Our Team

Staff

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Logan Robertson Huecker, PhD

Executive Director
logan@sequoiariverlands.org

Dr. Logan Robertson Huecker joined SRT in 2020 and was appointed Executive Director in October, 2021. Logan has worked for more than two decades in the nonprofit and education sectors in California, Guatemala, and Honduras. Her work at SRT leverages her professional experience and expands upon her deep commitment to the natural and agricultural legacy of the Sierra foothills and Central Valley. She has experience leading non-profit organizations and publicly funded programs; managing staff teams, spearheading collaborative initiatives, and implementing federal, state, and local policies. Throughout her career, Logan has worked to identify and secure government and foundation funding sources, cultivate new donor relationships, and foster connections with current supporters. She holds a PhD in Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and has served on the faculty of the Bard College Master of Arts in Teaching Program, as well as non-profit boards. She has also been a trainer and mentor for the California School Age Consortium (CalSAC). Logan lives on a ranch outside of Three Rivers with her family, which includes a dog, a cat, a horse, and a dozen or so cattle. 

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Courtney Barnes

Director of Land Protection
courtney@sequoiariverlands.org

Courtney Barnes, a native of Tulare County, joined the SRT team in 2016. Courtney brings with her over 30 years of experience in the fields of title insurance, escrow and real estate sales. While employed in the title industry in both Tulare and Kings counties, Courtney held several positions and was one of the first employees of Chicago Title to become a “Certified Title Officer.” She later became an Escrow Officer and Area Manager for a title company in Tulare County. Courtney became a Licensed Real Estate Agent in 2007, specializing in residential and commercial real estate. 

Courtney and her husband Lloyd reside in Lemon Cove where they grow citrus and give shelter to many wandering dogs and cats. They have three grown children and three wonderful grandchildren. She and her husband love camping and fishing every chance they get.

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Phil Daubenspeck

Chief Investments & Partnerships Officer
phil@sequoiariverlands.org

Phil has more than 20 years of invaluable experience in the international, national, and local nonprofit sectors. Most recently, he served as Executive Director of a chapter of an international nonprofit where he was known for creativity and relationship building, specializing in change management, organizational leadership, fund development, and revenue generation.

Phil leads the investments and partnerships team and works in the field, connecting individuals and corporate partners in the community with the conservation work SRT is doing on our preserves and around the region.

Phil has three daughters and holds a master’s degree in sacred studies. A native of Washington State, he now resides in Fresno, California.

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Bud Darwin

Education & Volunteer Director
bud@sequoiariverlands.org

Bud Darwin utilizes his 30 years of skills and knowledge of working with youth as SRT Education and Volunteer Director. His extensive experience has established a well-rounded perspective regarding the social, emotional, and physical needs of youth. He has facilitated outdoor adventure activities, having safely organized and led hundreds of backpacking, kayaking, and rock climbing expeditions. He has spent thousands of hours using experiential education to create engaging activities that provide participants with fun opportunities for learning, reflection, and self-discovery. He is committed to using and protecting our natural spaces to teach environmental education, conservation, and Leave No Trace practices since 1975.

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Adam Livingston

Director of Planning & Policy
adam@sequoiariverlands.org

Adam Livingston is Director of Planning and Policy at SRT and Coordinator of the Southern Sierra Partnership.  Widely recognized as a leading voice on land use and conservation in the Sierra Nevada and San Joaquin Valley, he has built cross-sector coalitions to support conservation in city- and county-level general plan updates, regional transportation plans and other contexts.  His work is informed by experience with conservation planning, in-depth policy research and collaboration with others.  He has served on multiple boards and advisory groups focused on policy development and implementation, and has been chair or co-chair of leadership bodies ranging from the California Economic Summit’s Ecosystem Services Team to the Tulare Regional Transportation Plan Roundtable.  Adam also has experience with the land trust accreditation process, including coordinating SRT’s successful applications for accreditation and accreditation renewal.

