Bios
Scott Amick, Paradise Recreation and Park District
Recreation Supervisor
Resilient People Panelist
Scott Amick is a 20-year outdoor education professional with a background in neuroscience and trauma-informed education practices. Having survived the Camp Fire, Scott now works as a public servant helping to rebuild the Paradise community, bringing both resilience and lived experience into his work with youth and families. He has led over 500 field trips, camps, or excursions and delivered presentations on resilience, neuroscience, and the effect of nature on the developing person. An avid outdoorsman—whether kayaking, mountain biking, or hiking—Scott shares his passion for the outdoors while raising a young family, blending personal and professional commitment to sustainability and community well-being.
Lucy Blake, Northern Sierra Partnership
President
Keynote Speaker
Lucy Blake joined the Northern Sierra Partnership as President in July 2011, after chairing the Partnership’s Governing Council for almost two years. For the past thirty years, Lucy has worked at the intersection of conservation and business, as founder and President of the Sierra Business Council, facilitator of the California Desert & Renewable Energy Working Group, and CEO of the Apollo Alliance, among other roles. Lucy has been honored with a number of state and national awards including the Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Award from the California Council for Economic and Environmental Balance (CEEB) and the MacArthur Award, awarded to individuals for exceptional creativity and initiative. Lucy owns and operates a cattle ranch in the Sierra Valley where she has worked first-hand to build the economic and ecological productivity of the landscape. In her free time, she and her family love to hike, ski, backpack, and otherwise explore the expansive beauties of the Sierra Nevada. She currently divides her time between the San Francisco Bay Area and her ranch in the northern Sierra.
Scott Bower, Martis Camp
General Manager, Martis Camp Community / Director of Grounds, Martis Camp Club
Event Host
Scott Bower is a nationally recognized leader in sustainable land management and fire mitigation. As General Manager of Martis Camp Community and Director of Grounds at the Martis Camp Club in Truckee, he has transformed the 2,177-acre community into a model of environmental stewardship.
Under his leadership, Martis Camp has advanced forestry management and fire prevention practices, integrated cutting-edge technology, and partnered with local fire agencies. His efforts have earned national recognition, including the 2022 GCSAA Communications and Outreach Award.
Scott’s philosophy—“The more we learn, the better we do”—guides a culture of responsibility and innovation. From educational outreach to Firewise certification, he has positioned Martis Camp as a regional leader in fire-safe, sustainable development. His work continues to influence both the community and the wider Tahoe-Truckee region.
Taylor Browning
Nevada Union High School Junior, FFA Chapter Vice President
Resilient Future Panelist
Taylor Browning is a 16-year-old student at Nevada Union High School, where she serves as Vice President of her FFA chapter. She is very involved in agriculture through FFA, participating on the Natural Resources and Floral teams, and interning at the NJUHSD Swine Unit. As an eighth-generation rancher in Nevada County, she raises and shows livestock at the Nevada County Fair and enjoys carrying on her family’s agricultural traditions. In addition to her passion for agriculture, she hopes to pursue a career in marine biology with a focus on coral conservation. When she is not working with animals or studying, Taylor loves being on the water wake surfing.
Hardy Bullock, Nevada County
District 5 Supervisor
Event Host
Resilient Future Panel Moderator
Hardy Bullock, Supervisor for Nevada County's Fifth District, is a lifelong resident of Nevada County. Hardy has served his Truckee community for the past 30 years including as Town of Truckee Planning Commissioner, Nevada County Planning Commissioner, Chairman of the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District, Chairman of the Truckee River Basin Water Group, Alternate Member of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy Board, Board Member of the Local Agency Formation Commission, and Chair of the Convene, Champion, Catalyze Group (CCC). As District V Supervisor, he has developed initiatives serving Truckee, East County and Nevada County as a whole. Hardy worked to pass the first Justice-Equity-Diversity-Inclusion Mission Statement in the County's history. Hardy has worked with his colleagues on the Board to place Recreation as a priority initiative, developing and awarding local grant funds to reduce visitor impacts and enhance sustainability for our regional tourist economy. Hardy was also instrumental in adding Climate Resilience as a priority Board Objective to ensure that Nevada County remains an ideal place to live and thrive into the future.
Mark Cameron, Tahoe Pyramid Trail
Executive Director
Resilient People Panelist
Mark joined the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, in June 2023 and is currently the President & CEO of the organization. He brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for the outdoors. With 15½ years at the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority in his last position as the VP of Operations and Public Safety coupled with three years as the Executive Director at Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful, Mark has a strong background in leadership and community engagement.
