About Us

Our Mission

Sustainable Conservation advances the collaborative stewardship of California’s land, air, and water for the benefit of nature and people.

Our Work

Sustainable Conservation helps California thrive by uniting people to solve the toughest challenges facing our land, air, and water. Every day, we bring together business, landowners, communities, and government, in some of the most productive yet economically disadvantaged parts of California, to steward the resources on which we all depend in ways that are just and make economic sense.

Sustainable Conservation currently drives collaborative solutions to meet the water needs of California’s environment, people, and economy for current and future generations – with particular focus on advancing sustainable groundwater management and accelerating the stewardship of natural and working lands and waterways. A sustainable water future for California that supports a thriving economy is achievable. But, a future in which nature and people have access to clean, affordable, and reliable water is possible only by working with – not against – each other.

Milestones

Founded - 1993

What if protecting the environment was good for business?

Founded - 1993

Challenging conventional wisdom in 1993, Sustainable Conservation’s founders posed a simple, but bold, question …

“What if protecting the environment could also be good for business?”

Not your typical environmentalists, our visionary founders hailed from the corporate world. Concerned by the time, money, and goodwill lost to avoidable courtroom and political battles, they considered the private sector an untapped ally in solving California’s pressing environmental challenges. Working with business – not against it – they knew California could achieve true sustainability, balancing both environmental and economic needs.

As each new initiative brought tangible results, Sustainable Conservation earned the trust and respect of a diverse set of stakeholders – from industry and scientists, to government and other environmental leaders. We’ve turned a simple question into a unique brand of environmental problem-solving, and a powerful model for the rest of the world to follow.
Planting Right

America's largest plant retailers help Californians PlantRight
Planting Right

Between 2014-2015, the Sustainable Conservation-led PlantRight campaign welcomed The Home Depot, Lowe’s and Orchard Supply Hardware as “big box” teammates committed to promoting safe, non-invasive plants to benefit the state’s environment and people. This includes more than 200 The Home Depot stores in California. Using PlantRight’s invasive-plant list as a guide, The Home Depot, Lowe’s and Orchard Supply Hardware continue to phase out problem plants from their product mixes.

“Partnering with PlantRight in California is the right thing to do for our communities,” says Brian Parker, Senior Merchant Live Goods with The Home Depot. “We’re committed to providing the best plant options for California, including drought tolerant and non-invasive varieties. Our growers are solid partners in these efforts, as we all are committed to protecting California’s landscape, wildlife and communities.”
- “Effort to fight invasive plants in California targets nurseries”
- “Avoiding invasive plants”
Protecting Water Quality

Central Valley dairies partner to boost clean water
Protecting Water Quality

The Central Valley struggles with critical nitrate pollution of groundwater, a key resource for communities and agriculture. The dairy industry is one of the largest sources of this pollution, but is also a big part of the solution.

In 2013, Sustainable Conservation began working with Netafim USA and De Jager Farms to demonstrate how clean water, a thriving dairy industry and healthy communities can go hand in hand. Using a first-of-its-kind subsurface manure drip irrigation system, we demonstrated that dairy producers can grow healthy silage corn using just the right amount of nutrients, delivered straight to where they need it most, while protecting groundwater quality and making good use of limited water resources.

Based on the success of our pilot, in 2016 Sustainable Conservation was awarded a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grant to scale the system to additional dairies, all with the aim to encourage wider industry adoption. The manure drip system provides a balanced, “win-win” solution of on-farm nutrient use and water savings that, if implemented at scale, could be a game-changer for farmers and communities that rely on clean water.
- “Why California’s Nitrate Problem Will Take Decades to Fix”
- “California Dairies Join Forces with Conservationists and an Irrigation Supplier to Save Water and Reduce Groundwater Pollution”
Recharging Groundwater

Alliance forms to restore groundwater in Calif.
Recharging Groundwater

In 2011, we launched a project with an innovative San Joaquin Valley farmer named Don Cameron to flood 1,000 acres of wine grapes, alfalfa and open land with floodwater from the Kings River. Our aim? Recharge the depleted groundwater aquifer below.

Now, we’re working across the Central Valley to continue piloting on-farm groundwater recharge. We’ve grown from one demonstration site to the potential for hundreds across a large swath of diverse farmland. We joined forces with private and nonprofit leaders on constructing a dedicated groundwater recharge basin in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley. We also developed a first-of-its-kind tool, the Groundwater Recharge Assessment Tool (GRAT), to help water managers plan where to site the best possible groundwater recharge for the most impact.

On-farm groundwater recharge, done on the right crops at the right times, has the potential to significantly bolster our water supplies to help Californians weather future droughts and provide water communities and agriculture can count on.
-  “One key way soggy California could save water for the next dry spell”
-  “Local farmer using excess water to flood crops and improve his water table”
Accelerating Restoration

Habitat restoration gets boost from new law
Accelerating Restoration

California has ambitious plans to restore critical habitat, but the time and cost of securing voluntary restoration permits remains a barrier for many restoration advocates, including landowners.

In 2014, Governor Brown signed into law the Sustainable Conservation-sponsored Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Act, the first statewide effort to accelerate voluntary restoration on private lands through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The Act established a simplified permitting process to empower landowners, government agencies and conservation organizations to take on small-scale, voluntary habitat restoration across California. Simplified permits accelerate the restoration of rural habitats, urban watersheds and coastal waterways without sacrificing key environmental protections.

