People

Biochemist by profession, nature lover by choice. I enjoy sharing my enthusiasm and growing knowledge of, and gardening with, native plants at CNPSCI tabling events where I also endeavor to grow our chapter membership through outreach. I am co-leader of the all volunteer Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP) at the Ventura Land Trust’s Harmon Canyon, where we support and encourage native plants primarily by removing invasive weeds. Note the native walnut tree at my knee!  I planted a small orchard at the entrance to Harmon Canyon from seeds collected there, cold stratified and sprouted in pots in late 2022. They were transplanted this spring and grew like crazy with all that rain!  I was just about to give them a drink—when Hillary came to town!!

Carolyn is a graphic designer and photographer and a lover of California native plants. She is currently the website and communications person. She also wears the Treasurer's hat and is in charge of putting together the twice annual plant sale.

Ellen has been a CNPS member since 1991 and has served the society both as a conference session chair and on the State Board of Directors. She completed her PhD at UC Berkeley where she studied taxonomy of the genus Lycianthes (tomato family). She then was Curator of the herbarium at UC Davis for 25 years. She is currently an Associate Rare Plant Botanist for the CNPS state office. If you go on one of the CNPS Channel Islands hikes, you may meet Ellen’s dog Fifi.

Leslie is on the board of Ventura Citizens for Hillside Preservation.

Patt Wilson McDaniel – Horticulture Chair and Member-at-Large A native Southern Californian and mostly a resident of Ventura County since 1957 and currently resides in Ojai. After graduating from Buena High School in Ventura, she attended San Francisco State University where she majored in Botany and enjoyed the rich arts curriculum and the cultural scene of the San Francisco area. Upon moving to Oregon, she continued her botanical studies in the coastal rain forest. Returning to Ventura, her studies in horticulture and art continued at Ventura College and she worked in horticulture and research at Conejo Recreation and Parks District, Ventura College, and Burpee’s Research and Development Greenhouses in Santa Paula. Patt has held many positions in the Channel Islands Chapter of the California Native Plant Society since 1985, including 6 years as Chapter President (1989-1990, 1994), Past President (1991, 1992, 1995), 2 years as co-president and 1 year as Vice President (1988, 1999-2003), Member-At-Large (2005-2008), 2 years as Newsletter Editor, and stints as Poster Sales, Plant Communities Chair, Conservation Chair, secretary, as well as Horticulture Chair (1991-2005, 2008-present). She organized the Chapters’ first all day Native Landscape Symposium in 2011.  She also served 4 years on the Executive Committee of the ‘old State Board’ (as Member-At-Large and Chapter Support VP) and 4 years on the new State Board of Directors. She is currently the chapter’s delegate to the State Chapter Council. She also served on citizens’ water advisory committees to the City of Ventura in 1990 and 1992. She was the CNPS representative on the first board of the Friends of the Santa Clara River and was alternate representative for that organization to the Santa Clara River Enhancement and Management Plan Steering Committee. Patt has always been involved in the arts and artistic endeavors. Her acrylic and watercolor paintings have been exhibited or sold in Los Angeles, Malibu, Long Beach, San Diego, Grass Valley, Ventura, Ojai, and Spain. Heidelberg Editions International states: “Whether traveling or retreating to her cabin home, Patt merges her life-long love of art and nature with pure expression to create subtle and beautiful landscape paintings imbued with her own unique style and lighthearted, gentle spirit.” Patt began working in the insurance field in 1986. She began McDaniel Insurance Services in July of 1991. Her firm specializes in obtaining insurance for arts, education, and environmental organizations.

David Torfeh has been on the board of CNPSCI since 2010 and a member since the mid-1990's. David organizes botany hikes, sometimes leads these hikes, and assists with native plant sales and other projects.  He is a biologist/naturalist specializing in birds, native plants, butterflies, and wildlife tracking.  David is a CNPS-certified Field Botanist.  He has resided in Ventura since 1985, coming from Santa Barbara County after attending U.C. Santa Barbara.

Jeyla Fendi works as Environmental Remedial Chemist in Downtown Ventura. She has a degree in Environmental Science & Resource Management from CSU Channel Islands and grew up in Southern California. After college she became interested in botany and fell in love with the Los Padres. Jeyla runs a local nature journaling club and spends her free time birding, rock hounding, hiking, painting, and protecting plants.

Leslie is on the board of Ventura Citizens for Hillside Preservation.

Patt Wilson McDaniel – Horticulture Chair and Member-at-Large A native Southern Californian and mostly a resident of Ventura County since 1957 and currently resides in Ojai. After graduating from Buena High School in Ventura, she attended San Francisco State University where she majored in Botany and enjoyed the rich arts curriculum and the cultural scene of the San Francisco area. Upon moving to Oregon, she continued her botanical studies in the coastal rain forest. Returning to Ventura, her studies in horticulture and art continued at Ventura College and she worked in horticulture and research at Conejo Recreation and Parks District, Ventura College, and Burpee’s Research and Development Greenhouses in Santa Paula. Patt has held many positions in the Channel Islands Chapter of the California Native Plant Society since 1985, including 6 years as Chapter President (1989-1990, 1994), Past President (1991, 1992, 1995), 2 years as co-president and 1 year as Vice President (1988, 1999-2003), Member-At-Large (2005-2008), 2 years as Newsletter Editor, and stints as Poster Sales, Plant Communities Chair, Conservation Chair, secretary, as well as Horticulture Chair (1991-2005, 2008-present). She organized the Chapters’ first all day Native Landscape Symposium in 2011.  She also served 4 years on the Executive Committee of the ‘old State Board’ (as Member-At-Large and Chapter Support VP) and 4 years on the new State Board of Directors. She is currently the chapter’s delegate to the State Chapter Council. She also served on citizens’ water advisory committees to the City of Ventura in 1990 and 1992. She was the CNPS representative on the first board of the Friends of the Santa Clara River and was alternate representative for that organization to the Santa Clara River Enhancement and Management Plan Steering Committee. Patt has always been involved in the arts and artistic endeavors. Her acrylic and watercolor paintings have been exhibited or sold in Los Angeles, Malibu, Long Beach, San Diego, Grass Valley, Ventura, Ojai, and Spain. Heidelberg Editions International states: “Whether traveling or retreating to her cabin home, Patt merges her life-long love of art and nature with pure expression to create subtle and beautiful landscape paintings imbued with her own unique style and lighthearted, gentle spirit.” Patt began working in the insurance field in 1986. She began McDaniel Insurance Services in July of 1991. Her firm specializes in obtaining insurance for arts, education, and environmental organizations.

David Torfeh has been on the board of CNPSCI since 2010 and a member since the mid-1990's. David organizes botany hikes, sometimes leads these hikes, and assists with native plant sales and other projects.  He is a biologist/naturalist specializing in birds, native plants, butterflies, and wildlife tracking.  David is a CNPS-certified Field Botanist.  He has resided in Ventura since 1985, coming from Santa Barbara County after attending U.C. Santa Barbara.