Mark is deeply dedicated to the Northern Nevada and Eastern Sierra communities. In addition to Mark’s involvement in various local organizations, including the Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Reno/Sparks program Mark has made significant contributions as a past President of the Board of the Veterans Guest House and is currently a member of the Board of Directors at the Rotary Club of Reno, Nevada’s oldest Rotary Club.
Outside of work, Mark enjoys traveling, gardening, camping, hiking, skiing, and cycling. Mark and his wife live in Reno as empty-nesters and recently walked their daughter down the aisle. His children, daughter and son, live in Nashville and Washington D.C. respectively.
Oona Davis
Truckee High School Senior, Co-President of Tahoe Youth Action Committee
Resilient Future Panelist
Oona Davis is a senior at Truckee High School. She has been a member of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby Tahoe Youth Action team for the past 6 years. Citizens Climate Lobby is a group that works on climate advocacy through civic engagement, and Oona is proud to be part of efforts that push for real climate solutions. She cares a lot about being politically active, especially when it comes to climate policy and trying to get more youth involved in local politics. Oona loves being outdoors, hiking, skiing, and spending time at the river with my friends and family!
Jo Ann Fites-Kaufman, Fire Safe Nevada County Coalition
Board President
Resilient Landscapes Panelist
Jo Ann grew up in Plumas County and has resided in Nevada County for 28 years. As a US Forest Service employee, she served as an ecologist, fire scientist and member of the Region 5 planning team until 2016. She developed and led a Fire Behavior Assessment Team, traveling across the western US to measure fire behavior as it passed through fuel treatments or in extreme conditions. She has a Ph.D. in Forest Resources from the University of Washington, is a co-editor and author of Fire in California Ecosystems and Terrestrial Vegetation of California, and numerous other scientific and land management planning documents. Since retirement, she has dedicated her time as a volunteer to community wildfire safety and restoring forest resilience. She has served on the boards of the North San Juan Fire Protection District, California Fire Safe Council, and Nevada County Resource Conservation District. Currently, she presides over the newly formed Fire Safe Nevada County Coalition, actively supporting Firewise Communities, and individually as a CARX (California Certified Prescribed Fire Burn Boss) helping educate, train and mentor prescribed fire practitioners in Nevada County. She is an occasional volunteer on Tahoe National Forest prescribed burns, providing Fire Effects Monitoring.
Walter Helvin
UC Davis Freshman, Former Nevada County Youth Commissioner
Resilient Future Panelist
Walter grew up on a ranch outside of Grass Valley. Living and working in the beautiful Sierra Nevada inspired his passion for sustainability. Walter is a student attending UC Davis studying environmental policy and planning. After graduating, Walter hopes to use his experience to work in government and advance environmental policy.
Sue Hoek, Nevada County
District 4 Supervisor
Event Host
Resilient Landscapes Panel Moderator
Supervisor Sue Hoek is a fifth-generation Nevada County resident and rancher from Penn Valley, where her family has operated a ranch since the 1870s. Before her election to the Board of Supervisors, she served as President of the Nevada County Farm Bureau, Director on the California Farm Bureau Federation District 15, and President of the Nevada County Resource Conservation District. As District IV Supervisor, she represents Nevada County on the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) Board of Directors and serves on key state and local committees, including those focused on land use, public safety, and climate resilience. In addition to her public service, she manages her family’s cow/calf operation, supports 4-H and FFA, and remains a strong advocate for wildfire preparedness, rural infrastructure, affordable housing, and preserving the county’s small-town character.
Rich Johansen, NID, Johansen Ranch
Director, Owner/Operator
Resilient Landscapes Panelist
Rich Johansen is a 4th generation farmer and a long-time resident of Nevada County. His connection to the county dates back to his great-grandfather, Patrick Foley, who arrived here in 1854. He has an extensive background in agriculture as a certified organic farmer and over eighteen years of service in local government and community organizations, including the Nevada County Agricultural Commission for 16 years, Vice Chair of the Nevada County Planning Commission, and President of the Land Trust for two years.
Anna Klovstad, Truckee Town Council / Tahoe Truckee Unified School District
Councilmember / Director of Facilities, Maintenance, & Operations
Walking Tour Leader
Environmental and sustainable practices are Anna’s passions. Along with partner agencies, she started the Climate Transformation Alliance (CTA) in 2021; a regional public-private partnership with the mission of the Truckee North Lake Tahoe region to be net zero by 2045. She is the Director of Facilities, Maintenance, and Operations for the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District and has managed the State and Federal award-winning TTUSD sustainability program. Her leadership has resulted in energy efficiency and sustainable programs throughout the Truckee Tahoe region. Anna was elected to Truckee Town Council in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. These successes were built on the vision of Truckee becoming a model sustainable mountain town with a triple-bottom-line approach that integrates the benefits of promoting the environment, economy, and equity.
