2025 SMPOA BOARD

Board of Directors – Sunset Mesa Property Owners Association

The Board of Directors is the governing body of the Sunset Mesa Property Owners Association (POA). Elected by the membership, board members are all volunteers and responsible for overseeing the management, maintenance, and preservation of our community’s shared values, aesthetic standards, and long-term interests.

Key responsibilities of the Board include:

  • Enforcing the Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&Rs) and Bylaws

  • Overseeing the Architectural Committee (AC) and review process for home modifications

  • Managing the POA’s budget, financials, and vendor contracts

  • Developing and updating policies that protect property values, view preservation, and neighborhood harmony

  • Facilitating transparent communication between the POA and homeowners

  • Responding to community concerns and helping resolve disputes when necessary

The Board meets regularly and encourages all members to participate, provide feedback, and stay engaged in community matters. Through thoughtful leadership, we strive to maintain Sunset Mesa as a safe, beautiful, and vibrant place to live.

Jonathan Markiles

HOA President & Treasurer

Jonathan has lived in Sunset Mesa since 1996 and raised two children here. His sister and his nephew are both also homeowners in the community. Jonathan retired after a career founding and running an advertising technology company.  He and his wife are both dog lovers and one of the things he misses most is walking his dogs in the early evening and chatting with friends and neighbors out and about.  He and his wife are rebuilding and can’t wait to come home.

Lisa Larkin

Board Secretary

Lisa brings a diverse background that blends administrative experience in a landscape design firm with a formal education in fine art. Her passion lies in enhancing community spaces through thoughtful, sustainable design and is particularly interested in California native gardening and environmentally sustainable building practices that reflect our coastal environment and preserve its natural beauty. Lisa is committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen community engagement and promote responsible stewardship of our shared landscape.

Chris Plummer

Architecture Committee Liaison

We have strong determination, momentum and chemistry as a board and it’s great to see that reflected in the rebuild progress across Sunset Mesa. There is no doubt that our community is on a credible path to recovery now. I believe this board will secure that outcome and find more ways to make the rebuild process smooth and rewarding for the entire community.”

Chris has focused on improving the workflows and communication between the association and its members as it relates to the fire rebuild process and other matters that intersect with the Architectural Committee. He created most of the rebuild progress reports shared over the past year and authored many of the documents and guides to help SMPOA members achieve AC approvals for their fire rebuilds. Most recently, Chris supported the AC and Board’s adoption of LiDAR as a tool for understanding pre-fire elevations.

Chris is a 30-year veteran of the video game industry where he learned to drive solutions to complex problems involving diverse stakeholders - all in the interest of serving a passionate audience.  He now applies that mindset to the SMPOA Board as we work together to rebuild our community. Chris appreciates Chris and his family are among the newer residents of Sunset Masa after admiring its picturesque qualities for decades prior to making the move. 

Chip Bailey

Board Member

Howard Gould

Board Member

Howard Gould.jpg

Howard Gould practices commercial law in Santa Monica with an emphasis on real estate matters and corporate, partnership and LLC governance disputes. He served on numerous boards and in a variety of community service activities over the years including the Pacific Palisades Community Council, the Palisades-Malibu YMCA, 18 years on school governance councils in the LAUSD, and many others. He also currently serves on the Executive Committees of real estate groups putting on educational programs, including the Beverly Hills Bar Association Real Estate Section.

Jennifer Betka

Board Member

Jennifer and her family are new to Sunset Mesa, having closed on their home on January 7th, the day of the firestorm and is deeply committed to this community and excited to contribute to its future.

Over the years, Jennifer has owned and improved homes in both California and New York, developing a strong appreciation for thoughtful property stewardship, design, and the factors that create lasting value. Professionally, she has spent her career helping organizations identify their unique strengths, adapt to changing environments, and build relevance for the future.

Jennifer is particularly passionate about sustainability and responsible land stewardship.

Gary Greene

Vice President

Gary has lived in Sunset Mesa since 2010 and been an active member of our new board developing relationships with all our neighborhood HOA’s & Utilities  & Park Depts. etc in order to receive  input from all sources to expedite the rebuilding process for all our neighbors. Gary along with his family, manages and develops properties throughout the country from California to Florida.
Gary is the CEO of ESEPRINC.COM his longtime Entertainment and Sports Events and Management Firm managing high profile entertainers and athletes (Lakers,Dodgers, etc) producing and promoting corporate and charity related events nationwide.

Rahul Jain

Board Member

Rahul has enjoyed living in our beautiful Sunset Mesa for over a decade. Professionally, he is an academic AI researcher. He is looking forward to our ocean view community rebuilding and coming to back to life, even better than before.

Chip and his wife first became residents of Sunset Mesa in June of 2024. 

Alfred Tavari

Board Member

Alfred Tavari and his wife moved into Sunset Mesa in 2026. They have been married for over 40 years and have two children and two grandchildren.

Alfred’s professional background includes nearly 30 years of experience as a Licensed General Contractor and a Licensed Real Estate Broker.

He looks forward to leveraging his career expertise to serve our neighborhood.