Doug DeFrees
Doug DeFrees is retired from a career as a computational chemist, research software engineer, and technology coordinator working for several universities, NASA, and IBM Research. He has a history of community involvement including volunteer positions with The Tech Interactive, Boy Scouts, YMCA, American Red Cross, City of San Jose, MOUSE Squad of California, Silicon Valley Education Foundation, Molecular Research Institute, and the Sierra Club.
Doug first became involved with Destination Imagination in 1991 as an Appraiser. He has appraised in almost every Region of California and at Global Finals. He has been a Challenge Master at the regional and state levels, an active member of the Silicon Valley Regional Operating Committee, the International and California webmaster, an original member of the DI Scholarship Committee, member of committees at the State and International levels, and is a long-time participant in the DI Team Challenge writing process.
Kathy Folk
Kathy Folk is a board certified pediatrician practicing in the Los Angeles area since finishing her residency at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Kathy has been involved in creative problem solving programs for well over 20 years beginning as an 8 year Team Manager for her 3 sons’ teams. As an advocate for children and realizing how life changing Destination Imagination had been for her sons, she stayed involved hoping to bring the program to as many California students as possible. Her roles over the years have included Regional and Affiliate Challenge Master, Appraiser, Regional Director for the LA-DI Land region and Affiliate Board Member. She currently serves as Vice-Chair for California Destination Imagination Board.
Jim McCarthy
Jim McCarthy had a 35 year career in software development on two coasts and one state in-between, in 2 Fortune 100 companies, a university, and 2 Silicon Valley startup companies. He worked as a programmer, team leader, quality engineer, and coach/consultant for software engineering practices. “Mostly retired”, Jim counsels clients in ACA and Medicare health insurance. Jim graduated from Saint Louis University in Mathematics and Georgia Tech with a M.S. in Information and Computer Sciences.
Jim started his DI life as a volunteer for his older daughter’s OM team, continuing as a DI team manager for both daughters’ teams over 7 years. Meanwhile, he took up score room work for 12 years in Silicon Valley, soon as the Regional Challenge Master, eventually as the California Affiliate Challenge Master. Jim was the SV Tournament Director for 4 years and the California ACM Coordinator. In 2008, he joined the California DI Board where he meddled in documents, web sites, the registration application, Bylaws, and policies. In 2018, he became Secretary of the Board.
Jim resides in his native Saint Louis. While serving on the CalDI Board, he assists in score rooms and appraising for the Missouri DI affiliate.