Adam has authored or co-authored multiple reports on land use, transportation policy and conservation funding, including Sustainable Communities Strategies and Conservation: Results from the First Round and Policy Recommendations for Future Rounds (2016), and Ecosystem Services and California’s Working Landscapes:  Market Mechanisms to Revitalize Rural Economies (2017).  He holds an Honors Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and classics from Xavier University (2001), a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School (2004), and a Master of Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School at the University of California, Santa Barbara (2012).

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Ben Munger

Director of Mitigation & Land Management
ben@sequoiariverlands.org

Ben grew up in the Santa Ynez Valley of California at Midland School near the Los Padres National Forest in the inland, hot valleys, and canyons of the San Rafael Range. After college at University of Montana and UC Santa Barbara and an M.A. in Archaeology, Ben returned to Midland as Ranch Manager. Ben managed the farm and ranch for 15 years, then went to Deep Springs College for two years as Farm Manager. 
In May 2017 Ben joined the Sequoia Riverlands Trust team and finally moved to a cabin he and his wife Laurie have been working on for 17 years near Springville. Working with cattle, horses, people, and good dogs to accomplish mutual goals surrounding conservation are the things that Ben values and looks forward to in the years to come in the San Joaquin Valley.

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Karen Vang

Finance Director
karen@sequoiariverlands.org

Karen holds a master’s degree in accounting and has more than 20 years of accounting/finance experience in both the private and non-profit sectors. Karen believes in leading by example and working collectively as a team to achieve desired results together. She leads the finance and operations team at SRT. In her free time, Karen likes to travel, explore, and enjoy the small things in life.

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Lacy Van Abemma

Blue Oak Ranch Caretaker
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Ian Axsom

Carrizo Land Steward
iaxsom@sequoiariverlands.org

Ian grew up on the California Central Coast where he spent much of his childhood outdoors hiking with family and playing sports. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife from Humboldt State, graduating summa cum laude in 2016. Since 2015, Ian has worked on a variety of projects where he has, among other things, collared and tracked North American porcupines using VHF and GPS telemetry and performed mark-recapture studies of federally endangered giant kangaroo rats and state threatened San Joaquin antelope squirrels. In addition to his field work, Ian has experience with a variety of GIS tools including ArcGIS, QGIS and R.

In April, 2017 Ian joined the Sequoia Riverlands Trust team as a wildlife technician. He looks forward to working towards a world where people and nature coexist sustainably. Ian lives in Paso Robles with his wife Brianna who works as the wildlife biologist for the Carrizo Plain National Monument, and together they enjoy traveling, wildlife-ing and spending time in the many beautiful outdoor spaces in California and beyond.

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Emily Boettger

Land Protection Outreach Specialist
emily@sequoiariverlands.org

Growing up in the mountains of Central Idaho, Emily developed an early appreciation for land’s role in developing community and identity. After studying Political Science and Environmental Studies at Boston College, she joined Sequoia Riverlands Trust, where she serves as the Land Protection Outreach Specialist.

In her role, Emily is the entry point for landowners curious about conservation easements and other options to protect their properties. She also edits Roots magazine and leads public outreach efforts that connect people to the landscapes that sustain them. She brings particular energy to building bridges among the diverse stakeholders who make lasting conservation possible and more impactful. What draws her most to SRT’s mission is the conviction that conserving land also serves people.

When she’s not working, you might find Emily on a trail, fly fishing, or deepening her practice as a certified yoga instructor.

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Nicole Buckner

Education & Volunteer Coordinator
nicole@sequoiariverlands.org

Nicole Buckner serves as Education & Volunteer Coordinator for Sequoia Riverlands Trust, where she coordinates field trips, school programs, and volunteer initiatives that connect students, families, and community members with the region’s natural landscapes. She works closely with educators and partners to create meaningful outdoor learning experiences, while ensuring programs run smoothly from planning through completion.

Nicole holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and previously worked as a multi-subject tutor in the Bay Area, which strengthened her passion for education and youth engagement. Her lifelong love of the outdoors and desire to help others connect with nature led her to conservation work.

Originally from the Midwest, Nicole now calls the Central Valley home and is dedicated to fostering environmental stewardship and community connection through accessible outdoor programs. She is particularly inspired by SRT’s mission to connect people with nature through education and hands-on experiences.

