Meet our Staff - Columbia Land Trust

Columbia Land Trust strives to employ great people. Our scientists, stewardship staff, conservation practitioners, and advancement team are among the best in their fields. More important, they are connected to their communities and deeply invested in the future of the Northwest. Our staff is committed to working with integrity and listening to many points of view, even those that differ from our own. We believe that it’s only by coming together, by finding common ground with the wonderfully diverse people who live and work in our region, that we all can create a Northwest that will endure.

Directors

Steve Cook

General Counsel Email Steve Cook

As our general counsel, Steve brings trenchant legal insight to every aspect of our stewardship and conservation work. He also works closely with our Board of Directors and is responsible for maintaining accreditation. Steve has worked in land conservation for over 15 years, and joined our staff in 2013 after many years of private law practice. Steve loves to hike, grow his own food, cook, and write.

Amy Costello

Chief of Staff Email Amy Costello

Amy has worked for nonprofits since 1998, and has been with Columbia Land Trust since 2010. Amy oversees our organizational systems and employee programs. Outside of the office, she likes to spend time with her family.

Keith Daly

Advancement Director Email Keith Daly

As Advancement Director, Keith leads the effort to connect our vision with the people who share our passion for the Columbia River region. He especially enjoys hearing people talk about their personal connection to the nature they love — and what the Land Trust means to them. Keith's own passion for the outdoors began as a kid exploring the rural forests and beaches around Coos Bay, Oregon.

Cherie Kearney

Forest Conservation Director Email Cherie Kearney

As one of the Land Trust's first employees, Cherie's thoughtfulness and experience infuse our work. Today, Cherie is our forestry conservation director, where she puts her collaborative spirit toward conserving working forestland and large landscapes. She's our go-to person for heading up conservation projects that initially seem complex—or even impossible. Cherie is a runner, boater, hiker, sailor, and all-around lover of life.

Read Stories by Cherie Kearney

Jay Kosa

Communications Director Email Jay Kosa

Jay is passionate about helping conservation organizations garner the attention they deserve. In his current role, he manages the Land Trust's marketing, communications, and outreach efforts. Outside the office, he enjoys running, hiking, flyfishing, and diving into the wild, frigid waters of the Pacific Northwest.

Read Stories by Jay Kosa

Glenn Lamb

Executive Director Email Glenn Lamb

Part of the all-volunteer board that founded Columbia Land Trust in 1990, Glenn became its first executive director in 1998, a position that he still holds. Glenn has led the Land Trust through 26 years of growth and currently serves on the Land Trust Alliance's National Council. Glenn is a believer in the land’s ability to uplift the human spirit.

Read Stories by Glenn Lamb

Dan Roix

Conservation Director Email Dan Roix

Dan has spent the last eight years leading the Land Trust’s conservation work in the Portland-Vancouver area and moved into the role as our conservation director in 2016. Before joining us, he spent three years with the Sierra Foothill Conservancy. He plays both basketball and bluegrass.

Ian Sinks

Stewardship Director Email Ian Sinks

Ian is charged with the care and management of all of Columbia Land Trust’s lands—no small job. From conducting site evaluations to exhaustive long-term management plans to executing complex habitat-restoration projects, Ian makes sure our lands are the best they can be. A Land Trust employee since 2000, he lives with his family in a wooded retreat along Gee Creek in Washington.

Read Stories by Ian Sinks

Staff

Mitch Attig

GIS Coordinator Email Mitch Attig

After spending nearly five years as a stewardship assistant and land steward at Columbia Land Trust, Mitch transitioned into the role of GIS Coordinator in April of 2020. Growing up in Oregon, Mitch garnered a strong appreciation for the Pacific Northwest and the ecosystems that we are all lucky to experience here. A lifelong fisherman and sports fan, Mitch tries to spend as much time as possible in the outdoors.

Chris Bean

Development Associate Email Chris Bean

In March of 2020, Chris brought his passion for fundraising to the Land Trust. He collaborates with the Advancement team to help build revenue that advances the mission of the entire organization. As a Pacific Northwest native, Chris has an affinity for its vast greenery, fresh air, and remarkable mountains.

