Board of Directors
The Board of Directors governs Placer Land Trust, provides strategic direction, and approves land protection projects. PLT’s monthly Board meetings are open to the public and usually take place on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30pm in Auburn. See the Calendar for specific dates.
Officers
Board Members
Fred Yeager, President
Fred is a retired employee of Placer County, where he spent 17 of his 33 years with the County as the Director of the Planning Department, retiring in 2005. Among many other accomplishments, Fred implemented the award-winning Placer Legacy program for Placer County. He was awarded the Placer Conservator award by PLT in 2005 for his efforts to improve the quality of life in Placer County through resource conservation. He graduated from U.C. Riverside. He has lived in Auburn since 1978.
There is a little something for everyone in Placer County, from the Sierra Nevada's to the scenic rivers, blue oak woodlands and agricultural lands. I enjoy working with Placer Land Trust to protect these attributes because the Trust is a very locally driven organization that has a direct impact on our heritage and our future here in Placer County.
Thomas McMahan, Vice-President
Tom is a retired employee of Placer County, where he spent 17 of his 25 years with the County as the Director of the Planning Department. Tom also served as LAFCO Executive Officer, and was one of the key proponents of the Foothill Farmers Markets. He graduated from California State University, Fresno, with a BA in Urban Geography, and completed graduate courses at Golden State University. He lives in Auburn.
Protecting open space, and particularly agricultural land, from urban encroachment has always been one of my highest professional and personal priorities. Placer County contains among the greatest geographical diversities of any area in the State, and I wish to contribute to the effort to preserve that richness for current and future generations.
Skip Outman, Secretary
Skip is a Realtor with Windermere Real Estate, specializing in large open space and ranch properties. He is a graduate of the California State University at Hayward with a degree in Social Science and Physical Education. He is a member of the California Farm Bureau, Texas Longhorn Breeders Association, National Cutting Horse Association, American Quarter Horse Association, and Nancy's Running Club. He is a former school teacher and is active in local endurance running. He has resided in Placer County since 1968, and now lives in Auburn.
All of us living in Placer County should be very grateful for our surroundings. The opportunities are endless for outdoor recreation, and there are few places in the world that match the beauty of our environment. Our county has a rich history of agricultural excellence ranging from rice to beef production. I'd like to do all I can to help preserve what we have for future generations, and I feel honored to be able to assist in Placer Land Trust's efforts.
Patricia Callan-McKinney, Treasurer
Patricia is a retired adult education administrator and teacher for the San Juan Unified School District. She is a Past President of California Council for Adult Education, a statewide adult educators’ professional organization. She earned her MS Degree from National University and a BA in Government from California State University, Sacramento. She is a past President of Placer Land Trust & Nature Center and lives in Granite Bay.
Rich Ferreira
Rich grew up on a 80-acre dairy farm, and – like his parents and grandparents before him – he attended schools in the Lincoln area. He is a graduate of American River College. His father Alex Ferreira was a Placer County Supervisor, and Rich’s family has farmed in the Lincoln area for three generations. Rich owns and operates Side Hill Citrus Farm, growing organic and pesticide-free mandarin and navel oranges on 50-acres. He also owns and operates Circle Welding, fabricating steel to supplement his agricultural income. He lives in Lincoln.
The amount of change to the rural landscape of Placer County has been staggering over the past 50 years and the rate of development, especially in my neck of the woods, continues to concern me. I feel strongly that if action is not taken now to preserve some of what’s left that makes this County so special, it will be too late. Placer Land Trust is committed to the permanent preservation of our rural landscapes, and I’m proud to be a part of that effort.
Robert J. Gilliom
Bob is a hydrologist and senior project manager with the U.S. Geological Survey, specializing in studies of stream and ground water quality. He earned his MS degree in Hydrology from the University of Washington and a BS degree from Huxley College of Environmental Studies at Western Washington University. Bob is a former President of Placer Land Trust. He lives in Auburn.
Placer County is an exceptional place to live, with a diverse and remarkable natural environment stretching from the Central Valley to the crest of the Sierra Nevada. Yet the pressures of population growth and land development increasingly threaten the environmental quality that brought many of us here. As a long-time resident of Auburn and the region, I want to help permanently preserve the most critical undeveloped lands through cooperative partnerships among the community and land owners.
Jim Haagen-Smit
Jim lives on five pastoral acres in Newcastle, attending to a testy little fruit orchard. He is a member of the local CSA, The Natural Trading Company, an avid cyclist (on and off the pavement), and recently retired from Hewlett-Packard after 25 years as a Software Engineer. He has actively helped improve access to and management of Placer County’s resources for over 20 years working with diverse groups to achieve collaborative solutions. He is President of board of directors of the California Bicycle Coalition, on the Bureau of Land Management Resource Advisory Committee, and Placer County Trails Forum.
Enjoying and protecting the outdoors is a major part of my life. Placer County is a special place – I’ve hiked and ridden bicycles all over Placer County and realized that many might not be around for future generations to enjoy without the help of Placer Land Trust and programs like Placer Legacy. I’m honored to be able to help in this protection and increase public access to trails by serving on the Board of Placer Land Trust.
Mark Perry
Mark has experience in landscape design and construction, real estate land-use issues, and estate probate management. He has worked for the California Department of Parks & Recreation as a ranger at Folsom Lake State Park, and also as a volunteer in building and maintaining trails in Placer County. He graduated cum laude at California State University, Sacramento, with a BA in Political Science and completed first-year law studies at Santa Clara University. He lives in Auburn.
Pausing to enjoy our world’s beauty is important to me, and Placer County provides countless opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. I’d like to be counted among Placer County’s caring residents dedicated to making smart decisions about how our beautiful lands are used and preserved for all time.
Board Committees
The Board of Directors oversees the following Committees that help PLT operate effectively: Audit, Board Development, Budget & Finance, Bylaws & Procedures, Fundraising, Project Selection, and Stewardship. These Committees are chaired by Directors but PLT supporters may apply to serve on most committees.
To inquire about joining a PLT Committee, or for more information about the Board of Directors, please contact the Board of Directors at board@placerlandtrust.org.