(L-R) Scott Honeychurch, Mary Jo Ashby and Joseph Vogel have joined The Orinda Association’s Board of Directors. Honeychurch and Ashby, both Wilder residents, bring extensive experience in neighborhood leadership and community volunteerism, while Vogel, a recent Orinda resident, has served with the association’s Seniors Around Town program as a volunteer and Ride Program Coordinator.
For more than eight decades, The Orinda Association (OA) has served as one of the city’s leading volunteer organizations, bringing residents together to preserve and enhance the quality of life in Orinda.
Now, The OA welcomes three new members to its Board of Directors: Mary Jo Ashby, Scott Honeychurch and Joseph Vogel.
Ashby and Honeychurch, both Wilder residents, were nominated by Kathy Cordova, a Wilder resident and former executive editor of The Orinda News, who recognized their longstanding commitment to community service and neighborhood leadership.
Joining them is Vogel, new to Orinda, whose volunteer work with the Association’s Seniors Around Town program, has already made a meaningful impact on local residents.
Mary Jo Ashby
Ashby and her family relocated to Orinda from Madison, Wis., in 2014, becoming one of the first families to settle in the Wilder neighborhood. She has watched the community grow while building lasting friendships and becoming deeply involved in local volunteer efforts.
A retired emergency department registered nurse at John Muir Medical Center, Ashby brings decades of experience working under pressure, solving problems and caring for others.
Her skills translate naturally into community service, serving as a Wilder Block Captain, CERT member, Emergency Preparedness Committee volunteer and Wilder Security Committee chair.
It’s community that makes Orinda home to Ashby.
“Neighbors look out for one another, people volunteer, and when challenges arise, residents step up to help,” she said.
She values how neighbors support one another and volunteer their time and she hopes to help strengthen those community connections while promoting emergency preparedness, public safety and volunteerism.
Ashby also encourages residents to attend community events, share ideas and simply get to know their neighbors.
Outside of volunteering, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Mark, and their two adult sons, hiking, running, birding, traveling, cooking and bringing loved ones around the table.
Scott Honeychurch
Honeychurch brings professional expertise and neighborhood leadership to the board. A fifth-generation San Francisco native, he moved to Orinda from Danville in 2018, though his family’s ties to the city go back decades through grandparents who settled in Sleepy Hollow after leaving Berkeley in the ‘60s.
Growing up in a military family, he lived in nine places before graduating high school, experiences he said taught him to build relationships quickly and value different perspectives.
Professionally, Honeychurch owns a building materials company specializing in high-end windows and doors.
He served as president of the Wilder homeowners association, helping establish long-term goals for one of Orinda’s newest neighborhoods.
Honeychurch said joining The OA is a way to give back to a community he values. He encourages civic engagement, supports local businesses and inspires residents to get involved. His guiding philosophy is, “Leave the planet in better shape than it was when you arrived.”
Outside of work, he enjoys skiing, snowboarding, hiking and restoring cars.
“My car addiction,” said Honeychurch, who is also chair of this year’s Orinda Classic Car Show, “was passed down from my father, who never said ‘no’ when I dragged home more project cars than I could ever finish.”
Joseph Vogel
Vogel is passionate about community service and brings years of operational experience to the board after first becoming involved as a volunteer with Seniors Around Town (SAT).
He began volunteering with SAT in September 2025 and said seeing its impact on local seniors inspired him to deepen his involvement. Since February 2026, he’s worked part time as the Ride Program Coordinator, helping connect volunteer drivers with riders.
Born in Erie, Penn., Vogel moved to California in 2002 and settled in Orinda with his wife in 2024 after spending 13 years in neighboring Lafayette, stating “We absolutely love the Lamorinda area.”
Vogel has spent much of his career coordinating projects and bringing together diverse groups to achieve shared goals. Those skills will help the board address the needs of residents, volunteers and the organization while supporting the association’s continued growth.
Whether attending local events, staying informed through community news or volunteering to drive a senior to an appointment, Vogel said every contribution strengthens the community.
“I’m grateful to Eloise Sotelo’s mentorship as I’ve become more involved with The OA,” he said, “and have really come to appreciate how this community shows up for itself.”
In his free time, Vogel said he enjoys hiking throughout Lamorinda, exploring the Bay Area, reading and spending time with his cats, Tinsel and Halloween.