Michael Mantell is President of Resources Legacy Fund, which he founded to help design and administer initiatives for philanthropic foundations and individuals that result in significant conservation achievements. He also helped create the independent Resources Law Group and is president of the independent, affiliated Fund for a Better Future. Since the late 1990s, he has designed and participated in programs and projects that broadened the leadership and constituency for natural resources protection and achieved extensive conservation outcomes for land, water, and ocean resources and on renewable energy. Mr. Mantell helped lead the 2010 campaign that prevented a rollback of California’s landmark climate change legislation. In the past decade, he has chaired campaigns resulting in voters approving over $8 billion of investments in water, land, and ocean conservation. Previously, as Undersecretary for Resources for the State of California, he oversaw the $2.8 billion budget of the Resources Agency. Prior to that, he was General Counsel for the World Wildlife Fund and a Deputy City Attorney in Los Angeles. Mr. Mantell is author and co-author of several books and articles, the recipient of several national conservation awards, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Monterey Bay Aquarium and on the Governing Council of The Wilderness Society.

Matt Armsby helps set and implement the strategic direction of Resources Legacy Fund, assists with Board relations, and manages program work tied to state and federal policies, including climate adaptation and marine protection. Before joining RLF, Matt was an environmental law and policy fellow and clinical attorney at Stanford Law School’s Environmental Law Clinic, overseeing research for marine conservation initiatives and providing legal services to public interest organizations. He was also an Early Career Legal Fellow at the Center for Ocean Solutions, advancing the role of science in ocean governance. 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 Land, Rivers, and Communities and Oceans, 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.

Ben Alexander is responsible for providing coordination, research, strategic direction, and leadership for conservation programs. Before RLF, he served as chief program officer at the LOR Foundation, was co-founder and co-director of Headwaters Economics, and was a director at the Sonoran Institute. He holds a BA in history from Tufts University and an MA and MPhil in American Studies from Yale University.

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

Katherine Beale is responsible for ensuring that daily office operations proceed smoothly. She provides technical support to employees at Sacramento headquarters and remote offices.

Corey Brown serves as a strategic policy advisor and program officer 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.

Sierra is responsible for supporting day-to-day office operations and undertaking select special projects. She holds a BA in psychology from California State University, Chico.

Pamela 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 is responsible for for day-to-day grantmaking and administrative support for a number of Lands, Rivers, and Communities philanthropic programs. She holds a BA in Art History from California State University, Sacramento.

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 donor services programs and projects. Michelle holds a BA in English from UC Riverside.

Gaea Dennis is responsible for managing RLF’s 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. Gaea holds a BS in Business from San Jose State University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Christina Evola provides general support to the Resources Legacy Fund Counsel on legal issues arising in connection with RLF’s philanthropic program work, corporate governance, and business matters. Prior to joining RLF, Christina served as a federal clerk to Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood, US District Court for the District of Guam. Before that, she worked as a Research Attorney for the Supreme Court of Guam, an Assistant Attorney General for Pohnpei (Federated States of Micronesia), and as Legal Affairs Manager for the Ian Somerhalder Foundation. Christina also worked as a wildlife biologist protecting endangered species. She has a BS in biology and a BA in psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and is a graduate of the University of San Diego School of Law.

Kaitilin Gaffney develops and manages projects for Oceans, Coasts, 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.

Alfredo Gonzalez leads efforts across programs to broaden and diversify the conservation constituency with a specific focus on actively engaging urban, Latino, underserved, and younger Californians. Previously, he served as director of the South Coast and Desert Region for The Nature Conservancy of California, managing programs in Southern California including a Los Angeles-based urban strategies project and a renewable energy initiative. He also oversaw land protection and habitat enhancement efforts in the Tehachapi Mountains, Riverside County, San Diego County, and the watersheds of the Santa Clara and Armargosa Rivers. 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 the Latino Issues Forum. Alfredo received a BA in Communications from UC Berkeley and an MA in Public Administration from California State University, Los Angeles.

Jocelyn Garovoy Herbert develops and implements strategies and projects for oceans, coasts, 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.

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 brings more than 25 years of experience in research, writing, and strategic and communications planning. Mark was a history professor 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.

Letise LaFeir develops, implements, and oversees projects for oceans, coasts, and fisheries programs. Before joining Resources Legacy Fund, Letise was California Ocean Policy Manager at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Before that, she served as a Policy Analyst and then National Outreach Coordinator for the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was Director of Government Relations and Education Program Coordinator at the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and worked as a Sea Grant Fellow for Congressman Sam Farr (D-California). Letise is a graduate of Brown University, with a BS in Aquatic Biology and a BA in English. She received a PhD in Marine Biology from the University of Delaware College of Marine Studies.

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

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.

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.