Outside of work, Nicole enjoys exploring local trails, creating fiber art projects, playing board games, getting lost in a good book, and spending time with her cats.

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Michelle Braun

Accounting Clerk
michelle@sequoiariverlands.org

Michelle Braun came to SRT in February of 2019 after retiring from a 20-year career in real estate appraisal. Before becoming an independent appraiser, she held a variety of supportive accounting roles that prepared her for the position of Accounting Clerk with SRT. The Central Valley has been Michelle’s home since she was two, and she has often taken advantage its proximity to the beautiful forests, lakes and rivers that grace our foothills and mountains nearby. She now enjoys cooking, writing and time spent at home with her six cats.

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Lonnie Brown

Dry Creek Caretaker
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Angela Delahoussaye

Communications Manager
angela@sequoiariverlands.org

Angela Delahoussaye is SRT’s Communications Manager, translating conservation into stories people can see themselves in. Her work is grounded in one belief: people protect what they understand—and they understand what they feel connected to.

With a background in nonprofit communications and graphic design, Angela blends visual storytelling with big-picture strategy to shape the organization’s voice. She led the evolution of Vistas into a biannual print publication, helped produce the most successful fundraiser in SRT’s history, and led a record-setting year-end campaign.

Originally from Gilroy—the garlic capital of the world—Angela first fell in love with the Central Valley while studying at Fresno Pacific University. After years in the Bay Area, she and her husband, Michael, chose Visalia as the place to build a life, drawn by the Sierra Nevada skyline, a strong sense of community, and the rare privilege of living near both working lands and wild spaces.

When she’s not writing about conservation, Angela’s behind a camera, nerding out over physics and filmmaking, or keeping up with Bucky, her English Golden Retriever.

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Jonathan Humphrey

Nursery Manager
jhumphrey@sequoiariverlands.org
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Erika Enomoto

Nursery Specialist

Erika joined the SRT team as a Nursery Specialist for Dry Creek Nursery in March of 2025. So far, she has enjoyed growing her knowledge about native plants while also applying what she has learned in her studies of Environmental Studies and Business Management at Fresno Pacific University. Before SRT, Erika was working seasonal jobs so she is loving the change of pace and living in one place year-round, which allows her to take ceramics classes and play clarinet in the Sequoia Winds Community Band.

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Regina Ivie

Human Resources & Operations Manager
regina@sequoiariverlands.org

As HR & Operations Manager at Sequoia Riverlands Trust, Regina Cowdrey Ivie brings nearly a decade of organizational experience and more than 25 years of professional expertise in finance and insurance to her role. Having served previously as Accounting Manager, Regina offers a deep institutional knowledge that supports the organization’s operational strength and long-term sustainability. In her current role, she oversees human resources and daily operations, helping ensure that the team has the structure, support, and systems needed to advance SRT’s conservation mission.

Born and raised in California’s Central Valley, Regina’s connection to the region runs deep. She grew up on a farm surrounded by cotton, corn, and alfalfa fields—an experience that shaped her appreciation for working lands and the importance of preserving them. Although she spent nearly a decade away, the Central Valley has always been home.

Regina is passionate about protecting the agricultural landscapes and natural resources that define the region, ensuring they remain for future generations.

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William Johnson

Preserve Operations Manager
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Evan Jolly

Kaweah Oaks Caretaker
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Samira Khan

Investments & Partnerships Manager
samira@sequoiariverlands.org

Samira is a Fresno State graduate who moved to Visalia 5 years ago from the Bay Area California. She also grew up in sunny Phoenix, Arizona so she is familiar with the weather in the Valley. She recently graduated in December and started working for SRT in February this year. She has a passion for the outdoors, loves going hiking and being one with nature and feels like working for SRT is the perfect fit for her.  Samira primarily works in the office supporting the Investments & Partnerships team, and other departments, as they are in the field.

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Sneha Kumar

Education Coordinator
sneha@sequoiariverlands.org

Sneha came to Sequoia Riverlands Trust in 2018 as an AmeriCorps member through the Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has always loved working with children and teaching, and knew she wanted to continue doing so in the outdoor education field. After two years of serving as SRT’s Education Technician AmeriCorps member, she joined SRT full time in 2020.

