Avi Garbow is President of Resources Legacy Fund, where he designs, directs, and implements environmental initiatives that advance a just and resilient future for people and nature. He also is President of RLF affiliated organizations, Fund for a Better Future and Shared Ascent Fund. Avi Garbow is a nationally recognized environmental leader, lawyer, and advocate with decades of experience tackling many of the most critical threats to our air, water, lands, and communities. He most recently served as Patagonia’s Environmental Advocate, providing strategic leadership and vision to the company’s robust environmental advocacy efforts. Avi has held senior leadership positions in several Presidential administrations, including serving as Senior Counselor to the EPA Administrator in the Biden Administration, and as the Senate-confirmed General Counsel at EPA in the Obama Administration. He has also led the environmental practice of an international law firm, and served as a federal environmental crimes prosecutor in the U.S. Department of Justice. Over the course of decades of public service, Garbow has helped lead diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across several administrations, including significant advancements in honoring Tribal treaty rights in federal environmental regulations.

Matt Armsby provides legal oversight and works with RLF’s executive team to set and implement the strategic direction of Resources Legacy Fund and its affiliated organizations, Fund for a Better Future and Shared Ascent Fund. In addition to leading and coordinating legal strategy, support, and compliance, Matt oversees the organizations’ public policy engagement and fiscal sponsorship services. Before joining RLF, Matt was an environmental law and policy fellow and clinical attorney at Stanford Law School’s Environmental Law Clinic. He was also an Early Career Legal Fellow at the Center for Ocean Solutions. Matt is a graduate of Stanford Law School.

Rosina Bugarin helps set and implement the strategic direction of Resources Legacy Fund and oversees all accounting, budget, tax reporting and compliance activities for the organization and its affiliated entities. Before joining RLF, Rosina was a senior manager with a regional public accounting firm working exclusively with nonprofit organizations. Rosina is a licensed certified public accountant and a graduate of UC Santa Barbara, holding a degree in business economics with an accounting emphasis.

Helena Choi helps set and implement the strategic direction of Resources Legacy Fund and supports the directors of the Lands, Rivers, and Communities and Ocean, Coast, and Fisheries programs. She also manages program work tied to public health, climate resilience, and other issues and leads RLF’s diversity, equity, and inclusion committee. Before joining RLF, Helena served as program officer for the Global Development and Population program of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. She also guided the Public Health Watch project as a program officer at the Open Society Foundation and worked as a financial analyst for Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation. She serves on the Board of the International Women’s Health Coalition. Helena has a BA in economics and English from Wellesley College and a Master of Public Affairs in international development from Princeton University.

Julie Martin helps set and implement the strategic direction of Resources Legacy Fund and oversees business operations that include human resources, technology, facilities, employee training, and administrative processes. Before joining RLF, Julie worked at UC Davis supporting research on groundwater quality impacts from dairy farming operations. She also worked at environmental and water resource consulting firms as a project engineer and a hydrologist on groundwater management, regional water management planning, and environmental compliance projects. Julie has a BS in hydrology and a BA in economics from UC Davis, as well as an MS in civil and environmental engineering from Stanford University.

Allen May is responsible for conceiving and implementing RLF’s development programs, including all fundraising activities across the organization and those pertaining to RLF’s affiliated organizations. He works hand-in-hand as a thought partner and philanthropic advisor to RLF’s president, organizational leaders, and board to strengthen fundraising capabilities, helping to support RLF’s portfolio of programs in alignment with its mission and core expertise. Before coming to RLF, Allen served as Senior Director of Giving and Impact, and Senior Director for National Priority Campaigns at The Wilderness Society, and Director of Major Gifts for The Nature Conservancy’s Montana chapter. Allen holds a BBA from the University of Mississippi and an MS in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana.

Marie Armstrong is responsible for grant and contract management and programmatic support for fiscally sponsored projects. She also maintains Resources Legacy Fund’s philanthropic process systems and guidelines. Marie holds a BA in Political Science from UC Merced.

Briana Bergstrom develops, implements, and oversees projects for various RLF philanthropic programs. Before joining Resources Legacy Fund, Briana was Senior Associate for the US Public Lands and Rivers Conservation and Restore America’s Parks programs at The Pew Charitable Trusts. She has also worked for the Institute for Environmental Negotiation, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, Biophilic Cities Project, Dumbarton Oaks Park Conservancy, Presidio Trust, and the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission. She is an AICP-certified planner and holds a Master of Urban and Environmental Planning degree from the University of Virginia as well as a BS in Environmental Science from Loyola Marymount University.

Corey Brown serves as a strategic policy advisor on a diverse portfolio of issues, including climate change, land use, park protection, urban rivers, and river restoration. In the past, Corey served as executive director of the Big Sur Land Trust, government affairs director for The Trust for Public Land (Western Region), general counsel for the Planning and Conservation League, legal counsel for Friends of the River, and Assembly Fellow with the California State Legislature. He also served as adjunct professor at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law and as visiting lecturer at UC Davis. He is a graduate of the UC Davis School of Law.