Since 2013, restoring California’s coast has gotten a lot easier as a result of our partnership with the California Coastal Commission and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Voluntary habitat restoration has sped up significantly along the entire 1,000-mile California coastline thanks to two major Sustainable Conservation-backed Commission rulings.
- “Statewide Restoration Efforts Get New Tool”
- “Sustainable Conservation: Revving up Restoration for Redds and Red-Legged Frogs”
Clean Water on Dairies

Putting worms to work at California dairies
Clean Water on Dairies

Sustainable Conservation began testing a novel biological wastewater treatment system in 2014 that employs millions of surprisingly tiny nitrogen gobblers: worms. At the Fanelli Dairy near Modesto, wastewater is pumped through a series of filters to remove sand and other solids before it’s sprayed via sprinklers into the so-called worm box – a concrete container housing the worms, their microbial buddies, and layers of wood shavings and rocks. The worms munch their way through organic matter in the wastewater as it percolates through the layers – removing up to 80% of total nitrogen from the liquid.

Treated wastewater moves on to irrigate the crops that feed the dairy’s cows, and the worms leave behind their own nutrient-rich co-product, known as castings, that can be sold as a high-value soil amendment to operations like nurseries and vineyards.

Managed by Sustainable Conservation, the Fanelli Dairy demonstration project showcases this unique system’s promise to promote clean water, thriving farms and healthy communities.
- “Tiny worms tackle manure from dairy farm near Hilmar”
- “The creature helping one farm be environmentally friendly”
Brake Pad Partnership

Copper-free brakes to benefit clean water, fish
Brake Pad Partnership

Sustainable Conservation and its partners scored one of the major environmental triumphs of 2010 when Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 346— powerful legislation that phases out copper from vehicle brake pads to make the state’s urban waterways safer for salmon and other species, save cities billions of dollars in potential environmental cleanup costs, and enable manufacturers to provide safe, reliable brakes for drivers.

The bill was born from an unusual 15-year collaborative effort led by Sustainable Conservation to understand and address the environmental impacts of brake pad debris generated during the use of motor vehicles. Environmental organizations, stormwater agencies, and the vehicle and brake manufacturing industries worked together to study the science and agree on a practical way to stop this form of water pollution at the source while providing drivers with safe, reliable brakes
- “New state law reduces copper in brake pads”
- “Crackdown on copper: threat to wildlife, water”
Waste to Watts

Turning cow waste into renewable energy
Waste to Watts

Starting in 2000, Sustainable Conservation has promoted methane digesters – which convert cow waste into renewable electricity and fuel – on California dairies to reduce harmful greenhouse gases (GHGs), generate renewable energy to power farms and the state’s economy, and promote a healthy climate.

Our work resulted in the generation of enough clean, renewable energy to power more than 3,000 homes and offset $2 million in energy costs to farmers each year. We’ve reduced California agriculture’s GHG emissions by 12,000 tons – equivalent to taking 40,000 cars off the road.

Now, we’re taking two decades of experience in understanding available technologies and where more research is needed to help California lead the nation in reducing harmful GHGs. California’s recent legislation and investment in reducing methane means we have a chance to reduce GHGs in ways that provide multiple environmental benefits, like cleaner water and clearer air.

We’re working with state agencies and other stakeholders to determine what and how regulations should be implemented because we see an opportunity to guide real solutions with sound policy, informed investment and multi-stakeholder participation.
- “From waste to watts”
- “From Waste to Watts: Biofuel Bonanza”

Our People

Board of Directors

Our experienced Board of Directors and Advisory Board members hail from those stakeholder groups Sustainable Conservation partners with daily to drive our conservation mission – industry, government, farming and the nonprofit sector. This unique composition offers diverse perspectives for developing the most effective solutions to California’s most pressing environmental problems.

Celeste Cantú
Chair, San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board

Celeste Cantú
Chair, San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board
Cantú is a Master Gardener in Riverside County focusing on drought tolerant landscaping. She previously served as general manager of the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA). While there, she led the development of the Crest to Coast, Corner to Corner Integrated Regional Watershed Management Plan called One Water, One Watershed (OWOW) that integrated water-related issues, joined entities and hundreds of stakeholders seeking to create a new vision of sustainability for the Santa Ana River Watershed.

Prior to her tenure at SAWPA, Ms. Cantú served as the executive director for the California State Water Resources Control Board. During the Clinton Administration, she served as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development State Director for California. She served as planning director for the city of Calexico and later as executive director for the Imperial Valley Housing Authority. She has a bachelor’s degree from Yale in urban planning and policy and a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

In addition to the Sustainable Conservation Board, Celeste Cantú serves on the following boards: San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, The Water Foundation, Water Policy Center Advisory Council, Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), Water Solutions Network Advisory Council, and UC President’s Advisory Council for Agriculture and Natural Resources .
Lauren B. Dachs
President and Founder, Laural Foundation

Lauren B. Dachs
President and Founder, Laural Foundation
Lauren B. Dachs is president and founder of the Laural Foundation, reflecting her interest and focus on ensuring a productive, vibrant, and sustainable California. Prior to leading the Laural Foundation, Lauren was president and vice chair of the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation from 2006 until December 2020 when it completed its planned spend down.

