{"id":17352,"date":"2023-10-23T06:56:07","date_gmt":"2023-10-23T13:56:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/?page_id=17352"},"modified":"2025-12-01T15:57:03","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T23:57:03","slug":"who-we-are","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/golf-resort-info\/who-we-are\/","title":{"rendered":"Who We Are"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"align-wrap align-wrap-full\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fffcef\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div id=\"gcom-spacer-wrapper-id-block_852ba056cc0cc8120544d8288ef87c02\" class=\"gcom-spacer-wrapper\">\n\t<style>\n\t\t@media only screen and (max-width: 768px) {\n\t\t\t#gcom-spacer-wrapper-id-block_852ba056cc0cc8120544d8288ef87c02 {\n\t\t\t\theight: px;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t}\n\t\t@media only screen and (max-width: 600px) {\n\t\t\t#gcom-spacer-wrapper-id-block_852ba056cc0cc8120544d8288ef87c02 {\n\t\t\t\theight: px;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t}\n\t\t@media only screen and (min-width: 769px) {\n\t\t\t#gcom-spacer-wrapper-id-block_852ba056cc0cc8120544d8288ef87c02 {\n\t\t\t\theight: px;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t}\n\t\t@media only screen and (min-width: 1201px) {\n\t\t\t#gcom-spacer-wrapper-id-block_852ba056cc0cc8120544d8288ef87c02 {\n\t\t\t\theight: 30px;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t}\n\t\t@media only screen and (min-width: 1601px) {\n\t\t\t#gcom-spacer-wrapper-id-block_852ba056cc0cc8120544d8288ef87c02 {\n\t\t\t\theight: 30px;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t}\n\t<\/style>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"serving-the-southcoast-of-oregon\">Serving the South Coast of Oregon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center constrained-width-ultra-narrow\">Bandon Dunes Charitable Foundation is grateful for the Executive and Steering Committee members whose commitment and expertise are invaluable to our work as well as to the South Coast as a whole. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center constrained-width-ultra-narrow\">The Steering Committee is comprised of farmers, ranchers, fishermen, outdoor recreation experts, conservationists, non-profit leaders, and local community members who have joined together around a shared commitment to promote a region where healthy ecosystems drive a vibrant economy. Steering Committee members discuss lessons learned, new scientific research, and suggestions from the community that can help guide our work. Both the Executive Committee and Steering Committee provide guidance with respect to the development, implementation, and refinement of our goals, strategic plan, and grant making decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:31px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"gcom-cta-center gcom-cta-wrapper\"><a href=\"&#109;&#x61;i&#108;&#x74;o&#58;&#x66;o&#x75;&#x6e;&#100;&#x61;t&#105;&#x6f;n&#64;&#x62;a&#x6e;&#x64;&#111;&#x6e;&#x64;&#117;&#x6e;e&#115;&#x67;o&#108;&#x66;&#46;&#x63;&#x6f;&#109;\" target=\"_self\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-solid\">Email Us<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"align-wrap align-wrap-full\">\n<section id=\"big-image-slider-wrapper-id-block_f77b2eb3779c9a80d891512380c44d9d\" class=\"mobile-height-normal gcom-big-image-slider-wrapper one-slide\">\n\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"264\" src=\"https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/top-border-torn-paper-fffcef-1920x264.png\" class=\"gcom-big-image-slider-border-top\" alt=\"Torn paper decorative border, color #fffcef\" \/>\t<div class=\"flexslider\">\n\t\t<ul class=\"slides\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"big-image-slider-text-wrapper fg-white\"><div class=\"big-image-slider-content constrained-width-ultra-narrow\"><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Steering Committee <\/strong><\/h3>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">From left to right:\u00a0 Mary Wahl, Paula Thompson, Marjorie Crook, Matt Swanson, Wayne Krieger, Carlos Garcia, Mark Grenbemer, Rick Goche, Steve Denney, Al Johnson, Jena Carter, Cam Parry, Marie Simonds.\u00a0 Not pictured:\u00a0 Joe Whitworth<\/h4>\n<\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/BDCF-Steering-Committee-1-1920x1071.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"mobile-height-normal\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"74\" src=\"https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/border-bottom-off-white.png\" class=\"gcom-big-image-slider-border-bottom\" alt=\"Torn paper bottom border in off-white\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/border-bottom-off-white.png 1920w, https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/border-bottom-off-white-300x12.png 300w, https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/border-bottom-off-white-1024x39.png 1024w, https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/border-bottom-off-white-768x30.png 768w, https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/border-bottom-off-white-1536x59.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\">.row-checkered-slider .flexslider .flex-direction-nav .flex-prev:before { content: url(https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/themes\/bandon-dunes\/assets\/images\/gallery-arrow-left.png); }.row-checkered-slider .flexslider .flex-direction-nav .flex-next:before { content: url(https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/themes\/bandon-dunes\/assets\/images\/gallery-arrow-right.png); }<\/style>\n<section id=\"checkerboard-wrapper-id-block_d0cb0376530f683f2fc11164f63c7987\" class=\"checkerboard-outer-wrapper layout-default style-offset\" style=\"\">\n\n\t<section class=\"constrained-width-narrow checkered-row-wrapper\" id=\"checkerboard-block_d0cb0376530f683f2fc11164f63c7987-row-1\" data-speed=\"400\">\n\t\t<div class=\"checkered-row-image-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"row-checkered-slider one-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"flexslider\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"slides\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Team-Letter-MSimondsHeadshot2023-463x559.