Central Valley Herpetological Society
2013 Board Members
President, Edgar Ortega
Edgar's affinity for reptiles and amphibians started when he was a child exploring the irrigation ditches in agriculture fields around San Joaquin County. His interest resurfaced during college where he explored the Napa Valley photographing the various amphibians and reptiles of the area. He has also been keeping reptiles for over a decade. While he enjoys pet herps, Edgar most enjoys spending time out field herping throughout the year.
He enjoys bringing reptile people together and creating a place where the experience of each hobbyist, field herper, herpetologist, and herp-lover can be greatly enriched through CVHS. Since establishing Central Valley Herpetological Society in 2010, Edgar has helped it quickly become one of the largest and most active herp societies in the United States.
Edgar has also served as an officer with the San Francisco Bay Area Tarantula Society, and he is the founder of California Bug Club, a group for invertebrate keepers and bug-lovers throughout Northern California.
He enjoys bringing reptile people together and creating a place where the experience of each hobbyist, field herper, herpetologist, and herp-lover can be greatly enriched through CVHS. Since establishing Central Valley Herpetological Society in 2010, Edgar has helped it quickly become one of the largest and most active herp societies in the United States.
Edgar has also served as an officer with the San Francisco Bay Area Tarantula Society, and he is the founder of California Bug Club, a group for invertebrate keepers and bug-lovers throughout Northern California.
Vice President, Chad Lane
Chad Lane is a talented photographer and avid field herper with a passion for California's native herpetofauna, as well as the world of monitor lizards. Chad has always had an interest in reptiles, and spends much of his free time and funds on herping trips photographing reptiles and amphibians of the United States.
Secretary, Sue Anderson
Having kept reptiles for over a decade, Sue first got into herps when she and her family moved to her current house in Ripon where they would find critters in the yard (gopher snakes, cal kings, alligator lizards, fence lizards, etc) due to close proximity to the river. She began researching reptiles as pets due to her allergies.
Sue currently keeps about fourty pet reptiles, including ball pythons, womas, a green tree python, Japanese ratsnakes, Brooks kings, prairie kings, a rosy boa, crested geckos, a leopard gecko,and more. She breeds her pet ball pythons, woma pythons, rosy boas, and crested geckos, but her ball pythons are her favorites.
Sue has been involved with CVHS from the beginning, and she enjoys the group because we have a lot of fun, and she likes meeting new hobbyists in the area.
Sue currently keeps about fourty pet reptiles, including ball pythons, womas, a green tree python, Japanese ratsnakes, Brooks kings, prairie kings, a rosy boa, crested geckos, a leopard gecko,and more. She breeds her pet ball pythons, woma pythons, rosy boas, and crested geckos, but her ball pythons are her favorites.
Sue has been involved with CVHS from the beginning, and she enjoys the group because we have a lot of fun, and she likes meeting new hobbyists in the area.
Treasurer, Danielle Cope
Danielle got into herps when she met her fiance, Chad Lane and discovered the world of reptiles and amphibians. Being thrown into this new world, she learned to love the animals. Frogs have ended up being her current favorites.
She most appreciates the education work that CVHS does, and she enjoys seeing everyone learn through the organization.
She most appreciates the education work that CVHS does, and she enjoys seeing everyone learn through the organization.
Adoptions Coordinator, Karen Mendoza
Karen developed a love for reptiles when her husband began keeping them as pets. Fourteen years, later, they share an impressive well-kept collection, including ball pythons, corn snakes, boas, bearded dragons, savannah monitors, tortoises, turtles, frogs & toads, crested geckos, and uromastyx. She also recently began keeping tarantulas and breeding several different types of feeders.
Karen loves CVHS because it allows her to be around so many great knowledgeable people that share her interests. As our Adoptions Coordinator, Karen helps rehabilitate rescued and surrendered animals and helps find them knowledgeable forever-homes.
Karen loves CVHS because it allows her to be around so many great knowledgeable people that share her interests. As our Adoptions Coordinator, Karen helps rehabilitate rescued and surrendered animals and helps find them knowledgeable forever-homes.
Jr. Club Coordinator and Conservation Officer, Carla Boehmer
Carla began keeping reptiles after being gifted a snake. From then on, she began discovering different species she loves. With so many different species with various colors and patterns available, she compares "snake shopping" to shoe or jewelry shopping as she finds so many species visually beautiful. She now maintains a modest collection of twenty-four snakes, with her kingsnakes being her favorites.
