Dr. Glenda Humiston
State Director of California Rural Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Dr. Glenda Humiston was appointed California State Director of USDA Rural Development by President Obama. Her career includes policy development and program implementation supporting agricultural, environmental and economic development goals. Biography
Richard Ingram
Vice President, Brelje & Race Consulting Engineers
Recipient of Wine Country Water Works Association’s Engineer of the Year, Richard’s recycled water projects have received several awards from the Water Environment Federation and the American Council of Engineering Companies. Biography
Jake Mackenzie
Councilmember, City of Rohnert Park
Jake is a veteran elected official and environmental activist in Sonoma County. He is starting his 19th year on the Rohnert Park City Council. He currently chairs the NCRP and the LGC, is Chair of GA’s Public Policy Committee, and serves on MTC, ABAG Exec Committee, JPC, SCTA (twice past chair) and SMART. Biography
Amy Lyle
Planner III, Comprehensive Planning, Permit and Resource Management Department
Karen Gaffney
Conservation Planning Manager Sonoma County, Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District
Karen Gaffney leads landscape scale initiatives related to watershed assessment, climate change and conservation prioritization. Biography
Brian Vaughn
Director of Health Services, Health Policy, Planning and Evaluation (HPPE) Division County of Sonoma
Brian Vaughn leads the County in developing and implementing strategies and policies to achieve Sonoma County’s goal of being the healthiest county in the state.
Tim Doherty
Coastal Planner, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
Tim Doherty received his MS from UC Berkeley’s College of Natural Resources and has been with the NOAA Office for Coastal Management since the summer of 2012. Biography
Josh Fryday
Chief Operating Officer, NextGen Climate
Dr. Lisa Micheli
Executive Director, Pepperwood Preserve
Dr. Micheli has over 25 years experience applying her technical, policy, and fundraising expertise to the design and implementation of ecological restoration, research and education programs. Biography
Lauren Casey
Deputy Director, Sonoma County Regional Climate Protection Authority
Lauren manages climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives on behalf of Sonoma County local jurisdictions and agency partners. Biography
Christopher Helgren
Emergency Manager, County of Sonoma Fire & Emergency Services
Christopher Helgren has worked in the Fire & Emergency Services Department for the County of Sonoma for 15 years and served as Emergency Manager since 2011. Biography
Kate Meis
Executive Director, Local Government Commission
Kate Meis is a recognized leader in combating climate change by advising on key state initiatives and developing new statewide education and assistance programs. Biography
Justin Witt
Environmental Planner, Brelje & Race Consulting Engineers
Justin joined Brelje & Race in 1999 as the firm’s environmental planner. He conducts CEQA compliance and planning for water, wastewater and school projects. Biography
Ann Hancock
Executive Director, Center for Climate Protection
Ann co-founded the Center for Climate Protection in 2001, with over 25 years in community leadership, education and fundraising. Biography
Susan Gorin
Chair, First District Supervisor Board of Supervisors, Sonoma County
Supervisor Gorin represents the First District, which is eastern Sonoma County. She is currently Chair of the Board of Supervisors. Ms. Gorin graduated from Sonoma State University in 1991, cum laude, with a degree in Political Science and Economics. Biography
Thomas Jacobson, JD, MCP, FAICP
Director, Sonoma State University Center for Sustainable Communities
Tom Jacobson is Professor of Environmental Studies & Planning and Director of the Center for Sustainable Communities at Sonoma State University. Biography
Dr. Julie Kalansky
Researcher, Center for Western Weather & Water Extremes, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, UCSD
Julie Kalansky received her Ph.D. from Rutgers University in Oceanography with a focus on Climate Science. She has recently taken a leading role in the California’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) projects. Biography
Edward Thompson, Jr.
California State Director, American Farmland Trust
Valerie Minton
Program Director, Sonoma Resource Conservation District
At Sonoma RCD, Valerie leads the LandSmart® Planning program, promoting productive lands and thriving streams through on-farm conservation planning. Biography
John Green
Lead Scientist and Project Manager, Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District
John Green has over 15 years of experience in developing and implementing resource conservation and habitat protection projects. Biography
Andrew Rogerson
Provost, Sonoma State University
Andrew Rogerson is the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs where he has the broad responsibility for ensuring the academic programs and faculty at SSU are of the highest quality. Biography
Dr. Marty Ralph
Research Meteorologist and Director, Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD
Dr. F. Martin Ralph is a research meteorologist focused on understanding the physical processes that create extremes in precipitation ranging from flood to drought, and on advancing associated observations, predictions, climate projections and decision support tools. Biography
James Gore
4th District Supervisor, Sonoma County
– As the 4th District County Supervisor, James serves Northern Santa Rosa up to Cloverdale. James served as Presidential Appointee as Assistant Chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Biography
Suzanne Smith
Executive Director, Sonoma County Transportation Authority Regional Climate Protection Authority
Suzanne Smith joined the Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA) in October 1997 as the Executive Director. The SCTA is the countywide transportation agency responsible for coordinating regional, state and federal funding and administering Measure M, the local ¼ cent transportation sales tax. Biography
James Jasperse
Chief Engineer and Director of Groundwater Management for the Sonoma County Water Agency.
Mr. Jasperse is the Chief Engineer and Director of Groundwater Management for the Sonoma County Water Agency. He is an author of published journal articles and book chapters on topics such as surface water-groundwater interactions, natural filtration processes, riverbank filtration, and integrated water resource management. Biography
Daniel Swezey
Graduate Researcher, UC Davis
Daniel Swezey is a PhD candidate at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory, where he studies how future CO2-driven acidification of the ocean will affect the growth and development of marine shellfish, including potential adaptation strategies. Biography