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The Land Trust is nonprofit organization with over 1,500 members—people just like you who are committed to:
Our work is made possible by membership dues and contributions. We pursue our conservation goals without operating support from any government agency. Our success is the work of our staff, board of trustees and advisory council, along with our volunteers and members. The Land Trust was founded in 1976; click here for a brief history by one of our founders. We are the only organization, either public or private, actively working to preserve open space and agricultural land in Napa County.
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John
Hoffnagle Executive
Director since 1989
BS Biology and General Science, University of Oregon, Phi Beta Kappa, MFS Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. Previously served as Oregon Land Steward, The Nature Conservancy (1979-1984); Director of Development, Greenbelt Alliance (1985-1989); Administrative Director, Tropical Resources Institute Yale School of Forestry. Member of the Bay Area Open Space Council and member of Pacific Union College Napa Valley Advisory Committee. Former board member and corporate secretary of Strong Foundation for Environmental Values. John also serves on the Editorial Board of the Land Trust Alliance, and is a frequent speaker on land protection topics at national and regional conferences.
Tom Faragher Administrative
Director
Joined The Land Trust in 1999. MBA Stanford Graduate School of Business and University of Washington BBA (with honors) in Finance. Tom has over thirty years of management and financial experience in the banking and investment industries, including CEO or Co-CEO of three banks. Also served as CFO of three businesses and as a consultant for many existing and start-up businesses. Speaker on strategic planning and various financial topics. Tom is a director of the Bank of Napa.
Joan Zoloth Development
Director
Bob Pallas Director of Education and Connolly Ranch
BBA from Western Michigan University with a major in marketing and minors in Economics and General Business. Former President and founder of Pallas Advertising; Principal and Director of Account Management of Gardner Communications; Vice President and Management Supervisor of J. Walter Thompson Company. Former board President of the Hamilton Family Center; current Board President of Summer Search North Bay; and former Chairman of the Environmental Education Coalition of Napa County.
Elizabeth Wroblicka Director of Land Protection
B.S. from Cornell University, a J.D. from University of San Francisco, and a Masters in Environmental Law, cum laude, from Vermont Law School where she was a George Perkins Marsh Fellow. Prior to joining The Land Trust in 2007, Elizabeth was an attorney in Northampton, MA, specializing in conservation law, nonprofit law, litigation, and estate planning. Previously she was a staff member of Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust and the Land Trust Alliance. She has served as a consultant on national easement defense issues, teaches extensively on conservation issues around the country, chaired the Massachusetts Easement Defense Subcommittee, and served on Northampton’s Zoning Board of Appeals, the Corporate Trustees and the Putnam Conservation Institute of The Trustees of Reservations.
Carolyn Cromer Preserve Stewardship Coordinator
BA in English from Northwestern University and an MS in Land Resource Management and MF in Forest Ecology and Management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Carolyn’s diverse background includes serving as Executive Director of a foundation managing Blackacre State Nature Preserve in Louisville, Kentucky and implementing land stewardship at numerous other private and state Kentucky and Wisconsin preserves. She has taught and coordinated environmental education programs for K-12 schools, and began a recycling program in eastern Kentucky. She also has administrative experience in local politics and community development, both domestically and abroad.
Lena Septimo Monitoring Coordinator
BS in Environmental Sciences, Phi Beta Kappa, and MS in Natural Resource Sciences from Washington State University, magna cum laude. Lena has extensive experience in community-based land conservation and environmental education activities through both domestic and abroad programs. She served as the Stewardship Coordinator at the Inland Northwest Land Trust with AmeriCorps, and served on the board of GroundWorks Institute in eastern Washington for over three years.
Theresa Andrews Office
Manager
AS, Management and Marketing from Napa Valley College. Theresa was Office Manager for 10 years in the legal field with Sims & Sims Deposition Reporters. Formerly a member of the Legal Secretaries Association, she acted as Chairperson for their annual fundraiser.
Mary Ann Moffitt Development Coordinator
BS in Communications from Southern Connecticut State University. Formerly at the Friends of the Napa River, as manager of the River Festival and the office. Prior to Friends, Mary Ann spent over 15 years at Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco producing economic education materials, and in various analyst and administrative management positions.
Robin Hutchings Executive Assistant
BA in art from Sacramento State University. 17 years experience as administrative support. Previous to this position Robin worked as Event Coordinator at Robert Mondavi Corporation.