As the Development and Outreach Specialist, Sneha helps bridge the gaps between the Education, Development, Communications, and Stewardship teams. She supports the public-facing communications and outreach efforts of SRT, including managing the social media and supporting with the website and other outreach events. She is also heavily involved in grant writing and other fundraising efforts. She continues to work with the education and stewardship departments to support the volunteer program, manage and host special events on the preserves, lead field trips, and support internship opportunities for students across the county. She loves to share her passion for nature and exploration with students of all ages, and is excited to help SRT grow in other areas.

Sneha sees the potential for growth in Tulare County, for both the academic and conservation sectors, and hopes to continue to leverage her passion and skills to make a difference in the area. In her free time, Sneha loves to ride horses, play with her cats, and explore the wonders of California’s public lands.

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Lindsay Peria

Conservation Biologist
lperia@sequoiariverlands.org

Lindsay Peria was born and raised in Victorville, California. She graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in March 2021 with a B.S. in Biology, and she joined Sequoia Riverlands Trust in July of 2021 as an Assistant Conservation Biologist. She researched many different plants and animals while she was in school, but working with blunt-nosed leopard lizards in Carrizo Plain National Monument was where she developed a love for the Carrizo Plain. She is excited to continue protecting and managing land there with SRT. Lindsay has always loved the outdoors and explores them in her daily life hiking, running, and cycling on the central coast.

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Raul Ponce

Staff Accountant
raul@sequoiariverlands.org
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Tanner Statham

Land Stewardship Associate
tanner@sequoiariverlands.org

Tanner is a Central Valley born local with a passion for wildlife conservation. Tanner strives to be a part of the big picture in conserving and protecting what’s left of historic habitat in the Central Valley and surrounding areas. He went to school at Reedley College for Forestry and Natural Resources and spent the last five years working on various projects with California Department of Fish and Wildlife, most recently working in Carrizo Plain National Monument. Tanner is well versed in California wildlife, and has a particular interest in reptiles and amphibians. His hobbies include wildlife photography, backpacking, fishing, hunting, and cooking. “It’s amazing having the opportunity to work for an organization that has a mission and vision that is aligned perfectly with how we should go forward with conservation in California.”

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James Von Tersch

Land Protection Coordinator
james@sequoiariverlands.org

James was born and raised in Fresno, James came to Sequoia Riverlands Trust in 2022 as an Americorps Education Technician through the Sierra Nevada Americorps Partnership (SNAP), shortly after completing his BA in Environmental Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt. In 2024, he joined full-time as a Land Steward Associate, where he supports the Land Protection Department in monitoring SRT’s Conservation Easements and assists in land management practices on SRT’s nature preserves. James is dedicated to the sustainability of the San Joaquin Valley and hopes to help it become a region where the environment, communities, and agriculture can thrive together for generations to come. Outside of work, James takes every opportunity he can to explore the San Joaquin Valley’s remaining natural areas and especially enjoys kayaking on the San Joaquin and Kings Rivers. He also enjoys hiking, backpacking, camping, and maintaining a food and native plant garden at home.

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Jonathan Vaughn

Land Steward
jonathan@sequoiariverlands.org

Jonathan first came to SRT through the Sierra Nevada Americorps Partnership in 2015 and became Land Steward after completion of his service year in autumn 2016. He is responsible for the preserves’ ecological restoration projects, invasive species management, vegetation inventories, hiking trails, and other preserve operations. He grew up near Kansas City, MO and has a B.A. in Biology and German from Baker University in Kansas and an M.S. in Biology from Western Illinois University. Before coming to SRT, Jonathan spent time as a university teaching assistant, an adjunct professor, a landscaping worker, and most recently a seasonal biologist at the Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico. He is especially interested in native plant horticulture, botany, habitat enhancement, and floodplain restoration and is devoted to taking care of rangeland and natural areas to maximize biodiversity and allow people to access the outdoors.