In addition to serving on Sustainable Conservation’s board of directors, Lauren is also currently on the Water Foundation’s board of directors and on the advisory council to PPIC Water Policy Center. Previously, she has served on the board of directors of the Land Trust Alliance and on the advisory council of Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment.

Lauren has long experience as an advisor or board member for many environmental, education, and health organizations. Previously, she has served and advised Stanford University, The Nature Conservancy in California, Children’s Hospital and Research Center in Oakland, Head-Royce School, The Thacher School, Lawrence Hall of Science, and the Center for Underrepresented Students in the College of Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. She is also a founder of The Lake School, a nonprofit preschool located in Oakland. Lauren holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Stanford University and she is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Daniel M. Dooley, Board Chairman
Principal, New Current Water and Land, LLC.

Daniel M. Dooley, Board Chairman
Principal, New Current Water and Land, LLC.
Daniel M. Dooley is principal of New Current Water and Land, LLC, which provides strategic planning services for water supply and water management projects, as well as agricultural investments, in California. Prior to New Current, Dan served the University of California for seven years, first as Vice President – Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources and then as Senior Vice President External Relations. Dan’s External Relations responsibilities included directing the University offices of State and Federal Government Relations, Alumni Affairs and Institutional Advocacy, and Communications. He reported directly to the President of the University of California System.

Before his tenure with the University, Dan distinguished himself as an agricultural and environmental attorney with extensive experience in California. He was a partner at Dooley, Herr and Peltzer, LLP, a law firm emphasizing agricultural, environmental, business and water rights law, where he represented both public agencies and private parties on water-related matters. He was recognized for successfully bridging environmental and economic considerations in a number of controversial legal cases. Dan was also a partner from 1980-2002 in the family-owned Dooley Farms, a diversified San Joaquin Valley farming operation producing cotton, alfalfa and walnuts, which continues operation under next generation family management.

Dan previously served as Chief Deputy Director of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (1977-80) and Chair of the California Water Commission (1982-86). He has served on the National Academy of Sciences, Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Western Rural Development Center Board, and the Board of Trustees of Children’s Hospital Central California, which he chaired. He currently serves on the Board of Sustainable Conservation.

In 2007, Dan was cited by California Lawyer magazine’s Lawyer of the Year publication for his work to achieve settlement of two-decades-old litigation relating to the San Joaquin River. In 2004, he was inducted into the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service Research Hall of Fame. He also received the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Award of Distinction in 2000.

He is married to Diana and has two grown children, Megan Hargraves and Katharine Dooley.
Michael Frantz
Co-owner, Frantz Wholesale Nursery

Michael Frantz
Co-owner, Frantz Wholesale Nursery
Michael Frantz is President & CEO of Frantz Wholesale Nursery, LLC. His family farm employs more than 250 people and is a premier supplier of containerized trees and shrubs to the landscape and retail nursery industry in the Western United States. Frantz Wholesale Nursery, LLC is a leader in conservation practices, including recycling all green waste generated on farm, capture and reuse of over 500,000 gallons of irrigation water per day, and on-farm solar generation that covers 90% of farm energy demand.

Mr. Frantz is active on local, statewide, and national boards ranging from the nursery industry to public power. He is past Chair and current board member of the Turlock Irrigation District, a publicly owned utility that provides irrigation water and retail electricity to 662 square miles in the Central Valley. He serves on the boards of the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau, Tuolumne River Tributaries Authority, Sustainable Conservation, and Dave Wilson Nursery. 

Michael is a passionate advocate for agriculture. His collaborative perspective to water policy seeks to balance the needs of farms, communities, & ecosystems to maximize the benefits of California’s limited water supply.

Michael is married to Kristy Crow. They have three children, Landon, Braden, and Hailey. 
Leslie Friedman Johnson
Principal and Co-Founder, Conservation and Natural Resources Group

Leslie Friedman Johnson
Principal and Co-Founder, Conservation and Natural Resources Group
Conservation and Natural Resources Group (CNRG) Partner and founder, Leslie Friedman Johnson, is a government relations strategist who, for nearly 30 years, has advanced an ambitious policy agenda in California. She is a sought-after and respected consultant who specializes in working directly with clients to shape effective programs and projects.

Throughout her career, Leslie has helped craft and pass landmark policy legislation, create new state and federal funding programs, run successful issue campaigns, and design and pass state and local bonds, making billions of dollars available for clean water, land conservation, fish and wildlife, parks, coastal protection, urban greening, clean energy, and climate programs.

Prior to founding CNRG in 2014, she was co-founder and Partner at Sacramento-based advocacy and consulting firm Conservation Strategy Group (CSG) for 10 years, providing strategic consulting and advocacy services to non-profit and local government clients. From 1986–2002 she worked for The Nature Conservancy (TNC). At TNC, Leslie had responsibility for state and federal government affairs and established the first California Public Lands program and then the first TNC California Water Program.