Pamela Chambers provides executive and administrative support to the President of Resources Legacy Fund, including prioritization and coordination of special projects. She handles the logistics and management of the President’s internal and external activities. Pamela is pursuing her BA in Political Science from Occidental College.

Wendy Chenkovich is responsible for coordination of the day-to-day grantmaking and administrative support for RLF’s philanthropic Open Rivers Fund, Montana Parks, and Western Rural Conservation programs, as well as providing assistance for processing and monitoring General Operations Support funding. Wendy holds a BA in Organizational Communications from California State University, Sacramento and a Paralegal Certification from UC Davis Extension for Continuing and Professional Education.

Felecia Coles is responsible for managing and implementing RLF’s human resources programs including talent acquisition and retention, learning and development, performance management, compensation and benefits, and employee relations. Felecia holds a BS in Managerial Economics and an MBA from UC Davis. She is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management and the Sacramento Area Human Resource Association and holds Senior Professional in Human Resources certification.

Chloé Cooper serves as RLF’s point of contact with funders, grantees, contractors, and the public, providing coordination, research, organization, management, and administration to select philanthropic programs. She holds a BA in Art History from CSU Sacramento.

Emily Cousins is responsible for designing and orchestrating communications campaigns that build public and political support for the goals of RLF’s international Indigenous-led conservation work. This includes working with the Indigenous Leadership Initiative and other partners. Emily has also served as the strategic communications director for the International Boreal Conservation Campaign, and before that, she was a senior writer at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Emily holds a BA in Religion and Art History from Harvard University.

Michelle Cruz is responsible for implementation and coordination of RLF’s fiscal sponsorship services including logistics relating to human resources, financial, and programmatic support of fiscally sponsored projects. Michelle holds a BA in English from UC Riverside.

Andrea Sanchez Davidson develops, implements, and oversees projects for Ocean, Coast, and Fisheries programs. Before joining Resources Legacy Fund, Andrea was Research Director for Intertidal Agency, providing strategic direction for new and developing ocean data projects. She is co-founder of Surfgrass Productions, a communications and film production company working to connect science, conservation, nature, and environmental justice through film, and worked for the Energy Foundation as Senior Associate for West Campaigns. Andrea holds a BA in International Relations from San Francisco State University and a Master of Advanced Studies in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.

Patricia Davis supports the RLF, FBF, and SAF President, Executive Team, and staff by providing solutions-oriented advice and assistance on legal issues related to RLF’s business affairs, corporate governance, and philanthropic work. Prior to joining RLF, she was a shareholder at Weinberg, Roger & Rosenfeld, where she represented and advised nonprofit entities and employee benefit plans on compliance, real estate, tax, internal governance, and general corporate law matters. Before that, she worked as an analyst in the Office of Environmental Affairs in the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. Patricia is a graduate of the UC Davis School of Law.

Anastasia Finney is responsible for managing grants and contracts for fiscally sponsored projects. She holds a BA in English from Chapman University.

Kaitilin Gaffney develops and manages projects for Ocean, Coast, and Fisheries programs. Before joining Resources Legacy Fund, she was the Pacific program director for Ocean Conservancy, managing activities on the West Coast, including ocean governance, fisheries, marine protected areas, and water quality. Kaitilin was a Fulbright Fellow in New Zealand, where she studied fisheries policy and received a Master of Commerce degree from Victoria University in New Zealand. She is a graduate of Berkeley Law, University of California.

Jaymee Go is responsible for developing and implementing political strategies that advance conservation programs and campaigns consistent with RLF’s priorities and uphold its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and other organization-wide values/principles. Before joining RLF, Jaymee was principal of Innovative Policy Solutions, where she assisted clients with identifying legislative and budgetary priorities and pursuing strategies to achieve them. Prior to that, she was vice president of legislative affairs at Priority Strategies, where she developed and implemented legislative, regulatory, and state funding strategies to promote clients’ parks and coastal access, urban forestry, climate adaptation and resilience, natural and working lands management, and biodiversity protection goals,  building and managing coalitions to engage on them. Earlier in her career, she worked as an associate at Environmental and Energy Consulting and as a legislative assistant at Conservation Strategy Group. Jaymee is a graduate of UC Davis, where she earned a BA in International Relations with an emphasis on Global Environment, Health, and Natural Resources.

Alfredo Gonzalez leads programs that broaden the constituency for environmental conservation. In addition to program management and grantmaking, he also provides policy and government relations support to myriad organizations, grounded in his more than 25 years of experience in natural resources and public infrastructure policy and funding. In 2018, he chaired the campaign committee for California’s Proposition 68, a $4 billion parks, water, and natural resources bond that included, among other provisions, $725 million for local parks in underserved communities. Prior to RLF, Alfredo served as director of the south coast and deserts region for The Nature Conservancy, where he managed various programs including large scale land protection and habitat restoration across Southern California. Prior to that, he served in senior government affairs positions for the Southern California Association of Governments and the County of Santa Clara, and was a policy analyst for Latino Issues Forum. Alfredo received a BA in Communications from UC Berkeley and an MA in Public Administration from California State University, Los Angeles.