Margie Goldstone Administrative
Secretary
25 years experience in the secretarial field, 15 years in the South Bay, 11
years at Computer Associates. Works 3 days a week assisting with many Land
Trust projects.
Karin Troedsson Staff Attorney
JD
and Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law, Lewis and Clark College; BA in political science, University of Washington. After several years as a volunteer on the monitoring and project committees, Karin Troedsson joined The Land Trust as its part time Staff Attorney. Karin formerly practiced law for the County of Sonoma, the City of St. Helena and the Town of Yountville. She has also practiced with domestic and international conservation organization.
Michael Lauher Connolly Ranch Environmental Educator
Michael joined The Land Trust with his family as a volunteer in 2002. The winter of 2003 the family moved onto the Ranch as caretakers of the old farmhouse on the property. Soon after, Michael was hired on as full-time employee for the ranch. His work experience includes coordination of community building projects to construct homes and gardens for low-income families using sustainable building materials like straw bale, adobe, and cob with passive solar design. Michael teaches at the Connolly Ranch for The Land Trust and other partners including Napa City Parks & Recreation. Michael is also Chair of the Environmental Education Coalition of Napa County.
Thom Arcadi Connolly Ranch Facility Manager
MA in Education of Exceptional Children from Whittier College, Thom has been a teacher in the Vallejo City Unified School District since 1971. Thom began his career as a special education teacher of severely handicapped students and held that position for five years. For the next 26 years he was the administrator of the Loma Vista Farm and Garden Center. Thom currently teaches young adult handicapped students. He is CFO and head of agricultural operations of Stone Fly Vineyard.
Officers
Elaine Honig, President – Executive Committee
Creative Director of Honig Vineyard and Winery, a family-owned winery in the heart of California’s Napa Valley. Elaine came to work in the winery in 1986 at the age of 21, following three years in real estate development in Boston and San Francisco. An environmental activist, Elaine works to protect and preserve the land in the Napa Valley. She is on the Board of Directors and Chair of the Community Outreach Committee of the Napa County Farm Bureau, on the executive committee of the Sierra Club’s Napa Group, Chair of the Community Outreach Committee of the Napa Valley Vintners Association, and a member of the International Wine and Food Society. Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Elaine graduated in 1985 from Tufts University in Boston with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics. She lives in Rutherford, California.
J. James Meehan, Vice President – Executive Committee and Finance & Investment Committee
Jim first served as Vice President of Marketing at Howard Schultz & Associates International, and became Regional owner and President in 1991. Later he accepted a position as Executive Vice President and COO of the North America Operations, Chairman of the Management Committee and Strategic Planning for HS&A. Prior to HS&A, Jim was the Corporate Director of Treasury Operations for the Crown Zellerbach Corporation. He studied Engineering and Business at the University of Colorado; completed graduate work in Finance and Banking at Stanford University. Jim also completed executive level programs in Organizational Behavior at the University of Virginia. Past President of the Institute of Management Accountants and Credit and Financial Executives of the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Jim and his wife Lee moved to the Napa Valley; where he is involved with private investments in software businesses dealing in import/export trade and spends time with community charities. They own a small organic vineyard that produces wine grapes for Quintessa Winery.
Bob Holder, Treasurer – Executive Committee, Finance Committee
President of Nova Wines (Marilyn Merlot) since 1987. Raised in Kansas City, MO. Graduated from University of MO with a BA in Economics and an MS in Accounting. CPA in Public Accounting. Bob is currently working at G & J Seiberlich in St. Helena since 1977. He was Treasurer of St. Helena Public School Foundation from mid 1980s to late 1990s. Bob joined the Finance Committee and has held a chair at the Napa Valley Wine Auction from 1980’s to 2004. Bob also served in the US Army from 1969-1971 and is married with two grown sons.
Randy Skidmore, Secretary – Executive Committee
L. Randolph Skidmore is a partner at Coombs & Dunlap, LLC, practicing with an emphasis on business, land use and real estate law. He counsels a wide range of individuals, business entities and non-profit organizations. Mr. Skidmore comes from Southern California originally and graduated with honors from the University of California at Berkeley, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He attended law school at the California Western School of Law in San Diego and was a member of the Law Review. He was associated with several large law firms in San Francisco, and was named partner in an East Bay law firm. Mr. Skidmore and his family then moved to Napa in 1986 to join Coombs & Dunlap, LLP.
