Art Ballard, President (2025 – 2026)
Steve Lightstone, Treasurer (2022-2024) (2024-2026)
Jennifer Ragan, Secretary (2024-2026)
Lauren Goff, Board Member (2025 – 2026)
Erle Hall, Board Member (2025 – 2026)
Mark Portuondo, Board Member (2025 – 2026)
Zane Rice, Board Member (2025-2026)
New Board Member Biographies
- Art Ballard – I have lived in the Pocket Area 3 different times in my life. My recent tenure started in 2009 to the present. I love being near the river and think we have one of the most beautiful and well-maintained neighborhoods in the region. I spent part of my childhood in the foothills in a small town called Rescue Pop 1200. I went to Jr high and HS in El Dorado County and left just after HS. I played basketball all through grade school, junior high, high school, and junior college which is why you will notice I walk with a slight limp on occasion. I have 4 kids, 3 girls and 1 boy. The girls are all grown and on their own and my son graduates from McClatchy this year. He attended Matsuyama for his grade school years.
I have two cats, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Gwyneth Paltrow, that we rescued from Placer SPCA as tiny bottle babies. We also have 3 chickens, Henny Penny, Cindy Crawford, and Princess Gracie. My son actually got some fertilized eggs from a rancher friend and hatched these girls along with some noisy roosters that got us in trouble with our HOA! - Lauren Goff – I have lived in the Pocket Greenhaven since I was 3 years old and have attended most of the schools in the area as they opened one by one. Martin Luther King Jr., Lisbon, Matsuyama, Goethe, Didion, and JFK where I met my husband while playing volleyball. Now we live with our 7-year-old son Atlas, dogs Loomis and Penny, and 3 chickens Siri, Rona, and Alexa. I am a Program Manager for Medtronic and love to ride my bike around the neighborhood. I look forward to meeting many of you and increasing our membership! I love all our beautiful trees and parks. An interesting fact: I was once a mermaid at the Dive Bar for a one night only performance for charity!
- Erle Hall – originally from the mid-Atlantic region and first came to California to attend a satellite campus of the Defense Language Institute at the Presidio of San Francisco while in the Army. Nearly ten years later, he returned to California to join his wife at Travis Air Force Base. They lived several places in California including Lompoc and San Pedro before settling in Sacramento in 2006 and enrolling their daughter in transitional kindergarten here. Erle has worked as an education professional for the state in career education for several years after having worked in the intelligence community and defense contracting for lead agencies and fortune 500 companies on the east coast. He enjoys the cultural richness of our community and state and the opportunity to experience many different events locally and within a short drive. On his days off, you will likely find him watching the Oregon Ducks on TV or at Autzen Stadium. Erle’s favorite thing about our community is the diversity and openness of the people. Some interesting facts about Erle are that he studied abroad in Wales and Seoul and that he worked at the National Security Agency, CIA, and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency.
- Steve Lightstone – I moved to the Pocket 21 years ago from Central California. I am a retired Navy Fighter Pilot and currently fly for the airlines. I really like how quiet and safe the neighborhood is. I have raised two children here and we have been active in many community groups including our church. I became involved with my local neighborhood watch after seeing an increase in local crime and homelessness. Through my involvement with my neighborhood watch, and those of adjacent neighborhoods, I became disillusioned with our city’s leadership responses to these issues, and their communication with the neighborhood. I decided to get involved with PGCA in order to highlight safety and security issues in the neighborhood, with the hope of encouraging our city leaders into more action and accountability. I enjoy riding on our beautiful bike trails, and I also enjoy walking my dogs on the non-bike trail portions of the levee. I have been a member of the PGCA for many years and have served as the treasurer since 2022.
- Mark Portuondo – I was born and raised in Salinas, California. After graduating high school, I took the scenic route through various community colleges in the Central Coast before finishing my undergraduate and graduate studies in San Francisco, where I met my wife. I have lived in the Pocket-Greenhaven area since 2019, and am raising two daughters and coaching their soccer (Lady Bandits) and softball (Pocket Takis) teams. I really love the local community activities like the farmers market, Trucks and Such, and the St. Anthony’s Parish Community and Cultural festival. I have been the chair of the PGCA scholarship committee for the past three years, and am really hoping that we can further grow the program with additional support from local businesses. I also hope that we can coordinate and collaborate with other local community organizations in an effort to highlight the PGCA and keep growing membership. Outside of my dad, work, and coach duties, I also am on the board of the Pocket Girls Softball league, and will no doubt be reminding PGCA members about signing up their daughters and granddaughters for Spring softball ! Interesting fact: I grew up riding horses and competing in Rodeos throughout California, and spent my summers working on a Gustine horse ranch. My mom had a strict rule that my siblings and I couldn’t get our drivers license until we hauled a truck and horse trailer over Pacheco Pass (Hwy 152) during the day, night, and in the rain. My older brother couldn’t get his license for a while due to the 1990 California Drought!
- Jennifer Ragan – I was born in New York City but my family moved to Sacramento in 1973. I grew up in the Arden Arcade area but have lived in the Pocket-Greenhaven area since 1997. I am a parent to a 22-year old son who is currently attending college out of state. I love the sense of community that exists in the Pocket-Greenhaven area. I am a sports fan and was very involved in the local baseball, soccer and basketball leagues during my son’s playing days. I even played soccer in a local co-ed league for a few years until it was clear that I could not keep up with the 20 year olds.
- Zane Rice – Zane Rice is a communications and strategy professional who joined the Pocket-Greenhaven neighborhood in 2023, when he and his partner Shoshana purchased their first home. As a Southern California transplant, Zane feels a strong connection to the area—not just through homeownership, but through Shoshana’s deep roots in the neighborhood, where she grew up and where her parents still live. With a background in public affairs, advocacy, and civic engagement, Zane has worked with campaigns, community organizations, and nonprofits to help people get involved, stay informed, and make their voices heard. He brings this experience to PGCA to help keep Pocket-Greenhaven thriving. Zane is proud to call the neighborhood home and looks forward to working alongside other residents to help strengthen and sustain what makes it so special.