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Sotoyome Resource Conservation District
Location:
2150 West College Ave.,
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Staff
Kara Heckert -
Executive Director Kara Heckert provides oversight for all Sotoyome RCD programs and builds partnerships with landowners, non-profits, consultants, and local, state, and federal agencies. Kara develops programs and secures funding for the SRCD's programs as directed by the SRCD Board of Directors. Kara has had over ten years of experience working in the field of natural resource restoration and has a strong background in watershed management. She previously worked at the SRCD as Restoration Project Manager, the Natural Resources Conservation Service as the Russian River Soil Conservationist, and for California State Parks as an Environmental Services Intern. Kara has a B.S. in Biology and Environmental Studies from Sonoma State University. Kara was born and raised in Napa County and has been living in Sonoma County since 1998.
Sierra Cantor -
Watershed Biologist Sierra Cantor has been working for the SRCD since 1998. Sierra manages the Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Program. Sierra performs all stream monitoring data collection, analysis and reporting, data Quality Assurance/QAPP compliance, and assists in identification, design, implementation and effectiveness monitoring of restoration projects. Sierra is instrumental in the coordination of volunteers, training and data retrieval for the Coast-wide Snapshot Day and First Flush events for the Russian and Gualala Rivers and coordination and calibrations events for the Russian River Temperature Workgroup. Sierra has built strong professional relationships with landowners, community members, and agency partners. Sierra has also worked as a project coordinator for Laurel Marcus & Associates and a project and research associate for Circuit Rider Productions, Inc. Sierra has a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from UC Santa Cruz. Sierra was born and raised in Sebastopol.
Greg Fisher -
Restoration Program Manager Greg Fisher recently came to the SRCD after working for longtime project partner, Circuit Rider Productions, Inc, where he worked for the last seven years in their Restoration Implementation Program. At the RCD, Greg oversees the successful implementation of a variety of restoration projects across the RCD's jurisdiction, including rural roads restoration, streambank stabilization, and riparian planting projects. Greg has experience designing and managing restoration projects, monitoring project success, and monitoring water quality and in-stream processes and hopes to use his GIS background to enhance the RCD's mapping and assessment capacity. Greg graduated from James Madison University in 1996 with B.A.'s in Anthropology and Media Arts and Design. He has pursued considerable additional training in agronomy, wetland botany, and general field botany.
Ruth Ark -
Resource Conservationist Ruth Ark assists in tasks related to the SRCD Watershed Assessment and Monitoring Program including stream monitoring data collection and analysis. Ruth also performs a number of outreach activities throughout the District including workshop coordination, development of outreach materials, and targeted landowner outreach. Ruth has a Career Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture, a Certificate in Environmental Conservation / Watershed Management from Santa Rosa Junior College, and completed a 4Seasons Permaculture Design Consultancy Course with Penny Livingston-Stark at the Regenerative Design Institute - Bolinas. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from San Francisco State University.
Valerie Sherron -
Project Coordinator Valerie Sherron assists in the management of all SRCD contracts with local, state, federal, nonprofit and other agencies to assure compliance and successful completion. Valerie is involved with researching, writing and submitting grants, and completing permits for habitat restoration projects. She also assists with education and outreach activities, as well as SRCD's restoration, watershed assessment, and water quality monitoring programs. Valerie recently earned her B.S. in Biology from Sonoma State University, and is a member of the Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy Class of 2008. Valerie grew up in Sebastopol, and has been living in Santa Rosa since 2005.
Trisha Meisler -
Development Coordinator Trisha Meisler is the newest member of the RCD team and will serve as Development Coordinator. In this newly created position, Trisha will collaborate with RCD staff members to identify and acquire funding to support all aspects of the RCD's mission. Trisha brings with her a background in both ecological research and natural resources management. A strong interest in plant conservation and travel led her to several different field biology positions from Colorado to Alaska to Hawaii and ultimately California. While earning her MA in Biology at Sonoma State University (2002), Trisha immersed herself in the ecological issues surrounding the impacts of feral pigs in California grasslands. Following graduate school, Trisha worked as a botanical consultant with Garcia and Associates and as an editor for the Sonoma Land Trust, co-authoring their Invasive Species Management Plan.
Amy Richards -
Bookkeeper Amy Richards is responsible for the daily management of all bookkeeping activities including payroll, A/R and A/P, Federal, State and Local Audit reports, and annual budget preparation and financial reports. She is also responsible for the administration of the Wright Preservation Bank operated through the SRCD for the CA. Department of Fish & Game and the Laguna Valley Mitigation Bank.
A brief history of resource conservation districts and the Sotoyome RCD | |||||||||||
pdf format)