Our Team
Linus
Eukel
Linus joined John Muir Land Trust in 2004 and works closely with the board of directors, staff, and regional community to help achieve JMLT's mission of permanently protecting the places that make the East Bay Special. Mr. Eukel oversees assets of $50 million and provides vision and leadership to ensure that JMLT implements balanced annual operating budgets and meets its ambitious organizational goals for managing change and growth, strategic planning, individual contributed income development, board and donor cultivation, land acquisition, land use planning, stewardship, and public education activities. He is a board member and past board chair of the California Council of Land Trusts, board member and co-chair of the East Bay Leadership Council’s Infrastructure Task Force, and board member of the Warren W. Eukel Teacher Trust. Linus grew up in and attended public schools in Walnut Creek and is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley and the University of New York. He and his family reside in the Town of Moraga.
Kristen
Anderson
Digital Director
Kristen is a digital and brand marketing strategist passionate about working for the greater good. Prior to joining John Muir Land Trust in February 2020, Kristen spent 15 years promoting The Trust for Public Land’s work to create parks and protect land for people. As Digital Marketing Director, Kristen managed the organization’s online presence including digital strategy, content marketing, acquisition, and engagement. Before her turn in the nonprofit world, Kristen lived in Moscow, Russia where she co-founded a consulting firm specializing in post-Soviet market opportunities. Kristen received her BA in Economics and Soviet Studies from Lehigh University, and holds an MBA from the Haas School at UC Berkeley. She lives in Berkeley, sharing her home with her partner and three canines, and her yard with a few hundred thousand honeybees. Left to her own devices, Kristen can usually be found on a bike or in a body of water.
Mary
Cherry
Senior Farm Manager, Family Harvest Farm
Mary started farming at the Homeless Garden Project (HGP) in Santa Cruz, CA. She worked at HGP for three years and knew right away she wanted to make a career in farming. After she left HGP, she accepted the position of greenhouse/field manager at Old House Farm (OHF). She worked at OHF for 5 years. During her time at HGP and OHF she fell in love with growing flowers, so she then took a side job to work at The Pescadero Flowery, a “you pick” dahlia farm, learning everything she could in one season about growing dahlias and arranging bouquets. Because of her background as a foster youth she became a CASA of Santa Cruz county for 5 years. She also volunteered in the garden at the CASA house in Watsonville. Mary has a strong passion to combine working with foster youth and farming/gardening.
Jay
Dean
Jay spends his time getting the message out about John Muir Land Trust’s work to protect land in the East Bay for everyone to enjoy today and for generations to come. Jay spent ten years as Chief Marketing Officer of The Trust for Public Land, one of the country’s largest conservation organizations. He serves on the board of High Country News, and served on the Executive Committee and as Marketing Chair of EarthShare, a nonprofit group that manages workplace giving for over 500 environmental groups. Jay is a seasoned marketing veteran with three-and-a-half decades of experience as Chief Marketing Officer and senior brand strategist at blue-chip organizations. Jay holds an MBA from the Haas School at UC Berkeley, and a BA summa cum laude from Harvard College. A thirty-year resident of the East Bay, Jay is usually covered in dog hair, sawdust, trail dust, or all three.
Hannah
Hodgson
Hannah puts her significant experience in environmental program management to work at Family Harvest Farm, a program of John Muir Land Trust. She manages strategic planning, operations, finances, fundraising, partnerships, volunteers, and community outreach. Hannah grew up on a small horse ranch in Martinez, CA and enjoys the Bay Area for its diversity and beauty. Her past work experience includes project management, environmental programming, education, and community organizing for the National Park Service, Resource Conservation Districts, and public utilities. Hannah attended the University of California at Santa Cruz and earned a B.A. in Community Studies with a focus in Economic Justice and a certificate in Experiential Leadership.
Melanie
Hogan
Melanie has over 15 years of fundraising experience at a variety of Bay Area non-profit organizations. She started as a development intern at The Women’s Foundation of California. Later she worked at Women’s Initiative for Self Employment, where she brought in nearly $2M a year from foundation, corporate, and government sources. As the Assistant Development Director at The Yosemite Fund she led individual giving campaigns for special projects in Yosemite National Park. Here Melanie discovered her passion for environmental issues. Since then she has held Development Director positions at As You Sow and the Bay Area Open Space Council. She holds a BA in anthropology from San Francisco State University and lives in Albany with her family. She is in awe at the amazing properties the John Muir Land Trust has saved for all of us to enjoy, and looks forward to connecting donors with new opportunities to do even more.
