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Board of Directors
Officers
President
Mike Swezy, Fairfax
Mike’s primary interests are wildland management for biodiversity protection, watershed health, and wildfire resilience. After a 23-year career managing Marin Water’s watershed lands, Mike has a deep knowledge of Marin’s landscape. Prior, Mike worked as an ecologist for California State Parks and in the early 80’s helped create Marin Conservation Corps (now Conservation Corps North Bay). Mike has also worked as a forestry consultant and served on fire crews with the US Forest Service. He holds a B.S. in forestry from UC Berkeley and a M.S. in fire ecology from the University of Washington and is a California Registered Professional Forester. Mike served on FIRESafe MARIN’s board of directors for ten years including three years as board president. In 2014 he was awarded MCL’s Green Award for Environmental Leadership for efforts to create the Tamalpais Lands Collaborative, aka One Tam.
2nd Vice President
Nancy Hughes, Novato
Nancy Hughes has spent the majority of her career leading staff and partners in urban forestry related advocacy, education, outreach, and large-scale regional tree plantings events throughout California. She retired as executive director of the California Urban Forests Council in January 2024.
She has previously served as the executive director of both the Consensus Organizing Institute and San Diego People for Trees and taught Pubic Service in America at UCSD. She has participated on the Board of the National Alliance for Community Trees and the LA Center for Urban Natural Resources Sustainability. She is currently a member of The Britton Fund board of directors.
Hughes earned a BA in Communications from Rowan University in New Jersey.
At home she helps raise two grandsons, chickens and various food producing plants and trees. Her heart’s desire is to hike in the Marin County hills among the oaks and redwoods.
She has previously served as the executive director of both the Consensus Organizing Institute and San Diego People for Trees and taught Pubic Service in America at UCSD. She has participated on the Board of the National Alliance for Community Trees and the LA Center for Urban Natural Resources Sustainability. She is currently a member of The Britton Fund board of directors.
Hughes earned a BA in Communications from Rowan University in New Jersey.
At home she helps raise two grandsons, chickens and various food producing plants and trees. Her heart’s desire is to hike in the Marin County hills among the oaks and redwoods.
Treasurer
Richard Jensen, Corte Madera
Richard Jensen joined the Marin Conservation League Board of Directors as Treasurer in February 2021. He retired after working in the financial services industry for over 40 years. Before joining Wells Fargo, he worked for Bank of America and American Express. He is now a Business Management Consultant to nonprofits in Marin County, providing strategic and marketing planning advice with a focus on goal formation, fundraising, board governance and financial control. Richard received his BA in Economics and MBA in General Management from Golden Gate University in San Francisco and serves on a variety of nonprofit boards.
1st Vice President
Ken Strong, Greenbrae
Ken grew up in the East Bay and has lived in Greenbrae for 30+ years, where he regularly hikes, bikes and savors the beauty of Mt. Tam. He joined MCL in 2018 after retiring from his law practice. Hen has been an active member of MCL’s Climate Action Working Group, focusing on clean energy and building electrification for the past 7 years. Ken is a member of the Climate Reality Project’s Marin-Sonoma Building Electrification Squad and has volunteered with One Tam. He and his wife enjoy traveling to faraway places and cherish visits with their kids and grandchildren. During his career, Ken served as legal counsel to engineering and environmental consulting firms, and as an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association. He holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from UC Santa Barbara and a law degree from UC Law San Francisco.
Secretary
Robert Miller, San Rafael
Robert (Bob) Miller’s primary policy focus has been on how to accelerate greenhouse gas reduction--especially on barriers/facilitators to implementing innovations in renewable energy use for electricity, transportation, and heating that together account for most of Marin’s greenhouse gas emissions. He is particularly interested in the role that MCE and other Consumer Choice Aggregators can play in funding innovative projects and programs that reduce emissions.
Bob was a research faculty member for 25 years at University of California, San Francisco; he received his PhD in economics from the University of Michigan. He was a member of the Environmental Forum of Marin’s Master Class 42, served on the City of San Rafael’s Climate Change Action Plan Update Committee, and served on its General Plan 2040 Steering Committee.
