Staff
Marin Builders Association Staff
Rick Wells
Chief Executive Officer
Role: Rick is responsible to the membership and Board of Directors for the strategic direction of the Marin Builders Association. He is charged with all management, business planning and execution, operations, and finances.
Professional: Rick specializes in building sustainable organizations. His focus is building vibrant and connected teams that share a focus on common results. He has lead teams at the San Rafael and Vallejo Chambers of Commerce.
Accomplishments/Community Service/Volunteer Activities: Rick has undergraduate degrees from Orange Coast College and the University of California, Davis. He earned a Masters of Business Administration in Sustainable Management from Presidio Graduate School in San Francisco. He holds multiple professional certifications in organizational management and serves on several boards across the Bay Area.
Personal: Rick lives in San Rafael with his wife and two children. He grills a decent dinner, bakes a hyper-locally acclaimed pecan pie, works on projects around his home. He also coaches and plays golf with friends and family.
Favorite Part about Working with the Marin Builders Association: "I'm grateful to be part of a team that is dedicated to each other, committed to building our industry, and strives each day to create positive impact in our community."
Orna Weisberg
Operations, Marketing & Member Services Coordinator
Role: Orna is responsible for supporting office operations, organizing, and coordinating initiatives, events, activities, and special projects.
Professional: Prior to arriving at Marin Builders Associations, Orna worked as a Logistics Manager in a pharmaceutical Company Philtel Inc. in Israel, and as an Import-Export Manager in the Israeli branch of the Solgar Inc. vitamins and supplements company. Orna was also the manager of two Hertz Inc. car rental branches in Israel. Her wide management and responsibilities background supports a deep understanding of organizations, coordination and connections, and customer service. She takes pride in her efficient time management, communication, and creativity. Orna is also an artist, and she owns two art studios for wedding vows in the Bay Area.
Accomplishments/Community Service/Volunteer Activities: "I enjoy the diversity of my responsibilities and am excited about being a part of the Marin Builders Association moving on to the next level."
Orna has a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics From Tel-Aviv University, Israel. She has helped teach Hebrew for young children at Congregation Adath Israel in San Francisco.
Personal: Orna grew up and lived in Israel. She moved to San Francisco in 2009 with her family and established her own art business. She is a proud mother of three sons, Ophir (29), Jonathan (17), and Etai (14). She enjoys taking swim classes, Pilates, spin, and Barre, and mostly she loves traveling around the world.
Favorite Part about Working with the Marin Builders Association: “I really enjoy working with a group of people that helps the community to build connections, grow and succeed. I see the value and the benefits this organization brings to our local businesses and it fills me with joy to help bring my talent and skills into a place of appreciation.”
Julia Scardina
Office Administrative Assistant
Role: Julia is responsible for the front office administrative duties and helps ensure a positive experience for members and partners. In her role, she works closely with the team to ensure daily processes run smoothly, contributing to an organized, efficient, and service-oriented environment.
Professional: Prior to arriving at Marin Builders Association, Julia worked in New York City as the Concierge and Social Media Marketing Manager at Sportslab NYC where she gained experience in client relations, operations management, and digital engagement.
Accomplishments/Community Service/Volunteer Activities: Julia is a former Division I collegiate athlete at the University of Utah, where she earned her degree in Communications and Media Studies. Her background as a student-athlete reflects her discipline, teamwork, and commitment to excellence.
Personal: Julia grew up in San Rafael, California and attended Marin Catholic high school. She loves working out, hiking, traveling the world, going to the beach, and spending time with family and friends.
Favorite Part about Working with the Marin Builders Association: “I’m grateful to be part of a team that genuinely supports each other while contributing to the community in a meaningful and impactful way.”
Marin Builders Association Consultants
John Paul (J.P.) Butti
Volunteer Program Advisor (Emeritus), North Bay Construction Corps
Role: JP is responsible for helping coordinate the North Bay Construction Corps.
Professional: JP is a graduate of ROP Construction Technology, a Marin Builders Association workforce development program. Using the skills learned in the ROP program, JP has been working as a carpenter for the last eight years. JP's goal is to grow a business as a residential general contractor here in Marin.
Accomplishments/Community Service/Volunteer Activities: JP coordinates NBCC, and also volunteers with Terra Linda High School’s MSEL program, where he enables the junior class to execute charity building projects each year.
Personal: JP lives in San Rafael, enjoys cooking and car racing, when he isn’t fixing something that’s broken on said race car.
