Rod joined the SRT Board in 2018, becoming Board Chair in 2021. In his capacity as owner/President of R J Meade Consulting, Rod provided public policy, environmental planning, regulatory and entitlement guidance to a variety of large-scale public and private clients. He was responsible for formulating regulatory approval strategies for clients, including The Irvine Ranch, Tejon Ranch, Rancho Mission Viejo and Yokohl Ranch. Rod managed teams of technical and biological consultants necessary to obtain the local, state and federal agency approvals of proposed residential and commercial development. A key element of Rod’s consultation involved managing the design of permanent natural community reserves to protect sensitive species and habitat and formulating long-term adaptive management and funding programs to support those reserves. On behalf of public sector clients, Rod served briefly as the Executive Director of the Governor’s Delta Vision Initiative, was the Restoration Administrator for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, and served as the Land Use and Agriculture Consultant to the Great Valley Center for the Governor’s San Joaquin Valley Blueprint Initiative. Rod retired at the end of 2017. He continues to provide assistance to environmental organizations.