Over the past year, Carla also developed a love for field herping. Having found and photographed most of the snake species in our region, she hopes to cross more species off her list this next season.
Carla Ioves all the great friendships she has discovered through CVHS and the fun and learning that comes in being involved with such a great group. As a teacher, she has also enjoyed sharing her love of reptiles and amphibians with her students.
Over the past year, Carla also developed a love for field herping. Having found and photographed most of the snake species in our region, she hopes to cross more species off her list this next season.
Carla Ioves all the great friendships she has discovered through CVHS and the fun and learning that comes in being involved with such a great group. As a teacher, she has also enjoyed sharing her love of reptiles and amphibians with her students.
Conservation Officer, Tisha McLeister
Tisha has always loved any kind of living thing, and herps are by far the most interesting. She's been keeping herps since childhood--beginning with frogs and tadpoles, then to lizards in middle school. In high school Tisha decided to overcome her fear of snakes, and she ended up with her first pet ball python.
She now keeps a variety of reptiles, including ball pythons, gopher snakes, California kingsnakes, boas, bearded dragons, savannah monitors, Colombian tegus, green ameivas, asian water monitors, and geckos.
Tisha loves all the people she meets through CVHS and says it is absolutely awesome to find individuals who are interested in the same crazy stuff she loves.
She now keeps a variety of reptiles, including ball pythons, gopher snakes, California kingsnakes, boas, bearded dragons, savannah monitors, Colombian tegus, green ameivas, asian water monitors, and geckos.
Tisha loves all the people she meets through CVHS and says it is absolutely awesome to find individuals who are interested in the same crazy stuff she loves.
Sergeant-at-Arms, John Mendoza
John began keeping pet reptiles because they were something different and offered him an opportunity to keep more exotic animals. He has been keeping herps for fourteen years, and has been out chasing wild herps since he was twelve-years-old. He currently maintains a large collection of snakes, lizards, frogs, turtles, and tortoises.
A big guy with an even bigger heart--John works with his wife, Karen, to rehabilitate and adopt out rescued herps through the CVHS adoptions program.
John enjoys being a part of CVHS because he likes educating the public about reptiles.
A big guy with an even bigger heart--John works with his wife, Karen, to rehabilitate and adopt out rescued herps through the CVHS adoptions program.
John enjoys being a part of CVHS because he likes educating the public about reptiles.
Sergeant-at-Arms, Johnny Snezek
Johnny always wanted a snake, but he lived with people who were afraid of them. He had forgotten how much he had loved reptiles when he was younger. One day, he was at a pet store killing some time, and he asked to hold one of the baby ball pythons. Immediately, all the fun memories came flooding back. Luckily, his wife isn’t afraid of snakes, so she didn’t mind him keeping one as a pet--nor the twenty-three that followed! He also keeps a few tortoises.
Johnny enjoys his pet ball pythons, with all of their different patterns and colors, but he has the most fun interacting with his hog-nosed snakes. He loves their little tough-guy attitudes.
His favorite part about CVHS is all the great new friends that he has made, and he has a great time at our monthly meetings.
Johnny enjoys his pet ball pythons, with all of their different patterns and colors, but he has the most fun interacting with his hog-nosed snakes. He loves their little tough-guy attitudes.
His favorite part about CVHS is all the great new friends that he has made, and he has a great time at our monthly meetings.
Sergeant-at-Arms, Adam Ortega
What got Adam into herps?? One word---DINOSAURS! Since he can't keep dinosaurs, he figured the next best things are reptiles! He can't recall a time he hasn't had a snake, lizard, or amphibian in his home. Adam has been chasing reptiles and amphibians all his life. He's even been hit by a car while out chasing herps. Wow that explains a lot!
He currently keeps carpet pythons, blood pythons, ball pythons, Dumeril's boas, sand boas, red-tailed boas, rainbow boas,. an Arizona mountain kingsnake, a California king, a Pacific gopher snake, a Western hog-nosed snake, bearded dragons and a blue-tongued skink.
What does Adam like most about CVHS? -- all the people! He and his wife, Janet, have made so many wonderful friends by being a part of CVHS.
He currently keeps carpet pythons, blood pythons, ball pythons, Dumeril's boas, sand boas, red-tailed boas, rainbow boas,. an Arizona mountain kingsnake, a California king, a Pacific gopher snake, a Western hog-nosed snake, bearded dragons and a blue-tongued skink.
What does Adam like most about CVHS? -- all the people! He and his wife, Janet, have made so many wonderful friends by being a part of CVHS.