Lisa
Lomba
Lisa joyfully supports JMLT’s mission and program goals by leading foundation, government, and corporate giving. She spent several years in K-12 education as a teacher and administrator and worked at the Yosemite Fund, among other nonprofit organizations supporting the common good. Lisa earned her BA in literature at UC Berkeley, holds an MA in literature from San Francisco State University, and a doctorate in education leadership from St. Mary’s College. She lives in Oakland with her exceptionally sweet husband and animals, and spends her free time climbing, hiking, and getting outside with her dog into the Bay Area’s beautiful open spaces.
Beth
Perot
Database Director
Beth comes to JMLT with a passion for data management honed during her 30+ year career as an information technology professional in a variety of industries. She has experience in Master Data Management, Business Intelligence, Data and Process Modeling, and Systems Integration, working in both non-profit and for-profit sectors. Beth has a Certificate in Data Resource Management from the University of Washington, and a B.A. in History from Bryn Mawr College. Past volunteer activities include setting up and managing online registration for the Rheem School PTA, and serving on the board of a preschool in Lafayette. She developed her interest in land conservation as a child in Pennsylvania, spending summers hiking in the woods and learning about the native plant and animals at a nature preserve on the Pocono Plateau which has close ties with local conservation organizations working to protect the watershed. Beth has lived in Moraga for the past 25 years, where she and her husband enjoy hiking the hills with their dog, family, and friends.
Neil
Roscoe
Originally from England, Neil brings more than 20 years of successful senior management experience to John Muir Land Trust, including Big 4 accounting expertise and broad industry sector experience in a range of corporate, divisional, subsidiary and agency environments, on 4 continents, with multi-national backgrounds. Neil is a Chartered Accountant and holds a BS in Accounting & Economics with Honors from University of Hull, UK. He has lived in the United States for the past thirty years, currently resides with his family in Walnut Creek and enjoys working with John Muir Land Trust to help permanently protect our local natural areas.
Juliana
Schirmer
Juliana is an environmental advocate with over 25 years of nonprofit executive leadership and fund development experience. Prior to joining JMLT, Juliana was the Chief Administrative Officer and Chief of Public Affairs for the Regional Parks Foundation and the East Bay Regional Park District where she focused on brand positioning and fund development strategies to increase revenues by more than 450%. She has also served as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Development Officer for several Bay Area nonprofits including New Door Ventures and Tri-City Health Center raising millions of dollars for youth programs, education, and health and human services. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Juliana has a deep appreciation for the natural world. When she is not working, Juliana enjoys hiking, camping, and exploring the natural beauty of the Bay Area. Her commitment to conservation and her deep knowledge of the California landscape makes her an invaluable member of the John Muir Land Trust team.
Kathleen
Stavis
Kathleen has deep experience in nonprofit management and fundraising, all with a donor-focused approach. Before joining JMLT, Kathleen was a major gifts officer for Mills College in Oakland, CA, and initially served in a prospect management capacity for the institution. Previously she managed communications and marketing for Larkin Street Youth Services and before that for the San Francisco School Alliance, where she also ran the annual fund and managed events. Kathleen received her BA in Women’s Studies with a minor in Economics and an MBA with a nonprofit management concentration from Mills College. She grew up in San Jose and spent many weekends visiting family in the East Bay. Kathleen lives in Vallejo and explores Bay Area trails with her partner and their two dogs. She loves the spectacular beauty and diversity of the East Bay and is excited to work with the JMLT community to protect open spaces for public enjoyment.
Britt
Wade
Britt Wade is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a background as a psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of traumatic stress. She also holds experience providing training and consultation on trauma-informed care. Britt has worked across many settings including the medical, mental health, and legal systems, as well as in the nonprofit sector, serving diverse populations experiencing a range of psychosocial challenges. Britt earned her BA in Anthropology from Saint Mary’s College of California and her MSW from the University of Washington. She joins Family Harvest Farm as the Youth Workforce Development Coordinator to help develop a trauma-informed apprenticeship program that improves outcomes for transition age foster youth by empowering them with skills to build independent and fulfilling lives. She is passionate about social and environmental justice and is excited to work at the intersection of regenerative farming, mental health, and building an accessible local food economy. Britt grew up in the Bay Area and now lives in Martinez with her partner and two dogs. She enjoys hiking, biking, backpacking, cooking, baking, and tending her backyard vegetable garden.
James
Wilson
James helps to oversee the operation, maintenance, stewardship, and preservation of more than 3,500 acres of land entrusted to JMLT. Having impactful careers in environmental interpretation and stewardship with the East Bay Regional Park District and California Department of Fish and Wildlife, he considers himself a naturalist in all respects. James is a lifelong resident on Karkin, Muwekma, Lisjan, and Bay Miwok land in Martinez, California, where he currently lives with his family beside the Alhambra Creek. He was educated in the Martinez Public School System, holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Environmental Studies and Science Communication from University of California at Santa Cruz. In his spare time, James enjoys a variety of hobbies including gardening, hiking, bicycling, and exploring with his family the land and nature we call home.