Meet The Commissioners

Hugo Garcia

A life-long resident of El Sereno, in East Los Angeles, Hugo Garcia brings over three decades of community organizing and policy advocacy experience related to open space, social and environmental justice campaigns, and projects throughout the City and County of Los Angeles

His involvement includes the following:

Hugo currently serves as the Campaign Coordinator for Environmental Justice at Esperanza Community Housing in South-Central Los Angeles.  He is also the Director of Community Engagement (Consultant) for ClockshopLA, an arts and culture programming organization based in northeast Los Angeles and serves as Board member on Save Elephant Hill - a community-based environmental organization.  Hugo previously worked with at the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust and the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy.  In addition to community engagement, he specializes in building strategic partnerships and successful organizing strategies.  Hugo also has experience in teaching and employment development, having served as Director of the 2^nd largest youth employment development program in the city of Los Angeles.

Lee Wax, Chairperson

Commissioner Lee Wax, representing the Second Supervisorial District was appointed on August 9, 2011 and currently serves as Vice Chairperson.

A native of Arkansas, Commissioner Wax has become a lifelong advocate of fishing and hunting. Commissioner Wax, a union representative and political director has over 50 years in civil service, 34 years at Department of Water and Power (DPW) and 20 years as a Political Director for both DWP and Probation Officers, which has shaped a lifelong career in advocacy.

Most recently Commissioner Wax represents city employees in Compton, Lynwood, Commerce and Pasadena as well as employees of the Housing Authority and Metro Transportation Authority.

Commissioner Wax at one time owned the largest minority owned maternity wear company in the USA. The brand was shown in 400 stores and in Saudi Arabia.

Having excelled in both sports and while music and exploring a second career in music had that dream short circuited by a serious accident with a dog bite.

Commissioner Wax receiving awards too numerous to mention is most proud of being a medal of valor recipient from Los Angeles. He is a member of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionist and a former board member of the A. Philip Randolph Institute.

Dr. Karen M. Martin

Dr. Karen Martin is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biology at Pepperdine University in Malibu.  Her research interests include air-breathing fishes, amphibious fishes, terrestrial embryos of aquatic organisms, and coastal and beach ecosystems.  She earned a doctorate at UCLA and served as Friday Harbor Laboratories Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Washington.  She was appointed as a Fish and Wildlife Commissioner in January 2024.  She has over 65 peer-reviewed publications and three scholarly books, along with many examples of educational media and film.  In addition to this work, Dr. Martin co-founded the Beach Ecology Coalition, an educational nonprofit organization devoted to improving beach management in southern California, and serves as Chair of their Board of Directors. For the past two decades she has directed a group of community scientists, the Grunion Greeters, to monitor runs of California Grunion along the coast.  She is on the Board of Directors of the Coastal Zone Foundation, is a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London and the American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists, and a National Geographic Explorer.  Her work has been honored with the John M. Olguin Marine Environment Award, the Conservation Achievement Award of the American Fisheries Society, and the Environmental Partnership Award of the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association.  Her award-winning documentary, “Surf, Sand, and Silversides: The California Grunion” was an official selection at numerous international film festivals.

John J. Resich Jr. ,Vice Chairperson

John J. Resich Jr. is an attorney and rancher and serves as chairman of the board and vice president of development of Green Hills Memorial Park. Resich owns ranching and farming operations in Wyoming, raising cattle and crops including corn, beans, alfalfa and grass. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business, finance and insurance at Cal Poly Pomona in 1969 and his law degree at Santa Clara University in 1972. He received his master’s degree in business at Chapman University in 2001. Resich founded the Marine Mammal Care Center, which rescues marine mammals and releases them back into the environment after they are treated, and is a former founding member of the San Pedro Peninsula Hospital Foundation.

James W. Etter

Commissioner James W. Etter, representing the Fifth Supervisorial District, was appointed on August 2, 2011. He is a native of Southern California, who grew- up in the good times of the 40’s and 50’s. As a life-long advocate for youth in the L.A. County community, he has served more than 10,000 hours of community service, thought to be his finest moments. His associations include Boy Scouts of America, the United Methodist Church, YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association), American Legion, and other organizations. He is also a Decorated Vietnam Combat Veteran, serving in the Navy Air Corps.

Commissioner Etter has been a working actor for the past 60 years, and an avid Screenwriter, Lighting Technician, Studio Operations Technical Coordinator for Stephen J. Cannel Production and Aaron Spelling. Indie Films afforded him an opportunity to work as a Producer, Line Producer, Unit Production Manager, and Assistant Director. He currently works as an events planner and promoter, producing Car Shows and such venues.

Commissioner Etter has served as a Burbank Police Commissioner, a member of the Burbank Parks and Recreation Board and the L.A. County Water Appeals Board. He also served as an Administrative Assistant to State Assembly Members as well as Members of Congress, and a working advocate - Lobbyist to the state Industrial Welfare Commission.

Not indifferent to a formal education, where he has collected nine years, life in general, not college, has brought the biggest challenges and most of his learning opportunities.