Destination Imagination California (CALDI) manages and facilitates the Destination Imagination program throughout California.

Find Your Region!

CALDI is organized into geographic regions. Within each region, a Regional Operating Committee exists to facilitate trainings for Team Managers, execute Regional Tournaments, and other activities to support the program.

Best of the Bay

Includes Del Norte, Humboldt, Trinity, Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma, Napa, Marin, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.

Region ONE

Includes Siskiyou, Modoc, Shasta, Lassen, Tehama, Plumas, Butte, Glenn, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Sierra, Nevada, Placer, Yolo, Sacramento, El Dorado, Amador, San Joaquin, Calaveras, Alpine, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne counties.

San Joaquin Valley

Includes Mono, Mariposa, Merced, Madera, San Benito, Monterey, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, San Luis Obispo, Kern and Santa Barbara counties.

LADI Land

Includes Inyo, San Bernardino, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego and Imperial counties.

We are an all-volunteer organization comprised of people from all backgrounds who have been touched by the Destination Imagination program in some way—whether as former participants, team managers, appraisers, or parents and friends.

The CALDI Affiliate Board oversees all Regional activity to ensure consistency across California. The Affiliate Board, comprised of volunteers from each Region, also is responsible for the Destination Imagination California Affiliate Finals, the statewide tournament where the leading teams from each region showcase their solutions and compete for the chance to represent California at the annual Destination Imagination Global Finals.

Explore what CALDI believes in!

  • The mission of California Destination Imagination is to empower California students to be curious learners, courageous innovators, and inspirational leaders.

  • A California where all youth have the Courage to Imagine boldly and the Perseverance and Skills to change the world.

  • Creativity – from Imagination through Innovation.

    Apply – teamwork and collaboration, as we are better together than alone.

    Learning – lifelong and valued, through success and failure.

    Diversity – appreciate and celebrate differences, in others and in ideas.

    Integrity – beyond reproach. 

  • California Destination Imagination (CalDI) recognizes the challenges we all face in the journey to social and cultural equity, inclusion, and belonging for all people. CalDI embracesthese goals and champions them through policy, values, and practice.

    Our Vision is to give all youth the courage to imagine boldly and the perseverance and skills to change the world. To achieve our Vision for the youth we serve as well for the organization we must provide a diverse and inclusive environment in which participants and volunteers can engage and grow together. Through continued determination and focus, CalDI will function as an equitable and inclusive organization, affirming our core values of creativity, teamwork, collaboration, learning, diversity, and integrity. It is only when we apply the diverse skills of everyone that we can be at our best to help to change the world.

    Our core program, Destination Imagination, promotes teamwork, collaboration, and acceptance. Our collective collaborative skills are needed now, more than ever, as we work together to achieve the goals of diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging at every level of our organization. Creativity and learning are enhanced when we consider perspectives that are different from our own. We embrace the call and the responsibility to co-create an inclusive community in which allparticipants can thrive.

Meet Our Team!

Dick Pinney

Co-Affiliate Director dpinney@caldi.org

Genee McMahon

Co-Affiliate Director gmcmahon@caldi.org

CALDI Board

  • Doug DeFrees is retired from a career as a computational chemist, research software engineer, and technology coordinator working for several universities, NASA, and IBM Research. He has a history of community involvement including volunteer positions with The Tech Interactive, Boy Scouts, YMCA, American Red Cross, City of San Jose, MOUSE Squad of California, Silicon Valley Education Foundation, Molecular Research Institute, and the Sierra Club.

    Doug first became involved with Destination Imagination in 1991 as an Appraiser. He has appraised in almost every Region of California and at Global Finals. He has been a Challenge Master at the regional and state levels, an active member of the Silicon Valley Regional Operating Committee, the International and California webmaster, an original member of the DI Scholarship Committee, member of committees at the State and International levels, and is a long-time participant in the DI Team Challenge writing process.

  • Dick has been the Executive Director of CA Creativity Association (dba CA Destination Imagination) since 2004.  He also served on the Board of Trustees of Destination Imagination, Inc. (DII) for 3 years, as the international Webmaster for 3 years, and wrote and/or dissected Challenges for 6 years.   Before moving to California, he participated in the Wisconsin OM/DI programs as a Team Manager, Challenge Master, Affiliate Trainer, Webmaster, Regional Director, and on the Wisconsin State Board.  After moving to CA, he also served as a CA Challenge Master, Webmaster and on the Board of Trustees. He additionally served as an Officer and Board Member for the DI International Affiliate Board, the international organization of states and/or countries that participate in DI.  For his many contributions to the organization, Destination Imagination, Inc. awarded Dick the international Diamond Award in 2018.

    Dick was also a 30-year Educator in the Science and Math specialties in the Wisconsin Public School System.  Additionally, he served the Boy Scouts of America as a Scout Master, Training Director, Camp Staff and Camp Director, and as an Order of the Arrow Lodge Advisor. 

