Our People
Formed over 20 years ago, BASIC is comprised of current and past Borrego Springs residents,
most of whom are retired educators and all of whom are volunteers
committed to the success of students in this community. ​

Angela Cassidy, a lifelong resident of Indiana and a proud alumnae of Indiana University, retired after a 33 year career as Vice President and Trust Officer with JPMorgan Chase Bank. Active in her community and church as a volunteer all of her adult life she has served on several not-for-profit boards, including St. Vincent Mercy Hospital Foundation and United Way of Madison County. Angela and her husband of 40 years, Tom, began visiting Borrego Springs in the early 80’s and now call Borrego their “home away from home” from January to May. In Borrego, Angela volunteers at the elementary school and at the Borrego Art Institute and belongs to St. Barnabas Episcopal Church. Angela and Tom have two sons and two grandchildren.

Barbara Coates: I have a bachelor of science degree in teaching the deaf from Northwestern University, a masters degree in counseling from San Diego State University and an EDD in educational leadership from United States International University. I worked with San Diego Unified School District for 30 years as a teacher, counselor, principal and trainer in the area of race and human relations. With AVID, I worked evaluating programs throughout the world on preparing low income and first time students going to college. I also was on the board and co-directed a K - 12 online school. I’ve been actively involved with Borrego Springs Unified School District for many years and have been substituting in the classroom K 12 for the past several years. I have been on the BASIC board for 10 years, the last two as president.

Martha Deichler

Sharon Goldsmith

Joanne Ingwall

Caroline Manildi

Urmi Ray

Lorry Seagrim

Joann Stang is the Founder of BASIC’s Learning Academy and a founding member of BASIC. She chaired the Circle of Art for 9 years, served on the scholarship committee for 18 years and served the organization in a variety of leadership roles. Joann’s passion for support of education comes from her belief that education of all is a foundation of our democratic system. She has had leadership and management responsibility as Corporate Director for Human Resources at Solar Turbines, a Caterpillar Company, with international human resources societies and in volunteer organizations in San Diego and Michigan, her summer home.

Andrea Taylor, originally from the United Kingdom, has lived and worked in Borrego Springs since 2004. She joined the BASIC board in 2018 and is currently the scholarship chair. Andrea devotes her volunteer time to working with Borrego Springs high school students and is the founder of the high school Dream Club that focuses on helping undocumented and DACA individuals with renewals or their work permits and college scholarships.

Mary Watkins: I'm a native San Diegan and have a degree in Computer Science. I lived in the Los Angeles area for about 20 years doing systems development work for many major corporations before returning home. My first job in that area was for the Walt Disney Company. I am a mother of two and a grandmother of two and love my family. My extended family are spread out over the US and in other parts of the world. I learned to fly helicopters and got my private pilot license in 1996 and my commercial pilot license in 1998. I flew traffic helicopters on and off for several years. I now own my own real estate office in Borrego Springs in The Mall and have lived in the Anza Borrego Desert area full-time since the summer of 2004.

Borrego BASIC's Web Manager & IT Specialist remains Anonymous, like all geeky Tech Support types :-) :-)

Board of Directors: 
President: Barbara Coates
Vice-President: Angela Cassidy
Secretary: Urmi Ray
Corresponding Secretary: Joann Stang
Chief Financial Officer: Joanne Ingwall
Associate Chief Financial Officer: Mary Watkins

Chair of the Circle of Art: Angela Cassidy
Interim Chair of the Scholarship Committee: Andrea Taylor
Poster Sales Coordinator: Angela Cassidy
Members: Martha Deichler, Sharon Goldsmith, Caroline Manildi, Lorry Seagrim 
Emeritus: Anne Bogardt, Curt Yaws

Circle of Art Committee:  Chair, Angela Cassidy
Circle of Art Poster Sales Coordinator:  Angela Cassidy
Scholarship Selection Committee: Andrea Taylor;
Barbara Coates, Sharon Goldsmith, Jan Nicholas, Lorry Seagrim
Learning Academy Committee: Director, Joann Stang; Headmaster, Tim White
Fundraising Committee: Co-Chairs, Joanne Ingwall and Joann Stang
Golf Tournament Committee: Caroline Manildi;

Local Coordinator for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Program:  Ana Hernandez 
Web Manager/IT & Tech Support: Borrego Basic
Finance Committee:  Chair, Joanne Ingwall; Mary Watkins