Debbie Berthold

Accountant Email Debbie Berthold

Debbie joined the Land Trust in 2015 with 20 years of experience in non-profit accounting and a passion for the health of our wonderful earth. She's thrilled to work alongside like-minded folks doing work she cherishes. Outside the office, Debbie loves to walk with her dog, Hannah, and tend to the mini-forest on her apartment balcony.

Mary Bushman

East Cascades Oak Partnership Coordinator Email Mary Bushman

Mary has worked with the Land Trust over the course of the last 12 years across several programs. She provided technical assistance to launch the Backyard Habitat program; she is the guardian of a beautiful bit of oak habitat in the east end of the Columbia Gorge under the guidance of a conservation easement; and in 2018 she came on board as the coordinator for the East Cascades Oak Partnership out of the Hood River office. Her weekends have been fully engaged with building a strawbale house for the last 6 years!

Kate Conley

Natural Area Manager Email Kate Conley

A true champion of collaboration, Kate came to the Land Trust in 2013 after five years leading the Wasco County Watershed Councils. Based out of our Hood River office, Kate stewards our Oregon-side gorge properties, from rolling hills near The Dalles to Hood River’s Powerdale Corridor near her own backyard. Hula hooping makes Kate happy.

Read Stories by Kate Conley

Lindsay Cornelius

Natural Area Manager Email Lindsay Cornelius

Since 2002, Lindsay has headed up a wide array of restoration and land-management projects in the East Cascades, including the (ongoing) removal of eight miles of road from the Klickitat River floodplain. A writer and storyteller at heart, Lindsay enjoys exploring with her family and her llamas from her home base in White Salmon.

Read Stories by Lindsay Cornelius

Dan Friesz

Natural Area Manager Email Dan Friesz

Dan rejoined Columbia Land Trust in 2016 as a natural area manager, where he works closely with our Vancouver Lake lowlands project. For nearly 26 years, Dan has studied Washington's plants and animals from alpine forests and meadows to desert shrub steppe, and even coastal estuaries. Undoubtedly, his passion in life is restoring degraded habitats—especially wetlands. Either on land or water, he enjoys exploring nature with his son and friends.

Read Stories by Dan Friesz

Helen Gavrilov

Administrative Assistant Email Helen Gavrilov

Helen joined Columbia Land Trust in March 2019. Born and raised in Sacramento, she moved to Vancouver in the summer of 2017. Helen is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Science. When not working or studying, she spends her time hiking, fishing, backpacking, camping, and birding with her husband and doggo, Oakley.

Sanoe Keliinoi

Land Monitoring Assistant Email Sanoe Keliinoi

Sanoe loves combining her love of conservation with building meaningful relationships with our easement landowners. Besides being outdoors, Sanoe enjoys pizza-ing, puzzling & petting puppies!

Jeff Malone

Natural Area Manager Email Jeff Malone

Since 2011, Jeff Malone has been our on-the-land, right-hand man for stewardship projects large and small. Possessing a mechanical mind, Jeff is also our go-to equipment guy. He is now managing restoration projects, primarily in the coastal portion of our service area. Jeff enjoys skiing, hiking, fishing, and hanging out with his dog.

Read Stories by Jeff Malone

Emily Matson

Land Steward Email Emily Matson

Emily has worked as a land steward since 2014. Before joining the Land Trust she worked on habitat restoration projects for watershed councils and a local stormwater utility. Her master's degree research took her to the Ecuadorian Andes, where she studied grassland plants at an elevation of 12,000 feet. When she's not traveling, Emily enjoys being home in the Northwest and caring for her flock of backyard chickens.

Keely McIntyre

Grants Manager Email Keely McIntyre

Originally from the green mountains of Vermont, Keely has called the Pacific Northwest home since 1999. She has spent much of her grant writing career as an advocate and fundraiser for the arts, and performed with local dance companies herself for a decade and a half. She is thrilled to join Columbia Land Trust in 2019 and looks forward to using her skills towards the advancement of conservation in the region. When she’s not exploring Portland’s culinary bounty, she enjoys camping, hiking, and kayaking with her family.

Lydia Mendoza

Conservation Lead Email Lydia Mendoza

Lydia joined the Columbia Land Trust in 2018 with a background in development for land conservation and a Master of Forestry degree from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. Lydia leads the Land Trust’s conservation work in the Coast Range and Estuaries region. When not working, she is excited to explore her new home in Astoria and the greater Pacific Northwest.

