Dr. Gil Ontai is a university dean, professor, architect, urban planner, and civic leader with more than 30 years of experience in higher education and community engagement. He previously served on the California Citizens Redistricting Commission and played a key role in creating the Gaslamp Quarter Historic District Ordinance, the Asian/Pacific Thematic Historic District, and the Center City Master Plan as a city planning commissioner and downtown redevelopment board director. Dr. Ontai is also a decorated Air Force veteran who served in the Strategic Air Command, Office of Inspector General.

Dr. Ontai has served on numerous nonprofit, civic, and multicultural boards, including the Neighborhood House Association, San Diego Chamber of Commerce, and Union of Pan Asian Communities. He also co-chaired the establishment of the San Diego–Yantai Sister City relationship and currently serves in leadership roles with the Kanaka Davis Trust Group, Pacific American Education and Scholastic Foundation, Pacific Islander Festival Association, and the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation as the current board president.

Brian is a native San Diegan who is now a

historic architect specializing in preservation with
Heritage Architecture and Planning, the firm

founded by Wayne Donaldson.   A graduate of Notre Dame and the Rome Studies Program, his interest in the Gaslamp Quarter spans the many years he has been involved in preservation projects in San
Diego.  His work as an architect with museums includes the House of Hospitality and San Diego Air and Space Museum in Balboa Park and the Naval Training Center rehabilitation. Brian is interested in working the with GQHF and Land Use and Planning Committee “to maintain the character and feeling of the District for future San Diegans.”

Matt Fitzsimons has lived in San Diego for more
than 25 years and is the author of two books
about the colonization of the Southwest,
The Counterfeiters of Bosque Redondo (History Press, 2022) and The Sons of Gunshooter: A Navajo Resistance Story (University of Arizona Press, March 2026).

Nancy Strauss is a descendant of Robert Grimes
Davis, brother of William Heath Davis. She is a 
San Diego native, attended K-12th in Chula Vista,
and is an alumnus of San Diego State University. She does research with the archive curator of the Hawaiian Mission Houses and
historic site in Honolulu.
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 As a Navy wife, Nancy was  away from San Diego for many years, but have finally returned home . As  she continue her research of "New Town " San Diego visionary Wm. Heath Davis, Jr., she  look forward  to serving my community as a GQHF Board member .  

Our Community Advisory Board offers valuable input to our programs, outreach and the future of the Gaslamp Quarter Historic Foundation.

Sean Martin is a Software Engineer and

San Diego transplant. Since moving to San Diego in 2019, Sean has held a passion for the storied streets of Downtown San Diego. Sean started volunteering at the GQHF museum by giving walking tours. His favorite story in the Gaslamp District is the Acme Saloon.

Karen Lacy has over 18 years of museum and

writing experience as well as a Master’s degree
in Museum Science, a Master’s degree in

Anthropology, and a Bachelor’s in History with minors in Art History and Anthropology.  As Co-Founder and Cultural Object Specialist of Muse Curatorial Consulting Group, Ms. Lacy helps clients care for the objects they love.  She is also an Adjunct Lecturer in San Diego Community College District’s Anthropology Department.  All of
these combine her love of anthropology, history, collection care, and teaching. For the past 18 years she has worked, volunteered, and interned at a number of museums including history, art, science/technology, and anthropology museums including the Silent Wings Museum, San Diego Air & Space Museum, the San Diego Museum of Man, the California Archaeological Site
Stewardship Program as well as the Board of Directors for the Society for California Archaeology.

Bob Crawford is part Native Hawaiian on his
mother's side, born and raised in San Diego.
In 1994, he was a member of the Hokulea
Steering Committee which has grown into the Pacific Islander Festival of San Diego. Currently he is a member of the William Heath Trust Group. Part of Bob's Kuleana within the group is to portray Kanaka Bill from the 1800s, in order to share his story from his perspective.

Our Community Advisory Board offers valuable input to our programs, outreach and the future of the Gaslamp Quarter Historic Foundation.