Anna holds a degree in Architecture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. She is a licensed Certified Construction Manager through the Construction Managers Association of America (CMAA) and a licensed Certified Energy Manager from the Association of Energy Engineers. Anna is also a Certified Project Manager through the San Francisco Institute for Architects.
Ella Lee
Ghidotti High School Senior, Nevada County Youth Commission
Resilient Future Panelist
Ella Lee is a senior at Ghidotti Early College High School, concurrently earning AA degrees in Political Science and Sociology through Sierra College. She is very involved in her community as co-head of Girls N Gears Nevada County, a member of the Nevada County Youth Commission, and president of the Ghidotti Key Club. She is passionate about combining her academic pursuits with policy and has presented research on teen mental health at an international conference.
David Mercer, Alpenglow Timber and Cross Check Services
Founder and Owner
Resilient Landscapes Panelist
Walking Tour Leader
David Mercer is a lifelong North Tahoe resident, Licensed Timber Operator, father, and founder of Cross Check Services, LLC and Alpenglow Timber LLC. With over three decades of hands-on experience in forestry, logging, and forest restoration, David has specialized in sustainable management of the Sierra Nevada’s forest landscapes. His work is rooted in a deep respect for the natural environment he lives in and a commitment to protecting our forests through responsible practices and community-focused solutions.
Since founding Cross Check Services, David has delivered high-quality forestry services, including; mechanical thinning, forest fuel reduction, cut-to-length logging, chipping, mastication and helicopter logging. He has successfully led numerous projects for public agencies and private landowners across the Tahoe Basin and Northern Sierra, including projects for the U.S. Forest Service, California State Parks, Truckee Donner Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy and multiple private and public land owners in the area.
In 2022, David launched Alpenglow Timber, a new visionary sawmill project located in the North Tahoe–Truckee region. The facility is designed to create a local, sustainable source for forest products generated from fuel reduction and forest health operations—closing the loop between forest restoration and regional economic development.
David brings unmatched field experience, mechanical expertise, and leadership to every project. His skills span from heavy equipment operation and maintenance, hydraulic and electrical systems, welding and fabrication, and complex rigging for ski lift and powerline construction. A certified welder, mechanic, and commercial helicopter pilot, David has also worked extensively in ski area operations, ski lift construction, transmission powerline construction to alpine ski racing and coaching.
With integrity, professionalism, and a lifelong dedication to the Tahoe community, David continues to lead innovative forestry solutions that balance environmental responsibility, public safety, local economic resilience and sustainability.
Dr. Scott Neeley, Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital
President and CEO
Resilient People Panelist
Dr. Scott Neeley is a distinguished healthcare leader, leveraging over 30 years of experience as a physician, educator, and executive to champion community well-being and operational excellence. As President and CEO of Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, Dignity Health, since 2022, he brings a deep commitment to delivering compassionate, high-reliability care and fostering whole-person health.
Before leading Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, Dr. Neeley served as Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Stockton from 2013, where he further refined his expertise in healthcare administration and patient safety. During his tenure at St. Joseph's, he was instrumental in founding nine fully-accredited postgraduate residency programs, demonstrating his dedication to building the next generation of medical talent. His extensive medical background, honed through a Harvard College and Stanford University School of Medicine education, and residency/fellowship training at the University of Chicago Hospitals, includes board certifications in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care Medicine, and Hospice and Palliative Care Medicine. Dr. Neeley has also shaped future medical professionals through teaching appointments at prestigious institutions like the University of Chicago, Rush Medical School, Cook County Hospital, and Touro University College of Medicine.
Dr. Neeley’s commitment to community health extends far beyond hospital walls. He is a steadfast advocate for the well-being of Nevada County residents, exemplified by his role as a founder of the Nevada County Healthspan project. This innovative new organization is dedicated to empowering individuals and families to live their healthiest lives through fostering social connection, healthy activity and food choices, and evidence-based behaviors shown to foster wellness. Further demonstrating his civic leadership, Dr. Neeley actively serves as President of the Nevada County Economic Resource Council, a member of the Western Nevada County Climate Collaborative Governing Board, the Nevada County Equity and Inclusion Leadership Alliance, and is a strong supporter of Bright Futures for Youth, which is devoted to the safety and development of young people in Western Nevada County.