Mara Guccione provides management support and direct engagement to deliver services to fiscally sponsored projects, including coordinating project leads, counsel, and RLF leadership on key areas associated with project activities. Before coming to RLF, she was a senior project advisor at Earth Island Institute, and held positions before that at Dig In, Foundations of Success, and the Goldman Environmental Prize. She holds a BA in Anthropology and Environmental Studies from St. Lawrence University, a Masters in Education from Harvard University, and Certificate in Conservation Leadership from the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

Rachel Hamilton provides executive and administrative support to Resources Legacy Fund’s vice presidents and CFO, handling the logistics and management of their internal and external activities. Prior to coming to RLF, Rachel worked as manager of operations at a biotech startup, and also as a legal and corporate executive assistant. She holds a BA in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Christi Hanson provides finance, accounting, and general administrative support to RLF and to select organizations pursuant to RLF service agreements. She holds a BA in Business Administration with a concentration in accountancy from CSU Sacramento.

Jocelyn Garovoy Herbert develops and implements strategies and projects for Ocean, Coast, and Fisheries programs. Before joining Resources Legacy Fund, she was an associate attorney in real estate and land conservation transactions at Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP and practiced land use law and litigation with Cades Schutte LLP. Jocelyn has served on the Hawaii County Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission; on the board of directors of the Hawaii Island Land Trust; and as a Conservation Fellow with the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. She is a graduate of Berkeley Law, University of California, and earned her MA in conservation biology at the University of Pennsylvania.

Janessa Hollmaier is responsible for managing grants and contracts for fiscally sponsored projects. She holds a BS in Environmental Science from Iowa State University.

Lisbeth Jakobsen is responsible for RLF’s fiscal sponsorship services including the direction and coordination of logistics relating to human resources, financial oversight, and programmatic support of managed projects. She brings more than 20 years of experience in financial management related to conservation transactions, public funding, grantmaking, and nonprofit management. Before joining Resources Legacy Fund, Lisbeth served as director of finance for Audubon California and, before that, as grants specialist/financial analyst for The Nature Conservancy. She also worked as fiscal manager for the Division of Social Work at California State University, Sacramento.

Steve Kallick is responsible for providing coordination, strategic direction, and leadership for RLF’s international and Indigenous conservation portfolio. He also serves as director of the International Boreal Conservation Campaign. Before joining RLF, Steve worked for 20 years at The Pew Charitable Trusts in a variety of roles, including as Director of International Lands Conservation, where he developed and managed major conservation initiatives in Canada’s Boreal Forest, the Australian Outback, and Chilean Patagonia. His work at Pew also included design and oversight of the successful campaign for protection of U.S. national forest roadless areas. Prior to that, Steve worked for or represented a variety of organizations in Alaska, focusing on protecting the coastal rainforest and Indigenous rights, and served as committee counsel to the Alaska Legislature. He holds a J.D. and Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law from Lewis and Clark Law School.

Mark Kleinman provides research, analysis, strategy development, writing, review and editing, and oversight of Resources Legacy Fund communications–including all social/digital platforms–for organizational and programmatic purposes. He also served as a program officer for RLF efforts in the Sierra Nevada. He brings more than 25 years of experience in research, writing, and strategic and communications planning. Mark was a history professor and published scholar at UC San Diego and the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, and worked as a marketing communications strategist, project manager, and copy writer in Sacramento, developing and implementing communications plans, campaigns, and projects for numerous organizations, including California Community Colleges, Sierra Nevada Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, Sacramento Air Quality Management District, and California Highway Patrol. Mark received a PhD in history from UCLA.

Janine Knapp develops and manages projects and campaigns for philanthropic programs that address climate change by advancing equitable policies and funding and supporting inclusive and effective constituencies. Before joining Resources Legacy Fund, Janine was the Program Associate for the California Climate Program at The Nature Conservancy and previously served as their Operations Program Coordinator. She also worked as a Congressional Intern for Representative Sam Farr and holds a BA in Political Science and English Literature from UC Santa Cruz.

Jennee Kuang is responsible for the development and management of projects and campaigns for philanthropic programs that address wildfire resilience and climate change. Before coming to RLF, Jennee was an Environment Program Fellow at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation where she developed the foundation’s wildfire resilience grantmaking strategy. Prior to that, she consulted for the Natural Resources Defense Council on its American Cities Climate Challenge. Earlier in her career, Jennee served as special assistant to the Chief Innovation Officer of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She holds a BS in Natural Resources from Cornell University and a Master of Public Policy from UC Berkeley.

