Our Board
The 23-24 CBSOA Board of Directors is proud to serve our members!
President
Travis Vessells
I was born in La Jolla, Ca and moved to Orange County where I grew up and enjoyed playing baseball. I worked construction prior to being hired by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in 2003. After graduating the academy, I was assigned to the Colorado River Station and fell in love with boating. I began working boat patrol overtime a lot and was eventually assigned to the Marine enforcement unit in 2016. After two promotions, I am currently the Sergeant of the unit and enjoy teaching the boat accident class and inland boat operator class for Division of Boating and Waterways. I look forward to serving CBSOA members as President of the association.
Vice President
Billy Poe
I enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2000, 5 days after graduating high school. I was stationed in Alaska, North Carolina, Las Vegas and Phoenix. I specialized in munition systems/ordinance. In 2001, I deployed 6 weeks after 9/11 and was the first air combat command in country for operation enduring freedom. I Started my career in 2008 with Mohave County Sheriff’s Office and was assigned to patrol, waterways, and dive team. I was hired by San Bernardino Country Sheriff’s Department in 2014 and was assigned to patrol, marine enforcement, and did 4 years on the dive team. During my tenure, I have had the opportunity to follow my passion to work the waterways of Lake Havasu and the Colorado River. My true passion is working the waterways, focusing on bui/dui investigation and I have made in excess of 500 arrests for bui/dui. I became an instructor for division of boating and waterways in 2016 for bui and 2017 for inland boat operator. I am currently the lead instructor for bui with Dbw. CBSOA is a great organization and I look forward to helping CBSOA continue to be successful for years to come.”
Treasurer
Amy Roussell
Sergeant Amy Roussell has been with Madera County Sheriff’s Office since 2007. 12 of those years she has been assigned to the Boat Operations unit. Amy is currently the Sergeant of the Boat Unit and High-Country areas of Madera County. This unit was once only a seasonal position in the summer months patrolling mainly on Bass Lake from May to September. In the fall and winter months Amy worked beat patrol in the mountain division of Madera County as a Deputy Sheriff and promoted to Corporal and Field Training Officer in 2017. The unit boat became a full-time operation in 2021. Amy is currently a Drug Recognition Expert and has attended the Basic Maritime Officers Course, Boating Under the Influence, and Boating and Accident Investigation courses taught by DBW. Prior to Madera County, Amy was a Police Officer with Los Angeles Police Department from 1999 to 2007, assigned to Hollywood and Southwest Division. Amy grew up on Bass Lake as a child in the summertime and loves boating and all water related activities. She has been a member of CBSOA since 2017 and is honored to serve as the Treasurer for CBSOA.
Secretary
Braden Todaro
I grew up on the Central Coast in San Luis Obispo, California. Not long after graduating High School I enlisted in the United States Coast Guard. My first assignment was aboard the USCG Cutter Sherman, a 378’ high endurance cuter. After numerous Bering Sea Patrols, a Persian Gulf deployment, circumnavigating the globe and Central and South American patrols, and numerous line crossing ceremonies I was assigned to the USCG Cutter Point Brower where I conducted Homeland Security Patrols in the San Francisco Bay. Following my assignment on the Point Brower I received orders to USCG Station San Francisco. At Station San Francisco I primarily conducted homeland security missions, search and rescue and recreational boating law enforcement. Shortly after being honorably discharged from the USCG, I was hired by the San Francisco Police Department. I began my career with the SFPD in the Tenderloin District, completed probation in the Ingleside District and then was assigned to the Taraval District. I transferred to the SFPD Marine Unit in 2015. At the SFPD Marine Unit we respond to a wide variety of calls and are responsible for the 64 square miles of water adjacent to San Francisco which includes the Farallon Islands. In 2019 I became a CBSOA Central Director and in 2020 I was appointed the Secretary for the organization. Being a member of CBSOA has allowed me to meet other boating safety professionals from around the state and expand my knowledge and experience in the process. The CBSOA is an amazing organization that has expanded boating safety for all and provided a wealth of resources for all the boating safety officers throughout the state.