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Sam Weiser

Education & Volunteer Program Manager
sam@sequoiariverlands.org

Sam Weiser was born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut. He received a BS in Environmental Studies from UC-Santa Barbara, interned for Coal Oil Point Preserve and the Kids In Nature program. After college, Sam returned to New Haven, working for various nonprofit afterschool programs, leading field trips, and hosting summer camps. After three years in the nonprofit sector, Sam taught 5th and 7th grade science in New Orleans, Louisiana at Samuel J. Green Charter School. Despite falling in love with the city of New Orleans and learning an immeasurable amount from his students, Sam discovered his true passion in providing hands-on, experiential, outdoor educational opportunities. Fortunately, through Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership (SNAP) he found a perfect place to pursue this passion: Sequoia Riverlands Trust. He is currently fulfilling his dream of making the world a happier and smarter place, one child at a time.

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Camdilla Wirth

Conservation Biologist
camdilla@sequoiariverlands.org

Camdilla Wirth joined SRT in 2015 as Conservation Biologist to support SRT’s mitigation site management efforts, particularly in the Carrizo Plain area and west side of the San Joaquin Valley. She adds expertise and experience with the relevant geography, wildlife species and survey methods, complementing existing expertise with plants.

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Adrien Mantohac

Finance Project Clerk
adrien@sequoiariverlands.org

Additional SRT Personnel

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Zach Arnold

Education Technician
zach@sequoiariverlands.org

Growing up in Denver, Colorado, Zach gained an appreciation for nature early on. He carried this passion with him when he moved to Visalia in his youth, and has maintained it throughout his life. With over 15 years of martial arts experience and more than 5 years teaching experience, he has developed a deep respect for acting with integrity, building up all people, and making the world a better place. Zach is excited to be able to carry his interest in enriching the lives of others further by combining his love of nature and teaching as an Education technician. Helping serve Sequoia Riverland Trust through the Sierra Nevada Alliance Program (SNAP), and AmeriCorps, Zach will be leading K-12 students on field trips at SRT preserves, as well as assisting with Sequoia Environmental Youth Leaders, and Community outreach and more.

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Sarah Brekke

Stewardship Technician
sbrekke@sequoiariverlands.org

Brekke grew up on the outskirts of Los Angeles, where she spent her free time enjoying the nearby deserts, beaches, and forests. She graduated from the University of Redlands in April 2024 with a BS in Environmental Science complemented by minors in Spatial Studies, Human & Animal Studies, and Women & Gender Studies. Through job and internship experiences, including working with a land trust in the Eastern Sierra, she developed a passion for environmental conservation. She is excited to be working with the Sequoia Riverlands Trust as a Stewardship Technician where she’ll learn more about natural resource management and native plant care. In her free time, Brekke looks forward to hiking and camping in the nearby mountains. 

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Hannah Rook

Education Technician
hannah@sequoiariverlands.org

Hannah is a lifelong Visalian whose first elementary field trip was to Sequoia Riverlands Trust’s Kaweah Oaks Preserve. She went on to earn a B.S. in Animal Science from Fresno State. And since the pandemic, Hannah has become more involved in SRT through preserve visits, volunteering, and attending various events especially as they combine information with a fun experience. In her free time, she loves various art mediums such as inkle weaving and nature photography, usually while her cats “help”.

Our Board

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Stacie Ann Silva

Board Chair | Altum Aqua Logic

Stacie Ann began her career in water with New Current Water and Land, a strategic consulting firm where she was given rare access to four careers worth of water knowledge. She applied this knowledge to learn how citizens and businesses in a common geography can have both healthy lives and a healthy agriculture economy. As part of her current role at New Current Water and Land she serves as a non-voting member of the Kaweah Subbasin Regional Conservation Investment Strategy (RCIS) Steering Committee. Through the RCIS process she serves as an interpreter helping the two sides of the conversation – agriculture and conservation – speak the same language and work toward the common goal of putting the RCIS document together. She has extensive experience with SGMA and is actively applying her knowledge to Sequoia Riverlands Trust helping guide policy development towards a successful SGMA outcome.