Bob is chair of the MCL Climate Action Working Group and MCL Clean Energy Group and is an At-Large member of the Executive Committee. He was President of MCL for three years (2020-23) and chair of MCL’s Long Range Planning and Evaluation Committee that revised MCL’s strategic plan.
Bob and his spouse Bonnie Marks moved to San Rafael in 2013 in part to be closer to Marin’s protected park lands, open spaces, and farmlands.
Bob was a research faculty member for 25 years at University of California, San Francisco; he received his PhD in economics from the University of Michigan. He was a member of the Environmental Forum of Marin’s Master Class 42, served on the City of San Rafael’s Climate Change Action Plan Update Committee, and served on its General Plan 2040 Steering Committee.
Bob is chair of the MCL Climate Action Working Group and MCL Clean Energy Group and is an At-Large member of the Executive Committee. He was President of MCL for three years (2020-23) and chair of MCL’s Long Range Planning and Evaluation Committee that revised MCL’s strategic plan.
Bob and his spouse Bonnie Marks moved to San Rafael in 2013 in part to be closer to Marin’s protected park lands, open spaces, and farmlands.
Directors
Jim Burroughs
Larkspur
Jim Burroughs is a retired attorney with a 40-year career in environmental law and policy. With a primary focus on natural resource management issues, Jim worked for a number of years as a U.S. Senator staffer in Washington, D.C., general counsel for the California Natural Resources Agency in Sacramento, and law firms in D.C. and California. Prior board experience includes serving as a board member for the California Coastal Conservancy, commissioner on the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and ex officio commissioner on the California Coastal Commission. Throughout, Jim has been fortunate to be directly involved in some of the most interesting and impactful environmental policy issues of interest to California. With retirement, Jim has re-directed his focus locally to Marin County where he and his wife (and two sons) have been residents since 1997, although Jim’s environmental interest remains global, especially as it pertains to climate change.
Caroline Christman
Sausalito
Caroline grew up in Marin, developing an early connection to its parks and open spaces. After earning a sociology degree from Hampshire College, working in New York, and spending time on organic farms in Australia, she returned to the Bay Area. Volunteer work in the Presidio led to roles with the National Park Service and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, where she managed habitat restoration and trail projects across San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin. Over 15 years, she developed expertise in balancing recreation, infrastructure, and environmental protection through collaborative planning.
Caroline now co-chairs the Stewardship Committee for the California Native Plant Society Marin chapter and serves on its Invasive Species Committee, focusing on outreach and education. She continues to lead volunteer stewardship efforts and, in her free time, enjoys hiking, kayaking, and botanizing around Marin.
Caroline now co-chairs the Stewardship Committee for the California Native Plant Society Marin chapter and serves on its Invasive Species Committee, focusing on outreach and education. She continues to lead volunteer stewardship efforts and, in her free time, enjoys hiking, kayaking, and botanizing around Marin.
Belle Cole
San Rafael
Belle Cole, a resident of San Rafael since 2006, came to Marin County with years of experience in economic development, higher education administration, establishing and managing her own consulting firm- the PMR Group, Inc. Her experience prepared her for problem solving of complex, high stakes public policy issues. She took on new challenges in Marin county- advocating for climate change and other progressive causes (OFA Marin): forming a coalition of leading environmental and climate action groups (Lead on Climate); advocating for Measure C and helping establish the Ecologically Sound Practices Partnership (ESP) and winning endorsement and funding for the Marin Biomass Project. She has a BA from Mount Holyoke College in Mass and an MA from the Johns Hopkins school of Advanced International Studies.
Caitlin Crain
San Rafael
Caitlin Crain is a coastal ecologist based in San Rafael, CA who is passionate about understanding and protecting functioning coastal ecosystems. Her expertise is in estuarine wetlands, and she has researched these systems from local to landscape scales. Caitlin received her PhD from Brown University and conducted postdoctoral work at University of California, Santa Cruz and Stanford’s Center for Ocean Solutions. Since then, she has served in a variety of roles united by a desire to inspire science-based understanding and protection of coastal ecosystems while raising her family in San Rafael. Recently, she was the inaugural Lead Scientist for the Wetland Regional Monitoring Program in San Francisco Estuary where she led design and implementation of a collaborative program to quantify the health and resilience of wetlands across the region. Caitlin feels lucky to live in a county with coastline on three sides and to contribute to the extraordinary legacy of coastal protection with MCL.
