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MELINA SEMPILL WATTS, Executive Director, has lived in Southern California since the age of seven and fell in love with Two Trees at first sight. She is looking forward to connecting with landowners and the community of Ventura in order to find the best ways to preserve the glorious open spaces that give Ventura its character and beauty. Her primary environmental interests are open space acquisition and habitat restoration. Melina spent seven years working at the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains as the Malibu Creek Watershed Coordinator, during which period she raised millions of dollars for environmental programs and projects. Last year, she was promoted to Santa Monica Mountains Watersheds Coordinator, a position she continues to hold on a half time basis, where she is working on watershed planning. Prior to that, Melina worked as a creative executive, writing consultant and script analyst at such companies as the Kennedy/Marshall Company, Pico Creek Productions, The Bedford Falls Company and DreamWorks. She graduated from UCLA with a degree in history. Melina has two sons and a daughter. Get in touch with her at mwatts@venturahillsides.org
Photo: Melina Watts |
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DEREK POULTNEY, Protection Coordinator, joined the Conservancy in February 2010 after 5 years as Project Manager at Ojai Valley Land Conservancy and five prior years of environmental consulting and field biology work for the CA Dept of Food & Agriculture and U.S. Forest Service. Along with volunteering for various non-profit environmental groups, Derek earned a Master of Science in Environmental Studies from CSU-Fullerton and a B.A in Music Composition (with significant environmental coursework) from UCSB. At OVLC, he managed a variety of wetland restoration projects in the upper Ventura River watershed and is now working for the Conservancy to preserve and improve wildlife habitat in the lower watershed. Along with spending time with his wife and kids, Derek enjoys music, wildlife and hiking -- all the while pursuing the dream of writing a hit song lucrative enough to purchase key wilderness areas. Get in touch with him at dpoultney@venturahillsides.org
Photo: Carey Poultney |
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LEE SHERMAN, Development & Volunteer Coordinator, has a Bachelor's degree in English from the State University of New York at Albany and a Certificate in Technical Writing from CSU Dominguez Hills. He has previously worked as a Development Coordinator with the Turning Point Foundation, here in Ventura. Prior to that Lee served as Operations Manager for Educational Message Services, a social marketing company with offices in Ventura and Melbourne, Australia. Lee first came to Ventura 10 years ago as a Dive Master on the Peace, and he has extensive knowlege of the Channel Islands. He is an avid surfer, and plays a mean guitar. Contact him at lsherman@venturahillsides.org
Photo: Tim Davis
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Ventura landmark Two Trees (Eucalyptus globulus).
Photo: Angela Rockett Kirwin |
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