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Herb Simmons

Board Vice Chair | Provost & Pritchard

Herb started his career as a water resource engineer for the Kings River Conservation District.  He was engaged in permitting issues for potential Kings River reservoir projects and initiated the District’s groundwater mapping efforts. In his current role as Principal Engineer at Provost and Pritchard, a large regional engineering company, in addition to serving as District/Company Engineer for several irrigation districts and mutual water companies on the Kings River, he largely works as a groundwater engineer – designing and overseeing construction of production water wells and developing groundwater recharge projects. Herb has a B.S. from Humboldt State University in Environmental Resources Engineering – Groundwater emphasis, and a M.S. in Civil Engineering from California State University Fresno.

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Dennis Tristao

Board Secretary | JG Boswell Company (Retired)

Dennis Tristao joined the SRT Board of Directors in late 2021 with over 30 years of experience working in the agricultural industry as an agronomist, executive overseeing environmental compliance for crop production and food processing services, and as a policy advocate who has influenced state and national legislation concerning agricultural and environmental issues. He has played an integral role in aligning agricultural producers with researchers and government regulators to create successful partnerships between stakeholders to address air quality from an agricultural perspective, and has, and remains, involved with producers, agricultural grower associations, and Resource Conservation Districts to foster locally led concepts in addressing environmental resource concerns. Nationally, he was appointed to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Air Quality Task Force, where their efforts resulted in the Memorandum of Understanding between the USDA and EPA on agricultural air quality research, the establishment of a research priority and funding recommendation, and a recommendation for national policy on implementing a voluntary incentive-based compliance strategy for agricultural producers. Mr. Tristao retired from an internationally known agricultural farming and processing corporation, however, through ADSUM SJV, INC., he continues to institute compliance programs and address State and federal environmental issues related to agriculture.

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Scott Westall

Board Treasurer | Barbich Hooper King Dill Hoffman Accountancy Corporation
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Scott Spear

Past Board Chair | Sequoia Riverlands Trust (Retired)

Scott Spear farmed most of his adult life in Tulare County and Southern Monterey County. He has been involved with land conservation for the past three decades, starting in 1995 with Four Creeks Land trust, one of SRT’s predecessor organizations, and then SRT upon its establishment in 2000. Scott served as SRT’s inaugural board chair, a title he held for fourteen years. After a sabbatical, Scott returned to the SRT Board in 2019, then served as SRT Interim Executive Director in 2021. He currently serves on the Tulare County Ag Advisory Committee, which he joined in 2012. Additionally, since 2018 he has served on the California Roundtable for Ag and the Environment. Scott has two married daughters and three grandsons, all living in the Bay area.

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Dr. Amy Frame

Visalia Unified School District

Ten Strands’ Director of Strategic Partnerships, is a credentialed teacher who has worked at almost every level of the school system, from teaching English, history, and science to coaching and managing curriculum implementation and leading as a principal. She has worked in public, magnet, charter, and independent schools. Amy has a MEd in Instructional Leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education and an EdD in Educational Leadership from UCLA.

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Kel Mitchel

RGB Nature Based Solutions

Kel currently serves as a project manager for Renewable Resources Group, bringing years of experience in geology and hydrology to projects in the region and nationwide.  He works on a team that identifies and develops opportunities to create more robust water supply portfolios for agriculture around the world.  Kel completed his M.S. in Environmental Engineering with Water Resources/Hydrology focus from Stanford University and has extensive training in all aspects of water and geology. His undergraduate studies at Colby College focused on a double-major B.A. in Geology and Mathematical Sciences, with an Environmental Studies minor.

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Miguel Ramirez

SoCal Gas

Miguel is Public Affairs Manager for SoCalGas in the Central Valley. He brings decades of service as community coordinator with organizations such as The City of Fresno and the Central Valley Community Foundation, building working relationships with various regional non-profits, elected officials and media members to form strategic partnerships. He makes extensive use of social media and app-based communications to inform and bring together groups for strategic management of resources. Miguel has a B.A. in Political Science with minors in History and Global Security from Pennsylvania State University.

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David Richards

Marriage & Family Therapy

David Richards is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker currently in private practice working with individuals, families and children and teaches adjunctively at College of the Sequoias. His past professional career involved being a Clinic Manager for Family Services of Tulare County, group home consultant and treatment provider and program developer for the Independent Living Skills Program with Tulare County Child Welfare. He has a belief that one’s mental health is benefited by having a connection and involvement in the environment with which one exists. Having a knowledge and perspective of the history, uses, purpose and benefits of our open spaces augments our own being. He began with the SRT board in 2024 because of his personal interest in the issues that SRT addresses. He hopes to bring the concerns of land use, conservation, and water shed to a broader population with his participation in the SRT organization.

