The seasons are changing from summer to fall, and Placer Land Trust is seeing a few transitions for our team. Join us in welcoming some fresh faces and saying fond farewells to a couple of friends as they move on to new things.
In June, Laura Baker, our Assistant Director, stepped down to take an exciting new position as Director of the Executive Fellows Program at California State University, Sacramento. During her time at Placer Land Trust, Laura helped support and supervise many aspects of our work including administration, financial management, fund development, and recreation.
We also recently said farewell to Stewardship Manager Anna Urias as she moved in to a new position at PG&E as Power Generation License Coordinator. Anna led our partnership development with local Tribes to further our land protection, land management, and IDEAL (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access to Land) goals. She played a vital role in pursuing stewardship and land management grant opportunities, acquiring funding for fuels reduction and restoration projects, and organizing our stewardship procedure documentation and record-keeping.
And now, we are pleased to announce that Brandy Waters is joining our team as our new Assistant Director! Brandy attended UCSB and UC Davis, where she earned her degree and commissioned as an officer through the Army ROTC program. She served as a Military Police Officer for four years before transitioning into project management while pursuing her law degree. In the wake of 9/11, she felt called to return to public service, becoming a police officer in Virginia. After three years in law enforcement, she completed her law degree at the University of Richmond, School of Law, and practiced at a small law firm.
Driven by her deep connection to Northern California, Brandy returned home to raise her four children. She worked for 7 years at LexisNexis as a Research Attorney and Professional Law Firm Consultant. Her desire to contribute meaningfully to her community led her to Placer Land Trust. We are delighted to welcome her, and look forward to benefitting from her legal expertise, project management experience, and passion for community engagement!
We are also welcoming Lance Spece as our new Land Manager! Lance was born and raised in Sacramento County and graduated from Humboldt State with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Management. He has worked with Mendocino Land Trust and as the Conservation Easement Project Manager for the Northcoast Regional Land Trust in Humboldt County, and most recently, as a Land Manager for Wildlife Heritage Foundation. We anticipate that his skills and experience will make him a valuable part of our staff.
We’re looking forward to getting to know our new team members, and to diving in together on the many exciting projects ahead!