Elveena Kumar oversees multi-state payroll and benefit administration for RLF and its partner organizations. Prior to coming to RLF, she worked for Convoy, Inc., the City of Tukwila, the City of Auburn, the University of Washington, and Expedia. She holds a BS in Business Administration from Central Washington University and Project Management Certification from the University of Washington.

Sarah Liebman is responsible for day-to-day grantmaking and administrative support for fiscally sponsored projects. Sarah holds a BA in Political Science from the University of California, Davis.

Denny Lor is responsible for providing finance, accounting, and general administrative support. Before joining RLF, Denny was an accountant at Arcadia Biosciences, Enterprise Holdings, and KCOE ISOM. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting from CSU Chico.

Deborah Love is responsible for providing coordination, research, strategic direction, and leadership for conservation programs. Before RLF, she was executive director of the LOR Foundation and, prior to that, was senior vice president at the Trust for Public Land. She holds a BS in organizational management from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and an MS in environmental resource management from Antioch New England Graduate School.

Bailey Lowenhaupt is responsible for program financial reporting and analysis, financial components of proposals, final financial reports, and various accounting duties that collectively support RLF’s integrated program management, grant making, and grant seeking roles. Before joining Resources Legacy Fund, Bailey was a general accountant and senior manager for accounting at Defenders of Wildlife, as well as an accountant at State Street Corporation. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from The College of William and Mary, Mason School of Business, and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Karina Lozano is responsible for managing grants and contract administration and team coordination for the Ocean, Coast, and Fisheries program and Lands, Rivers, and Communities program. She also assembles the quarterly materials for the Board of Directors. Karina is pursuing a BS in Advertising and Marketing from Ball State University.

Kait Maissen works with other human resources and operations staff and is responsible for a variety of tasks necessary to providing human resources services to staff, candidates, and other Resources Legacy Fund stakeholders. Prior to coming to RLF, she was program coordinator for CalTeach at UC Berkeley and program supervisor for the World in Conversation Center for Public Diplomacy at Pennsylvania State University. She is completing a BA in Psychology at Valdosta State University.

Peggy McNutt develops and implements strategies and projects for philanthropic programs. Previously, she worked for The Nature Conservancy, as managing director of the Central Coast Region and project director for the Lassen Foothills Project in Northern California. She also served as executive director of Delaware & Raritan Greenway and held several positions in New Jersey state government, including executive director of the Department of the Treasury, assistant to the governor, senior research associate for the Office of Legislative Services, and committee aide to the Senate Revenue, Finance, and Appropriations Committee. Peggy is a graduate of the California Agricultural Leadership Program.

Lauren Mangino is responsible for managing RLF and its related organizations’ day-to-day accounting and finance activities, ensuring that all accounting activities are performed in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and in compliance with regulatory requirements. Lauren holds a BS in Business Administration with an emphasis in accounting from CSU San Marcos. Prior to coming to RLF, she worked for the Cancer Support Community San Francisco Bay Area where she held several positions, ultimately including chief financial officer.

Rocio Nieves serves as RLF’s point of contact with funders, grantees, contractors, and the public, providing coordination, research, organization, management, and administration to select philanthropic programs. She holds a BS in Biology and a BA in Psychology from CSU Channel Islands.

Stacey Olson is responsible for serving as RLF’s point of contact with funders, grantees, and consultants, providing coordination, research, organization, management, and administration to select philanthropic programs, as well as providing support to RLF’s legal department. Stacey holds a BS in Biology and Anthropology/Geography from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and an MS in Geography from The Pennsylvania State University.

Jessica Osegueda is responsible for payroll processing and employee records. She also assists with recruiting and onboarding new employees, employee benefits administration, training coordination, and various human resources projects.

Liz Parissenti develops, implements, and oversees projects for Ocean, Coast, and Fisheries programs. Before joining Resources Legacy Fund, Liz was the US Program Manager at OneReef, an international nonprofit that empowers community-led coral reef conservation projects in the Asia-Pacific region. She has also worked for Strategic Earth Consulting, providing facilitation, science communication, and strategic planning for ocean and coastal managers. She is a former Sea Grant Fellow at the California Ocean Protection Council in Sacramento where she specialized in marine protected area management and tribal engagement. Liz is a graduate of Stanford University, where she earned a BS and MS in Earth Systems.

Dan Partin is responsible for providing coordination, research, operational direction, and financial management for conservation projects within the Boreal Strategic Advisors and International Indigenous Conservation programs. Prior to coming to RLF, he was finance and contracts manager for the Boreal Songbird Initiative at the International Boreal Conservation Campaign and client delivery manager at The Spur Group. Dan holds a BS in Civil Engineering and an MBA from Syracuse University.

Annie Peletta provides facilities, technology, project management, and general operations support to RLF.  She also supports the RLF communications team. Annie holds a BA in Liberal Arts from the University of California, Irvine.