Ken Drexler
Fairfax
Ken is an estate planning attorney in San Rafael. He became a MCL Board member in 1985 and served as Treasurer from 2001 to 2021. He is also on the Board of Environmental Action Committee of West Marin and is a member of the Sierra Club, among other environmental non-profits.
Paul Jensen
San Rafael
After 40+ years as a City Planner, Paul retired in 2021. His interest in pursuing the city planning profession was influenced by the 1973 Marin Countywide Plan, which balanced the protection of open space and agricultural land by concentrating growth along the urban (US 101) corridor. His career in city planning started with the City of San Rafael in 1980, and included owning and operating a planning consultant business specializing in development project management, environmental review, and policy writing for Bay Area cities. These past 10 years, Paul has served as the City of San Rafael Community Development Director.
Paul’s philosophy about planning for our future is about balance. He believes that balancing environmental protection with community needs such as housing and commerce is necessary for a healthy future. He also sees that the lens of climate change needs to be considered in our actions as Marin County is vulnerable to increased fire hazard and flooding, as well as sea level rise.
Paul’s philosophy about planning for our future is about balance. He believes that balancing environmental protection with community needs such as housing and commerce is necessary for a healthy future. He also sees that the lens of climate change needs to be considered in our actions as Marin County is vulnerable to increased fire hazard and flooding, as well as sea level rise.
Larry Minikes
San Rafael
Larry has been active in Marin conservation efforts for 30+ years. He began his activism joining the Bay Area Trails Preservation Council in 1992, serving as president 1997–2002.
He joined the board of the Tamalpais Conservation Club (TCC) in 1993 and served several years as secretary and president. To honor the TCC centennial, Larry co-edited the book, “To Save a Mountain–The 100-Year Battle for Mt. Tamalpais.” In 2014, he served as founder and executive director of Mt. Tam Jam, launching the first music festival at the Sidney B. Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre on Mt. Tam in 46 years.
In 1999-2000 Larry founded the Marin Municipal Water District Watershed Citizens Advisory Committee (WCAC) which received board approval for its 50-year watershed protection plan. Larry also served on the MMWD Citizen Advisory Panel on Infrastructure (2019-20).
Larry also serves on the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA) Citizen Oversight Committee. He is a co-founder and member of the Ecologically Sound Practices Partnership Steering Committee (ESP Marin), and the Marin Biomass Collaborative Steering Committee.
Larry loves the outdoors and is an avid hiker, gravel bike and mountain biker.
He joined the board of the Tamalpais Conservation Club (TCC) in 1993 and served several years as secretary and president. To honor the TCC centennial, Larry co-edited the book, “To Save a Mountain–The 100-Year Battle for Mt. Tamalpais.” In 2014, he served as founder and executive director of Mt. Tam Jam, launching the first music festival at the Sidney B. Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre on Mt. Tam in 46 years.
In 1999-2000 Larry founded the Marin Municipal Water District Watershed Citizens Advisory Committee (WCAC) which received board approval for its 50-year watershed protection plan. Larry also served on the MMWD Citizen Advisory Panel on Infrastructure (2019-20).
Larry also serves on the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA) Citizen Oversight Committee. He is a co-founder and member of the Ecologically Sound Practices Partnership Steering Committee (ESP Marin), and the Marin Biomass Collaborative Steering Committee.
Larry loves the outdoors and is an avid hiker, gravel bike and mountain biker.
Gary Oates
San Rafael
Gary retired in 2020 after a long career in environmental consulting with Environmental Science Associates, a San Francisco-based, employee-owned firm. He served on ESA’s Board of Directors for more than 24 years, including 13 as Chairman, and spent 22 years as President and CEO. In addition to leading the firm, Gary directed multidisciplinary environmental impact assessments for major waterfront and infrastructure projects, natural resource management and restoration efforts, and regulatory permitting strategies.
