Our Staff
Together, our staff brings science, stewardship, education, and community engagement together to care for Sonoma Valley's land, water, and natural resources. Their collective work supports a healthier watershed and stronger communities. Like in many nonprofits, some of our staff’s skills are utilized across programs.
Our Leadership
Our leadership team stewards Sonoma Ecology Center’s founding commitment to Sonoma Valley’s ecological health while guiding the organization’s growth and evolving programs. They foster collaboration across the community and oversee the partnerships, people, and resources needed to meet the evolving needs of Sonoma Valley.
Richard Dale
Executive Director
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richard@sonomaecologycenter.org
Tiffany Wing
Associate Director
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tiffany@sonomaecologycenter.org
Our Strategic Planners
Our strategic planning team helps design the long-term vision for research, restoration, and stewardship across Sonoma Valley. By identifying priorities, building partnerships, and securing funding, they open new avenues for impact and help ensure limited resources are directed toward the region's most ambitious, achievable, and beneficial goals.
Caitlin Cornwall,
Senior Project Manager Planning and Grants
Sonoma Valley Collaborative Program Manager
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caitlin@sonomaecologycenter.org
Our Researchers
Our researchers help us and others understand the health and challenges of Sonoma Valley’s ecosystems. Through monitoring, data collection, and analysis, they provide the scientific foundation for the restoration and stewardship work happening throughout the region.
Steve Lee,
Senior Scientist and Research Program Manager
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Cell: 707.933.7436
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Steve grew up in Sonoma Valley but left after high school to train as a marine biologist, attending UC Santa Cruz where he studied sea otters and did intertidal monitoring work. He earned a master’s and the equivalent of a Ph.D., and continued his work at UCLA for many years before returning home to a region he knows so well.
Wendy Hayes,
Research Project Manager
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Cell: 707.933.7426
Jack Hines,
GIS Specialist
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ext. 117
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Jack first worked for Sonoma Ecology Center as a GIS technician in the late 1990s. He left in 2000 to work in soundscape ecology with Bernie Krause. In 2004 Jack joined the faculty at Hanna Boys Center, where he was the music teacher for the next 14-plus years. In 2018 he returned to GIS work, which brought him back to SEC. Jack brings with him a broad understanding of the interplay between art, science, education and interpersonal communication.
Raymond Baltar, Biochar Project Manager
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raymond@sonomaecologycenter.org
Cell: 707.291.3240
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Raymond is a sustainability consultant, local businessman, and professional photographer focused on integrating business principles with energy conservation and environmental sustainability. Served on the Executive Committee of the Sierra Club, Redwood Chapter. Completed a Green MBA in Sustainable Enterprise from Dominican University in 2011.
Our Restoration Team
Our team of ecologists, biologists, and land management professionals cares for more than 4,000 acres of public and private land across Sonoma Valley. Drawing on expertise in environmental science, restoration ecology, and natural resource management, they restore habitat, manage invasive species, propagate native plants, reduce wildfire fuels, stabilize streambanks, and steward the parks, preserves, and waterways that support a healthy watershed for Sonoma Valley.
Lauren Claussen,
Restoration Program Manager
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lauren@sonomaecologycenter.org
Cell: 760.805.3972
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Lauren graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Molecular Environmental Biology, and later attended Oregon State to obtain an MS in Natural Resource Management. She began her career working in marine biology at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, then fell in love with the north coast and moved to Sonoma County. Prior to joining Sonoma Ecology Center, she worked in viticulture and land management throughout Sonoma and Napa counties, and incorporated ecological improvements wherever possible! This experience working in our local agricultural community cemented her desire to collaborate with and help educate local landowners on beneficial ecological practices. Outside of work, she can be found gardening, hiking with her dogs, and biking all over Northern California. She holds a qualified applicator license with the Department of Pesticide Regulation (QAL #137282).
Manuel Hernandez,
Restoration Field Manager + Arborist Credential
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manuel@sonomaecologycenter.org
Cell: 707.231.7055
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ISA Certified Arborist ® WE-14183A
Firefighter 2Mr. Hernandez joined SEC in March 2022. He earned a BS in Biology from Sonoma State University while working for Sonoma State’s Center for Environmental Inquiry as a trail steward and docent at Fairfield Osborn Preserve. He earned an M.S. in Biology from Sonoma State in 2020 studying the effects of sudden oak death on the fire severity of the 2017 Nuns Fire. Before coming to SEC he was a Part-time crew leader at Circuit Rider Community Services’ Ecological Program.
William Read,
Restoration Technician
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William grew up in San Jose, California with a love for nature and the outdoors. He followed this love through classes in geology and geography at West Valley College, and would like to pursue his BS in Geology soon. He has always been interested in work that would allow him to be outdoors and to have a positive environmental impact. After taking a land management internship at the Fairfield Osborn Preserve through Sonoma State University, he fell in love with both the landscape of Sonoma county and the work being done to protect and enhance it. He is certified as a Wildland Firefighter Type 2.
Josh Zupan,
Restoration Technician
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Josh grew up in the Sierra Nevada Foothills of Northern California before moving to the coast to pursue a B.S. in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and a B.A. in Art at University of California Santa Cruz. Following his undergraduate studies, he received a Post-baccalaureate degree in Scientific Illustration from California State University Monterey Bay while also working seasonally on vegetation and soil surveys in remote sections of California and Nevada. Prior to joining Sonoma Ecology Center, Josh spent a few years as a restoration technician with a particular focus on riparian restoration, water quality, and Low-Tech Process Based Restoration. Outside of work, Josh is an avid backpacker, runner, and certified botany nerd.
Our Educators
Our Education Team reaches more than 1,300 students through school programs, camps, field trips, and youth leadership opportunities. Additionally, they organize creek cleanups and some of our most popular guided hikes for community members of all ages.