Favorite Part about Working with the Marin Builders Association: "As a graduate of a Marin Builders Association program, I really enjoy the opportunity to work with the next generation if industry professionals. Given that my experience with MBA has resulted in a career that I enjoy, I consider it a privilege to guide other young people as they find their path and career."
Joshua Townsend
Government Relations Coordinator
Role: Joshua Townsend brings nearly two decades of public and private experience in leading specialized teams to engage communities to find success. His diverse expertise includes strategic outreach, marketing, governmental affairs, and crisis communication. He has trained and mentored staffs that are innovative in driving messages as well as its problem-solving ability. He has cultivated relationships through partnerships with non-profit organizations, government and corporate clients while serving on a number of local and regional Boards.
Mato Account Works - Bev Lamberson and Bea Ma
Bookkeeping
Role: Through their financial expertise, Bev Lamberson and her team establish and optimize billing, payment and reporting systems for their clients.
Professional: Mato Account Works resulted after three business plans from her early days owning a medical supplies store in PT. Richmond. She appreciates the integrity, accuracy and service approach needed to create a successful business. Her creative side enables her to come up with out-of-the-box solutions for her clients. She specializes in forecasting, budgeting and business analysis for companies and organizations, applying lessons gleaned from her experience in guiding her diverse clients' businesses, as well as her own through an ever-changing economic climate.
Accomplishments/Community Service/Volunteer Activities: Bev Lamberson was born a business owner and entrepreneur. Mato Account Works landed a spot on the Kron 4 news for, "Successful Business in the Bay Area".
Personal: Bev was born in Los Gatos, CA and raised near the Indianapolis 55 Motor Speedway, where she met Indy's winning Formula 1 drivers. She loves photography and travel. Her first international trip was to Lake Baikal in Siberia. After traveling across the USA, Europe and Australia/New Zealand, she says, "Mother Earth is full of Wonders!". Bev now enjoys life in El Cerrito with her beautiful family and dog, Jackson. Life is good!
Favorite Part about Working with the Marin Builders Association: "I enjoy the professional and trustworthy relationship we share."
Terrence Knoles - And Them
Branding & Design
publications@marinbuilders.com
Role: Marketing, Brand Management, & Publications
Professional: Terrence is the founding principal of And Them, an independent graphic design studio in Marin. They specialize in branding and illustration. Their current client list includes local and national companies with design needs that include logo redesign, website design, brand activations, print and digital marketing collateral, and more.
Accomplishments/Community Service/Volunteer Activities: Terrence graduated from the University of Southern California with a B.S. in Business Administration and an emphasis in International Marketing and Finance. Terrence has previously worked as an advisor for the Small Business Development Center of Marin and he currently volunteers as a member of the Marin County Architectural Commission. He’s also a volunteer soccer coach for the Novato Youth Soccer League and co-chair of the Arts Attack program at Loma Verde Elementary School in Novato.
Personal: Terrence lives in Novato with his wife and two children. When he’s not exploring the beautiful California coastline and open space with his family, you can find him mountain biking the local trails.
Favorite Part about Working with the Marin Builders Association: Terrence’s favorite part about working with the Marin Builders Association is the opportunity to provide a valuable resource to the community and local construction industry.
Caran Cuneo
Workforce Specialist
Role: Caran Cuneo, MSW, SPHR has joined the Marin Builders Association team to support the work of Marin Builders Association's construction education partnership programs including Education to Career, ROP Construction Technology, and North Bay Construction Corps - Marin. Caran is a Senior Professional in Human Resources with experience in leading and developing teams.
Professional: Caran has over 20 years of private sector human resource experience in the technology, service, and communication industries. Most recently, Caran served ten years with the County of Marin in the workforce development program where she supported and partnered with Marin businesses in need of talent. While at the County, Caran developed grant funded programs with a focus on construction – retraining construction professionals during the recession in 2009 in energy auditing and efficiency.
Accomplishments/Community Service/Volunteer Activities: Caran graduated with a master's degree in social work and has held a professional certification in human resources (SPHR) for the last 15 years. Caran serves on the City of San Rafael's Age Friendly task force and volunteers as a docent at the Academy of Science in San Francisco.
Personal: When not focused on workforce development, Caran enjoys playing bocce, travel and raising her new puppy Bella.
Favorite Part about Working with the Marin Builders Association: "I enjoy working to create jobs in the construction industry because these jobs are important to our economy. No one is going to outsource construction jobs."