Lana Lucas is responsible for financial evaluation, budget analysis and budget preparation for philanthropic grant programs and projects. She brings more than 25 years of experience in budgeting, financial analysis, and process improvement. Before coming to Resources Legacy Fund, she served as budget analyst and financial forecast analyst for UC Davis Medical Center. Prior to that she was a principal budget analyst and financial/reimbursement analyst for UC San Francisco Medical Center. She also served as reimbursement auditor for Blue Cross of California. She holds a BS in Accounting from San Francisco State University.

Ingrid Mayer is responsible for financial evaluation and budget analysis and preparation for Donor Services. Ingrid holds a BA in Sociology from UC Davis.

Isaac McCovey provides finance, accounting, and general administrative support to RLF. Prior to RLF, Isaac served as controller at the Buena Vista Rancheria of Mi-Wuk Indians and before that served as an accountant at California Rural Indian Health Board. He earned a BS in business with a focus in accounting from Southern New Hampshire University and is certified in Tribal Finance Management and Grant Management.

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.

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 Oceans, Coasts, 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.

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 Oceans, Coasts, 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.

Merswind Reyer provides general counsel on legal issues arising in connection with philanthropic program work, corporate governance, and business matters. She also assists with conservation real estate transactions, and issues of environmental and land use law. Previously, Mersy was counsel at Downey Brand LLP in Sacramento, representing clients in the negotiation and litigation of environmental disputes and assisting with environmental due diligence and compliance issues. She also was an adjunct professor in the Appellate Advocacy Program at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. Mersy has a BA from the University of California, Berkeley, and received her law degree and a certificate of completion in environmental and natural resources law from the University of Oregon School of Law.

Jenn Sanderson provides support to the Board of Directors and the senior management team. Jenn holds a BA in Art History/Art Management from the University of San Francisco.

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.

Miriam Torres develops, coordinates, and implements projects for philanthropic programs. Prior to joining Resources Legacy Fund, she was a Coastal Planner for the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission. Previously, she worked to increase access to water resources and open space in environmental justice communities as a consultant to Alcanza and as Southern California Program Director for The Environmental Justice Coalition for Water. She holds a Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree from UCLA and a BS in Conservation and Resource Studies from UC Berkeley.

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.

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 Sate 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.

Edward W. “Ned” Barnholt is the former chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Agilent Technologies. He led the company’s four business sectors—Test and Measurement, Life Sciences and Chemical Analysis, Semiconductor Products, and Automated Test—and guided Agilent through its spin-off from Hewlett-Packard Company in 1999, leading the company until retiring in 2005. Prior to Agilent, he served in a number of positions at the Hewlett-Packard Company including senior vice president and executive vice president. Mr. Barnholt is currently chairman of the KLA–Tencor Corporation and serves on the board of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, eBay, and Adobe. He is a senior fellow of the American Leadership Forum and was a member of its board of directors from 1998 to 2004. In 2004, Ned was presented with the John W. Gardner Leadership Award in recognition of his continuing commitment to building community, service, and philanthropy in Silicon Valley.

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.

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.

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.

Ex Officio member as RLF President Michael Mantell is President of Resources Legacy Fund, which he founded to help design and administer initiatives for philanthropic foundations and individuals that result in significant conservation achievements. He also helped create the independent Resources Law Group and is president of the independent, affiliated Fund for a Better Future. Since the late 1990s, he has designed and participated in programs and projects that broadened the leadership and constituency for natural resources protection and achieved extensive conservation outcomes for land, water, and ocean resources and on renewable energy. Mr. Mantell helped lead the 2010 campaign that prevented a rollback of California’s landmark climate change legislation. In the past decade, he has chaired campaigns resulting in voters approving over $8 billion of investments in water, land, and ocean conservation. Previously, as Undersecretary for Resources for the State of California, he oversaw the $2.8 billion budget of the Resources Agency. Prior to that, he was General Counsel for the World Wildlife Fund and a Deputy City Attorney in Los Angeles. Mr. Mantell is author and co-author of several books and articles, the recipient of several national conservation awards, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Monterey Bay Aquarium and on the Governing Council of The Wilderness Society.

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.

Craig McNamara is the president and owner of Sierra Orchards, a diversified farming operation primarily producing organic walnuts. He is focused on connecting people, policy, and best sustainable agricultural practices, with the integrated aims of conserving key agricultural lands, promoting social justice, and supporting the next generation of farmers. These interests led him to found the Center for Land-Based Learning, an innovative program that helps high school students build greater social and human capital in their communities. Mr. McNamara is also president of the California State Board of Food and Agriculture, and sits on the University of California President’s Advisory Commission and the UC Davis Dean’s Advisory Council. He is an advisory board member of the Agricultural Sustainability Institute, and active in the American Farmland Trust, Roots of Change, and the Public Policy Institute of California. He is the recipient of several awards including California Agriculturalist of the Year 2014, James Irvine Leadership Award, Leopold Conservation Award, the California Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award, and the UC Davis Award of Distinction and Outstanding Alumnus Award.

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.