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Larry Saslaw

Bureau of Land Management (Retired)

Larry Saslaw is a wildlife management biologist with a B.S. from Humboldt State University. He joined the SRT Board of Directors in late 2021. In his career spanning five decades, Saslaw has worked with West Kern Environmental Consulting, McCormick Biological, Inc., Sage Institute, and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). He lives in Bakersfield, California.

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Marc Schuil

Schuil Ag Real Estate

Marc Schuil, co-founder and broker of Schuil Ag Real Estate, is an esteemed leader in the realm of agriculture real estate, specializing in selling high-value agriculture properties primarily spanning the Central Valley of California, along with eight other western states. Marc’s educational background is robust, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University Fresno, followed by an MBA in Business Administration (Finance and Real Estate emphasis) from the University of Southern California in 1980. He embarked on his professional journey by dedicating three years to real estate development before joining the family business, Schuil Ag Real Estate, in 1983. Marc excels in collaborating with institutional investors and private equity funds, offering expertise in areas such as permanent plantings, row crop ground and dairy farms. Marc has served as a Board member at Suncrest Bank, Visalia Rescue Mission, Tulare County Economic Development Corporation, and Neighborhood Church. Marc has mentored numerous young adults and has taught Management of Organizational Development and Finance courses at Fresno Pacific University. When he is not playing with his 10 grandchildren, Marc enjoys walking, kayaking, and traveling.

Darlene Franco

Wukchumni Tribe

Stephanie Ruiz

Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA)

Stephanie Ruiz serves as Program Manager for the Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA), where she works to implement the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) at the local level. Over the past eight years, she has built her career in agriculture, steadily expanding her focus to water management and policy—issues that sit at the heart of the Central Valley’s future.

In her role, Stephanie navigates the complex intersection of land use, groundwater sustainability, and public agency governance. Her work requires balancing regulatory compliance with the needs of local agriculture and rural communities, often making difficult decisions with long-term implications. She brings to the board experience in water policy, stakeholder engagement, public meeting facilitation, and collaborative decision-making across diverse interests.

The Central Valley is both Stephanie’s professional focus and her community. She believes land and water are foundational to the region’s identity, economy, and way of life, and that responsible stewardship ensures future generations can continue to farm, live, and thrive here. She was drawn to Sequoia Riverlands Trust for its commitment to conserving working landscapes through practical, locally driven solutions that honor both environmental stewardship and agricultural viability.

Daniel Frea

Wanger Jones Helsley PC Attorneys

Daniel J. Frea is a corporate and real estate attorney at Wanger Jones Helsley PC, where his practice focuses on agribusiness, land, and natural resource–related transactions. He works with agricultural families, landowners, lenders, and organizations to structure durable solutions around farmland ownership, water rights, succession planning, and long-term stewardship. Drawing on both legal training and firsthand agricultural experience, Daniel operates at the intersection of business, land use, and conservation-minded outcomes.

Daniel advises clients on farmland and water acquisitions, secured financings, joint ventures, and governance matters, with an emphasis on practical structuring, risk management, and long-term alignment among stakeholders. His ability to translate between legal, financial, and agricultural perspectives reflects the balance required to protect working lands while sustaining regional economies.

Before joining Wanger Jones Helsley, Daniel practiced corporate law at a top-ranked Northern California firm, focusing on emerging company financings and mergers and acquisitions. He earned his J.D. from UC Davis School of Law and holds a B.S. in Agricultural Sciences from Cornell University.

Raised in the Central Valley and actively involved in his family’s dairy and almond farming operations in Easton, California, Daniel brings both professional expertise and personal commitment to land stewardship. He joined the Sequoia Riverlands Trust board to help ensure that farmland, water resources, and conservation priorities remain thoughtfully aligned for future generations.

Skip Moss

Natural Resources Group

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