nancy@marinrcd.org

Nancy Scolari has been the Executive Director of the District for 26 years helping farmers and ranchers with the application of practices that improve soil, water, air, plants, wildlife and the viability of agriculture. Nancy works with a dedicated board and staff, implementing grant-funded projects such as the Marin Coastal Permit Coordination, Pine Gulch Instream Flow Enhancement, Conserving Our Watersheds and Carbon Farming Programs.  As a founding member of the Marin Carbon Project she has helped develop opportunities in addressing the health of our working landscapes with livestock producers. She received a B.A in Environmental Studies and Planning at Sonoma State University with an emphasis in water quality. Nancy enjoys rock climbing and her dog Herbie.

elise@marinrcd.org

Elise Suronen has 14 years of experience in restoration ecology and natural resources as a researcher, project and program manager.  Throughout her time at the Marin RCD, Elise has managed over $8 million in local, state and federal grants on private lands.  Those dollars were used to implement over 50 high-priority restoration projects throughout Marin County in partnership with over 40 land managers, state and federal agencies and non-profits.  She is certified in Regenerative Design Lab; Negotiating Effective Environmental Agreements; and Facilitation Skills for Scientists, Planners and Resource Managers.  Elise has a M.S. in Natural Resources from the University of Idaho and published two papers from her graduate research work on evaluating fire as a habitat restoration tool: Northwestern Naturalist 2013, and Forest Ecology and Management 2013.  She is a certified professional coach and the founder of Wyld Within, a consultancy and platform for regenerative leadership.  Elise believes that if we embrace designing and leading by nature (using living systems as our muse and guide), we can create a healthier and equitable future for all.

sarah@marinrcd.org

Sarah has been working since 2009 in the field of restoration and natural resources management with a focus on riparian systems and salmonid habitat enhancement covering a variety of sectors; non-profit (both international and national), private consulting, and state government. She joined the Marin RCD in 2014 and focuses on stormwater management through LID applications, collaborative stakeholder engagement through facilitation and mediation, fisheries monitoring, leading hands-on technical trainings, in addition to writing and implementing grants. She also acts as the ombudsman and communication liaison between local, state and federal regulatory agencies. Sarah received a B.A in Restoration and Conservation at Sonoma State University in its Environmental Studies and Planning Department with a minor in vertebrate biology. There is nothing Sarah loves more than hopping on a plane and exploring far away exotic lands on solo journeys as well as volunteering in her community. Sarah serves as the Chair to the Lagunitas Technical Advisory Committee and acts as an advisor to the Tomales Bay Watershed Council and Gallinas Watershed Council, is the Vice President of the Salmonid Restoration Federation Board, and Vice President of the Redwood Empire Trout Unlimited Chapter.

gerhard@marinrcd.org

Gerhard Epke is a watershed scientist whose work focuses on the relationship between land management and the creeks and waterbodies of Marin County. He comes to the Marin RCD from 10 years in local public works departments, where he managed flood mitigation and stormwater projects in the Ross Valley, Santa Venetia, and Stinson. Gerhard grew up in Marin and studied Earth Sciences at UC Santa Cruz, conducting agricultural water quality monitoring in the Pajaro River watershed. He subsequently received an MS at UC Davis for work studying Sierra Nevada snowmelt hydrology in the context of hydropower reservoir licensing. Gerhard teaches a watershed management class at USF and is a member of the board of Friends of Corte Madera Creek Watershed, where he lives with his family.  

preston@marinrcd.org

Preston grew up in Ventura, California and studied Environmental Studies and Biology at UC Santa Cruz, where he became enamored with the natural world and the small (and big) wonders that one might notice one slows down to observe. Since undergrad, he has been working as a field ecologist and ornithologist, mainly working with Point Blue Conservation Science during the past six years in Bay Area ecosystems from Mount Tamalpais to the Farallon Islands, banding birds, nest-searching, spotted owl monitoring, and conducting point counts, among many other things. He is currently working on his Master’s thesis in the Geographic Information Science department at San Francisco State University studying spotted owl biogeography in Marin County. Particularly, his thesis is investigating the relationship between territory selection and reproductive success in the Marin County population. Preston has a strong interest in how we manage our relationships with landscapes and wildlife in a post-industrial world, and how we can best preserve our resources in a sustainable and equitable way. Most recently, he has become interested in learning more about the uses and benefits of prescribed fire on our landscapes, and he has obtained his firefighter type II certification to be able to participate in burns across the north bay area. He is excited to join the team and many partners working with the Marin RCD to manage the GIS and monitoring, as well as support in the planning and implementation of projects on Marin’s working lands.

sarahs@marinrcd.org

Sarah comes from a background in urban agriculture and community food systems. She holds a B.S. in Landscape Architecture with a minor in Agricultural Systems and the Environment from UC Davis, where she interned on the Market Farm and worked in entomology and plant biology labs. Prior to joining MRCD, her urban agriculture work centered around edible landscaping and orchard management, urban food access, and rooftop farm development. In her work with Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corp., Sarah led the design and implementation of 7 expansive rooftop farms as a strategy to address the Tenderloin’s critical food security gap. Previously Sarah served on the board of Slow Food San Francisco, inviting urban agriculture into broader food system conversations. She is thrilled to collaborate with farmers and ranchers on a larger scale, supporting land stewardship strategies that directly address climate change while serving their local communities. 

marcus@marinrcd.org

Marcus Meggett joined the District in July 2023 as the Fiscal & Administrative Manager. Marcus has worked in public accounting and holds an active CPA license in Pennsylvania. He has 30 years of experience in working with nonprofit and government entities. His nonprofit experience includes but is not limited to auditing, grant accounting, indirect cost accounting and restricted funds management. He has worked as an employee and consultant. He has volunteered to serve on numerous nonprofit boards as a member, treasurer and president. Marcus received a B.A. in Economics and Business from Ursinus College and a Master’s Degree in Business Law from the Washington University School of Law. Marcus enjoys fishing, hiking and quality time with family and friends.