Tony Passantino,
Education Program Manager
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Cell: 707.529.7493
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B.A. in Geography and Environmental Studies, UCLA
Tony worked on watershed conservation and education as an intern with Tahoe-Baikal Institute. Prior to joining Sonoma Ecology Center, Tony completed an AmeriCorps term in Lake Tahoe, working on building sustainable communities and developing plans for homeowners to prevent soil erosion and runoff from entering the watershed. He teaches in Sonoma Valley classrooms and at various field sites, and oversees the EnviroLeaders and California Naturalist programs. He is serving as the Chair of the Sonoma Environmental Education Collaborative (SEEC) for the 2024-2026 term.
Julia Megna,
Education Project Manager
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B.A. in Humanities and Theater Arts, UCSC / Teaching Credential, Chapman University
Julia taught in Sonoma County elementary schools for 32 years, 21 as a classroom teacher. As a teacher leader, she specialized in the sciences, curriculum development, outdoor education, fundraising, and facilitating the creation of outdoor learning environments. Through her own efforts as well as Point Blue’s STRAW (Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed), Julia has engaged hundreds of students in restoration projects and conservation science.
Jonny Ehlers,
Educator/Naturalist
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Cell: 707.227.0504
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B.A. in Environmental Education and Wildland Management, UCSC
Jonny is a fourth-generation educator who began working with youth right out of high school in an after-school program in Sacramento. He later became an educator in West Sonoma County at a residential camp working with diverse populations, and founded The Mycelium Project, an organization dedicated to helping kids and adults through hikes, and nature-based activities.
Camille Sanchez,
Educator
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Camille began studying Early Child Development and quickly found fulfillment in nature-based learning. She uses her love of art and sustainability to facilitate connections to the natural world around us. Camille is a certified Naturalist, Climate Steward, and a Mother. She has led outdoor educational programs, channeling her inner child and using her passion to create an experience filled with curiosity and excitement for all ages.
Mickey Abate,
Environmental Educator and Sonoma Garden Park Assistant
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B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, The California Institute of Integral Studies
M.A. in Ecology, Spirituality and Religion, The California Institute of Integral Studies
As a born and raised Sonoma Valley local, Mickey centered her undergraduate research in Interdisciplinary Studies on the land and stories of Sonoma. She recently completed her master’s degree in Ecology, Spirituality and Religion from the California Institute of Integral Studies, with a focus on education and critical methodology. Before coming to the Sonoma Ecology Center, she worked at a K-8 Mandarin Chinese immersion school. Mickey aims to continue her academic work at the intersection of environmental thought and practice, and biodynamic farming.
Mario Coronado,
Senderos Naturales Program Assistant & Educator
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Mario brings a strong background in environmental science and a passion for expanding access to the outdoors for Sonoma Valley’s Spanish-speaking community—in addition to his role on Sonoma Ecology Center’s Education Team, he also serves as the Program Assistant for Senderos Naturales, SEC’s bilingual outings program at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. In both roles, Mario excels at inspiring people of all ages to explore, learn from, and care for the natural world.
Our Public Park Operators
Our staff manages Sugarloaf Ridge State Park and Sonoma Garden Park with the support of dedicated volunteers. They oversee the day-to-day care of these beloved public spaces and help ensure they remain welcoming, accessible to the public, and well cared for year-round.
John Roney,
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Park Manager
Alma Shaw,
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Bilingual Program Manager
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Cell: 707.247.5767
Maria Mauricio,
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Volunteer Coordinator and Events Assistant
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Cell: 707.200.8134
Woody Woodbury, Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Campground Administrative Lead
Scott Lawyer,
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Head of Maintenance
Danny Angel,
Campground Lead
Desirae Harp, Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Event and Education Assistant
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ext. 115
Jane Rehm, Native Plant Nursery Consultant
Rebecca Kelly,
Sonoma Garden Park Manager
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rebecca@sonomaecologycenter.org
Cell: 760.803.7137
Our Storytellers
Our Community Engagement Team connects the community to Sonoma Valley's landscapes and the work being done to care for them. Through storytelling, community engagement, fundraising, and collaborations, they help people learn how to be better stewards of Sonoma Valley, learn about local environmental issues, discover opportunities to get involved, and support our mission.
Tiffany Wing,
Associate Director
Amanda Hubbard,
Development Manager
Kim Jones,
Development Specialist
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On maternity leave through January 2027.
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Kim grew up in Sonoma Valley and has been working in its nonprofit sector since 2016 with a focus on mission-driven communications, coalition building, and fundraising. She studied at Maastricht University and graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a BA in Psychology and a minor in the History of Art and Visual Culture.
She serves on the board of the Sebastiani Theatre Foundation and is an Emeritus board member of the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation and the Valley of the Moon Music Festival. She has also provided PR consultation for AG/O in support of international human rights campaigns.
Kim spent almost a decade in Sweden, initially working as a preschool teacher before becoming the Marketing Director of the Swedish Academy of Realist Art and later the PR Manager of House of Dagmar, one of Sweden’s most influential fashion houses.
Outside of Sonoma Ecology Center, she leads The Future Collective, a movement to cultivate a new generation of community leaders in Sonoma Valley.
Maria Hamel,
Writer
Stephanie Sumstine-Felice, Communications Lead
Our Administrators
Our Administrative Team provides the operational backbone of Sonoma Ecology Center, including bookkeeping, administrative support, and day-to-day operations.
Mattie Miller,
Finance Manager
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mattie@sonomaecologycenter.org
(707) 996-0712 Ext. 100
Nathan Jaymot,
Accounting Assistant
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nathan@sonomaecologycenter.org
(707) 996-0712Ext. 121
