Board Members
Bob Warren, Cooper Museum President, has served as a board member of the Cooper for over five years. With a strong background in mechanical and aerospace engineering, he was invited by the late Dave Stevens, former Cooper President, to support the organization’s facilities management.
Bob also brings leadership experience serving on the board of the Claremont American Legion, and as a former business owner in Upland. Most of all, Bob is dedicated to serving the community through his work on the board.
Bob Warren
President
Bio coming soon...
Gary Mannon
Vice President
Kati Parker has served on the Cooper Museum Board since 2023. A longtime Upland resident, she and her husband, Craig, have raised their two children, Josh and Claire, in the community since 2000.
Kati is deeply passionate about historic preservation, having had the pleasure of working on seven historic homes in Downtown Upland. Her current home is one of Upland’s historic citrus grove homes built in the 1920s in north Upland. She advocates for public policy that supports awareness of our historical resources, protection of water resources, and economic development in Upland’s Historic Downtown.
With over 30 years of water experience, Kati's background is extensive. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Resources Engineering from Cal Poly Humboldt and a Master of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from UCLA, and is currently working on her Doctorate in Public Administration at the University of LaVerne.
Kati also has over two-and- a-half decades of community service experience. She currently serves as Board Vice President of the Chino Basin Water Conservation District and is a Board member of several key water organizations, including the Pomona Valley Protective Association and the Chino Basin Watermaster.
Kati Parker
Treasurer
Erin Wade's commitment to Upland's history runs deep. As a long-time resident, she brings valuable insight and experience to the board, including her current role as Vice President of Upland Heritage. Erin and her husband, David, are also dedicated to hands-on preservation, often spending their free time restoring their own historic Craftsman home.
Erin Wade
Secretary
Michael Miller is a public service professional with a strong commitment to civic engagement, effective local government, and community impact. He currently serves as Director of Special Projects for the Fourth District of San Bernardino County, where he supports district operations and initiatives across policy, administration, budgeting, community programs, and constituent services. In this role, he also serves as the district’s representative for the City of Upland, acts as policy advisor for County Airports, Ontario International Airport, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, and manages community and constituent concerns.
In 2025, Michael was appointed as a Public Works Commissioner for the City of Upland, further deepening his commitment to public service at the local level. That same year, he received a San Bernardino County Public Service Recognition Award for Quality and Innovation, recognizing his contributions to improving county operations and community outcomes.
Born on the Western Slope of Colorado, Michael moved with his family to Corona, California at the age of three. He is a proud University of La Verne alumnus, where he participated in Model United Nations and served as president of the club. It was during his time at La Verne that he met his wife, Kalyn. In 2013, he was named the University of La Verne Emerging Leader of the Year in recognition of his leadership and service on campus.
Michael and Kalyn moved to Upland in 2022, where they live with their three cats—Lucky, Beatrice, and Nellie—and are actively involved in the community. In his free time, Michael enjoys learning about wine, traveling, camping, visiting museums, and exploring the trails of San Bernardino County in his Jeep.
Michael Miller
Board Member
I have lived in the Inland Empire my entire life. My family was involved with founding the citrus industry in this valley starting in 1875. Great-grandfather Donald McLeod was in partnership with John Armstrong of Armstrong nurseries, and Jack Adamson. They developed citrus orchards, selling one orchard, and keeping the next for themselves, and so on.
My great-great-uncle, Jack Adamson, was instrumental in developing wells and electric power all over the inland Empire, including notably in San Antonio Canyon. My grandmother, Leta McLeod, was a registered nurse at Pomona Valley Hospital. She guided me into my career as a Chiropractor, noting that Chiropractors are interested in keeping people healthy in the first place.
My brother Roger took care of one of the last commercial lemon groves in Claremont. I enjoyed watching him irrigate, control weeds, and reduce gophers. I enjoyed hearing the lemon harvesters sing, and watching their speed and skill in picking lemons. If I happened to be there at noon, they would hand me one of their burritos!
I especially enjoyed going to the packing houses, and buying whole cases of oranges from the local growers. We also bought cases of produce from all over the state of California, as the growers shipped produce on the railroads from one packing house to another. It was a truly wonderful way of life, and I still enjoy seeing the remnants of the citrus industry in the Inland Empire and the Orange Empire.
This wonderful history ought to be preserved, so that our children can learn about this important history. This will afford them the opportunity to use their citrus heritage as a model for success, and add to this history of success, and make their own lives wonderful in the process. This is in perfect keeping with the mission statement of Ada Cooper and her Cooper Regional Museum. I am delighted to serve as a board member in the Ada Cooper Regional History Museum.
Martin McLeod
Board Member
Randy Roper brings a deep-rooted commitment to the Cooper Regional History Museum board, having been born at San Antonio Hospital and raised right here in Upland. A proud 1970 graduate of Chaffey High School who also attended Upland Elementary and Imperial Junior High, Randy’s local ties remained strong even after a two-and-a-half-year childhood stint in Alaska and dedicated service in the U.S. Air Force as a heavy equipment operator.
Now retired from the Chaffey Joint Union High School District, he remains an active pillar of the community through his involvement with the First Baptist Church of Upland, Kiwanis of Ontario, and the Chaffey Alumni Association. When he isn't preserving local history, Randy can be found cheering on the Dodgers, curating his extensive sports memorabilia collection, or taking out his prized 1958 Corvette for a drive.
Randy Roper
Board Member
Driven by a lifelong commitment to student achievement and academic excellence, Jodi brings over 20 years of higher education experience from her work at The Claremont Colleges to her current role as Executive Assistant/Scheduler to San Bernardino County’s Fourth District Supervisor, Curt Hagman.
Jodi is dedicated to making a positive impact and is deeply rooted in the community. Jodi's passion for art, history, and volunteering continues to inspire her work, driving her to foster cultural appreciation and community engagement at every opportunity.
A longtime resident of Upland, Jodi lives there with her husband, Brian, and their son, Jeremy.
Jodi James
Board Member
Since February 2025, Ann Elizabeth Lara has served as the Museum Director for the Cooper Regional History Museum.
Ann is a results-oriented professional with over 20 years of experience in strategic administration, policy implementation, and personnel management. At the Museum, she directs daily administrative operations , manages departmental budgets , and oversees logistical coordination for programming and community engagement initiatives. A skilled leader, she manages and mentors the museum's team of volunteers, coordinating their training and scheduling.
Ann's extensive educational background includes a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Cal Poly Pomona.