Board of Directors

Kari Bouffard

Director

Bio

As Executive Director and Founder of CLEAR, Kari Bouffard is a public servant with more than 20 years of experience in government contracting and public procurement. Throughout her career, she has worked closely with departments, legal counsel, finance teams, and vendors to advance ethical practices, strengthen compliance, protect public funds, and deliver measurable value to taxpayers.

In her most recent role as a municipal Purchasing Agent, Kari led initiatives focused on improving transparency, competition, and vendor engagement. Her work included modernizing procurement practices, strengthening accountability systems, and developing vendor outreach and education efforts to help businesses better understand and navigate public procurement processes. She is known for identifying risk, inefficiency, and process breakdowns early—before they result in waste or loss.

Kari’s work is informed by firsthand experience navigating the personal and professional challenges that can arise when individuals raise concerns in the public interest. This perspective reinforces her commitment to ensuring that whistleblowers and integrity reporters are treated with dignity, supported with accurate information, and not left to navigate complex systems alone.

Kari brings deep institutional knowledge and practical, frontline expertise to CLEAR’s mission of supporting integrity reporting, transparency, and ethical governance. CLEAR was established to serve individuals and communities seeking guidance, information, and accountability when public systems fail to operate as intended.

Ric Rhinehart

Board Chair

Bio

Ric Rhinehart serves as Chairman of the Board for CLEAR, providing executive oversight, governance leadership, and strategic direction. He brings extensive experience as a former Chief Executive Officer, along with a strong background in private-sector and nonprofit leadership, organizational management, and fiduciary governance.

Throughout his career, Ric has led organizations through growth, change, and complex operational challenges, with a consistent focus on integrity, accountability, and principled decision-making. He is widely respected for his ability to provide steady leadership, ask hard questions, and ensure organizations remain aligned with their mission and ethical obligations.

Ric is deeply committed to ethical governance and transparency and is known for being a strong, active voice for doing what is right—even when it is uncomfortable or unpopular. As Board Chairman, he ensures CLEAR operates with independence, credibility, and sound stewardship while advancing its mission to promote integrity, accountability, and public trust.

Dennis Edwards, MA/HRM

Vice Chair

Bio

Dennis Edwards holds an MA/HRM and serves as CLEAR’s Vice Chair and Chief Ethics Officer, bringing more than 34 years of public service experience in procurement leadership, ethics, and workforce integrity. A retired County of Orange Purchasing Agent, Dennis is widely respected for his lead-by-example approach to public service and his belief in doing the right thing—even when no one is looking.

He holds an MBA in Human Resources, providing deep expertise at the intersection of ethics, workforce management, and institutional accountability. His background uniquely positions him to address how organizational culture, leadership behavior, and personnel practices directly shape ethical outcomes in government.

In addition to his public-sector career, Dennis has taught leadership and ethics at the collegiate level, reinforcing the principles of accountability, ethical decision-making, and professional responsibility. At CLEAR, he advises on ethical governance, retaliation prevention, and workforce integrity, strengthening the organization’s mission to promote transparency, professionalism, and principled public service.

Bobby Magee

Treasurer

Bio

Bobby Magee serves as CLEAR’s Treasurer bringing substantial experience in public-sector finance, procurement oversight, and organizational financial governance. His professional background spans financial management, procurement operations, internal controls, and risk analysis, with a strong focus on financial and procurement ethics, transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of public resources. Bobby's career has included work as a City Manager, Special District General Manager, Assistant City Manager, Deputy County Administrator, Administrative Services Director, Finance Director, and also work as an Auditor and Special Reviewer. He is recognized by the Federal government as a Subject Matter Expert in both Finance and Procurement, authorized to conduct all three levels of special reviews including Baseline Reviews, Enhanced Review Modules, and full-blown Procurement System Reviews.

Throughout his career, Bobby has focused on the intersection of finance and procurement—areas where weak internal controls and poor oversight often create opportunities for fraud, waste, and abuse. This dual expertise allows him to evaluate not only how public funds are spent, but whether procurement processes support lawful, ethical, and defensible outcomes.

At CLEAR, Bobby supports the organization’s mission by advising on financial integrity issues affecting public institutions, evaluating patterns of financial misconduct, and helping identify systemic weaknesses that undermine accountability. Bobby also provides operational support in a volunteer capacity.

In matters involving CLEAR’s internal finances or potential conflicts of interest, independent board members or external professionals provide oversight and review.

Lester Reams JD, DPA, NCPM

Secretary

Bio

Lester Reams holds a JD, DPA, NCPM and serves as the Secretary for CLEAR, while contributing strategic insight informed by his experience in academia and organizational administration. His professional background includes work within higher-education environments that emphasize ethics, leadership development, institutional responsibility, and sound governance practices.

Lester brings a thoughtful, analytical perspective to CLEAR’s advisory work, shaped by his experience navigating complex organizational systems, policy frameworks, and accountability structures. He understands how institutions function internally, how decisions are made, and how ethical standards must be reinforced through leadership, process, and culture.

At CLEAR, Lester provides guidance and counsel to leadership on governance, organizational integrity, and long-term mission alignment. His academic lens and measured approach support CLEAR’s efforts to advance ethical governance, strengthen accountability, and promote principled decision-making across public institutions.

Jack Pellegrino

Director-at-Large

Bio

Jack Pellegrino, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, CPCM, Director-at-Large serves on CLEAR's Board of Directors with more than four decades of experience in government contracting and supply chain leadership across both the public and private sectors, Jack brings deep expertise in competitive solicitations, contract administration, vendor compliance, and risk mitigation.

He previously served as Director of Purchasing and Contracting for the County of San Diego, overseeing procurement operations supporting more than 40 departments and managing more than $2 billion in annual public spending. Prior to his public-sector service, Jack held executive roles in the private sector supporting government clients.

Jack is deeply committed to transparent, fair, and accountable government. He is an adjunct faculty member at the University of San Diego’s Knauss School of Business and has held national leadership roles, including Past President of the California Association of Public Procurement Officials (CAPPO). He is also an active member of NIGP and NCMA and currently serves on the NCMA and World Commerce & Contracting Standards Consensus Body, helping shape globally accessible contract management standards. Jack also provides operational support in a volunteer capacity.

David Zenger

Director-at-Large

Bio

David Zenger, Director-at-Large, brings a deep insight into government operations, accountability failures, and the real-world consequences of unchecked power. David was on the OC Planning Commission from 2003-2010 and Chairman in 2006/07. Widely regarded for his sharp intellect and principled approach, David is known for his ability to quickly identify systemic problems and articulate them clearly—skills that are critical to effective oversight and reform.

David has extensive firsthand experience with how government functions behind the scenes. He understands the mechanics of policy-making, political pressure, and institutional decision-making, as well as how and why transparency can break down. This perspective allows him to advise CLEAR with a level of realism and precision that only comes from working inside the system.

At CLEAR, David focuses on resident empowerment, strategic accountability efforts, and helping individuals navigate complex government systems so their concerns are heard, addressed, and not dismissed. He plays a critical role in translating institutional knowledge into practical strategies that advance transparency, integrity, and public trust. David also provides operational support in a volunteer capacity.

CLEAR is governed by an independent Board of Directors. The Executive Director serves as a voting director. The Board Chair and independent directors oversee the Executive Director’s performance, compensation, and retention. The Executive Director recuses herself from deliberations and votes on matters affecting her role.