Wendy Whitson Board President
Wendy and her husband John have been part-time residents of Mt. Shasta for many years and were over-joyed to finally join the community permanently in March 2020. With 30 years of experience as a real estate attorney and a passion for the natural landscapes of Siskiyou County, Wendy sees the SLT Board as the perfect place to invest her considerable energy. She also brings with her a decade of major non-profit Board leadership experience and a deep commitment to community engagement. Wendy feels incredibly lucky to get to enjoy the beauty of this precious place AND be a part of preserving its glory forever! Read more about Wendy…
Stuart Somach Vice President
Stuart Somach joined the SLT Board in early 2023. Mr. Somach’s career in water law has spanned over four decades, encompasses the entire Western United States, and has earned him a national reputation as one of the most respected practicing water law attorneys in the West. Mr. Somach developed expertise in water law in law school and with tenures at the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior. Read more about Stuart…
John Whitson Treasurer
John has long been interested in environmental issues and is excited to contribute his financial skills and knowledge to the Siskiyou Land Trust, helping SLT continue to achieve its mission of preserving key wildlands, watersheds, and open spaces throughout Siskiyou County. Read more about John…
Gareth Plank Secretary
Gareth owns and operates Scott River Ranch near Etna, six square miles of verdant, lush pasture where Gareth and Millie Plank raise grass-fed, holistically managed cattle. The working ranch is also one of SLT’s conservation easements in Scott Valley. Read more about Gareth…
Ann Womack
Ann Womack joined the SLT Board in early 2023. Ann is a professor of Biology at the College of the Siskiyous and holds a BS in Microbiology and a PHD in Biology. She has worked and taught in the areas of biological diversity and soil microbiology and has a passion for the outdoors and preserving our precious natural landscapes. Read more about Ann…
Bruce Berlinger
Bruce joined the Board in July of 2021. As COO and principal partner in McCloud Partners, LLC., owners of the former McCloud Lumber Mill property, Bruce brings extensive experience to the Siskiyou Land Trust board. Read more about Bruce…
Dorinda Thompson
Dorinda moved to Gazelle with her husband after retiring from a career in teaching. She lives on a small ranch on Willow Creek with a number of horses and has a deep interest in land conservation. Dorinda joined the Land Trust board in 2018 after volunteering for other community organizations. She is an enthusiastic participant in many SLT events and activities. Read more about Dorinda…
Mary Jane Franus
Mary Jane Franus joined the SLT Board in May 2023. She grew up in the beautiful Monterey Peninsula and is a 9th generation descendent of an original Spanish land grant family on the coast from Carmel to Pt. Sur. Such deep roots were instrumental in developing her lifelong love of the natural world. Mary Jane’s first garden, in her parent’s backyard at age five, was the beginning of a long career in horticulture and plant science. She is now a Master Gardener. Read more about Mary Jane…
Shaun Walton
Shaun Walton joined the SLT Board in January 2024. He is a financial advisor, passionate about trading, market dynamics, investing and financial planning. Prior to his career in finance and moving to Siskiyou County, Shaun worked as a private safari guide for the world renowned Mala Mala reserve in South Africa. Read more soon…!
Steve Bollock
In 1974 Steve moved to Mount Shasta from the Bay Area to eventually become a painting contractor with his business, Rembrandt Painting, then a white water river guide for Turtle River Rafting Company. His passion for running rivers became a major turning point in his life. He took every opportunity to float the local rivers, and as his family grew, the river became a place for connection with his children and the cultivation of an extended family of nature lovers. For many years Steve’s response to inquiries about what he was doing had been, “I am busy doing the important work of enjoying the places that you are so busy protecting.” Now as a board member, Steve has the opportunity to walk in those other shoes. Read more about Steve…