Tanya Mikkelson

Events Manager Email Tanya Mikkelson

A recent transplant from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Tanya started with Columbia Land Trust in 2016. Bringing over four years of fundraising experience, she loves using events as a platform to bring nonprofit’s missions to life. While she’s not planning the next great party, you can find Tanya hiking with her family, cooking, or cozying up with a good book.

Read Stories by Tanya Mikkelson

Marian Ohara

Database Administrator Email Marian Ohara

Born and raised in Okinawa, Japan, Marian moved around the Northeast, South, and Northwest before settling in the Portland area in 2015. She has worked at non-profit organizations in development since 1994, specializing in Raiser’s Edge database software. Marian spends her free time reading or checking out new places and foods to try with her husband.

Brieanna Pantele

People and Culture Administrator Email Brieanna Pantele

Brieanna joined Columbia Land Trust in 2016. Originally from southern California, Brieanna worked in administration for six years and brings her passion for the work to our non-profit. Out of the office, she enjoys exploring her new home and everything the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

Susie Peterson

Backyard Habitat Certification Program Manager Email Susie Peterson

Susie is passionate about helping community members create vibrant and beautiful spaces in their yards and neighborhoods. Before joining the Land Trust she worked at Friends of Trees helping neighbors at community planting events. Susie loves nearly any outdoor activity, but especially enjoys hiking, camping, birdwatching, and looking for interesting flora and fauna.

Read Stories by Susie Peterson

Dez Ramirez

Community Engagement Manager Email Dez Ramirez

Originally from Southern California, Dez has spent the last six years in Portland, growing, learning and fostering a diverse community. Prior to coming to Columbia Land Trust in 2018, she spent four years at Wieden+Kennedy, where she launched the travel website for women of color, On She Goes. Committed to diversifying conservation and outdoor recreation, Dez is out in the field, meeting people, storytelling, hiking, camping, road tripping, and whitewater rafting as much as possible.

Read Stories by Dez Ramirez

Rachael Steinke

Backyard Habitat Certification Contracts Coordinator Email Rachael Steinke

Rachael joined the Land Trust in 2019 after moving to the Pacific Northwest from Southern California. She provides administrative support to her team at the Backyard Habitats Program. In her free time, she enjoys exploring outdoors, working on diy projects, and tending to her plants. Passionate about animals and nature, Rachael is dedicated to helping inspire others to care for the natural world.

Read Stories by Rachael Steinke

Austin Tomlinson

Land Steward Email Austin Tomlinson

Austin was raised on the northern Oregon Coast, where he returned after graduating from Humboldt State University with a degree in soil science. He has worked for various conservation organizations throughout the Northwest, many of which specialized in restoration of riparian, forestry, and wetland habitats as well as agricultural impacts to water quality. Austin enjoys surfing, fishing, and hunting.

Nate Ulrich

Conservation Lead Email Nate Ulrich

Nate manages our land acquisitions east of the Cascades out of the Hood River office. He has a Masters in Landscape Architecture from the University of Oregon with an emphasis on development of conservation tools that facilitate landowner and community priorities. He mostly gardens.

Alice Williamson

Conservation Lead Email Alice Williamson

Alice joined Columbia Land Trust in 2015, bringing with her eight years of experience working on behalf of non-profit organizations to conserve important landscapes and maintain rural livelihoods. Alice manages our land acquisitions, assists on policy initiatives, and spends her evenings and weekends chasing her son or her dog, or both.

Ian Winters

Controller Email Ian Winters

Born and raised in the woods of New Hampshire, Ian joined the Land Trust in 2019 bringing a passion for world-saving projects. He has managed fiscal & contract operations for various social service non-profits since 2002, most recently in Santa Cruz, CA. In his free time, Ian is a tax accountant, hot springs enthusiast and dance–party DJ.

Jennifer Zarnoch

Natural Area Manager Email Jennifer Zarnoch

Since 2010, Jennifer has managed, monitored, and cared for our lands in our stewardship department, where she applies her keen mind in the management of our land-information systems. Her previous work includes consultant work with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and natural area management with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. She spends her free time marveling at her young son, growing food, and getting outside as much as possible.