    Dick is an avid believer in youth and each child’s potential.  He feels that DI is a place where all children can learn and grow – in critical thinking skills, self-esteem, teamwork skills and knowledge – all skills needed to succeed as an adult.

  • I have been involved with Destination Imagination since 2007. My oldest son was invited to an information session through his GATE program. We knew nothing about the program but jumped in with both feet! Our second son followed his big brother into the DI world and spent 8 years in the program. During that time, I took on many DI hats. Initially, I coordinated teams for Redlands. I have been an appraiser, tournament director, and helped in whatever capacity needed. My team attended Global Finals from 2011-2018 and every year, I came home knowing this program was extraordinary and priceless to inquisitive kids.  In 2017, Dick Pinney asked if I would be willing to attend an Ignite and Affiliate Directors conference with him. The rest is history!

    I have been married to Neil since 1993 and have 3 adult children that have all been involved with DI. My greatest joy is seeing all my children and several of the boys from my team come back to DI as Appraisers. They understand the value and want to give back to the community that helped raise them.

  • Stephanie Yeo is a Consultant at Ernst & Young specializing in organizational design and workforce strategy. Prior, she graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.S. in Business Administration. She is a Destination Imagination alumna, competing from 2011-2015 in mostly Service Learning. She now continues her involvement with the program as a Regional Challenge Master and a member of the Best of the Bay Regional Operating Committee. She is excited to take the next step in her involvement by joining the California Board of Directors as their Secretary.

  • Rosemary Bognar Pinney is the CFO/CPA of TGG Accounting, an organization specializing in accounting, financial management, process improvement, risk management, strategic planning, and organizational development. She started her career in the corporate world as a CPA in the Big 4. She has been a Corporate Controller/CFO and Director in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors.

    She has been in Creative Problem Solving 35+ years having served as: a Team Manager for 13 years, Greater Cleveland’s Regional Director, Board Member on the Ohio State Board, Program Director for CALDI, Training Director for CALDI, Regional & State Challenge Master for CALDI, Board Member on the California State Board, an International Training Facilitator for DII, co-author of a book for DII, and as the Vice Chair of the international DII Board.

  • I’ve been involved with DI since around 2010.  Like many volunteers, I found the program through my child and became an assistant team manager for the 8 years he spent in the program.  He stopped participating in DI after his 8 years on a team, but our family hasn’t left DI and now my wife, my son, and I all volunteer to help keep this fantastic program going so other kids and families have the same opportunities.  DI is an amazing program and it was a pleasure to see the kids on the team grow, learn, and realize that things they previously thought were limitations were in fact just opportunities to learn new skills, take new chances, sometimes fail spectacularly, but in the end realize that they can achieve much more than they thought both as individuals and as a team.  That is why I stay involved.  In my time volunteering for DI I have served as an assistant team manager, regional treasurer, Cal DI Board member, co-regional challenge master for technical, and appraiser coordinator.

  • I found DI in 2007 when my oldest was invited to be on a team.  Somehow, I wound up as a co-Team Manger that year which was a real trial by fire.  Thought that first year, I fell in love with the program and continued to manage teams and have an absolute blast doing it for the next 12 years.  Along the way, I have chipped in wherever I was needed as an appraiser, an official, tournament director, regional director and eventually as a state board member.  I gladly put my time into DI as I am paid back many times over in fun, friendship and the reward of watching these kids learn, grow and flourish.

  • Lynda Kubota is currently the Regional Director for the San Joaquin Valley Region of California Destination Imagination. Prior to taking on the role of RD, she served as her son’s Team Manager for 12 years. In addition to DI, Lynda spent many years volunteering during her son’s formative years. From PTA president, to Boy Scout Advancement Coordinator, Science Fair Advisor, Robotics volunteer, Art Docent, Honor Orchestra chaperone, Tech Challenge Adviser, and full-time chauffeur, Lynda saw many different co-curricular activities up close. It didn’t take long for her to realize what a phenomenal program DI was, the tremendous benefits it offered her son and his teammates, and that she wanted to give back at some point.  Lynda is on a mission to expose every student in the Central California area to DI.

    Prior to her full-time job as a stay-at-home mom, Lynda earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in cell biology. She spent many years in the lab conducting research in immunology and cardiology, followed by clinical research bringing new drugs to market. She even ran a home-based craft business which satisfied her creative side.

    Lynda is excited to add CALDI Board Member to her DI resume and looks forward to helping expand the program throughout the state.

  • Dan Smith is Chief Marketing Officer at a Silicon Valley technology company.   His  20 plus years of professional experience spans Marketing, Sales, Business Development, and Venture Capital.  In his career, Dan has led large organizations at Fortune 100 companies and propelled venture funded start-ups to success.  He also serves as an advisor to other Silicon Valley start-ups.  Dan holds degrees in both Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Pennsylvania State University.

