Mark Pearson
Executive Director
mark@sanjuancitizens.org

Mark Pearson has worked for the Alliance in various roles since 1999, starting out as the organization’s Grant Proposal Writer and becoming Executive Director in 2000. He was an Alliance volunteer for 6 years prior on public lands issues. Mark was previously employed for 5 years as Vice President of the Wilderness Land Trust. In the early 1980s, he worked as a grassroots organizer for the Colorado Open Space Council on public lands and wilderness issues. Mark has authored four books on Colorado wilderness and writes a regular environmental column for the Durango Herald. Mark has a B.S. in Engineering Physics from University of Colorado and an M.S. in Natural Resource Management from Colorado State University.
 
Jimbo Buickerood
Staff Organizer, Wild San Juans
jimbo@sanjuancitizens.org

Jimbo Buickerood recently joined SJCA with extensive experience running outdoor education programs, including 20 years with Colorado Outward Bound as an instructor and program director. Jimbo brings vast first-hand knowledge of the landscapes of the San Juans and superb skills at working with people. He holds a Bachelor's Degree (1975) in Outdoor Education and a Master's Degree in Education (1993), both from Prescott College.
 
Amber Clark
Dolores River Campaign Coordinator
amber@sanjuancitizens.org

Amber joined staff in 2003 to spearhead our grassroots outreach concerning the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument and San Juan National Forest management plans. Amber grew up on a farm in McElmo Canyon, literally on the edge of Canyons of the Ancients. Amber’s degree in sociology from Fort Lewis College included a four-month internship with the Alliance where she crafted our citizens’ vision for future management of Canyons of the Ancients.
 
Tracy Daniels
Office Manager
tracy@sanjuancitizens.org

Tracy Daniels has lived in the Durango area for the past 11 years. She attended Fort Lewis College, receiving a Sociology Degree and an Elementary Teaching Certification.
 
Mike Eisenfeld
Staff Organizer, New Mexico Chapter
mike@sanjuancitizens.org
Mike joined SJCA in 2006 following ten years as an environmental consultant in the Four Corners region. He specializes in the National Environmental Policy Act, Federal Land Policy & Management Act, and Endangered Species Act compliance. Mike has a B.A. from Bates College and a M.A. in Environmental Policy and Management from the University of Denver.
 
Eddie Soto
Coordinator -- Compañeros
eddie@sanjuancitizens.org

Eddie Soto joined Compañeros in 2005. He brings extensive skills in campaign organizing, with a stint as field organizer and Latino liason for the Democratic National Committee in 2004, where he organized voter turnout in the San Luis Valley. Eddie has a strong background in video production. Eddie has a B.F.A in Studio Art Photography from the University of Texas.
 
  Susan Thomas
Montezuma Programs Coordinator
susan@sanjuancitizens.org

Susan spent seventeen years in Southwest Colorado working in land use planning, community development and resource management. During that time she worked for tribal, federal and county government as well as several small businesses. In her years in Virginia, Susan was a planner for the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, where she focused on long range and neighborhood planning. She recently returned to the southwest, and now lives in McElmo Canyon. Susan holds a B.A. in Political Science/Economics from Duke University and a B.S. in Geography (Land Use Planning) from Northern Arizona University.
 
Josh Joswick
Staff Organizer, Oil and Gas Issues
josh@sanjuancitizens.org

Josh brings nearly 20 years of experience in dealing with the oil and gas industry to the position of Oil and Gas Issues Organizer. He served three terms as a La Plata County Commissioner from January 1993 to January 2005; in that capacity, locally he worked to see that La Plata County’s oil and gas land use regulations were not only enforced but expanded to protect surface owners’ rights. Josh has dealt with numerous agencies, and legislative and Congressional elected officials, to uphold the rights of local governments to exercise their land use authority as it pertained to oil and gas development, and to assert the right of local government to address with the environmental impacts of oil and gas development.
 