Leslie is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and serves as vice-chair of the California League of Conservation Voters and is on the board of the Conservation Corps North Bay. She lives in Healdsburg, California.
Jennifer Hernandez, Secretary
Partner, Holland & Knight

Jennifer Hernandez, Secretary
Partner, Holland & Knight
Jennifer leads the West Coast Land Use and Environmental Group. She divides her time between the San Francisco and Los Angeles offices, and works on projects in Northern and Southern California, as well as the Central Valley. She has achieved national prominence in her work on brownfields redevelopment, wetlands and endangered species, as well as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). She represents a broad variety of private, nonprofit and public sector clients, including real estate developers, public agencies and operating companies in numerous industries.

Ms. Hernandez serves on the firm’s Directors Committee and was the first West Coast lawyer and first Latina awarded the firm’s highest honor for her professional, pro bono and community achievements.

Ms. Hernandez chairs a conference on Climate Change Law in California and has written and spoken extensively on major California climate change laws (including AB 32, SB 375 and SB 97) as well as emerging climate change regulations and guidance documents. Her climate change practice includes integrating climate change requirements into the environmental analyses (relating to greenhouse gas emissions as well as water supply, flood and fire risk, and other topical areas) required by the CEQA for new and modified projects and plans. She also advises clients on legislative and regulatory proceedings pending in Sacramento, in various regional air districts, and in Climate Action Plans and other land use policies being developed by cities and counties. Ms. Hernandez has achieved a “Band 1” ranking from Chambers USA in the fields of environmental and zoning/land use law, and was recognized as the San Francisco Bay Area’s top environmental law litigator in 2015 by Best Lawyers.

She has written three books and more than 50 articles on environmental and land use law. She received several professional awards, including a California Lawyer of the Year award for a land use and conservation agreement between her client (the state’s largest private landowner) and several major environmental groups including the Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council. She also received the American Planning Association Award for her book, “A Practical Guide to the California Environmental Quality Act” and the Greenlining Institute’s “Big Brain Award” for developing a “New Paradigm that Intersects Environmental and Inner-City Economic and Health Goals.” Mayor Willie Brown proclaimed October 9, 2002, as “Jennifer Hernandez Day in San Francisco” for her work on sustainable land use and for being a “warrior on the brownfield.”

She has taught land use and environmental law for the University of California and Stanford Law School and frequently speaks for client and lawyer professional associations and continuing education seminars.

Ms. Hernandez was appointed by President Clinton to serve as a trustee for the San Francisco Presidio. She served as outside counsel to then-Mayor Jerry Brown in the successful no-cost conveyance of the former Naval Depot to the City of Oakland during the first term of President George W. Bush. Ms. Hernandez serves on the boards of directors of Sustainable Conservation and California Forward. She is a former board member of the California League of Conservation Voters (where her 20-year tenure as a board member overlapped with fellow board member Nick Josefowitz). She also co-founded a brownfields redevelopment company and served as board chair and general counsel until it was sold to an international environmental remediation firm. She is also a fellow at the Breakthrough Institute, and on the Board of Directors of the Conservation Fund.

Ms. Hernandez is a fourth generation Californian. She was raised in Pittsburg, California, where her father and both grandfathers spent their careers as steelworkers with U.S. Steel. She lives with her husband and son in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Jenny Hoang
Senior Manager, The Monitor Institute by Deloitte

Jenny Hoang
Senior Manager, The Monitor Institute by Deloitte
Jenny Hoang is a Senior Manager at the Monitor Institute by Deloitte. She is focused on strategy consulting and working with social sector organizations and their stakeholders toward organizational transformation. She has experience in vision and strategy development and implementation and is dedicated to supporting purpose-driven organizations in effectively fulfilling their missions for scalable impact.

Jenny specializes in strategic foresight, social innovation, and equity-centered design and incorporates futures research and scenario planning in her work to ensure that her clients are prepared for continuously changing landscapes. Prior to joining Monitor Institute, she worked with clients ranging from large established institutions to early-stage startups across a variety of sectors including education, sustainability, nonprofit, local government, philanthropy, and technology.

Jenny received her MBA in Sustainable Management from Presidio Graduate School and her BA in Political Science with a minor in Sociology from University of California, San Diego. She is a community organizer promoting equity and advancement for historically marginalized and underinvested communities.
Peter Kareiva
President & CEO, The Aquarium of the Pacific

Peter Kareiva
President & CEO, The Aquarium of the Pacific
Peter Kareiva is the president and CEO of The Aquarium of the Pacific. Prior to his Aquarium position, Kareiva was the Director of the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA, the Chief Scientist and Vice President of The Nature Conservancy, the Director of Conservation Biology at NOAA Fisheries, and a series of academic appointments at ten universities including Brown University, University of Washington, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Clara University, Stanford University, University of Virginia, Swedish Agricultural University, and UCLA.

Kareiva studied political science and zoology at Duke University for his bachelor’s degree and ecology and applied mathematics at Cornell University for his Ph.D. He is the author of more than 200 scientific publications and author or editor of eight books, including a textbook on conservation science. Kareiva is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of The National Academy of Sciences.