Trustees at Large
Andy Beckstoffer, Trustee
Founder, Chairman and owner of Beckstoffer Vineyards and its subsidiaries: Winegrowers Farming Company in the Napa Valley; Mendocino Vineyard Company in Ukiah, CA; and Red Hills Vineyard Company in Kelseyville, CA. Beckstoffer Vineyards owns approximately 1000 acres of vineyards in the Napa Valley, 1000 acres in Mendocino County and an additional 1000 acres under development in Lake County. In 1997, Beckstoffer Vineyards was honored by the State of California as an Integrated Pest Management Innovator – the first private business so honored. Since 1970, Beckstoffer Vineyards has been a leader in developing and implementing new vineyard technologies in California's premium North Coast area. The Beckstoffer companies have planted over 3000 acres of vineyards in the Napa Valley and 115,000 tons of Mendocino County fruit. Currently Beckstoffer is one of the top 20 largest grape growers in California, the largest non-winery owner of Napa Valley vineyards, and the largest seller of premium wine grapes in the Napa & North Coast areas – providing grapes to over 50 premium wineries. In 2000, Andy & Betty Beckstoffer were honored as St. Helena’s “Citizens of the Year."
Chip Bouril, Trustee – Project Committee, Mt. George-Foote Preserve Committee, Monitoring Committee, Field Trip Committe
Chip works at LSA Associates, Inc., a private environmental consultant corporation, as a Wetland Scientist and is a Soil Conservationist at the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Napa. He previously worked as private contractor for the Napa County Resource Conservation District. Chip was employed at Domaine Chandon from 1973 to 1997, serving as Project Construction Manager and later Assistant Director of Operations. BS in Architecture from the University of Wisconsin. Chip is a master composter and composting trainer for UC Cooperative. Past Director and later treasurer of Community Health Clinic Olé; member, past president, past vice-president, and member of Napa Valley State Parks Association; member Napa County Sierra Club and Oat Hill Mine Trail Committee. Chip has also served on the Town of Yountville’s zoning and Design Review Board as member and chair; as Transportation Chair of the Napa Valley Wine Auction, Committee Chair of Napa and Sonoma Wineries Green Business Program, volunteer at Paolo Soleri’s Cosanti Foundation, and was member of the Napa County Parks and Open Space Advisory Committees.
David Graves, Trustee – Project Committee, Scientist Advisory Panel, Finance & Investment Committee
Born and reared in Contra Costa County, where he witnessed the effects of unchecked growth on a once agricultural county. David is a co-founder of Saintsbury, a Carneros producer of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. He is a professional member American Society for Viticulture and Enology; member of the Audubon Society, California Native Plant Society, Carneros Quality Alliance; Watershed Information Center and Conservancy Board, Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Napa Valley Vintners Association and past president of The Land Trust of Napa County. As member of the Napa County Planning Commission nearly 8 years, David served two terms as commission chair. BS in biology University of California, Santa Cruz, with emphasis on ecology and evolution; resident of Napa County since 1978.
Alice J. Kubler, Trustee
Assistant Dean for Budget and Operations, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley since 2005. Prior to joining UC in 1990, Alice worked for Sierra Capital Companies as the Treasury Operations Manager, and at Bechtel Corporation in various roles. She grew up adjacent to the Archer Taylor Preserve, lived with Haseltine and Archer Taylor during her freshman year at Cal, and has served on the ATP Committee since 1995. She holds a BA in Environmental Design from UC Berkeley and is an avid photographer.
Wayne O’Connell, Trustee – Outreach Committee
Wayne O’Connell is actively involved in real estate development and farming. He started his career with The Bechtel Group and has assisted in the growth and development of companies with his venture capital activities and has participated in taking companies public. Before starting his own firm, Wayne was a partner with the Andersen Consulting Group. His consulting practice included working with both public and private sector clients, including Fortune 500 companies. His primary practice areas were strategic planning and technology. He received his Bachelors of Engineering in 1965 and Masters of Business Administration in 1967 from the University of California at Berkeley. He served on the Alumni Board of the Business School at the University of California. Wayne served on the Board of Trustees of Sonoma County Day School and the Founders Circle. He is also a member of Napa Grape Growers Association and the California Association of Wine Growers.