    Dan has been involved in team-based creative problem-solving programs for >30 years.  He has experience from many perspectives including Participant, Appraiser, Team Manager, Affiliate Board Member, and Corporate DI Board Trustee.  Corporately, Dan serves on the Strategy, Management, and Development committees.  He was also named as a Distinguished Alumni of Destination Imagination in 2017.

  • I began my creative problem-solving journey when my 40-plus year-old daughter came home from 3rd grade saying she wanted to this different kind of program at school and they needed a volunteer.   I quickly found that Di provided skills not taught in schools but I used professionally daily. Over the last three decades I have volunteered for more DI positions than I can list including (but not limited to) after event janitor.

    I do have a life away from DI.  I have two grown daughters who still Appraise at DI tournaments. My first jobs were as a DJ on KGW and KLIQ in Portland Oregon.  I graduated from OSU with a BSEE degree and spent a career designing electronics for the entertainment industry.  i worked at Ampex, Dolby Labs, and the Sony Technology Center before moving to GVG in Grass Valley California.  A GVG video mixer was the prop used as the Death Star control panel in Star Wars.

  • I was introduced to DI in the early 2010s when my son joined a team. I was soon attracted by the program’s amazing approach to creative and critical thinking, idea generation, as well as problem solving. Its promotion of collaboration and confidence building, coupled with the volunteer-led efforts, further strengthen my belief in its tremendous value for children of all ages. Since then, I have volunteered in various capacities for DI,including co-team manager, appraiser, team official, and regional treasurer, which eventually led me to become a CalDI Board member. It has always been a pleasure seeing the kids on the teams enjoy the DI journeys year-over-year and strive to go above and beyond! I gladly volunteer my time to DI, along with all volunteers, with the common goal to inspire and equip youth to imagine and innovate through the creative process.

  • My name is Carolyn Harmon and I am an alum, volunteer and lifelong supporter of the Destination Imagination Program. My DI journey began in 2010 when I began participating in the improv challenge. I fell in love with this challenge and competed up to my senior year of high school, making it all the way to the top 3 at the Global Finals competition! After high school I began volunteering as a DI Appraiser and Head Appraiser at both the regional and state competitions until eventually serving as a Regional Challenge Master over several seasons of competition. I am now a full time educator in the Downtown Los Angeles area and I am eager to bring my experience as both a DI alum and educator to the program. I look forward to keeping the DI spirit alive in California and beyond!

  • I am Aparajeeta Ghosh and I have been associated with Destination Imagination (DI) for the last 10 years. I have been the team manager for 2 teams during this period. DI has taught me to think outside the box to find a creative solution to a problem. I use the instant challenge part of the program while working with kids in the classroom to ignite creative thinking and foster team work, the two most valuable skills needed in our future workforce. It is a fun way to engage all the kids and keep their focus and attention for 20 minutes and kids love it. My own kids have developed skills like sewing, using power tools, coding, and even trying to find loopholes in the challenges ( attorneys in the making). DI has taught them the soft skills of communication and convincing their peers in an amicable way, a character trait much in demand in our workplaces.

  • Allan Lam was introduced to Destination Imagination around 2009 by a friend who managed a team for her son. Thinking that the programed seemed like an excellent way to promote analytical and problem solving skills in children, he and his neighbor formed a team in 2011 on which their children were members. He co-managed this team for 5 years. His daughter, now in college, have many fond memories of her DI experiences. These experiences included using power tools at a very young age (everybody left the program with 10 fingers ), travelling to state tournaments, participating in 2 Global Final Tournaments, being completely engrossed by pin trading, and celebrating a 1st place win with her team at Global Finals in 2016 .  Because of the wonderful experience DI provided his daughter, and recognizing the value of the program in teaching children valuable, real world, skills, Allan continues to volunteer his time to the program after his own child no longer participates. 

     

    Allan and his wife, Linda, are empty nesters with 2 daughters currently attending college. He runs  a commercial building maintenance company. Running this business has kept him busy for the last 17 years. Prior to that, he worked for various companies in operations management roles.  His hobbies include snowboarding, hiking, mountain biking, & fishing. He likes to cook and considers himself a “foodie”.

  • Shirley Gold has been a volunteer for various creative problem-solving programs since 1988. She has been involved in Destination Imagination since its inception, and has been on the California Creativity (DI State) Board since 2014, where she serves as a Director and as Treasurer. She is also an active member of the LA-DI-Land Region, serving as secretary on the Regional Operating Committee, as well as Scoremaster for the Region and the State. She was a member of the PTA for 31 years, serving on PTA boards at every level from unit to state. She volunteered as an adult literacy tutor for 24 years. It’s safe to say that she is a “pro” at volunteering. Now retired, she and her husband, Elliot, ran a teleconferencing publishing and consulting company for 33 years. Elliot and Shirley have been married since 1974 and have two grown sons and a granddaughter. They live in beautiful Altadena.

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Explore Your Region!