Director at Large/ Scholarship lead
Tracy Hild
Tracy Hild, originally from Campbell California, moved to southern California in 1985 to attend Cal State Northridge on a swimming scholarship. She graduated in 1992 with a Liberal Arts degree and was going to be a teacher, but lifeguarding was her passion, so she decided to make a career out of it. She became a Los Angeles County Lake Lifeguard at Castaic Lake in 1987. In 1990 she promoted to Patrol Boat Officer/ Senior Lake Lifeguard and was trained in various Boating Safety Classes, PC 832, EMT, Incident Command and has her Vessel for Hire license. Tracy was a member of the Los Angeles County Dive team for 11 years and graduated as Outstanding graduate from the Los Angeles County's Underwater Instructor Candidate Course back in 1995. She continues to teach SCUBA to this day. Tracy moved up the ranks and was the first women Lake Manager at Castaic Lake. She oversaw all operations for the largest lake and recreation area in Los Angeles County. Tracy recently retired on February 22, 2022. She continues to consult with the LA County Department of Parks and Recreation as an Administrative Services Manager I. She continues to be actively involved in CBSOA and recently established the CBSOA scholarship program. Tracy was President of the LA County Lake Lifeguard Association for 6 years, where she represented lifeguard on labor issues, negotiated salaries and lobbied in Sacramento on various legislation issues. She was a member of CBSOA in the mid 1990's and has currently joined again to represent the Lake Lifeguard community and the inland water Boating Safety Officers. Tracy believes the CBSOA organization was developed to represent ALL agencies that work as Patrol Boat Operators: Police, Lifeguard, Fire Fighter or Coast Guard. Tracy has been on the CBSOA Board since 2016 and is proud to represent not only the Southern Section waters of CBSOA, but the whole organization.
Training Director
Eric Blackard
Eric Blackard grew up going to the Colorado River with his parents and grand parents since a young age and the river has always been a special place to him. Eric started his law enforcement career in 2015 with San Bernardino County Sheriff's and his first assignment was to High Desert Detention Center. Eric transferred to patrol in 2016 and worked at the Victor Valley Station for two years. Eric transferred to the Colorado River Station in April of 2018 with no knowledge of the departments Marine Enforcement Unit. Eric began working overtime shifts on the Marine Enforcement Unit in the summer of 2019 and fell in love with it. Eric spent as much time as he could working with the Marine Enforcement Unit and signed up for all of the DBW training classes. In 2020, Eric went to the Marine Enforcement Unit as a full time Boating Deputy and Rescue Diver.
In 2022, Eric was brought on by DBW as an instructor for Inland Boat Operator and Boat Accident Investigation Training. Eric led the state in 2020 and 2021 for the most BUI arrests and has received multiple MADD awards. Eric believes BUI enforcement is a critical part in keeping the waterways safe and the proactive response of their Marine Enforcement Unit has greatly impacted boater safety in their area.
Eric is grateful to be the Training Director for CBSOA and looks forward to meeting people from different agencies to share knowledge and training. Eric believes networking is key to the future of marine enforcement and CBSOA is one of the best tools for it.
Legislative Director
Doug Powell
Doug Powell served 8 years in the U.S. Army Infantry before attending the police academy in 1990 and joining the Contra Costa Sheriff Office. Doug has been involved in boating safety since 1998 when he was assigned to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Marine Unit where he served as a deputy, sergeant, and manager of the unit throughout his career. Doug became involved in California’s abandoned vessel issues and spear headed Contra Costa’s abandoned vessel Mooring and Sanitation ordinance that was responsible for the clean-up of miles of Contra Costa waterways, the ordinance became a model for northern California. Doug worked on several legislation bills making it easier to remove abandoned vessels in the State such as (V-TIP) California’s Vessel Turn in Program. Doug has been an instructor for the Division of Boating and Waterways teaching Accident Investigation, Boating under the Influence, and Inland Boat Officers Training.
Doug Co-Chaired the State Sheriff’s Boating and Watercraft Safety Committee and co-authored several successful boating safety bills for the California Legislature. Doug worked on California’s Mandatory Education Bill, which was highlighted in the Bay Area media, and selected for the (TAG) Technical Advisory Group for the new “vessel operator card”. Doug continued his efforts in boating safety and teaching till he retired in 2014.
Doug continues to work for the Sheriff’s Marine Patrol on a “Per Diem” basis, and teaching for DBW. Doug also proctors the California “For Hire License” program for the Division of Boating and Waterways. He works closely with commercial operators on inland waterways to insure they are operating in compliance with California Boating Regulations for the safety of passengers. Doug is licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard and holds a commercial 100 ton near costal license for the past 14 years. Doug serves in the appointed position of Legislative Director to insure CBSOA’s interests to promote Boating Safety in The State of California are being met.
Northern Director
Mark Levindofske
I began my law enforcement career in 1995 as a Reserve Deputy for the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office. I became a full time Deputy in 1997.