Shiva Polefka develops and manages projects for Ocean, Coast, and Fisheries programs. Previously, he served as associate director for oceans policy at the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C., and marine conservation analyst for the Environmental Defense Center in Santa Barbara. Shiva earned his MA in international relations and economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and graduated from the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine.

Ingrid Sanders is responsible for financial evaluation and budget analysis and preparation for fiscally sponsored projects. Ingrid holds a BA in Sociology from UC Davis.

Cressida Sasse is responsible for managing human resources programs, including assisting with the recruitment and training of new staff, managing the day-to-day administration of employee benefit and safety programs, as well as overseeing day-to-day office coordination. Cressida holds a BA in Communications from California State University, Fullerton.

Michael Scott is responsible for providing coordination, research, strategic direction, and leadership for conservation programs. Before coming to RLF, he served as program officer of Western Conservation at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Previously, Michael worked for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, as its conservation director from 1996 to 2001 and then as its executive director from 2001 to 2008. Michael also worked for the Wilderness Society from 1981 to 1996, both in the West and in Washington, D.C. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from UC Santa Barbara, and a master’s degree in public policy from the Claremont Colleges Graduate School.

Shara Sparks develops, implements, and evaluates projects for the Lands, Rivers, and Communities philanthropic programs. Before joining Resources Legacy Fund, Shara was Operations Manager at Western Energy Project, which works to protect western landscapes by ensuring that resource extraction is done responsibly. She has also worked for the US Agency for International Development as strategic advisor to the agency’s administrator and chief of staff. Before that, Shara was part of the presidential advance staff in the Obama Administration. She has a BA in Chemistry and International Relations from the University of Arizona and an MS in Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins University.

Laura Tam is responsible for development and implementation of conservation and climate resilience programs, working with community groups, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, funders, grantees, experts and other stakeholders. Before coming to RLF, Laura was Sustainable Development Policy Director at the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) where she led policy work and advocacy on water, energy, climate change and adaptation. Before that she was a program analyst in the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She holds an AB in Geography from Dartmouth College and a Master’s degree in Environmental Management from the Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

Julie Turrini focuses on conservation financing, real estate transactions, and conservation philanthropy, with particular emphasis on providing strategic advice in structuring guidelines and procedures for program-related investments and projects. Before joining Resources Legacy Fund, Julie served as senior attorney for The Nature Conservancy’s California Program. In that capacity, she provided legal support for real estate acquisitions and dispositions, government and private grant and loan financings, and stewardship matters for the Cosumnes River, Delta, and Northern Sierra projects. Previously, Julie was a partner with various Sacramento law firms, focusing on commercial real estate, land conservation, low-income housing, and general corporate matters. She is a graduate of the UC Davis School of Law.

Rebecca Valdez is responsible for managing grants and contracts administration and overall team coordination for the Ocean, Coast, and Fisheries programs of RLF. She serves as a lead trainer for new employees, and is a point of contact with funders, grantees, and consultants. Rebecca holds a BA in Social Work from California State University, Sacramento.

Marietha Waller is responsible for front desk operations and the logistics of meetings, conferences, and events. She also provides ancillary support to various programs and staff at Sacramento headquarters and remote offices.

Michelle Warren is responsible for development and management of projects and campaigns for philanthropic programs that build capacity, power, and leadership in communities most impacted by environmental injustice and underrepresented in environmental decision making. Prior to coming to RLF, Michelle was a Civic Science Fellow at ScienceCounts in Washington, DC. Before that she was a mobile museum education specialist and community science manager at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. She is also co-founder of Black Girls Trekkin in Los Angeles. Michelle holds a BS in Biology from San Diego State University and an MA in Biology, with emphasis in Community Based Conservation, from Miami University.

Amanda Witteman is responsible for managing grants and contracts for fiscally sponsored projects. She holds a BA in Sociology from Central College in Iowa.

Stephanie Wolfe provides finance, accounting, and general administrative support to RLF and for select organizations pursuant to RLF service agreements. She holds a certificate in accounting from Framingham State University.

Niki Woodard is responsible for researching, writing, and editing key communications products at Resources Legacy Fund and implementing communications strategies. Before joining RLF, Niki was deputy assistant director of the Public Affairs Office at the California Department of Water Resources, overseeing the department’s communications products and messaging. Prior to that, she was communications director at the Center for Climate Protection, owner of Spiral PR and Communications, communications director at Sequoia Riverlands Trust, and research associate at the Pew Research Center. Niki has a BA in economics and rhetoric from UC Berkeley and an MA in communications from Georgetown University.