Gary holds a BA in Zoology from the University of Rhode Island, a Master’s in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a business management certificate from the University of California, Berkeley. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Bay Planning Coalition, where he co-authored a white paper on streamlining permitting for habitat restoration projects. A Marin resident since the late 1970s, Gary lives in San Rafael with his wife, Cindy.
Gary holds a BA in Zoology from the University of Rhode Island, a Master’s in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a business management certificate from the University of California, Berkeley. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Bay Planning Coalition, where he co-authored a white paper on streamlining permitting for habitat restoration projects. A Marin resident since the late 1970s, Gary lives in San Rafael with his wife, Cindy.
Vicki Nichols
Sausalito
Vicki is excited to rejoin the MCL board during this special year, celebrating 90 years of service in Marin County. During her prior term she served as Secretary and Second Vice President. For the past several years she has volunteered as chair of the Events & Programs Committee bringing events and education to our engaged membership.
Using her Planning Commissioner experience she recently helped update MCL’s Housing Policy. After completing several terms on the Planning Commission, culminating in the successful adoption of the 2040 General Plan, she rejoined the Sausalito Historical Preservation Commission. She is currently is working with the city to develop Objective Design Development Standards for increasing housing with historical preservation in mind.
She has made her home in Sausalito for over 40 years and volunteered for decades in local government. In addition to the MCL board she serves on Marin Baylands Advocates, is the MCL representative on the Marin County Zero Waste Environmental Task Force and is in her first term as the Sausalito appointed trustee to the Marfin County Mosquito Vector Control District.
She is determined to visit the many natural areas that MCL has a part in preserving more often. There is a wealth of nature out there for all to enjoy!
Using her Planning Commissioner experience she recently helped update MCL’s Housing Policy. After completing several terms on the Planning Commission, culminating in the successful adoption of the 2040 General Plan, she rejoined the Sausalito Historical Preservation Commission. She is currently is working with the city to develop Objective Design Development Standards for increasing housing with historical preservation in mind.
She has made her home in Sausalito for over 40 years and volunteered for decades in local government. In addition to the MCL board she serves on Marin Baylands Advocates, is the MCL representative on the Marin County Zero Waste Environmental Task Force and is in her first term as the Sausalito appointed trustee to the Marfin County Mosquito Vector Control District.
She is determined to visit the many natural areas that MCL has a part in preserving more often. There is a wealth of nature out there for all to enjoy!
Dan Segedin
Greenbrae
Dan is a retired business executive and management consultant. He is passionate about greenhouse gas reduction and ecosystem preservation. He has been an active member of MCL’s Climate Action Working Group and Clean Energy Group, and is interested in increasing the impact of MCE and other CCAs on reducing carbon emissions. He has served as a Board member and Board Chair of Marin Community Clinics, which provides primary healthcare to underserved communities. Dan loves the outdoors and regularly hikes and bikes on beautiful Mount Tamalpais. Dan received a BA in Economics from Stanford University, and an MBA from the Wharton School in Philadelphia
Carolyn Shoulders
Berkeley
Carolyn spent 27 years with the National Park Service at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, managing ecological restoration projects across Marin. Her work focused on restoring subreaches of Redwood Creek within the Mt. Tamalpais watershed, improving natural processes and salmon habitat after decades of degradation. She also led the long-term restoration of the Muir Beach wetland and creek system, overseeing planning, design, construction, and monitoring. She received the NPS Regional Director’s 2023 Natural Resource Management Award.
Earlier, Carolyn was a reporter at The Tennessean, covering environmental issues and producing award-winning investigations into strip mining and insurance practices. She holds an MS in landscape management from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a BA from Georgetown University. She lives in Berkeley with her partner.
Earlier, Carolyn was a reporter at The Tennessean, covering environmental issues and producing award-winning investigations into strip mining and insurance practices. She holds an MS in landscape management from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a BA from Georgetown University. She lives in Berkeley with her partner.