His current research concerns the connection between humans and nature, and exploring ways of reclaiming a commitment to science-based collaborative solutions to our environmental crises. He is also interested in sustainable food systems, with a special focus on the merits of marine aquaculture
Sally Liu
Environmental Philanthropist & Scientist

Sally Liu
Environmental Philanthropist & Scientist
Sally Liu is fund advisor to the Tundra Glacier Fund, with a particular focus on water, climate, and conservation. She is a volunteer scientist working at The Nature Conservancy California Chapter, primarily supporting the water program where she focuses on groundwater issues and supporting state-wide policy initiatives, on-the-ground projects and science research. She has worked on statewide strategies to restore the abundance and viability of California salmon, including development of a statewide environmental flows strategy. She previously worked in environmental consulting for 18 years at Tetra Tech, working on water resource projects with expertise in environmental modeling. Projects ranged from acid rain modeling of impacts to rivers, lakes, and forests; pollutant transport models in soil, groundwater, air and surface waters; watershed modeling for TMDLs. In addition to serving on Sustainable Conservation’s Board, Sally serves on the board of The Pacific Institute and is the co-chair of the California Leadership Council of The Nature Conservancy California Chapter. She leads the Donor Circle for the Environment at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. She formerly served on the Foster City’s Citizen Environmental Sustainability Task Force.  Sally has a B.S.E. from Princeton University and a M.S.E. from Stanford University in water resources engineering.
Jeff Loomans
President, Greater Farallones Association

Jeff Loomans
President, Greater Farallones Association
Jeff dedicates his time to environmental and educational organizations. He currently serves as President of the Greater Farallones Association, which supports research, conservation and education programs in the offshore and estuarine waters of National Marine Sanctuaries along the Northern California coast.

He is active in fundraising, community organizing and project oversight for water-centric restoration efforts in Northern California, and is experienced working closely with local government agencies through his roles with the Bolinas Lagoon Advisory Council, Coastal Communities Working Group, and Alliance of Coastal Marin Villages in Marin County.

Jeff founded successful software startup firms in the 90s, followed by a seven year career as a venture capitalist, during which time he served on multiple boards. Jeff obtained his masters in Computer Science and bachelors in Symbolic Systems from Stanford University.
Mohsen Mortada
CEO, Cole Engineering Group

Mohsen Mortada
CEO, Cole Engineering Group
Mohsen’s 30-year career began with the government dealing with water issues, followed by 10 years of management consulting, followed by 14 years as CEO of two large engineering firms. Mohsen is now focused on climate resilience issues. Mohsen is experienced in planning and development of infrastructure, institutional and business operations, as well as water and food security. Mohsen works closely with corporate boards, executive teams, and stakeholder to align objectives and develop consensus and create optimal organizational designs. Mohsen has done extensive work in smart infrastructure and climate resiliency.
Ginger Scheer Oros
MFT

Ginger Scheer Oros
MFT
Ginger Scheer Oros is a Marriage & Family Therapist, mindfulness meditation teacher and owner of Sea Bar Ranch Nursery, a 47 acre Protea Flower Farm on the Gaviota Coast. In addition to her strong interest in agriculture, environmental advocacy and philanthropy, she is passionate about mental health and bringing awareness practices to children and families. Prior to becoming a full-time mother to her three children in 2012, Ginger worked to bring science-based meditation practices to all areas of family life, both through her work in community mental health and her private practice. Growing up in the San Joaquin Valley with a family in the agriculture industry, she recently co-developed a curriculum to combine her interests in children, meditation, gardening and sustainable agriculture for children ages K-5. Ginger’s latest passion is building a sustainable, direct-to-consumer flower business in Santa Barbara County.
Adán Ortega, Jr.
Principal, Ortega Strategies Group

Adán Ortega, Jr.
Principal, Ortega Strategies Group
Adán Ortega, Jr. is the founder of OSG (Ortega Strategies Group) which is a practice specializing in government, media, and public affairs statewide in California. He has over thirty years of experience and understanding of resource and environmental issues through senior leadership roles in Southern California, California, and U.S. government, business ansd environmental organizations. Recent accomplishments include successful formation and management of the California Association of Mutual Water Companies; legislative authorization of a Joint Powers Risk Insurance Management Authority for small water systems in California; and formation of the Community Water Systems Alliance representing water systems that serve disadvantaged communities in California. Adan is former Chairman of the board of Mujeres De La Tierra where he now serves on the board; a member of the board of directors of Sustainable Conservation; and represents the City of San Fernando on the Board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.  He is a former board member of the California Water Commission, the State Board of Food and Agriculture, Heal the Bay, the National Audubon Society, and Whittier College. Before creating OSG, Adán was Managing Director of Rose & Kindel; Vice President of External Affairs at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California; Chief California Deputy Secretary of State; and Assistant General Manager of West and Central Basin Municipal Water Districts. He is a graduate of Whittier College.
Jon Reiter, Treasurer
Principal, Cavalrei

Jon Reiter, Treasurer
Principal, Cavalrei
Jon Reiter is the founder of Cavalrei (pronounced ‘Cavalry’), a consultancy offering services in the agriculture, finance, solar and water/water storage industries.  From 2013-2019, Jon served as the CEO of Maricopa Orchards, a leading almond, pistachio and fresh produce grower with over 50,000 acres under management.  Jon led the company on, among many other things, a multi-pronged water strategy that included federal and state surface water, long term surface water contracts and underground water storage. Jon also founded Maricopa Sun in 2009, a utility scale solar development partnership with the principals of Maricopa Orchards.  

