President, Ann King Smith, has served on the board of directors for four years. She is retired from Redwood National and State Parks where she was responsible for managing archaeological sites, historic structures and contemporary Native American sites, and was the liaison between the parks and local Native American tribal governments. She occasionally is involved in local projects as a cultural resources consultant and also serves on the City of Arcata Planning Commission. Ann and her husband Doug spend some of their time at their cabin in the New River area of Trinity County.

1st Vice President, Dennis Rael moved to Humboldt County in 1978 from the Netherlands. He opened Los Bagels Company, Inc. in 1984, which now has three locations in Humboldt Co. He has been involved in numerous business and community organizations and has worked extensively in Central America as well as in Southern Mexico, where he interfaces with small communities helping them to market and sell sustainable tropical hardwood from native forests. Dennis joined the board of NRLT because he thinks the organization is unique and extremely valuable, bringing together diverse members of our community with common values and desire to protect both our land and economy.

2nd Vice President, Leland Mora is the owner and manager of Humboldt Auction Yard in Fortuna, CA, which was started in 1948 and been under family ownership since 1968. Lee is also the founder and manager of Humboldt Grassfed Beef selling locally produced beef to independent retailers both locally and regionally. Lee’s interest in NRLT is to help owners of our area’s remaining open space and rangeland to keep their properties in sustainable production.

Secretary, Yvonne Everett, is Associate Professor of Natural Resources Planning at Humboldt State University. Her research interests include natural resources policy and planning and participatory and collaborative research methods in forest ecology, agroforestry and landscape ecology. She earned her PhD at the University of California, Berkeleywith and emphasis on Landscape Ecology.

Treasurer, Martha Spencer, originally moved to Humboldt County in 1976 to attend Humboldt State University and graduated with a degree in Sociology and Social Work and a Masters of Science in Natural Resource Planning. She started working for Humboldt County in 1986 in the Planning Division but then followed her wayward husband in 1990 around the states of California (including work in Glenn, Trinity and Siskiyou County planning departments), Washington and Oregon, finally returning to Humboldt County in 2002. She is presently working in the Resource Lands Division of the County Planning Department which includes administering the Williamson Act and Conservation Easement Support programs. She has been an active 4H leader for eight years in three states and was on the school board for four years in Oregon.

Blake Alexandre, past board president, is the owner and operator of Alexandre Dairy and EcoDairy Organic Farm on 2,500 acres in Del Norte County, California. He is currently a member of the California Farm Bureau, Western United Dairymen, Northwest Milk Marketing Association, Ducks Unlimited, California Waterfowl Association, California Cattlemen's Association, and the Milk Producer Council.

Mark Andre is Deputy Director Environmental Services for the City of Arcata, CA. where he is responsible for forest management, open space protection, environmental planning, recycling and energy programs, creeks/wetlands/ stormwater management and fish and wildlife habitat improvement projects. A graduate of Humboldt State University, he has served as the City forester for Arcata’s Community Forest for the past 18 years and also provides forestry-consulting services for several non-industrial timber landowners in northern California.

Bill Bragg is an accomplished attorney with over 30 years of litigation and consulting experience, and is currently a partner with Bragg, Perlmen, Russ, Stunich and Eads in Eureka. Specifically he has knowledge in the area of land and contract disputes, and has extensive experience working with administrative and enforcement agencies. He is an avid bird watcher, hiker and boater, and you can often find him hiking Redwood Creek or paddling up the Mad River slough on his days off.

Jill Hackett is owner and operator of Ferndale Farms. She and her husband, Steve, own and run the 4,000-acre Howe Creek Ranch which has been in their family for nearly a century, providing meat and forest products to a growing population. Their forestry practices, cemented by a conservation easement, create corridors of mature forest and healthy watersheds that support salmon, spotted owls and other wildlife. Their work in developing the California Rangeland Water Quality Management Plan is credited with injecting incentives and cooperation into ranch planning and program implementation, and with engaging environmental groups, industry groups and federal and state government agencies effectively. The plan now involves more than 1 million acres of private California ranchland.

John Lima is a third generation Humboldt County native. Currently residing in Arcata and operating a family run logging business and timberland investments, with wife, Claudia. John is concerned with and has always been involved in open space and the rural lifestyle of Humboldt County.

Kevin McKernan was the Executive Director of the Land Trust in 2008. He also served as the Environmental Program Director for the Yurok Tribe for eight years and holds a degree in Natural Resources from Humboldt State University. Kevin promotes Land Trust efforts in the Del Norte community and is active with the Del Norte Fish and Game Advisory Commission, Ducks Unlimited, and the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative. When not working or volunteering his time on various committees, he can be found surfing Crescent City breaks, fishing the rivers and ocean, and hunting.

Fred Neighbor is an attorney and musician. He graduated from UC Berkeley and receivied an MA from Humboldt State in Theater Arts. He has served as a member of the Humboldt County fish and Game Advisory Committee and on the Board of Governors for California Trout, Inc. As an attorney, he has been active in land use issues affecting North Coast rivers and Humboldt Bay.