Bobbi Simpson
Fairfax
Bobbi enjoyed a 33-year career with the National Park Service that included working in numerous national parks around the country–from the Alaska Region, Everglades NP, to Point Reyes National Seashore. Recently, as Invasive Plant Liaison for 14 California national parks she facilitated grant, interagency and inter-parks coordination to help deal with the pressure of invasive plant threats. She also served on the board of the California Invasive Plant Council. A common thread across her NPS experience was the opportunity to work with an array of ecosystem issues and partnering with an extensive NPS network to bring expertise to help construct comprehensive management strategies for parks. She enjoys working on landscape level issues with cross-boundary management needs. Her special interests include protection of “Dark Skies”, and parks and open space for the inherent value of wild places. Pollution-driven climate change solutions are also of interest tp her; and essential to perpetuating the intricate balance of natural systems. She knows how special Marin County is with its unique, accessible, and treasured network of parks and open space. During retirement Bobbi derives pleasure watching and listening to birds, hiking, and dabbling with various artistic outlets. Bobbi went to Clemson University and studied the design and history of the National Park System with an emphasis in Natural Resources Management.
Casey Skinner
Oakland
Casey is the San Francisco Bay Program Director for Audubon California, where she has worked since 2014. Her responsibilities include stewarding a 900-acre subtidal waterbird sanctuary, overseeing community-led restoration efforts throughout the Bay Area as well as large-scale tidal marsh restoration projects that benefit birds and people.
Before coming to Audubon, Casey spent 10 years working with youth in formal and informal environmental education settings, taught in special education classrooms, and was a volunteer firefighter in Alaska. She received her B.A. in poetry and creative writing at a small liberal arts college in the Midwest and later a Master's in Natural Resources from Oregon State University. She is originally from an Athabascan village of 300 people in rural Alaska. Casey grew up mushing a sled dog team, driving snowmachines, and immersing herself in the Alaskan wilderness.
Before coming to Audubon, Casey spent 10 years working with youth in formal and informal environmental education settings, taught in special education classrooms, and was a volunteer firefighter in Alaska. She received her B.A. in poetry and creative writing at a small liberal arts college in the Midwest and later a Master's in Natural Resources from Oregon State University. She is originally from an Athabascan village of 300 people in rural Alaska. Casey grew up mushing a sled dog team, driving snowmachines, and immersing herself in the Alaskan wilderness.
Greg Thomson
Sausalito
Greg has been a Marin resident for over 30 years, living in San Anselmo, Mill Valley, and now Sausalito, with a deep appreciation for the Bay, Headlands, and Mt. Tam. For the past decade, he has focused on advancing climate and clean energy solutions, leading initiatives in distributed energy resources, community-scale microgrids, and virtual power plants. He has helped secure multi-million-dollar grants from the California Energy Commission to support community-based energy projects and co-founded the Advanced Community Energy (ACE) initiative to promote equitable, resilient energy systems.
Greg has been active with MCL’s Climate Action Working Group and Clean Energy Group and served for six years on Sausalito’s Sustainability Commission, including one year as Chair. Earlier in his career, he spent over 20 years leading Bay Area software startups. He is currently advancing efforts to support the long-term health of the Bay.
Greg has been active with MCL’s Climate Action Working Group and Clean Energy Group and served for six years on Sausalito’s Sustainability Commission, including one year as Chair. Earlier in his career, he spent over 20 years leading Bay Area software startups. He is currently advancing efforts to support the long-term health of the Bay.
Kate Powers
San Rafael
Kate has been a member of MCL’s Board since 2014, serving as President from 2015 to 2018. She currently serves as co-chair of MCL’s Land Use, Transportation and Water Committee. She tracks transportation projects with a focus on improving and protecting watersheds and promoting integration of environmental planning at early stages of project planning and development. Kate is the current editor of MCL’s newsletter. She serves on Transportation Authority of Marin’s Citizen Oversight Committee and previously served on San Rafael’s Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee and 2040 General Plan Steering Committee. She holds a BA in Environmental Design.