Jon sits on the boards of Wheeler Ridge Maricopa Water Storage District, White Wolf Groundwater Sustainability Agency, Arroyo Passajero Mutual Water Company, Nickel Family Farms, Dave Wilson Nursery and Sustainable Conservation. 

Jon is also the sole owner of McConnell Farms, an owner-operator of almond, blueberry and pistachio ranches in California’s San Joaquin Valley.

Prior to joining Maricopa Orchards, Jon was a finance attorney for Milbank where he represented developers, lenders and investors in the water and renewable energy industries. Prior to Milbank, Jon worked for British Telecommunications (BT), a Global Fortune 500 communications company, where he was responsible for global procurement and real estate transactions as well as leading BT’s renewable energy efforts in the Americas. Jon joined BT upon the sale of his prior technology company to BT in 2004. Prior to BT, Jon was a mergers and acquisitions attorney with O’Melveny.

Jon graduated from UC Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts degree emphasizing in Political Science/Environmental Science Policy and Management. Jon went on to earn his JD/MBA from the University of Southern California.  Jon is a member of the California State Bar, a California real estate broker and a private pilot.
J. Miles Reiter
Chairman & CEO, Driscoll's

J. Miles Reiter
Chairman & CEO, Driscoll's
Mr. Reiter is a fourth generation California berry farmer. He has carried on the family tradition of bringing innovation and growth to the production and marketing of fresh berries. He joined the family’s farming operation, a significant participant in Driscoll’s, immediately after graduating from Princeton University. A few years later, he launched the family’s raspberry and blackberry breeding and development effort. In 1988, he became Chairman of Driscoll’s, a position he still holds today. At that time, Driscoll’s was a California strawberry marketing and breeding company with a very strong trade brand. Under his leadership, the company expanded into blueberries and merged with the Reiters’ industry-leading raspberry and blackberry company. Driscoll’s developed year-round supply capability by expanding into Mexico, Florida, and South America. The company also developed the clamshell packaging that better protected the fruit, significantly improved merchandising opportunities and transformed Driscoll’s into a consumer brand. The company has since pursued a market-leading position globally in fresh berries with operations in six continents and 22 countries. He has been, and always will be, thoroughly dedicated to producing and marketing fruit with an eating quality that truly delights consumers.

Mr. Reiter was honored as Santa Cruz County’s Farmer of the Year in 1989, The Packer Global Produce Marketer of the Year in 2006, and received the Award of Honor from Western Growers in 2016. He currently serves on several non-profit and private company boards. As the current Chairman and CEO of Driscoll’s, he has been very involved in efforts to sustain groundwater resources in agricultural areas. He has also passionately committed much of his time and effort into transforming his home county of Santa Cruz, California from an auto congested mess into a leading active transportation community.

Advisory Board

Charles Ahlem
Owner, Charles Ahlem Ranch & Hilmar Cheese Company
Adrienne Alvord
Western States Director, Union of Concerned Scientists
Paul Betancourt
Managing Partner, VF Farms
Laura Beaudin
Partner, Bain & Company
Don Bransford
Owner, Bransford Farms
Chris Buchbinder
Portfolio Manager and Senior Vice President, Capital Group Companies
John Cain
Director of Conservation for California Flood Management, American Rivers
Frank Casey
Ecosystem Services Theme Lead, Science and Decisions Center, United States Geological Survey
Paula Daniels
Co-Founder, Chair, Center for Good Food Purchasing
John Dawson
Co-Founder, Zentek
Kim Delfino
President and Founder, Earth Advocacy
Dan Emmett
Executive Chairman, Douglas Emmett, Inc., Founding Board Member, Sustainable Conservation
Bob Epstein
Co-Founder, E2
Steve Gross
Vice President of State Relations, Wine Institute
Ellen Hanak
Director, PPIC Water Policy Center
Laura Hattendorf
Head of Investments, Mulago Foundation, Co-Founder, Sustainable Conservation
Charlene Harvey
Civic Leader
Winston Hickox
Principal, California Strategies, LLC
Kristine Johnson
Founder & Executive Director, Kingfisher Foundation
Rich Kelley
Principal, Search Fund Partners
Chip Koch
Principal Land Consultant, Safety, Health and Environment
Cindy Lang
Philanthropist, Strategist & Dot Connector
Michael Mantell
Senior Advisor, Resources Legacy Fund
Steve McCormick
Managing Director, Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
Felicia Marcus
Member, Water Policy Group
Jerry Meral
Director, Natural Heritage Institute
Jeff Mount
Senior Fellow, PPIC Water Policy Center
Wendy Pulling
Director of ESG Integration, University of California Office of the Chief Investment Officer
Tina Quinn
Co-Founder, Sustainable Conservation, Life & Leadership Coach
Secretary Karen Ross
Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture
Greg Rosston
Director, Public Policy Program and Gordon Cain Senior Fellow, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, Stanford University
Alejandra Sanchez
Corporate Social Responsibility, Marketing Manager, Driscolls
Rebecca Shaw
Senior Vice President and Chief Scientist, World Wildlife Fund
Russell Siegelman
Lecturer, Stanford Business School, Partner Emeritus, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
Lester Snow
Sole Proprietor, Natural Resource Consulting
Cindy Starrett
Partner, Latham & Watkins
Buzz Thompson
Faculty Director, Stanford, Water in the West Program
Michael Traynor, Esq.
Senior Counsel, Cobalt LLP., President Emeritus, American Law Institute
Tony Turkovich
Farmer/Proprietor, Turkovich Family Wines
Allison Harvey Turner
CEO, Water Foundation
Mark Valentine