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"checkered-row-text-wrapper layout-default style-offset fg-body\"\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"checkerboard-headlines-wrapper\"><div class=\"fg-body checkerboard-sub-headline\">Executive Director<\/div><h2 class=\"fg-body \">Marie Simonds<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"text-block fg-body \"><p><span data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">Marie Simonds joined the team in\u00a02012 and is currently the Executive Director of the re-named Bandon Dunes Charitable Foundation (formerly Wild Rivers Coast Alliance). BDCF actively engages boards and committees that align with its strategic mission in conservation, economy, and community projects. Marie is a board member of several organizations including: Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board, South Coast Development Council, South Coast Early Learning Hub, and the South Coast Development Council. Additionally, Marie serves on the Statewide Early Learning Council and South Coast Regional Solutions Advisory Council as appointed by the Governor. \u00a0Before joining WRCA\/BDCF, Marie was the Executive Director of the Southwestern Oregon Community College Foundation, where she led scholarship fundraising efforts for students while also the SWOCC Head Men\u2019s and Women\u2019s golf coach. Marie and her husband Jeff live in Bandon and have two boys, Peyton (18) and Jackson (15). They enjoy exploring the South Coast and playing golf, riding bikes, and hiking.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"cta-wrapper\"><a class=\"btn btn-primary\" href=\"https:\/\/www.globalgolfpost.com\/featured\/bandons-reach\/\" target=\"_blank\">Featured Article<\/a><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\t<section class=\"constrained-width-narrow checkered-row-wrapper\" id=\"checkerboard-block_d0cb0376530f683f2fc11164f63c7987-row-2\" data-speed=\"400\">\n\t\t<div class=\"checkered-row-image-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"row-checkered-slider one-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"flexslider\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"slides\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Paula-Headshot-1-463x559.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"checkered-row-text-wrapper layout-default style-offset fg-body\"\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"checkerboard-headlines-wrapper\"><div class=\"fg-body checkerboard-sub-headline\">Program and Administrative Assistant<\/div><h2 class=\"fg-body \">Paula Thompson<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"text-block fg-body \"><div class=\"x_elementToProof\"><span data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">Paula Thompson joined the Bandon Dunes\u00a0Charitable Foundation team in 2020.\u00a0 Prior to this, she had been self-employed since moving to Bandon in 2006.\u00a0 Paula grew up in rural Missouri and enjoys the small town life and being part of an organization that supports the local communities.\u00a0 She enjoys being outdoors, spending time with her family and reading.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\t<section class=\"constrained-width-narrow checkered-row-wrapper\" id=\"checkerboard-block_d0cb0376530f683f2fc11164f63c7987-row-3\" data-speed=\"400\">\n\t\t<div class=\"checkered-row-image-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"row-checkered-slider one-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"flexslider\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"slides\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/05_JimSeeleyHeadshot2018-3-2-463x559.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"checkered-row-text-wrapper layout-default style-offset fg-body\"\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"checkerboard-headlines-wrapper\"><div class=\"fg-body checkerboard-sub-headline\">In Memoriam<\/div><h2 class=\"fg-body \">Jim Seeley<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"text-block fg-body \"><p>The Jim Seeley Memorial Scholarship was created to honor the longtime Bandon Dunes Charitable Foundation (previously WRCA) Executive Director in his role of bridging community needs with leadership and grant assistance. This annual scholarship is awarded to two high school graduates in the BDCF service area, which includes high schools in Brookings-Harbor, Gold Beach, Port Orford-Langlois, Bandon, Coquille, Myrtle Point, and Powers. The annual scholarship is renewable through 4 years of undergraduate\/graduate studies and valued at $100K.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"cta-wrapper\"><a class=\"btn btn-primary\" href=\"https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/resort-amenities\/jim-seeley-scholarship\/\" target=\"_blank\">Scholarship Recipients<\/a><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n<\/section><!-- \/checkerboard-outer-wrapper -->\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"align-wrap align-wrap-full\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"104\" src=\"https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/bd-footer-top-tear-1024x104.png\" alt=\"Torn paper decorative element\" class=\"wp-image-548\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/bd-footer-top-tear-1024x104.png 1024w, https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/bd-footer-top-tear-300x30.png 300w, https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/bd-footer-top-tear-768x78.png 768w, https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/bd-footer-top-tear-1536x156.png 1536w, https:\/\/bandondunesgolf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/bd-footer-top-tear.png 1921w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Serving the South Coast of Oregon Bandon Dunes Charitable Foundation is grateful for the Executive and Steering Committee members whose commitment and expertise are invaluable to our work as well as to the South Coast as a whole. The Steering Committee is comprised of farmers, ranchers, fishermen, outdoor recreation experts, conservationists, non-profit leaders, and local [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":6139,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-17352","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Bandon Dunes Charitable Foundation | Who We Are<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Bandon Dunes Charitable Foundation is grateful for the Executive and Steering Committee members whose commitment and expertise are invaluable to our work as well as to the South Coast as a whole.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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