Staff

Staff

Executive Director: Jeff Darlington

The Placer Land Trust Executive Director manages PLT’s land protection efforts including fundraising, membership, acquisitions, outreach, and operations. Hired in May 2002 Jeff is the first Executive Director of Placer Land Trust, and has dramatically increased the pace of land conservation for the Trust.

Jeff grew up in Auburn, and is the 4th generation of his family to reside in Placer County. His great-grandparents settled in Penryn in the 1920s, and his family has resided in Auburn since then. He lives in Auburn with his wife Christa and their sons Connell, Paul and Spencer.

Jeff is a graduate of Placer High School and has a BA in History with a Minor in Geography from the University of California, Berkeley. He came to Placer Land Trust from the Mono Lake Committee, a highly successful nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to the preservation of the Mono Lake Basin in the Eastern Sierras. Prior to that he worked for Electronic Data Systems in Rancho Cordova, First Health Services in Alaska, the California Department of Conservation, and two Northern California outdoor news publications (Western Outdoor News and Fishing & Hunting News) based in Sacramento. He is also a freelance writer, and has been published in several regional and national publications.  Jeff currently serves as the President of the Sierra Cascade Land Trust Council.

I feel honored to spend my days working to preserve the wonderful landscape of Placer County, a place where I have fond memories of growing up. Many of the places where I used to hike or fish are now sadly diminished, or even paved over. But we have the chance to save this beautiful place by acting now to preserve the natural areas and family farms and ranches that together make this County the best place on earth.

Operations Manager: Jessica Pierce

The Operations Manager assists the Executive Director in implementing PLT's programs as well as the operations and administration of the organization. Jessica Pierce has ably held this position since June 2005.

Raised in rural Georgetown, Jessica spent over 18 years in the foothills of Placer and El Dorado Counties. Jessica has a B.A. in Geography and a minor in Political Science from Humboldt State University. Prior to joining PLT she spent much time in the field working for the El Dorado National Forest, Blodgett Experimental Forest, a research station managed by UC Berkeley, and Simpson Timber Company. Jessica has spent the majority of her professional career in project management, and community development in the public, private and non-profit sectors. Avid climbers and skiers Jessica and her husband Josh live in Georgetown with their son Wyatt.

Growing up with the outdoors at my front door, as well as working in the local forests as a kid, I learned to greatly appreciate open space. I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with Placer Land Trust to ensure that conservation and open space remain a balanced focal point during such a pivotal time of growth and development in Northern California. I couldn't be happier for the opportunity to balance my professional life with my love for the outdoors.

Fund Development Coordinator: Karrie Thomas

The Fund Development Coordinator is responsible for developing funds to pay for PLT’s operations and programs. Karrie Thomas was hired in November 2008.

Karrie grew up in New Hampshire before beginning a westward journey that landed her in California in 2000. She graduated from Colorado College with a BA in Anthropology then spent five years managing organic farms in Washington state and California. In an effort to broaden her professional skill set, she began working for the Community Alliance with Family Farmers when her husband went to grad school and has been managing programs and raising funds for non-profits ever since.

Karrie and her husband, Culley, are passionate whitewater kayakers and backcountry skiers. They live in Folsom with their son Finn.

While farming outside of Seattle, we watched the sprawl spill over the hill, threatening to cover our valley with houses in place of fields. The urgency of open space and agricultural land protection really hit home. Now that I live and play in the Sierra foothills, I am thrilled to be part of the team at Placer Land Trust helping preserve the places I love close to home.

Stewardship Coordinator: Jeff Ward

The Stewardship Coordinator monitors PLT’s conservation and agricultural easements and manages lands owned by PLT coordinating restoration and enhancement projects on PLT preserves, leading preserve tours, and working with community volunteers to ensure that PLT preserves are protected for future generations. Jeff Ward was hired in November 2008 after serving a year as our Stewardship Assistant.

Jeff was raised in Baltimore, MD where he spent time exploring natural communities, camping, hiking, and playing music. He spent six years pursuing a career as a musician in southern California before deciding to get back in touch with nature. He moved to Florida to get a degree in the environmental field. Jeff earned a BA from Florida Gulf Coast University in Environmental Studies with a focus in Ecology after which he interned at the City of Cape Coral and Estero Bay Preserve State Park working on invasive species management projects. He lives in Sacramento with his wife April.

Growing up in the rural countryside of Maryland, I spent most of my free time exploring the nearby forests and streams learning as much as I could about the different critters and the habitats that they live in. As I grew older, I continued to spend a lot of time in the outdoors hiking and camping, which further developed my fond appreciation of nature. While traveling the U.S. and returning to some of the areas that I once explored as a kid, I realized that a lot of these natural areas are disappearing and kids today may not have the opportunity to experience the natural world as I did. This really sparked my interest in land and wildlife habitat conservation. Serving as an AmeriCorps member and Stewardship Assistant at Placer Land Trust for a year, I experienced the beauty of Placer County and realized that we still have a chance to make a difference here. I feel privileged to work in a field that I thoroughly enjoy and look forward to everyday as I work with PLT to reach its conservation goals

Land Management Technician: Justin Wages

The Land Management Technician assists the Executive Director and the Stewardship Coordinator in managing the properties that PLT owns in fee title, assists with general stewardship activities, and coordinates the interactive use of PLT properties for education, outreach, and scientific research. Justin Wages was hired in 2009 after an internship.

Justin was raised in Fairfield, CA by his grandparents who emigrated from Spain in 1906 to raise sheep in the famous California grasslands. Justin graduated with a degree in Computer Science (2002), yet having spent much of his life fishing, hunting, and enjoying the outdoors; he naturally turned towards a continuing education in the biological sciences and is working towards a degree in Ecology & Biodiversity with an emphasis in grasslands. He has served as the president of the Sierra College ECOS environmental club, and volunteered for the Dry Creek Conservancy.

I’ve spent most of my life playing in creeks and exploring grasslands, and now because of Placer Land Trust I’ve been able to turn this activity into a profession: I couldn’t be happier. Knowing that my work is serving to protect and enhance the natural world as well as my local community brings a smile to my face that no amount of material possessions ever could. I’ve traveled the wildlands of California and with wonderful instructors like Joe Medeiros (mentor); one cannot help but fall in love with this amazing state and thus work to protect it! As a society we need to become more ecologically literate and understand the importance of ecosystem services, for only then can we develop the change of heart required to save the remaining open space we have and do what is best for the long term prosperity of our children, as well as current social and ecological systems.