California Coastkeeper Alliance Board

Don McEnhill, Vice President

Riverkeeper, Russian Riverkeeper

Don McEnhill helped to create and launch the Russian Riverkeeper program, and has served as Riverkeeper since 2001 when the organization was officially launched as a member of the Waterkeeper Alliance. From 2001-2006 he also served as the Executive Director. The Russian Riverkeeper has managed the Russian River First Flush, the largest volunteer water monitoring project in the North Coast and one of the largest stormwater monitoring projects in the country. Mr. McEnhill has lead numerous successful advocacy efforts such TMDL's, impaired waters listings, and efforts to bring attention to high Mercury levels in local fish and get the state to issue public advisories. Mr. McEnhill grew up on the Russian River as his father did before him and his main goal is to pass along a better river to his two children. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from California State University Sacramento and is a state certified water quality monitoring trainer and is certified with several water quality monitoring equipment manufacturers.

Pete Nichols, Secretary

Executive Director & Baykeeper, Humboldt Baykeeper

Pete Nichols has been with Humboldt Baykeeper since its inception in October 2004. Humboldt Baykeeper was formed to safeguard our coastal resources for the health, enjoyment, and economic strength of the Humboldt Bay community through education, scientific research, and enforcement of laws to fight pollution. Mr. Nichols has a background in Conservation Biology and has been involved in north coast conservation for over ten years. Mr. Nichols has worked as Stewardship Director for a land trust, and served in the U.S. Coast Guard. He has also served on several non-profit Boards of Directors. Mr. Nichols was nominated for a Kenney Foundation Environmental Leadership Award in 2005.

Kira Redmond, Treasurer

Executive Director & Baykeeper, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper

Kira Schmidt is Executive Director of Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, whose mission is to protect and restore the Santa Barbara Channel and its watersheds through citizen action, education and enforcement. Ms. Schmidt has worked in the environmental policy arena for more than ten years, at the international, national, state and local levels. Prior to joining Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, she managed advocacy campaigns addressing pollution from commercial vessels and helped to get legislation passed prohibiting cruise ship dumping in California waters. Ms. Schmidt also worked as a senior writer and editor for the International Institute for Sustainable Development's Earth Negotiations Bulletin, reporting on United Nations environmental treaty negotiations. She holds a Masters in International Affairs and Environmental Policy from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, and a Bachelor of Science in Conservation and Resource Management from the University of California at Berkeley.

Regina Chichizola

Riverkeeper, Klamath Riverkeeper

Regina Chichizola is the Riverkeeper for the Klamath Riverkeeper, the newest member of the California Coastkeeper Alliance. Ms. Chichizola has worked on Klamath River and forest issues for over eight years. Ms. Chichizola created the extremely successful California forest program for the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center; co-coordinated the environmental justice and toxins programs of the Klamath Forest Alliance; greatly expanded the work of the Klamath Salmon Media Collaborative; created the Klamath River News; and coordinated the Klamath Restoration Council, which is a project of the Karuk Tribe. Ms. Chichizola also created "The Black Oak, Environmental Justice where California meets Oregon", which has greatly defined and expanded the Northern California rural environmental justice movement. She has been part of the movement to remove the Klamath dams, which would be the largest dam removal project in history. Ms. Chichizola has also worked on forest and Native American environmental justice issues in Oregon, Idaho, Arizona and Montana and has participated in numerous national and regional coalitions.

Sejal Choksi

Program Director & Baykeeper, San Francisco Baykeeper

Sejal Choksi serves as the Baykeeper for San Francisco Baykeeper, directing the organization’s advocacy and litigation efforts to protect and defend the San Francisco Bay watershed. Ms. Choksi has been with Baykeeper since 2002; during her tenure, her accomplishments have included securing a strong new clean up plan for mercury in the San Francisco Bay, suing the City of Richmond to stop spilling millions of gallons of raw sewage into Bay Area waterways, and securing the nation’s first regulations to control agricultural discharges. Ms. Choksi was also recently appointed as an Environmental Representative to the California Office of Spill Prevention and Response Technical Advisory Committee. She graduated with a Bachelors of Science in anthropology from Emory University and earned her law degree with a specialization in environmental law from the University of California at Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law.