For more than 20 years, Sybil Ackerman-Munson has worked on key conservation issues in the Pacific Northwest. A graduate of Lewis and Clark Law School, with a Masters degree from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, she has served as a consultant to Resources Legacy Fund as well as the Burning, Lazar, Jubitz Family, Gray Family, Oregon Community, Russell Family, Western Conservation, Bullitt, and Energy foundations. Previously, she worked for a number of environmental organizations, including National Wildlife Federation, Audubon Society of Portland, Sierra Club, and the Oregon League of Conservation Voters. She serves on the Oregon Board of Forestry and has participated in a number of public committees and boards, including Oregon’s Environmental Justice Task Force, Watershed Enhancement Board, Nearshore Task Force, Governor’s Panel on Oregon and California Lands, Steens Mountain Negotiating Committee, State Forest Advisory Committee, and State Forest Public Interest Committee. Her long efforts have helped create Oregon’s marine reserves and protected areas, Ocean Science Trust, Steens Mountain Wilderness, and conservation areas in state forests.

1931-2020

Ed Hastey was one-of-a-kind human being who led a full life devoted to his family and to conservation. He continued to grow and was creative throughout his working life, which included a 42-year career with the Bureau of Land Management, half of which comprised two stints as state director for California ending in 1999. After leaving BLM he worked as a consultant to RLF until shortly before he passed. During his time as Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbitt fondly referred to Ed as the “Viceroy of California.” Ed had a multifaceted, distinguished career with BLM, marked by the lifetime achievement award he received in 2015 from the Public Lands Foundation. Among many other notable achievements, Ed created the Kings Range National Conservation Area, the California Desert Conservation Area and Carrizo Plain National Monument, working with several federal administrations and Congresses. Babbitt credited Ed with developing the idea for the National Conservation Lands System that covers protected BLM lands throughout the country. And way before it became a priority, Ed was known for promoting women and diversity within BLM, more so than anyone else in federal land management agencies (which continue to be dominated by white men). For RLF, Ed led the way on land acquisitions and federal and state funding efforts for the various programs over the years. He knew everyone and was respected by all, knew California like no one else did (or likely will), and was able to get organizations and agencies to focus on landscape level conservation and its significant strategic benefits at a key moment in conservation history. He was a wonderful colleague to many at RLF over the years and we carry fond memories of working with him. Ed is greatly missed, but he left a joyful and enduring legacy for conservation and for those of us who knew him.

Steven Malloch works at the intersection of policy, law and technical water issues. His work for Resources Legacy Fund focuses on the 10-year Open Rivers Fund, which supports community efforts to remove obsolete dams across the West. Steve is trained in hydrology and law, and has worked as a hydrogeologist, lawyer and lobbyist. He brings technical, legal and political tools to bear on the problems of improving the environmental performance of large water systems, especially water supply, irrigation and flood control projects in the western U.S., and on the looming problems of adapting to the impacts of climate change on water infrastructure and use. Steve is Principal with Western Water Futures, LLC, where he provides strategy, program development and implementation services for water managers and non-government clients. Prior to forming Western Water Futures in 2013, Steve worked in Washington D.C. and Seattle on water resources for the National Wildlife Federation, Trout Unlimited and as the Executive Director for the Western Water Alliance. Before shifting to the non-profit sector, Steve practiced environmental law and litigation in San Francisco with Graham & James. He started his career in water as a hydrogeologist, working on water supply and contamination projects in the Western US, Alaska and internationally. His degrees are in geology and law from the University of California at Davis, with an MS in Water Resources Administration from the University of Arizona. He is a member of the bar in Washington.

Michael Weber provides strategic advice for oceans, coasts, and fisheries programs. He was a program officer at RLF for 11 years, until 2018. Before that, Mike was an advisor to the California Fish and Game Commission in the implementation of the Marine Life Management Act. Previously, he directed programs on marine protected areas, sea turtle conservation, and fisheries conservation at the Center for Marine Conservation in Washington, DC. He also worked as special assistant to the director of the National Marine Fisheries Service in the U.S. Department of Commerce. Mike has written books, articles, and reports and has advised in the production of television specials and exhibits on marine conservation.

Barton H. “Buzz” Thompson, Jr. is the Robert E. Paradise Professor in Natural Resources Law at Stanford Law School and the Perry L. McCarty Director and Senior Fellow of Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment. A widely published author and recognized expert on water resources and other environmental issues, Mr. Thompson was a partner at the law firm of O’Melveny & Meyers, lecturer at the UCLA School of Law, and law clerk to United States Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist. He is a member of the California State Bar and the American Bar Association. Mr. Thompson serves on the boards of The Nature Conservancy of California, the American Farmland Trust, and the Sonoran Institute. He also serves as Special Master for the United States Supreme Court in Montana v. Wyoming, which deals with the waters of the Yellowstone River. He has served on the scientific advisory boards of a variety of organizations, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Jeanne Sedgwick is the former director of the Conservation and Science Program at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation in Los Altos, California. She oversaw the program’s growth from an annual grants budget of $500,000 in 1989 to $100 million in 2000. Under her direction, the program launched the five-year, $175 million Conserving California Landscapes Initiative, which helped protect nearly 500,000 acres of California’s critical habitats, and created new national and international programs on coral reef conservation, energy efficiency in China, and marine fisheries conservation. Ms. Sedgwick has served in a variety of board positions, including chairman of the board of the Consultative Group on Biological Diversity, the national affinity group of private foundations working on biodiversity conservation; vice chairman of the Phillips Brooks School, an independent elementary school in Menlo Park, California; and member of the Advisory Council at the Bill Lane Center for the American West at Stanford University. Currently, she is a member of two programs at Stanford University: she is vice chairman of the board of the Stanford Habitat Conservation Plan and a member of the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve Coordinating Committee. She is also chair of the governance committee of the board of WildAid, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization working to reduce consumer demand in China for wildlife products.

