Kaila Dettman – Executive Director
Kaila was born and raised in Ben Lomond, California, a small town nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains. She grew up camping, fishing, hiking, and horseback riding with her family. She attended Cal Poly earning a B.S. in Animal Science with a concentration in Livestock Production and Rangeland Resources, and a M.S. in Watershed Hydrology and Soil Conservation. Kaila joined The Land Conservancy in 2005 to manage the Restoration Program and in November 2012 took the helm of the organization as Executive Director… Read More Email Kaila
Daniel Bohlman – Deputy Director
Daniel hails from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin where he spent his childhood tromping about the local woods returning only at last light, pockets brimming with the day’s treasures. Searching for a respite to the long Midwestern winters, he arrived in California in 1996 and immediately felt at home. Daniel held careers as a professional Cyclist, climbing instructor, kayak guide and naturalist before deciding to pursue studies in biology. He holds a degree in Ecology and Systematic Biology from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a concentration in Botany. Following his studies he worked for The Nature Conservancy and The California… Read More Email Daniel
Joey Chavez – Operations Manager
Joey hails from Cuba, New Mexico a small town at 7,000 feet above sea level in Northern New Mexico, where his family raised cattle on their ranch. This is where he grew a fondness for the outdoors and the importance of using existing resources and serenity of open spaces After attending the University of New Mexico where is received his degree in Recreation, he was recruited to work at Yosemite National Park. Having never left the Land of Enchantment, he felt that this was an opportunity to begin exploring the world….Read More Email Joey
Jamie Creath – Community Engagement Manager
After graduating from Cal Poly in 2012 with a BA in English, Jamie’s passion for sports and the outdoors lead to a career merging her communications experience with recreational programming. Jamie leads our membership and outreach efforts with over nine years of experience marketing recreational programs in San Luis Obispo County…. Read More Email Jamie
Scott Couture – Field Manager
Scott grew up in the town of Sebastopol, California, a west Sonoma County town surrounded by vineyards and orchards. He was raised on equally healthy doses of the outdoors through skiing, backpacking, and music though countless concerts in the Bay Area. He attended San Francisco State University with the intention of pursuing a degree in music only to discover an Environmental Studies program which caught his attention….Read More Email Scott
Beverly Gingg – Oak Education Manager
Bev Gingg up on a Paso Robles area cattle ranch where she developed a lifelong passion for outdoor learning and biology. Beverly earned an M.S. in Biological Sciences from Cal Poly in 1989 and has been involved in community leadership and science education, in the classroom and outdoors, for more than 30 years. Read more Email Beverly
Heather Goodman – Venue Manager (Octagon Barn)
A two-week visit to the area after college at the University of Illinois was all that was needed for Heather to fall thoroughly in love with the Central Coast. Drawn to the vast hiking options, biodiversity of flora, and coastal splendor, she made the move across country. Email Heather
Jon Hall – Stewardship Director
Jon spent much of his childhood in Clayton, California, a historic coal mining town at the foot of Majestic Mt. Diablo. Growing up exploring Mt. Diablo’s open spaces fueled his passion for the outdoors, being surrounded by nature, and preserving wild places.
Jon has a B.S. in Ecology and Systematic Biology from Cal Poly with a specialization in wildlife biology. After traveling for a year and spending six months working with sea otters in the Bearing Sea, Jon returned to Cal Poly to pursue an M.S. in Agriculture focused on invasive species ecology. Read More Email Jon
Scott Loosley – Community Stewardship Coordinator
Scott spent his youth in Fremont, California, exploring the open space of the East Bay Regional Park District and the Alameda Creek watershed in Niles Canyon. He ventured to San Luis Obispo to attend Cal Poly and earned a B.S. in Ornamental Horticulture with a concentration in Landscape Construction… Read More, Email Scott
Heather Mullin – Development Manager
Heather grew up in Potter Valley, a tiny farm town in northern California. She spent much of her childhood playing at a friend’s ranch and exploring the wilds of the Mendocino National Forest with her family. Heather’s background includes restoration, resource management, and fire suppression… Read More, Email Heather
Lindsey Roddick – Senior Restoration Ecologist
Lindsey hails from the beaches of Ventura, California and moved to San Luis Obispo to attend Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2006.
Lindsey has a B.S in Environmental Management and Protection from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with special emphasis in environmental education. After completing her degree, she began working at the Guadalupe Nipomo Dunes Center as their Education and Administrative Coordinator. Here she was able to share her love of the unique coastal ecology of the central coast. Read More Email Lindsey
Carolyn “CJ” Silas – Pismo Preserve Outreach Associate
Carolyn “CJ” Silas has spent most evenings throughout her life on a microphone talking sports & announcing games for college football & baseball at Cal Poly and Hancock College. By day she laces up her hiking boots or Roller Derby skates to get her blood pumping and her heart racing. She has been a volunteer Docent/Ranger for the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County since the organization acquired the Pismo Preserve. … Read More Email CJ
Rachel Tarcon – Director of Finance
Rachel grew up in San Jose, CA where much of her time was spent outdoors soaking up the California sun. Although CA has always been home, Rachel has spent many a summer enjoying the majestic and serene nature of the Green Mountain State of Vermont, while visiting with family. Whether she was hiking in Yosemite, swimming the fresh water of Vermont, or camping and water skiing on the lakes of Northern California, she’s always had a deep appreciation for the beauty and adventure mother earth has to offer… Read More Email Rachel
Dylan Theobald – Senior Stewardship Manager
Dylan grew up in Seattle, Washington and gained an appreciation for the mountains, clean water, and lush forests that surround his hometown. He graduated with a BS degree in Natural Resources Management…Read More Email Dylan
Kyle Walsh – Conservation Director
Kyle grew up exploring the forests and streams of New Jersey’s Sourland Mountains. He learned to enjoy working on and for the land as a farm hand and with an agricultural non-profit in New Jersey. With the West calling, he moved to California and completed a graduate program at San Diego State University focused on land use change and rangeland conservation in San Luis Obispo County. Read More Email Kyle
Alex Zewiski – Youth Engagement Coordinator
Alex spent her early childhood exploring the local beaches and woods in Edmonds, Washington with her two older sisters. After moving back to California, Alex continued her beach adventures in San Clemente, a “Spanish Village by the Sea,” where she took up surfing, fishing, and snorkeling. As a kid, the majority of Alex’s time was spent running wild outdoors, as her mother would say. Not much has changed. Read More… Email Alex