Steve Shimek

Executive Director, Monterey Coastkeeper & The Otter Project

Steve Shimek is the founder of the new Monterey Coastkeeper and also serves as executive director of The Otter Project. The mission of the Monterey Coastkeeper is to protect and heal coastal resources of the Central Coast. Steve also serves on the US Fish and Wildlife Service Sea Otter Recovery Implementation Team and is Co-Chair of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) Conservation Working Group. He is a member of the MBNMS Advisory Council and serves on the Marine Protected Area Working Group. Working with many others, notable conservation achievements include a plan for large vessel (tanker and container ship) passage along the Central Coast passed by the United Nations in 2001 and the creation of a 200 square mile network of marine reserves and conservation areas in 2007. He regularly communicates with members of his two organizations, members of Congress, other NGOs, and State Legislators. Steve graduated in 1975 from UC Santa Cruz with a BS in biology with an emphasis on marine studies.

Gordon Hensley

Coastkeeper, San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper

Gordon Hensley serves as Coastkeeper for the San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper, a program of Environment in the Public Interest (EPI) dedicated to enforcement of water quality, watershed, and coastal planning regulations in Northern Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Southern Monterey Counties. Mr. Hensley is a native central coast resident and a field biologist with extensive experience in permit compliance issues and environmental analysis. He is certified by the Ecological Society of America as an Ecologist, and served as Vice Chair of the Morro Bay National Estuary Program. Prior to San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper, Mr. Hensley served as an Environmental Analyst with the Environmental Defense Center where his advocacy efforts influenced many governmental policies and actions regarding environmental protection, natural resource management and land use regulations. Mr. Hensley holds a Master's degree in Biology and a Bachelor's degree in Ecology and Systematic Biology from California Polytechnic State University.

Mati Waiya

Executive Director, Ventura Coastkeeper & Founder, Wishtoyo Foundation

Mati Waiya created the Wishtoyo Foundation, a non-profit organization in 1997. Wishtoyo aims to preserve Chumash culture by using traditional beliefs, traditions and values to create a greater awareness and responsibility for our natural environment. Wishtoyo's strong ties to environmental preservation fostered the launch in February 2001 of the Ventura Coastkeeper, 54th member of the national Waterkeeper Alliance, dedicated to protecting, preserving and restoring Ventura County's marine habitat, coastal waters, and watershed. Mr. Waiya is the first Native American to become a Waterkeeper - an ombudsman dedicated to protecting, preserving and restoring our public waters and bridging the gap between pollution laws, as stated in the Clean Water Act, and the government's ability to enforce them. As a Chumash Elder, Mr. Waiya brings his special knowledge of Chumash culture and tradition, extensive knowledge of how natural resources sustained the Chumash for thousands of years and values of sustainability.

Garry Brown

Executive Director, Orange County Coastkeeper

Garry Brown is the Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Orange County Coastkeeper (OCCK), an organization dedicated to protecting and preserving marine habitats and watersheds through education, advocacy, restoration, and enforcement. Undertaking numerous restoration and marine research projects, OCCK has built a reputation for generating good science, delivering projects on time with credible measurable results. As a native of Orange County, Mr. Brown has in-depth knowledge of marine and water runoff issues as well as water supply issues. During his time at OCCK, he has published Coastkeeper Magazine and established the first Coastkeeper Garden, a 2 ½ acre water conservation/education facility. Prior to opening OCCK in March 1999, Mr. Brown served as an Assistant City Manager, an advocate and executive director of trade associations in the real estate and building industries, and twice as president of a chamber of commerce. In 2001 he founded the Orange County League of Conservation Voters. Mr. Brown graduated with a degree in Government from the University of Redlands and sits on the Board of Directors of eight state and local environmental organizations.

Bruce Reznik

Executive Director & Coastkeeper, San Diego Coastkeeper

Bruce Reznik directs San Diego Coastkeeper's advocacy and outreach efforts to protect and restore the bays and coastal waters of San Diego County. During his tenure, San Diego Coastkeeper launched its successful Environmental Law & Policy Clinic, its bi-national Watershed Monitoring Program, and its Kelp Restoration and Education efforts. Mr. Reznik has been appointed to the statewide Public Advisory Group assisting the State Water Resources Control Board in its implementation of a Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Program and the City of San Diego's Clean Water Taskforce. He holds a Bachelors' degree in Political Science from the University of California Berkeley, and earned his law degree at the University of San Diego School of Law.

 

California Coastkeeper Alliance

PO Box 3156, Fremont CA 94539