over time by taking courses in the early 1990s at Hartnell College in Salinas, California, under the direction of Richard Green. He has developed close personal friendships with other local photographers including Trini Contreras, Ken Cook and Al Weber, who has been Martin’s mentor. His involvement with Al has led to important projects photographing the California Missions and to collaborations with Kim Weston.

Martin’s work has been exhibited at the Hartnell College Student Gallery, Monterey County Court House, The National Steinbeck Center, Sunset Center in Carmel, Balfour/Brutzman Gallery at CSUMB and the Student Center at CSUMB.

Jacque Rupp - Board Member

Jacqueline Rupp has held numerous leadership positions (in sales, marketing and recruiting) at major technology companies within Silicon Valley, and most recently led global recruitment for the Apple Retail Stores during the first 12 years of their world wide expansion.  She also led all of the marketing for the Retail recruitment at Apple…including creative development, advertising and videos. Jacque started her love for photography in high school when she picked up her first Rollei and learned the darkroom techniques. Jacque is a currently a fine arts travel photographer and has studied with many notable National Geographic photographers and photojournalists:  Nevada Wier, Piper McKay, Jeffrey Chapman, Catherine Karnow, Peter Turnley and Cig Harvey.

Michelle Magdalena - Board Member

Michelle Magdalena Maddox (she/her ) is a locally celebrated photographer and activist. Since her degree in Commercial Advertising from historic and now closed Brooks Institute of photography, Magdalena has devoted herself to fine art and activism but makes her living as a commercial photographer internationally. Her work has evolved from the celebration of the feminine form to more inclusive representations of race and body beauty. Her work has been recognized by the International Photo Awards, The Hallmark hall of Fame, the Pen Women of America. Her self-portrait titled ‘My Ophilia”, as a home in the permanent collection of the Steinbeck Museum.

She is also a founding member of the Juneteenth Coalition which was founded in 2020 and already has given grants to the NAACP youth chapter and started a college scholarship fund through the Monterey Peninsula Community Foundation.

Barb Dill-Varga - Board Member

Dr. Barb Dill-Varga joined Aromas-San Juan Unified School District as Superintendent in 2022. In this role she serves 1000 preK-12 students who live primarily in San Juan Bautista and Aromas. Prior to this position, she served for three years as the superintendent of Carmel Unified. Before moving to California, Barb served as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum for a total of 14 years in two different high school districts in the suburbs of Chicago. Her early years in education were spent as a high school English teacher. She also enjoys photography and painting abstract landscapes, inspired by the Carmel Highlands environment where she lives with her husband Steve and Bella, the miniature dachshund. Alex, her one son, lives with his wife Sarah in Los Angeles.

Sean Crawford - Board Member

My relationship with The Weston Collective began as part of the adult darkroom community and expanded when I was able to volunteer with the after school program for the elementary kids at MLKSOA and the middle schoolers of the Dual Language Academy. My prior experience in a darkroom was almost 15 years ago when I was running summer camps for middle school students, teaching them film photography while a student at UC Davis. I had wondered at the time how much longer kids would have the opportunity to experience developing and printing their own negatives. The Weston Collective's commitment to preserving this photographic heritage while embracing the tools of the digital age resonates with me.