Greg Zitney
Novato
Greg is a consulting Environmental Planner and Certified Wildlife Biologist and has been a resident of Marin County since 1974. His primary areas of expertise include California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act procedures; procedural and reclamation plan requirements under California’s Surface Mining and Reclamation Act; wildlife biology; and biological resource impact assessment and mitigation planning. He has been involved with many projects in Marin County, including the first master plan for GGNRA; an environmental assessment for McInnis Park; a study of the cumulative effects of dock development and boat traffic on wildlife of Richardson Bay; a peer review of the San Rafael Rock Quarry reclamation plan; and impact assessments for a variety of development proposals along the County’s bay shoreline and upland sites.
Greg previously served on the Board of Directors for the Western Section of The Wildlife Society and the Association of Environmental Professionals, and recently completed four years of service as a member of the Marin County Parks and Open Space Commission, including two as its Chair.
Greg previously served on the Board of Directors for the Western Section of The Wildlife Society and the Association of Environmental Professionals, and recently completed four years of service as a member of the Marin County Parks and Open Space Commission, including two as its Chair.
Staff
Rebecca Schwartz Lesberg
Executive Director
Rebecca comes to MCL from Coastal Policy Solutions, a conservation consulting company she founded in 2017 to advance conservation projects that protect the California coast for people and wildlife. Prior to that, Rebecca led on-the-ground conservation, restoration, and policy work with the Audubon Society, first as the Director of Conservation at San Diego Audubon and more recently as the San Francisco Bay Program Director for Audubon California. Prior to this, Rebecca served as Adjunct Faculty at the University of San Diego and was a Field Biologist for AMEC Foster Wheeler, an environmental consulting firm. With this varied background, Rebecca focuses on the intersection of science, policy, restoration, and community engagement to protect California's coastal environments. Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Science in Ecology from UC San Diego and a Master of Science in Marine Science from the University of San Diego. Rebecca has been published in the San Diego Union Tribune and featured in the Los Angeles Times, and was awarded a 2014 President's Volunteer Service Award from President Barack Obama.
Neil Schwartz
Communications and Outreach Manager
Neil works at the intersection of communications, storytelling, and digital strategy for mission-driven organizations. Over the course of his career, he has helped organizations translate complex ideas into clear narratives, build modern marketing functions, and develop digital and video content that strengthens audience engagement and public understanding.
His work focuses on combining strong storytelling with thoughtful systems design to help organizations communicate more effectively, expand their reach, and deepen community engagement around environmental and climate issues, including the clean energy transition.
Neil holds a B.A. from Hamilton College. He lives in San Francisco and enjoys exploring Northern California’s parks and open spaces with his family.
His work focuses on combining strong storytelling with thoughtful systems design to help organizations communicate more effectively, expand their reach, and deepen community engagement around environmental and climate issues, including the clean energy transition.
Neil holds a B.A. from Hamilton College. He lives in San Francisco and enjoys exploring Northern California’s parks and open spaces with his family.
Rae Peres (she/ they)
Operations Manager
Joining MCL in April 2025, Rae brings a remarkable 25 years of dedicated experience in operations and administrative leadership. A Bay Area native with strong ties to Marin, Rae's journey has long been intertwined with community and environmental advocacy. While living in Portland, OR from 2007-2017, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Women's Studies with an emphasis on Environmental Issues from Portland State University and received training from the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond to further underscore her deep commitment.
Rae is currently enhancing her expertise through Paralegal Studies at San Francisco State University, with a clear vision: to strategically apply legal knowledge to champion Marin County's environmental well-being and advocate vigorously for its residents alongside the Marin Conservation League.
Living with her wife and mother in American Canyon, Rae is excited to contribute her passion and skills to MCL's legacy.
Rae is currently enhancing her expertise through Paralegal Studies at San Francisco State University, with a clear vision: to strategically apply legal knowledge to champion Marin County's environmental well-being and advocate vigorously for its residents alongside the Marin Conservation League.
Living with her wife and mother in American Canyon, Rae is excited to contribute her passion and skills to MCL's legacy.