Chuck Wanner
Staff Organizer, River Conservation Issues
chuck@sanjuancitizens.org

Chuck Wanner is a long-time river advocate for Colorado rivers. Chuck spearheaded the successful campaign to secure permanent protection for the only designated Wild and Scenic River in Colorado -- the Cache la Poudre in 1986. He was a Fort Collins business owner for many years where he also served eight years on the city council. Chuck was director of Friends of the Poudre before joining SJCA. He now sits on the boards of the Colorado Rivers Alliance (as president) and the Colorado Watershed Assembly. Chuck has a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Colorado.

 


  Joe Griffith, President
Mr. Griffith is a retired scientist and educator. He holds a PhD from Cornell University in physical chemistry and worked both as an elementary school principal and later for the Smithsonian and National Museum of American History. Joe enjoys backcountry recreation activities.
 
  Gwen Lachelt, Vice-President/Secretary
Ms. Lachelt is Executive Director of the Oil and Gas Accountability Project, and previously worked for the Alliance as E.D. until 2001. She has a wealth of grassroots organizing experience with oil and gas issues specifically. Gwen has a B.S. in Political Science from Fort Lewis College.
 
  Paul Bendt, Treasurer
Mr. Bendt owns the Computer Mapping Company and provides GIS services to local governments and businesses across the country. He is active in the Alliance’s Public Lands Task Force. Paul is a pilot and an avid outdoorsman. He has a B.S. from MIT and a PhD in Physics from the Univ. of Colorado.
 
  Kent Ford, San Juan Basin Rivers Task Force
Mr. Ford is the owner of Performance Videos and technical producer of fourteen instructional books and videos on whitewater paddling. He is a world champion whitewater paddler. Kent holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University.
 
  Bob Delzell, At-Large
Mr. Delzell has resided in Colorado for 40 years. He was a career employee of USDA, Soil Conservation Service and held positions in Colorado, Hawaii and California. He retired as State Resource Conservationist in California and was responsible for ecological sciences, economics and conservation planning for SCS in that State. Bob and his wife Kathleen own acreage at the base of the HD Mountains south of Yellowjacket Pass. They have been actively involved in raising awareness of the problems of drilling in the HD’s and close to the Fruitland Outcrop. Bob graduated from Colorado State University with a Master’s Degree in Wildland Resource Management.
 
  Chuck McAfee, At-Large
Mr. McAfee retired after 32 years with Hewlett-Packard and moved back to his hometown of Cortez with his wife MB in 1998. Chuck serves on the Board of Southwest Health System that operates the local hospital; the Citizens Advisory Committee for Canyons of the Ancients National Monument; a co-founder and member of the Summit Leadership Programs designed to nurture community leaders; alum of Leadership Montezuma; advisor to the Board of the Community Radio Project (KSJD); and a member of the Southwest Regional Council of the El Pomar Foundation.
 
 

DeeDee deHaro-Brown, Compañeros
Ms. Brown was formerly Executive Director of Durango Latino Education Coalition (DLEC), responsible for the overall management of DLEC and all programs. Her qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in education, graduate work in bilingual and bicultural studies, and certification in English as a Second Language, grades K-12.  She has experience working in family literacy programs, youth assets programs, community partnerships, and advocating for minority and “at risk” students for 20 years.  DeeDee has been involved in civil rights and social justice work for over 40 years.

 
  Melissa Miller, At-Large
Ms. Miller has extensive non-profit management experience and worked for many years in outdoor and experiential education, including as program director with Outward Bound. She has a great interest in the public lands of the Colorado Plateau and San Juan Mountains. She has a B.A. in Environmental and Outdoor Education from Prescott College.
   
 

offices
Durango
P.O. Box 2461
1022 1/2 Main Avenue
Durango, Colorado 81302
(970) 259-3583
(970) 259-8303 (FAX)

New Mexico Chapter Office
108 North Behrend, Suite I
Farmington, NM 87401
Ph: (505) 325-6724

Dolores Campaign Office
2 E. Main Ave. Suite 104
Cortez, CO 81321
Ph: (970) 565-7191

 

   
 

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