Who We Are

FOWS is a grassroots nonprofit community conservation organization established to help preserve the natural character, environment, and beauty of Lake Tahoe’s West Shore. We are a community resource reporting on issues impacting the local environment, and promoting policies that enhance our natural resources. We support appropriate redevelopment consistent with the character and scale of our communities.

Since 2007, FOWS has grown to over 500 subscribers and supporters!

We are a community-based volunteer organization and we need your involvement and financial support to enable us to take action on the critical issues facing the West Shore. Your membership and/or donations will support our efforts to:

Board of Directors

Judith Tornese, President

Judith Tornese and her husband, Jerry Winters, have been part-time residents of Tahoma, on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe, since 1968, the year that Jerry built their house. They currently live at Tahoe about 5 months of the year.  Judith is a founder and original Board member of Friends of the West Shore. Judith is an independent risk management and insurance consultant to organizations, government and private entities.  Prior to that time, she was Vice President – Risk Management for Transamerica Corporation, a $10 billion company.  As Vice President, she managed Transamerica’s consolidated Risk Management and insurance programs, including risk financing, all insurance purchasing, claims handling, loss control, safety, and business recovery.  She managed three captive insurance companies and was President of ARC Reinsurance Corporation, a run-off operation for $400 million of reinsurance claims.  She also handled risk management issues involving company mergers and acquisitions and related contractual agreements. Judi holds the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation. She attended the University of Pittsburgh and Golden Gate University in San Francisco.  She is a member of the Development Council of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco.  She has also served on numerous other business and charitable Boards.

Dana Schneider, Secretary

Dana Schneider has been visiting the West Shore of Lake Tahoe since she was a teenager. Dana and her husband David have two children. Their family has been coming to Tahoe's West Shore every summer and winter, since 1981. In 2009 David helped Dana realize her dream of owning a Tahoe cabin. They hope to spend more time in the mountains when they retire. The sound of the birds, the smell of tapioca from the forest and the fresh Tahoe air are part of Dana's love and devotion to the preservation of this environment. She joined the Board of Friends of the West Shore in 2017. Dana hopes to contribute to the preservation and protection of this Sierra gem for generations to come. Dana Schneider, LMFT is a licensed marriage and family therapist and Lecturer Emeritus in Psychology from Sonoma State University. In addition to 38 years of clinical experience working with families, she has extensive training and experience in the field of divorcing families. She has served as a special master, court appointed reunification therapist, and performed child custody mediation, high conflict co-parent counseling, and individual/family therapy. She has served as the Chair of the Mental Health Liaison Committee (a subcommittee of the Sonoma County Bar Associations Family Law Section). Dana has co-authored an article in the Journal of Divorce and Remarriage entitled “Children’s Ability to Cope Post Divorce: The Effects of Kids’ Turn Intervention Program on 7–9 Year Olds.” In 2012 Dana was awarded the Rex Sater award for Excellence in Family Law and in 2013 the Pro Bona award by the Sonoma County Bar Association.

Ron Grassi

Ron Grassi and his wife Sally have had a part-time home in Tahoe City for over 40 years. Ron is a retired attorney having practiced law in San Francisco for 35 years. He is also the past co-conservation chair of the Tahoe Area Sierra Club, a current member of the Motherlode (Sierra Club) litigation committee, and an actively-concerned citizen regarding development in and around the Tahoe Basin and local government oversight. Ron was also one of the community members who originally founded Friends of the West Shore in 2007 and has remained actively engaged in numerous development projects and plans around the West and North shores of Tahoe.  Ron and his wife reside in Healdsburg the rest of the year when they are not traveling.

Rocky Gunderson

Rocky Gunderson, from the Bay Area, grew up spending summers and winter vacations in Tahoe. He shares his love of the area with his wife Mary Jo and their two adult children and families. Since 1997 their cabin on the West Shore has been their family go-to place in all seasons. Now that he and his wife are semi-retired they will be spending even more time enjoying the beauty and serenity of the hiking trails and the spectacular lake.

Rocky has a mechanical engineering degree from Cal as well as an MBA in marketing and finance. He is a seasoned general manager and an entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience leading and advising global businesses in mobile, cloud, media and enterprise applications. He has spent the last 6 years advising start-up companies and working with young entrepreneurs. He currently consults with a number of companies in technology, manufacturing and agricultural.  Rocky has served on several not-for-profit boards supporting student housing and youth recreation. He believes in the FOWS mission of promoting awareness and community involvement to enhance the natural resources and ensure that redevelopment is responsible and consistent with the character of our communities. Lake Tahoe and the West Shore in particular are areas we must preserve for future generations.

Jim Lyon

Jim Lyon, a Bay Area native, started his West Shore experience as a boy in 1972 helping his father build the family cabin in Chamberlands. He, his wife, and their two girls share the love for the “family side” of the Lake enjoying the clear water, fresh air, beautiful views, and slow pace.

Jim is a Cal and Santa Clara University graduate with over 35 years leading businesses both in the USA and Asia. Jim has spent significant time overseas and truly appreciates returning to the natural  beauty of Tahoe.

Jim spent time on both the Historic Preservation Commission and the Planning Commission for the Town of Los Gatos. His leadership was instrumental in rewriting the demolition ordinances to better protect historic buildings. Jim believes it is important for FOWS to be active in shaping local government policy and driving community awareness to protect the West Shore’s character and natural resources for future generations.

Larry Schluer

Larry Schluer and his wife own a home in Tahoe Hills, above Meeks Bay. Larry is a retired firefighter, serving the City Of Sacramento for thirty years. The time off in this position gave him the opportunity to start the construction of two homes simultaneously with his father in 1976; one being his home in Carmichael, and the other, his parents’ summer home in Tahoe Hills  where they desired to spend their retirement years. Larry has been coming to Lake Tahoe since 1951 when his father began construction on a cabin in Tahoe Pines where he spent his summers growing up.

Retiring in 2003, Larry turned his sights on sailing at Lake Tahoe for the next 15 years and served as the Commodore of the Meeks Bay Yacht Club for five years.  

Larry has held the position of president for the Tahoe Hills Homeowners Association for five years where members are concerned about development on the west shore of Lake Tahoe. He also currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Sacramento Regional Fire Museum and is a docent for the museum.  Larry and his wife travel extensively since retirement and now reside in Fair Oaks.