David Garmon received his undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology from Princeton University in 1979, his medical degree from the University of Arkansas College of Medicine in his hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas in 1984, and completed residency training in 1988 in Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego where he was an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry for two decades. Since 1988 Dr. Garmon has been engaged in the fulltime practice of adult and forensic psychiatry. During the late 1990’s he served as the Physician Leader for the ScrippsHealth Behavioral Health System of Excellence, was a Founding Director of ScrippsHealth Physicians, and was the President and CEO of Scripps Behavioral Health Associates.

Dr. Garmon has been a part-time resident of Borrego Springs for over 25 years. In 2011 he founded the Tubb Canyon Desert Conservancy, which under his leadership has led the fight against invasive species and unchecked development in the Borrego Valley and is now engaged in land conservation. He is a founding member of the Borrego Valley Stewardship Council and is the immediate past-Chair of the Environmental Subcommittee of Supervisor Desmond’s Revitalization Initiative for Borrego Springs. Dr. Garmon serves on the board of the Borrego Village Association and is Board Chairman of the Borrego Valley Endowment Fund.

Dick Troy, President of the Borrego Village Association, brings a wealth of experience and passion to his role. He has previously served as President of Anza-Borrego Foundation, California Trails Conference Foundation, and Sacramento Valley Conservancy. With a notable career as Deputy Director for Park Operations at California State Parks, Dick's dedication to the desert is profound. His love for California Desert's unique landscapes, wildlife, and cultural heritage drives his commitment to preservation and education, ensuring these natural treasures are protected for future generations.

Bri Fordem is the Executive Director of Anza-Borrego Foundation (ABF), the Cooperating Association of California's largest desert state park. ABF is dedicated to preserving and protecting the more than 650,000 acres of combined desert wilderness, dark skies, more than 1500 species of flora, and fauna, and 10,000 plus cultural heritage sites through education and land conservation. ABF's efforts continue beyond the boundary of the Park as the organization has acknowledged the importance of regional biodiversity and landscape-scale ecology protection as part of its mission. Bri proudly serves on the DPT board, bringing her direct experience and deep understanding of the critical importance of protecting California's deserts. She mainly addresses the specific threats facing Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and advocates for preserving these often-misunderstood ecosystems.