mkatuna@berkeley.edu

Michelle Katuna (she/her, European Jewish and non-Jewish ancestry) grew up in Coast Miwok territory in Sonoma County. Since 2012, she has studied sustainable agriculture, California native flora and ecology, low-stress livestock handling, consensus facilitation, soil science, and critical settler-colonial  and Native American studies, and has worked in ecological farming and ranching, pastured meat production, restoration, and education. She is also FFT2 certified to work on prescribed burns. Michelle is currently pursuing an M.S. in Rangeland Management, and PhD in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at U.C. Berkeley, with a focus on Native and non-Native peoples’ collaboration on applied land stewardship, while working part-time for Marin RCD on collaborative riparian restoration designs and implementation.

cora@marinrcd.org

Cora Richard comes to us with experience in the management of a local government special district in Mendocino County. She owns and operates a small bookkeeping practice providing services in Sonoma, Marin and Mendocino Counties. She is currently in the process of becoming a Certified Public Bookkeeper and finishing her Bookkeeping Certification. Cora is very passionate about being involved with local organizations that contribute on a smaller scale community level. Outside of work and education Cora enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, reading and searching for the best coffee in every new place she visits.

Maya is a seasonal intern at Marin RCD. She grew up in nearby Santa Rosa and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Santa Rosa Junior college in civil/environmental engineering. Maya hopes to transfer to either UC Davis or UC Irvine and eventually wants to obtain her professional engineering certification. Maya was also an intern at Point Blue Conservation Science, as part of STRAW’s Community College Conservation Internship (CCCI). She also wants to eventually specialize in water resources and hydrology. 

Lee grew up in and around the Bay Area, and comes to the RCD with a background in ecology, education, and land stewardship. He got his start studying songbirds and planting cottonwoods on the Great Plains, where he fell in love with natural history and the puzzle of building habitat. In the decade or so since, Lee has worked to develop and implement stewardship strategies with a variety of organizations and landowners across Northern California and the Upper Midwest. He has hands-on experience in forestry, oak woodland restoration, prescribed fire, plant propagation, invasive species management, and agricultural work, and has an MS in Rangeland and Wildlife Management from UC Berkeley. Alongside his work with the RCD, Lee is a perennial student of natural history, sometimes wilderness guide, dedicated fruit tree pruner, student of the guitar, and aspiring pasta cook. Through it all, Lee is committed to our collective ability to steward traditions and take care of the places we call home. He is excited to be joining the RCD, and working in support of the farmers and working lands of West Marin.

After spending her childhood exploring the open spaces of Marin, Fiona earned her B.S. in Environmental Management and Protection with a minor in Environmental Soil Science from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She is an aspiring soil scientist who has dedicated time to planting and monitoring Sierra blue oak restoration, investigating the mineralogical properties of California rangeland soils, encountering giant mosquitoes and frozen soils in Alaska, and studying sediment delivery from rangeland gullies. In her spare time, you might find Fiona perusing local farmers’ markets, admiring exposed soils, or working on a new culinary craft. She is excited to return to her Marin roots to empower landowners in achieving their visions for the future of Marin’s working lands and to continue fostering relationships with MRCD’s communities of practice.

thammond@sonomarcd.org

Tom is a Professional Engineer registered in Californica for Agricultural and Civil Engineering. His responsibilities at the RCD started in 2022 and include providing Partner Engineering services to the Sonoma, Gold Ridge, and Marin RCDs. Tom graduated from Cal Poly, SLO in Bioresources and Agricultural Engineering. He has been practicing engineering in Sonoma County since 2007. In that time he as worked for public municipalities, private consulting firms, and private businesses providing solutions for water, power, and soil systems. Tom grew up in Sonoma County and is enjoying raising his family there as well.

emilie@marinrcd.org

Emilie is an agroecologist whose work focuses on agricultural sustainability, soil health, and impactful collaboration. She is motivated by the intersection of climate change and agriculture and is thrilled to join the regional efforts of the North Coast Soil Hub. Most recently Emilie worked at the USDA California Climate Hub where she engaged diverse stakeholders to craft education and outreach materials on climate adaptation practices and climate-smart agriculture. Additionally, she spent 6 years managing farms and agricultural partnerships in NY and CA, supporting successful relationships between farms and restaurants and promoting local foodsheds. Emilie is dedicated to education around sustainable growing practices and soil health and teaches classes at a nonprofit in San Francisco. Emilie holds an M.S. in Environmental Policy and Management from UC Davis and a B.S. in Plant Sciences from UC Santa Cruz. She has conducted research on mycorrhizal fungi and root systems architecture in soil. She is enthusiastic about soil microbes and good food, and believes agriculture plays a key role in creating a more resilient and just future for communities and the planet.

chad@marinrcd.org

Chad brings 20 years of experience in environmental research, systems analysis, and lifecycle management to this project as well as more recent experience in public contracting and grants management. He has been a leader in collaborative regional planning around biomass recovery in the Bay Area for the last five years. He holds a doctorate in sustainability management (from UC Berkeley) and a bachelors degree in chemical engineering (from The University of Michigan). He has previously worked as a professor of sustainability and as a program lead at sustainability management consultancies.

Orlena brings a keen sense of curiosity about the spaces where climate change, farming, and finance intersect. She has 6 years of experience working with Bay Area nonprofits in the farming sector to support progress on their business goals. Orlena holds a MA in Anthropology of Food, a MSc from the London School of Economics, and a BA from Tufts University. She also brings deep financial expertise to this project from a 15+ year career in the global asset management industry.