Across all his roles, Dr. Neeley remains a relentless advocate for patient and staff safety, focusing on the science of high reliability organizing and instilling 'humankindness' at every touchpoint of care.
Ted Owens, Tahoe Forest Health District
Executive Director of Governance and Business Development
Emcee
Ted has lived in the north Tahoe region for 35 years. For the past 14 years he has served as Executive Director of Governance for the Tahoe Forest Health System.
Ted is a former Town Councilmember and Truckee Mayor. He also served two terms on the Nevada County Board of Supervisors.
Jailene Rey
Washoe Tribe of NV and CA, Conservation Core Member
Resilient Future Panelist
Jailene Rey is a descendant of the Washoe, Numu (Paiute), and Shoshone tribes. She began her professional journey with the Washoe Tribe Conservation Corps (WTCC), a program under the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California. She started with the WTCC in February as a corps member, and through hard work and dedication to the Corps’ mission, she has since advanced to the position of Administrative Supervisor. Jailene has been honored to be part of a program that not only supports environmental stewardship but also uplifts and empowers the Washoe community to protect and care for our lands.
Phil Saksa, Blue Forest
Co-Founder and Chief Scientist
Resilient Landscapes Panelist
Blue Forest brings people, finance, and science together to restore and protect our forests, watersheds, ecosystems, and communities. Phil co-founded Blue Forest to transform scientific research on natural infrastructure resilience into applied tools that drive substantial, long-term financial investments in landscape-scale restoration. He works with the science team in leveraging the latest research and technology to evaluate the wildfire risk, water supply, and carbon storage outcomes of forest restoration projects. This evidence-based approach supports innovative partnerships between land managers, utilities, corporations, and others to address wildfire and other critical environmental challenges.
Serrell Smokey, Washoe Tribe of NV and CA
Chairman
Resilient People Panelist
Washoe Tribe Chairman, Serrell Smokey, was elected to office in 2018. He was nominated as the President of the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada in 2019 and was appointed as an alternate member of the Department of Interior’s Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee in 2023. He is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno. He has an educational background in Psychology, Business, and Tribal Law. Chairman Smokey is a Veteran, serving in the Unites States Army and the Nevada National Guard. He was deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2004) and Operation Spartan Shield (2016-2017). Chairman Smokey actively utilizes the leadership skills acquired in the military to progressively lead the Washoe People. Chairman Smokey serves man functions, such as: working towards better economic development opportunities, stable administrative functions, and giving Tribes a bigger voice in the Federal Government. “For too long have Tribes been left out, and the government neglected their trust responsibilities”. Chairman Smokey has also played an integral part in the fight against local racism, with the name change of “squaw” valley resort and fighting the Minden, NV sundowner siren.
Tosh Spurlock-Lamb
Truckee High School Senior
Resilient Future Panelist
Tosh Spurlock-Lamb is a senior at Truckee High School. He has a passion for STEM and more specifically the engineering aspect of it. When there’s snow on the ground he loves to ski at his local mountains and during the rest of the seasons he spends a lot of his time playing lacrosse. He really is grateful to live in such an amazing area and feels like the community here is so strong.
John Svahn, Truckee Donner Land Trust
Executive Director
Resilient People Panelist
John began at the Land Trust volunteering on Donner Lake Rim Trail construction crews sometime around 2000 and started as the Land Trust’s Trails Coordinator soon thereafter. He began working on transactions beginning with the Land Trust’s Cold Stream Meadow and Donner Summit acquisitions in 2010. John holds a BS in Agriculture and Natural Resources Management from the University of Maryland. He and his wife Heather have made Truckee their home since 1998 and are usually found running, skiing, or mountain biking on our local trails. Their son Eric goes to Truckee High and loves skiing, fishing and backpacking.
Greg Williams, Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship
Founder and Executive Director
Resilient People Panel Moderator
Greg is the founder and Executive Director of Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship and a descendant of the Deer Creek Band of Northern Sierra Miwok. He has spent his life in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, living by the examples of his elders and developing a passion for community, clean streams, big mountains and long trails.
A trailblazer and pioneer of backcountry mountain biking in Downieville, Greg established Yuba Expeditions guide service in 1991 and the Downieville Classic mountain bike festival in 1995. In 2003, he founded Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship to maintain and enhance the trail system, create local jobs and grow the recreation economy in the Lost Sierra region.