Lise Aangeenbrug is the executive director of the Outdoor Foundation, the charitable arm of the Outdoor Industry Association, whose mission is to get people outside through community investments and research. Her prior executive positions were executive vice president of the National Park Foundation and executive director of the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust. She began her career as a field biologist in Maasai Mara National Park in Kenya and subsequently worked at the Colorado Conservation Trust, California Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Audubon Society, and the National Association of State Foresters. Lise is a Board Member of the Land Trust Alliance and Global Dental Relief; for the latter she also leads an annual trip to the organization’s clinic site in Kenya. Lise has a master’s degree from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University.

Dr. Steven Gaines is Dean of the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at UC Santa Barbara. His research focuses on marine ecology and conservation, sustainable fisheries, the design of marine reserves, and the impact of climate change on ocean ecosystems. He has also served UC Santa Barbara as director of the Marine Science Institute, Acting Dean of Science, and Acting Vice Chancellor for Research. Professor Gaines is currently a principal investigator for the Sustainable Fisheries Group, which seeks scalable solutions for the world’s fisheries through partnerships comprising UC Santa Barbara researchers, industry leaders, nonprofit organizations, and governments.

Ex Officio member as RLF President, Avi Garbow is President of Resources Legacy Fund, where he designs, directs, and implements environmental initiatives that advance a just and resilient future for people and nature. He also is President of RLF affiliated organizations, Fund for a Better Future and Shared Ascent Fund. Avi Garbow is a nationally recognized environmental leader, lawyer, and advocate with decades of experience tackling many of the most critical threats to our air, water, lands, and communities. He most recently served as Patagonia’s Environmental Advocate, providing strategic leadership and vision to the company’s robust environmental advocacy efforts.  Avi has held senior leadership positions in several Presidential administrations, including serving as Senior Counselor to the EPA Administrator in the Biden Administration, and as the Senate-confirmed General Counsel at EPA in the Obama Administration. He has also led the environmental practice of an international law firm, and served as a federal environmental crimes prosecutor in the U.S. Department of Justice. Over the course of decades of public service, Garbow has helped lead diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across several administrations, including significant advancements in honoring Tribal treaty rights in federal environmental regulations.

Chet P. Hewitt is President and CEO of Sierra Health Foundation and its nonprofit intermediary partner, The Center at Sierra Health Foundation. Over the past decade, Chet has led a collective impact strategy focused on promoting health, equity, and social justice in underserved communities to improve the well-being of children, youth, and families. He has received national attention for his emphasis on making the Foundation’s and The Center’s partnerships with local communities and public and private funders the centerpiece of both organizations’ strategies for change. Prior to joining Sierra Health Foundation, Chet served as Director of Alameda County’s Social Services Agency, Associate Director for the Rockefeller Foundation in New York, and Director of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice in San Francisco. He has received numerous awards for his service to children and families, including the 2017 Terrance Keenan Leadership in Health Philanthropy Award. Chet is an Annie E. Casey Children and Families Leadership Fellow, and serves on the boards of the Roberts Enterprise Development Fund, Public Policy Institute of California, Advance Peace and CalNonprofits.

Patsy Ishiyama  is a vice president of the Ishiyama Corporation. She also serves as vice chair of the board of directors of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, trustee of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, trustee of the NPR Foundation, and  director of the Ishiyama Foundation. She previously served as a trustee of Trout Unlimited. Ms. Ishiyama also worked with Senator Alan Cranston and California Attorney General John Van de Kamp. She graduated from Stanford University in 1974.

Katharine Jacobs is director of the Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions at the University of Arizona, and served from 2009 to 2013 as director of the National Climate Assessment in President Obama’s Office of Science and Technology Policy, and also as lead water advisor. Prior to her tenure in the Obama administration, she was professor and specialist in the Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, University of Arizona; executive director of the Arizona Water Institute; and deputy director of the National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center for Sustainability of Semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas. Ms. Jacobs’s board and advisory engagements, current and past, include the International Social Science Council, Joint Global Change Research Institute, U.S. Global Change Research Program, Water Education Foundation, American Meteorological Society Board on Global Strategies, California Water Foundation, and Arizona Nature Conservancy, among many others. She is a Senior Fellow of the National Council for Science and the Environment, has contributed to and chaired numerous National Academy of Sciences panels, and is recipient of the National Council for Science and the Environment Award for Outstanding Contributions and the Secretary of the Interior’s Partners in Conservation Award.