San Joaquin Valley Regional Committee

Charles Ahlem
Owner, Charles Ahlem Ranch & Hilmar Cheese Company
Eric Averett
Resource Renewable Group
Philip Bowles
Chairman, Bowles Farming Company
Emmy Cattani
Cattani Farming
Greg Coleman
E. & J. Gallo Winery
Dan Dooley
Principal, New Current Water and Land, LLC/Sustainable Conservation Board Member
Michael Frantz
Owner, Frantz Wholesale Nursery
Aaron Fukuda
General Manager, Tulare Irrigation District
Dino Giacomazzi
CEO, Giacomazzi Almond Company, Inc.
Vicki Kretsinger
Senior Principal Hydrologist, Luhdorff and Scalmanini, Consulting Engineers
Soapy Mulholland
Sopac & Associates LLC
Chuck Nichols
Nichols Farm
Eddie Ocampo
Program Director of the Community Sustainability Department, Self-Help Enterprises
Bryan Osorio
Program Officer, Sierra Health Foundation
David Orth
Partner, New Current Water and Land, LLC
Jon Reiter
Principal, Cavalrei
Julie Rentner
President, River Partners
Emily Rooney
President, Agricultural Council of California
David Villarino-Gonzalez
Farmworker Institute of Education and Leadership Development
Aaron Wickstrom
Managing Partner, Valsigna Farms
Kathy Wood McLaughlin
TKM Consulting, Inc./Tulare Basin Wildlife Partners
Stuart Woolf
President and Chief Executive Officer, Woolf Farming
Justin Wylie
Principal, Wylie Farms

Featured in

Our work has been featured in these and many other local, state, and national media.

National Geographic
CNBC
Los Angeles Times
NPR
San Jose Mercury News
Grist
Wired
Stanford Social Innovation Review
The Sacramento Bee
Yale Environment 360

Awards

Sustainable Conservation has received numerous awards from both public and private institutions.

Vanguard Award, 2022
CalTrout Streamkeeper Award, 2021
Leadership in Sustainable Partnerships Award, 2020
U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award, Outstanding Community Contribution, 2020
NOAA Excellence in Habitat Restoration Award, 2018
Farmer Technical Support Innovator Award honoring Ladi Asgill, Senior Project Manager, 2016
UC Davis Bradford Rominger Agricultural Sustainability Leadership Award honoring Dr. Daniel Mountjoy, Director of Resource Stewardship, 2016
James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award, 2007
Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award, 2004
US EPA (Region 9) Outstanding Achievement Award, 2004
California Council Environmental and Economic Balance - Edmund G. 'Pat' Brown Award, 2003

Working with Us

Sustainable Conservation is fortunate to have talented, dedicated staff who are committed to collaboration both internally and externally. We care about what we do, and we care about each other. Our size affords staff an opportunity to see the direct impact of their work, and our culture encourages continuous learning while providing opportunities for professional development. We work hard while providing flexible schedules, telecommuting, generous paid holidays and other benefits that support well-being.

Careers

Partners & Supporters

A sample of the diverse private, public, and non-profit partners who make Sustainable Conservation's work possible.

Private Sector

AECOM
cbec Eco Engineering
Driscoll's
Environmental Science Associates
General Mills

The Home Depot
Lowe's
MBK Engineers
Nestle
Netafim, USA
Provost and Prichard
Starbucks
Wilbur Ellis
Woodward and Curran

Government

Aliso Water District
Ballico-Cortes Water District
California Air Resources Board
California Coastal Commission
California Department of Fish and Game

California Department of Food and Agriculture
California Department of Water Resources
California Natural Resources Agency
California State Coastal Conservancy
California State Parks Department
California State Water Resources Control Board
Central San Joaquin Water Conservation District
Chowchilla Irrigation District
City of Modesto
Delta Conservancy
Delta Stewardship Council
Department of Water Resources
East Turlock Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Agency
Flood-Managed Aquifer Recharge Network
Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development
Gravelly Ford Water District
GrizzlyCorps
Madera County
Madera Chowchilla Resource Conservation District
Madera Irrigation District
Merced Irrigation District
Modesto Irrigation District
National Marine Fisheries Service
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Resources Conservation Service
Oakdale Irrigation District
Reclamation District 108
Regional Water Resources Control Boards
Root Creek Water District
San Joaquin County
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District
South San Joaquin Irrigation District
Stanislaus County
Stockton East Water District
Triangle T Water District
Tulare Irrigation District
Turlock Irrigation District
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
USDA Agricultural Research Service
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
West Turlock Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Agency