Linda Reiff, Trustee – Executive Committee, Outreach Committee
Executive Director of the Napa Valley Vintners Association, a local nonprofit corporation comprised of 165 Napa Valley Wineries. The NVVA works to promote and protect the Napa Valley appellation through numerous national and international programs. Linda also worked for eight years in Washington D.C. and Sacramento for U.S. Representative Vic Fazio as a field representative and as chief of staff. BS Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Linda grew up on family farm in Yolo County.
D. J. Smith, Trustee
D. J. Smith is founder and President of Smith, Watts & Company, a full service advocacy and consulting firm specializing in transportation, energy and resource work. Prior to establishing the firm in 1981, D.J. was District Manager of Public Affairs, Pacific Coast Division for Bethlehem Steel Corporation (1979-81); Chief Consultant to the California State Assembly Committee on Transportation (1975-79) and he began his professional career in various management positions in the Office of the Secretary of the U. S. Department of Transportation in Washington D. C. (1971-75). In 1969, D.J. graduated from the American University, School of Government and Public Administration, in Washington D.C., with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Urban Affairs. In 1971, he graduated from Florida State University, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, specializing in Public Policy and Transportation Planning, where he was awarded the American Institute of Planner’s Student Award. He is married with four children and resides in Napa, California.
Chuck Sawday, Trustee
Chuck is a Real Estate Broker affiliated with Pacific Union Real Estate in Saint Helena. He has lived in the Napa Valley for over 25 years. Chuck attended Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo receiving his BA degree in Agricultural Business Management in 1969. Chuck has served as a Board member of the Cal Poly Alumni Association and various community organizations, including Napa County Planning Ad Hock Advisory Committee, Saints Athletic Club, Native Sons of the Golden West, and Napa County Board of Realtors.
Denis Sutro, Trustee – Executive Committee, Project Committee
Denis Sutro is owner and operator of Carver Sutro Wines, in Calistoga, and a member of the Napa Valley Vintners’ Association. He also owns The Sutro Company, a real estate brokerage firm. BA from Stanford University and JD from Hastings College of the Law. He is retired from a career in San Francisco, first as a litigator specializing in Constitutional cases, then as general counsel to a real estate development firm. Denis is past President of the Board of the Calistoga Family Center, and board member since its inception in 1998. Denis has served Calistoga as an appointed member of both the Community Planning Task Force, which developed Calistoga’s 20 Year Strategic Action Plan, and the Economic Vitality Group, which studied Calistoga’s economy and developed a critical initiative plan that was adopted by the City Council.
Joe Keebler, Trustee – Project Committee
Attorney with 40 years practice in San Francisco and Napa in real property, construction, public law, land use planning, business, estate planning and litigation, including service as St. Helena City attorney, general counsel for Napa County Land Trust, Napa Valley Bank and American Canyon County Water District, adjunct professor of construction law at Santa Clara University, and AAA arbitrator. Graduate of Hanford High School, University of Redlands (BA in Economics) and Boalt Hall, UC Berkeley (JD). Served on Boards of Napa County Bar Association, Napa Rotary Club, Napa Valley College Foundation, Queen of the Valley Hospital, Justin Sienna High School and Justin Sienna Foundation. Served as Chairman of NVUSD Facilities Task Force and member of NVUSD Proposition M Bond Oversight Committee. Experienced agricultural and landscaping worker, bicyclist, hiker and political pundit.
In 2002, the Board inaugurated an Advisory Council to assist in promoting The Land Trust's community outreach goals.
The Advisory Council is a group of highly respected members of The Land Trust of Napa County who support The Land Trust's goals —saving this precious heritage for generations to come —by assisting The Land Trust with their ideas and with financial contributions. Members of the Advisory Council will play an important role by lending their name and reputation to our publications, contributing a minimum of $2,500 each year and providing introductions from time to time.
We are thrilled that these individuals have taken this leadership position to work with The Land Trust. Together we can do what one person cannot do alone.
Bart & Daphne Araujo |
June Harman |
Mary Weber Novak |
The Land Trust of Napa County
1700 Soscol Ave., Suite 20, Napa, CA 94559
Phone: 707-252-3270
Fax: 707-252-1071
info@napalandtrust.org