I have worked in the Jail, Transportation, School Resource Officer, and Patrol. In 2007, I was promoted to Sergeant and worked as a Patrol Sergeant until 2013. I spent two years as the Detective Sergeant and
then returned to Patrol in 2015. In 2013, I attended the Boating Safety course and became one of our Boating Safety Officers. From 2013
– 2018, I worked with the Boating Unit on my days off when they needed additional help. I took over as the Boating Safety Unit Sergeant in 2019.
2023 I was elected as a Northern Director for the CBSOA. I am proud to be on the board and represent the Northern part of the state.
Northern Director
Rob Sandbloom
Lieutenant Rob Sandbloom Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, Office of Emergency Services. As the OES Lieutenant, I manage our county OES and all the teams under the OES Division, to include, Boating Safety Unit, Search and Rescue, Dive Team, EOD, HNT, and SWAT.
Prior to the promotion of lieutenant, I was the Boating Safety Sergeant, supervising full time and seasonal deputies. I have worked in BSU since 2009 and joined the CBSOA the same year. I am a lifetime member of CBSOA. I have had the Basic Boating, Basic Accident, BUI, ARIDE and SFST classes. I also teach the Inland Boating Operations & the Basic Accident classes. I was also the SAR & Dive Coordinator for Shasta County. I was also a member of the All-Terrain Motorcycle Unit. I spent 4 years in the Marine Corps. I was in the Infantry, a Military Police, a Parachute Rigger and a Combat Water Safety Swimmer in the Marine Corps.
I look forward to being one of the Northern Directors for CBSOA and an instructor for DBW, bringing professional and standardized training to boating officers in California.
Executive Director
Jen Spearel
Corporal Jennifer Spearel grew up on the east coast and has extensive experience in recreational sailing. She moved to San Diego in 1996 and worked at the San Diego Maritime Museum where she had the unique opportunity to sail aboard the historical sailing vessel The Star of India.
Jennifer has been employed as an officer with the San Diego Harbor Police since 2002. In addition to patrol duties, she is a vessel trainer and boat school instructor for the Harbor Police. Jennifer became a member of the vessel collision investigation team after attending the basic and advanced vessel collision courses through NASBLA. She received certification through the USCG as a licensed captain in 2008. Jennifer has been a member of the CBSOA since 2006 and on the Board of Directors since 2012.
Central Director
Daniel Sanchez
Daniel Sanchez was born and raised in the Bay Area where he grew up spending summers on lakes and rivers in Northern California. When Daniel is not on the water, he enjoys hunting, fishing, backpacking and most of all riding dirt bikes all across the state.
Daniel started his career with the Santa Clara County Parks Department as a Park Ranger in 2016 assigned to the largest lake in Santa Clara County providing education and enforcement. Daniel has attended Inland Boating Operator, Boating Under the Influence, and Boating Accident Investigation courses and continues to research additional training courses to enhance his skills. Recently promoted to Sergeant, Daniel continues his role in the department's boating operations as a boating instructor, and conducting accident investigations.
Daniel has been a member of CBSOA since 2020 and is honored to be elected as the Central Director for CBSOA.
Southern Director
Rick Hubbard
Rick began his career in public safety in 1984 when he was hired as a Long Beach Lifeguard. Rick worked several years on the beach then was promoted to work as a deckhand on the rescue boats. After moving to the boats Rick realized he had found his passion. While lifeguarding Rick met, and married the love of his life, Adele. After graduating from UCLAwith a degree in Geography, Rick and Adele moved to Santa Barbara. Rick went to work for an environmental company but missed working on the water. In the summer of 1998 Rick was hired by Ventura Harbor Patrol and gained valuable experience during his two years with the department, including responding to the Alaskan Airline Flight 261 crash off Anacapa Island in 2000. In September of 2000 Rick was hired by the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol where he has workedfor the last 23 years. In 2002, Rick was awarded the CBSOA Officer of the Year award after responding to vessel in distress during a large winter storm with fellow SBHP Officer Martinez. Rick was a previous board member and is excited to be back on the board.
Southern Director
Alex Kahn
Alex Kahn grew up in the Channel Islands Harbor area. He grew up sailing water skiing and water ski racing on many of the California and Arizona waterways.
Alex started his law enforcement career with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department in 2006. As a deputy with San Bernardino, he worked in corrections, patrol, and in the aviation unit. "40 King!"
In 2016, Alex joined the Port of San Diego Harbor Police. With the Harbor Police he became a vessel instructor, boating accident investigator, a member of the dive team, a Bay Control Officer, and started a drone program. In 2019, he became an instructor with the Maritime Law Enforcement Training Center.
Alex has been a member of CBSOA since 2022 and is honored to be elected as the Southern Director for CBSOA.