Farming/Agriculture

Al Costa
Ag Innovations
Almond Board of California
Altman Plants
AmericanHort

American Farmland Trust
Braga Fresh Farms
Burroughs Family Farm
California Dairy Campaign
California Dairy Quality Assurance Program
California Farm Bureau Federation
Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies
Dairy Cares
Dairy Management Inc.
De Jager Farms
Don Cameron
Milk Producers Council
Monrovia Growers
Monterey County Farm Bureau
Newtrient, LLC
Plant California Alliance
Terranova Ranch
Western Growers
Western United Dairies

Academic

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
CSU Chico
CSU Fresno
CSU Monterey Bay
CSU Sacramento, Consensus and Collaboration Program

CSU Stanislaus
Stanford University
UC Berkeley, Environmental Science, Policy, and Management
UC Berkeley, Goldman School of Public Policy
University of California Cooperative Extension
UC Davis
UC Davis, Department of Land, Air and Water
UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
UC Master Gardener Program
UC Merced
UC Santa Cruz, Environmental Studies

Non-profit

ALBA Farmers
American Rivers
American Society of Landscape Architects - Northern California Chapter
Association of Professional Landscape Designers, California Chapter
Audubon California

BEAM Circular
CalCAN
California Association of Resource Conservation Districts
California Invasive Plant Council
California Landscape Stewardship Network
California Native Plant Society
California Process-Based Restoration Network
California Society for Ecological Restoration
California Trout
California Water Action Collaborative
California Water Data Consortium
Central Coast Water Quality Preservation Inc
CivicWell
Community Alliance with Family Farmers
Community Water Center
Ducks Unlimited
Earth Genome
Environmental Defense Fund
Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability
Madera Chowchilla Resource Conservation District
Madera County Department of Water and Natural Resources Department
National Center for Appropriate Technology
The Nature Conservancy
Northern California Water Association
Point Blue Conservation Science
Pollinator Partnership
Project apis m.
Public Policy Institute of California
Resource Conservation District of Monterey County
Resources Legacy Fund
Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County
River Partners
Salmonid Restoration Federation
San Mateo Resource Conservation District
Sanctuary Forest
Sand County Foundation
Scott River Watershed Council
Self-Help Enterprises
Sierra Meadows Partnership
Sonoma Resource Conservation District
South Coast Habitat Restoration
Stanislaus Community Foundation
State Water Contractors
Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops
Trout Unlimited
Truckee River Watershed Council
Water Forum
Water Foundation
Water Solutions Network
The Watershed Research and Training Center

Finances & Accountability

Charity Navigator badge Sustainable Conservation consistently receives high scores from the country’s premier charity evaluator, Charity Navigator, for our financial strength, excellent governance, and ability to maximize the impact of donations.

In addition to our history of high marks from independent evaluators like Charity Navigator, we strive to improve our effectiveness and efficiency by:

Diversifying our funding sources
Making strategic investments to grow our reserves
Utilizing state-of-the-art accounting systems and best practices
Coordinating independent financial audits, which we do voluntarily


Foundation Grants	1262908
Individual Contributions	2589958
Government Grants	126678
Other	1120289
Total Support and Revenue	5099833


Program	4110069
Fundraising	924011
General and Administrative	584695
Total Expenses	5618775


Investment Income	332203
Net Assets Beginning of Year	6424363
Net Assets End of Year	6237624
Change in Assets	-186739

Financial Statements

Sustainable Conservation is committed to openly sharing financial information.

Your privacy is important to us. Read our privacy policy. Sustainable Conservation does not sell or trade our donors’ personal information with other entities. Sustainable Conservation has been designated a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Corporation by the United States Internal Revenue Service. Your contribution is tax-deductible as a charitable contribution.

About Us

Milestones

Founded - 1993

Founded - 1993

Planting Right

Planting Right

Protecting Water Quality

Protecting Water Quality

Recharging Groundwater

Recharging Groundwater

Accelerating Restoration

Accelerating Restoration

Clean Water on Dairies

Clean Water on Dairies

Brake Pad Partnership

Brake Pad Partnership

Waste to Watts

Waste to Watts

Our People

Thaïs Arjo

Thaïs Arjo

Michael Behrens

Michael Behrens

Ashley Boren

Ashley Boren

John Cardoza

John Cardoza

Sarah Castle

Sarah Castle

Joe Choperena

Joe Choperena

Charles Delgado

Charles Delgado

Oscar Elias

Oscar Elias

Eric Epstein

Eric Epstein

Stephanie Falzone

Stephanie Falzone

Ryan Flaherty

Ryan Flaherty

Elliot Grant

Elliot Grant

Katie Haldeman

Katie Haldeman

Christa Harader

Christa Harader

Roshni Katrak-Adefowora

Roshni Katrak-Adefowora

Shayan Kaveh

Shayan Kaveh

Modibo Keita

Modibo Keita

Pinky Keswani

Pinky Keswani

Jane Lew

Jane Lew

Erika Lovejoy

Erika Lovejoy

Aysha Massell

Aysha Massell

Jan Merryweather

Jan Merryweather

Daniel Mountjoy

Daniel Mountjoy

Olivia Naves

Olivia Naves

Hannah Nowakowski

Hannah Nowakowski

Gina Pacheu

Gina Pacheu

Julia Ravella

Julia Ravella

Sarah Reuter

Sarah Reuter

Rogell Rogers

Rogell Rogers

Susan Sheeran

Susan Sheeran

Bill Taylor