Brett Johnson is the Deputy Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director of Public Investments at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. He works closely with other senior members of the investment team on external manager selection across both public and private asset classes, as well as asset allocation, investment strategy, and risk management. Prior to joining the Foundation, Brett was an investor focused on opportunities in public equity, credit, and real estate. As co-founder and chief investment officer at Alesco Global Advisors, an investment firm acquired by Lazard Asset Management, Brett was responsible for managing three mutual funds and overseeing the firm’s investment process. He began his career in equity research at Robertson Stephens. Brett was a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Charlene Kabcenell is President and co-founder of the Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, which focuses on improving California K-12 public education and conserving marine environments throughout the world. She is a former Vice President at Oracle Corporation, where she led various divisions responsible for product software, software development tools, and internationalization. She received an S.B. degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Ms. Kabcenell is a Life Member of the MIT Corporation and a trustee of The Nature Conservancy of California. She is also a founding partner and former Vice Chair of Grantmaking for the Silicon Valley Social Venture (SV2) Fund. Her past board service includes Audubon California and Peninsula Open Space Trust.

Martha Kongsgaard was born and raised in Napa, California, to a family of jurists, grape growers, and cattle ranchers. Kongsgaard, a lawyer, married Peter Goldman in 1988 and collaborated with him to found the Kongsgaard-Goldman Foundation, which has invested in nonprofit environmental, social justice, and arts organizations in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Her community activities include participation on the boards of Earthjustice, the Bullitt Foundation, islandWood, The Ruckelshaus Center, Friends of the Waterfront, The Washington Environmental Council, The Future of the Law Institute, Friends of the Methow, University of Washington’s College of the Environment and the UW Center for Human Rights, as well as The Puget Sound Institute. Kongsgaard has served as the president of Philanthropy Northwest and is the immediate past chair of the Washington Women’s Foundation. She is the immediate past chair and founding member of the Leadership Council of the Puget Sound Partnership, and serves as chair of the Marine Resource Advisory Council for Governor Inslee. Martha has been honored with the Nancy Nordhoff Civic Leadership Award by City Club, Woman of the Year Award by Seattle University School of Law, the Environmental Hero Award by the Washington Environmental Council, the Seattle Aquarium Medal for leadership and lifetime achievement, and in 2015, was the inaugural recipient of the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance Inspiration Award.

Randall Martinez is executive vice president and chief operating officer of Cordoba Corporation, a California-based professional services firm focused on public infrastructure development, providing customized planning, engineering, management, and construction services to meet client needs in the areas of transportation, water, energy, and education facilities. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from USC and is licensed in California as a general engineering contractor. Mr. Martinez serves on the board of the National Museum of American History (Smithsonian Institution), the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the San Diego Supplier Diversity Council. In 2015, he was appointed by the California Attorney General to the California Energy Commission’s Clean Energy and Jobs Act (Proposition 39) Citizens Oversight Board. In addition, from 1996 to 1999, he served as guest host of El Amanacer, a public affairs television program on the San Francisco Bay Area UPN network affiliate, conducting live interviews with political, civic, and business leaders, discussing issues related to arts, culture, and business.

Luseni “Lou” Pieh works on the Policy team at Mill Industries Inc. where he leads on environmental policy at the federal and state levels, and supports Mill’s work in communities. Previously, he held roles in the public, private, and non-profit sectors working primarily on environmental and sustainability issues. Of note, Lou served as a member of the U.S. EPA’s Agency Review Team for the Biden-Harris Transition and before that, held senior roles in the Obama Administration in the U.S. EPA and White House. Lou has also worked as a Managing Director at Tusk Strategies, which is a political and regulatory consulting firm, and as acting CEO and Chief Operating Officer for River LA and as Environmental and Compliance Counsel for Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

Mark Wan is a co-founding Partner of Causeway Media Partners, an investment firm focused on sports media and content. He is also a co-founding partner of Three Arch Partners, a healthcare focused investment firm and has been a founder or seed investor in numerous companies. He is a member of the boards of directors of the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Peninsula Open Space Trust. Mark received a BS in Engineering from Yale University and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Kevin Washburn is the dean of the University of Iowa College of Law. His practice and teaching focus on criminal law, contracts, Constitutional and administrative law, as well as federal jurisdiction, Federal Indian law and gaming law. He was a Regents Professor of Law at the University of New Mexico School of Law and served as its dean from 2009 to 2012, when he was appointed by President Obama as Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior, serving in that role until 2016. Prior to entering academia, he clerked for a judge on the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, worked as a trial attorney and then a prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice, and served as the general counsel of the National Indian Gaming Commission. As an academic, he also has held faculty positions at the University of Minnesota and University of Arizona, and taught at Harvard Law School as the Visiting Oneida Nation Professor. He has published casebooks in the law of gaming and gambling and federal Indian law. He has also chaired the board of the Law School Admission Council, which produces the LSAT. Professor Washburn is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma.