At Eastern Sierra Land Trust, we often talk about our accomplishments in terms of lands, water, and wildlife. And yet, at our core, we’re an organization of the community, for the community.
Each member of our Staff and Board of Directors brings unique insights and expertise to the table, and we work collaboratively to ensure that we take into account the many opinions that make our region so wonderfully diverse. By working together, we believe that we can find common ground and develop long-term land use solutions that will benefit all: residents and visitors, ranchers and environmentalists, families and wildlife alike. Together with supporters like you, we’re creating a better future for the Eastern Sierra we love.
Are you interested in joining our team at Eastern Sierra Land Trust? Visit our Employment Page to see current staff openings, and contact us today to share your skills and passions with us. We’re always looking for energized and committed community members who want to have a hand in advancing local conservation.
Eastern Sierra Land Trust Staff
Amy Sturgill, Conservation Programs Director
Amy grew up in California’s Central Valley and graduated from CSU Chico with a degree in environmental science. She has lived in Bishop since 2013. With more than a decade of experience in Eastern Sierra conservation, she brings a deep understanding of the region and a strong network of conservation partners. Her background includes biological monitoring and species surveys across Western ecosystems, as well as serving as the Bi-State Sage-Grouse coordinator, where she led collaborative efforts to conserve critical habitat.
Amy joined the ESLT team in 2022 and currently serves as the conservation programs director. In her work, she focuses on landscape-level conservation, securing conservation easements, strengthening partnerships, and protecting critical lands for the benefit of wildlife, communities, and future generations. She loves connecting with the people who live and care for this remarkable region. Outside of work, she enjoys trail running, exploring the Sierra, and spending time with her husband Jeff and pup Arlo.
Emmalyn Snead, Land Stewardship Program Director
Emmie grew up on a farm in Virginia where her love of the natural world and conservation took root. She has worked as a horseback trail guide in Wyoming, as an Invasive Plant Technician in Nevada, and as a Land Steward and Natural Resources Program Manager with Mojave Desert Land Trust in Joshua Tree. In her free time, you can find Emmie hiking, biking, or climbing with her dog, Boo.
Gena Wood, Community Connections Program Director
Gena Wood has lived in Bishop since 2021 and spent the better part of her twenties falling in love with the Sierra Nevada while living and working in Yosemite National Park. Gena graduated from Humboldt State University with a bachelor of science in environmental management and protection.Gena’s passion for native plants, pollinators, and conservation guides both her professional and personal life, inspiring her to strengthen the connection between people and the natural world. Gena serves on the board of the Eastern Sierra Bird Alliance and enjoys spending her free time birding and rock climbing in the Eastern Sierra.
Ziani Paiz, Rangelands Conservationist
Ziani grew up in Southern California and first moved to the Eastern Sierra to attend Deep Springs College in 2019. After graduating from Deep Springs, she transferred to Oregon State University and completed her bachelor’s degree in rangeland science with a concentration in sustainable livestock ranching. She has worked as a ranch hand, an outdoor educator, and a range professional in the federal government. She considers the Eastern Sierra her home, and is passionate about conserving the working landscapes that shape it. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and exploring any body of water. 
Siobhan Kenney, Operations Director
Originally from the Jersey shore, Siobhan headed south to study geology at UNC Chapel Hill which sparked a deep love and appreciation for the mountains. After graduating, she went on to have a seasonal career with the National Park Service, working at Glacier, Arches, Rocky Mountain, and Kings Canyon national parks before moving to Truckee for its infamous deep snow. There, she worked in various positions spanning tourism management, construction, and the outdoor industry. She spends her free time studying yoga, skiing, and exploring the backcountry with her rescue pup, Kaya.
Noah Williams, Tribal Partnership Program Manager
Sarah Holston, Grants & Database Manager
Allie Rigby, Communications Manager
Allie has roots in Southern California and joined the team at Eastern Sierra Land Trust in 2025. She holds a bachelor of arts in environmental analysis from Scripps College and a master of arts in English from San Francisco State University. Her experience in developing communications strategy, editing stories, teaching and managing social media includes many years consulting for nonprofits such as Sonoma Land Trust, All Hands Ecology, and Aunt Lute Books.
In her free time, Allie enjoys writing poetry, running on local trails, reading, and exploring the Eastern Sierra with her partner, Petrut.
Board Members
Bob Gardner, Chair
Bob is the retired Vice President for Administration and Finance for California State University of San Bernardino. He also served for years on the City Council for the City of Redlands. He is a lifelong Californian and spends time at his cabin in June Lake with his wife Karen. Along with their three sons, Bob and Karen enjoy skiing and exploring the Eastern Sierra.
Tim Bartley, Vice-Chair
Tim and his wife Pam moved to Mammoth Lakes in 2010. Tim has been an active volunteer in local conservation, stewardship, and water quality projects. He spent his professional career in biotech research at Amgen, and holds a PhD. Tim is an avid fisherman, and he frequently works with ESLT’s volunteer team to advance important habitat restoration projects in the Eastern Sierra.
Robert Sharp, Treasurer
Robert Sharp was born in Bishop, CA and raised in the Eastern Sierra. He’s 4th generation to the Mono-Inyo counties area with strong historical family ties to Mammoth Lakes, Lee Vining, and Bridgeport. After graduating high school he spent 2 years of various types of traveling and community service. After which he went to study university throughout the US and EU. Among some of his favorite places that he studied are London, Berlin, Paris, and Rome. Robert obtained a bachelor’s degree in European Area Studies from Brigham Young University. After graduation, he started his career, and became heavily involved in the Lake Tahoe area for 5 years. He recently moved back home to the Eastern Sierra where he took a Vice President position of the Eastern Sierra Community Bank division, of Oak Valley Community Bank (NASDAQ: OVLY). His favorite things to do in his spare time are hike and explore the Eastern Sierra, read, learn, and engage in serving his local communities. Robert is the Youth Service Director for the Rotary Club of Mammoth Lakes, and was recently appointed to the Northern Inyo Health District Board of Directors.
Cyd Jenefsky, Secretary
Cyd moves between Stockton, Sacramento, and the Bay Area in her position as Interim Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Strategy and Educational Effectiveness at University of the Pacific. The Eastern High Sierra is her temple, and she has been hiking and cycling on the Eastside for many decades. As a dedicated member of our conservation community for many years, she is honored to do what she can to conserve this treasured land.
Marie Patrick, Director
Marie moved to Crowley Lake after many years of visiting the area from LA. She founded, owned, and managed the City of Los Angeles Marathon for over twenty years, prior to that organizing and promoting tennis, golf and cycling events in the U.S. and Europe. She and her husband enjoy all that the Eastern Sierra has to offer – hiking, biking, skiing, fishing and the four seasons!
Brynn Pewtherer, Director
As Associate Director of Conservation Programs & Science at The Nature Conservancy in California, Brynn helps align the work of conservation practitioners, scientists, and geodesign staff advancing conservation strategies across the state. Before the Conservancy, she worked in environmental health as Senior Manager for Science and Education at The Breast Cancer Fund and in the U.S. EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance measuring the human health impacts of environmental regulations. Brynn, her husband and two daughters love the Eastern Sierra and visit often from their home in the Bay Area.
Fran Hunt
Fran moved to Bishop in 2014 to be the Eastern Sierra Organizer for the Sierra Club. Prior to retiring from that role in early 2020, Fran worked with a wide variety of local stakeholders to protect important wildlife habitats, agricultural lands, special wild places, and sustainable recreation opportunities in the Eastern Sierra. Before joining the Sierra Club, Fran had nearly 30 years of experience as a forest, wildlife, and lands advocate based in Washington, D.C. — with an emphasis on the conservation of national forests and BLM public lands across the nation. Fran and her wife Ann, who was born in Bishop, are delighted to be living in the Eastern Sierra and get out to hike and bike ride as often as they can.
