Coordinators & Committee Chairs

Suzanne Arney
Volunteer Coordinator
get to know me
Lane Johnson
Event Sound Coordinator
get to know me
Carla Mischel
Membership Coordinator
get to know me

Suzanne Arney

Volunteer Coordinator

Suzanne retired after a 35 year career in software development and International Programs, providing secure communications capabilities to U.S. allies and coalition partners for the Navy. Originally from the San Diego area, she recently settled in Reno. Suzanne is an outdoors enthusiast and you can find her most days on local hiking trails with her two dogs. She also enjoys skiing, snow shoeing and stand up paddle boarding.
Suzanne is a lifelong learner, currently pursuing a certification as a Master Gardener in Washoe County. In addition to her interests in gardening, native plants, and art, she is passionate about engaging with kids to promote interest in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM).

Lane Johnson

Event Sound Coordinator

Lane Johnson, Director, grew up across the street from the current Rancho San Rafael Park. As a boy, he would cross the street, crawl through the barbed wire fence, and play in the fields of the ranch. On occasion, they would find the children playing on the property and would run them off with the sound of a shotgun. In a matter of months, Lane and his friends would find themselves back on the ranch exploring and having new adventures. Lane, who continues to live in the same neighborhood, can be found at the May Arboretum at least once, if not two to three times each day and enjoys taking photos of the wildlife, plants, and trees. A life-long Reno resident, Lane is a middle school counselor for the Washoe County School District, working in education for more than 25 years.

Carla Mischel

Director
Carla was raised in the deserts of Southern California, where she met her husband, Michael. She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. One of her favorite positions was in Human Resources, where she hired workers to test the B-2 bomber at Edwards Air Force Base, California. After her children were school-age, she became an elementary school teacher and the Director of Technology. In this position, she propelled the school to become a “Google Classroom” online school, which left the school in a prime position for remote learning during the pandemic. Carla and her husband moved to Reno in 2017 after falling in love with the area during their many trips to visit their UNR nursing student daughter. She is passionate about traveling, visiting beautiful gardens, photography, and scrapbooking. Carla also enjoys tending to her own garden of vegetables and flowers. Since her time in Reno, she has found the Arboretum to hold many enjoyable surprises on the garden trails with the vast blend of plants and various landscapes the grounds embrace.