If you read our latest edition of Wonders, our seasonal newsletter, you may have learned that we’ve been undergoing some changes in our office. We are growing and recently hired two new staff members to join our team.
On November 1st, we welcomed Eden Rock to our team as our new Operations Director. Eden has an extensive background in nonprofits and an understanding of how to make things work in the nonprofit world.
Originally from Los Angeles, Eden holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UC Berkeley, and went on to earn a Master’s degree in Public Administration from San Francisco State. After college, she joined the Peace Corps and was in Senegal (West Africa), where she lived in a small farming village for two years. Her favorite quote comes from a Senegalese proverb: “nit nit ay garab ab”, which translates to “man is man’s best medicine.”
Her background is in International Development, mostly in Africa. She directed programs for eight years with Freedom from Hunger, a Davis based nonprofit focused on providing ways for rural women living on $2 a day or less to feed their families. Eden says some of her strengths and joys are identifying community needs and building relationships to address them. She also volunteers with an organization called Xperitas, which promotes cross-cultural connection and understanding.
One of Eden’s first experiences with Placer Land Trust was in the Fall of 2013 when she and her husband attended our first Bus Tour event with stops at Natural Trading Company, Doty Ravine Preserve, and ending with lunch at Rancho Roble winery. She also attended a trail work day at our Taylor Ranch Preserve in 2014. She and her husband Pat have lived in the Aeolia neighborhood of Auburn for 10 years, and they enjoy swimming, trail running, and hiking. They have three adult children, all girls. We are excited to have someone of Eden’s caliber join our team, and she is thrilled to be here as well!
In early September, Kim Simons started as our new part time Administrative Assistant. Kim first heard about Placer Land Trust through our performance in the 2015 BIG Day of Giving and has been following us since that time. Before joining our team, she worked with HomeAid Sacramento for over a year doing administrative work and events with their organization.
Kim has volunteered with a number of organizations over the years, including Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Shriner’s Hospital for Children, Volunteers of America, and Canine Companions for Independence. Her favorite quote is by Ronald Reagan, “We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”
Kim has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from St. Mary’s College of California. She enjoys making crafts, watching movies, reading and writing. Kim was born in Guam and has lived in Philadelphia and Sacramento. She currently lives in West Roseville with her husband and son.
Welcome to both Kim and Eden as part of the Placer Land Trust team! But wait — we’re not quite done! We are expecting to hire two additional staff members over the next several months so we can keep up with our workload and continue protecting and caring for land in Placer County.