Leslie Hunewill, Director
Leslie is a rancher in Bridgeport Valley where her family raises cattle and operates a guest ranch. The ranch was founded in 1861 and started taking guests in 1931 as a way to pay taxes so the family could keep the ranch. Doing this was integral in allowing the family to continue to live and raise the next generations in Bridgeport and its incredible landscape. Her grandfather started implementing Holistic Management practices several decades ago, and Leslie helps create each year’s grazing plan to ensure that care is being taken to sustain and support the land. She manages the herd health, genetic selection, and records for their cattle operation, and helps out with the day to day activities as she can. Leslie also fills in when and where she’s needed on the guest ranch. She is enjoying raising her children on the ranch where she was raised, and seeing them get involved with every facet of ranch life.
Rick Kattelmann, Director
Rick is a mostly-retired hydrologist who continues to work a little with water issues of the eastern Sierra Nevada. In the mid-1990s, he was the principal hydrologist for the Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project, during which he became aware of the critical importance of land trusts in conservation. That interest contributed to the founding of the Eastern Sierra Land Trust. Rick was on the ESLT’s board from the beginning until 2012 and has returned in 2018. He has served as Treasurer, Vice-President, and Secretary, and has chaired the Lands Committee.
Marta Kurland, Director
Marta and her husband Jerry have had a second home in Mammoth since 2005 and enjoy spending as much time as possible hiking and exploring the outdoors with family and their two golden retrievers. Marta received her J.D. from the UC Berkeley School of Law and has been a practicing transactional real estate lawyer for over 40 years, with extensive experience in matters involving environmental law, easements and land trusts. She also is a licensed California real estate broker. Marta is passionate about land conservation and forming positive relationships with landowners and the community to preserve our beautiful Eastern Sierra for future generations.
Scott Burns, Director
Scott moved to Mammoth Lakes in 1984 as a planner for Mono County, and later served as Planning and Community Development director for 30 years. As a planner, he gained an appreciation of the value land conservation organizations provide in preserving agricultural lands and conserving environmental resources, especially in a region with such a limited private land base. He was particularly impressed with the growth and success of ESLT. Mostly retired since 2017, Scott enjoys Eastern Sierra life with his wife Barbara and a merged family of five adult children and growing number of grandchildren.
Tony Taylor, Board Member Emeritus
Tony has served on the Board of ESLT since the founding of the organization in 2001. He is retired after 29 years in technical marketing and management for the IBM Corporation. He is an active community volunteer and serves multiple organizations in Mammoth Lakes, where he lives with his wife, Sherryl. He has served the University of Redlands in Southern California as president of the Alumni Association and is a member of the Board of Trustees. He also oversees family business activity in Southern California for a large, multigenerational family. Whenever possible, he and Sherryl spend time with their family, including their two married daughters, their son, and their four granddaughters. Tony’s passion for the outdoors expresses itself in his love of cycling, skiing, hiking, backpacking, and fishing. He loves the Eastern Sierra for its spectacular beauty and its amazing geologic history.
Randy Keller, Director
As a youth, Randy visited his parents’ cabin on Little Hilton Creek and spent endless hours floating around Crowley Lake. After joining the AirForce and graduating from law school, he served as a JAG officer specializing in environmental law. In 2000, Randy moved to Bishop and was hired by Inyo County as deputy county counsel. During his final four years with the County, he served as the County Counsel advising the Board of Supervisors and managing litigation and the office. He retired in August of 2013. Joanne Parsons, Director (no image)
Steve Nelson, Director (no image)
Advisory Council
Laurence Cohen
Paul & Kate Page
Linda Hess
Rusty Gregory
Stacy Corless
Ron Cohen
Pamela Flick
Rand Wentworth
Fred Stump
Randy Barrow