Jamison Watts, Executive Director
(831) 402-9694
Jamison is a conservation executive with over 30 years’ experience providing vision, leadership, and technical expertise in the protection and stewardship of land and other natural and agricultural resources.
As Santa Lucia Conservancy’s Executive Director, Jamison collaborates with a talented staff and board, community members, and national conservation leaders to advance a unique, first-of-its kind model of community conservation. Responsible for conservation and community engagement on the 20,000-acre Santa Lucia Preserve, he works in close partnership with multiple Preserve entities to ensure the coordinated management of the Preserve lands are consistent with the successful and sustained implementation of the Preserve’s Comprehensive Development Plan.
Prior to working for the Conservancy, Jamison served for seven years as Executive Director of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT)—the first agricultural land trust in the Nation. Much of Jamison’s work at MALT involved interacting with stakeholders and owners of agricultural land in Marin County to increase economic viability and prevent conversion out of agriculture. During his tenure, the acreage conserved by MALT increased by 20% to more than 54,000 acres.
Earlier he led the Northern California Regional Land Trust, based in Chico, for six years. During his tenure the organization’s operations increased by nearly 600% and total acres protected more than tripled. Jamison also served as a climbing ranger with the U.S. Forest Service on the Shasta Trinity National Forest and a biologist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
A fifth-generation Californian, Jamison has served on the City of Chico’s Parks and Playground Commission, the Advisory Committee of the Bay Area Open Space Council, Marin County’s Agricultural Workforce Housing Task Force, and Marin Carbon Project Steering Committee. He has expertise in business development and is an accomplished fundraiser and public speaker. He also has more than 10 years’ experience researching and consulting on special-status species as a wildlife biologist
Jamison lives with his wife and daughter in Carmel Valley, where he enjoys walking the family dog, Honor, in Garland Ranch Regional Park and exploring the Central Coast region.
Keesha Stroman, Director of Finance and Administration
(831) 250-3817
Keesha organizes and oversees the Conservancy’s daily operations including finance, Human Resources, IT, facilities management, and administration. With over 20 years in the accounting and finance field, Keesha has had the opportunity to utilize her knowledge and skills in the service, television, manufacturing, non-profit and agricultural industries. She has a proven track record of maximizing employee engagement and creating successful workplace culture through training, collaborative communication, and morale-building techniques. In addition to receiving an AS in Accounting and BS in Business Administration/Human Resources Management, Keesha has extensively studied with the HR Certification Institute (HRCI) for the PHRca and SPHR exams and is a member of both the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources (NAAAHR). Outside of work, Keesha enjoys spending time with her family and volunteers as a youth basketball coach, high school booster club member, and youth football board member. She attributes her ability to juggle everything on her plate successfully to her loving husband, McTate, who is a top notch father, partner, and a spoken word artist.
Nicole Roy, Finance & Administration Coordinator
(831) 402-0554
Nicole assists with the coordination and organization of the conservancy’s daily operations. She has lived in Mexico City, Marin County, Connecticut, San Diego, and currently resides here in Carmel. She is very creative and went to college for graphic design and marketing in San Diego. Nicole has over 20 years of experience in office management, and administration, as well as both residential and commercial property management experience and experience managing a residential appraisal office. She has also worked in a college Public Relations office, as a training supervisor as well as a human resources assistant at a school district and in a corporate office. Nicole truly enjoys helping others. She is also very passionate about land conservation and preserving the environment and the animals within it. Outside of work, Nicole enjoys photography, art, hiking, gardening, kayaking, snorkeling, traveling, and camping. She also loves floral and landscape design, decorating, volunteering, and especially spending great quality time with both family and friends.
Alix Soliman, Communications & Outreach Coordinator
(831) 620-9644
Originally from Illinois, Alix earned her B.A. in environmental studies concentrated in international law and policy from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR. She comes to us with over 6 years of experience in writing for, editing, and designing various newspapers, law school magazines, and nonprofit websites. In her previous role at a steelhead conservation nonprofit in the Pacific Northwest, Alix developed a multi-tiered approach to provide more organizational clarity and engagement through digital and in-person communications. Passionate about land conservation and community building, Alix is thrilled to support the Conservancy’s mission by elevating its transparency and status in The Preserve community and beyond. Her work at the Conservancy involves developing digital and print resources, hosting events, building partnerships, and managing the website, newsletter and social media platforms. After hours, Alix can be found rock climbing, skiing, longboarding, hiking, and reading.
Andrew Nguyen, Stewardship Manager
(831) 238-0990
Originally from Fairfax County, Virginia, Andrew received a B.S. in Biology concentrated on Ecology and Environmental Biology from James Madison University. Afterwards, he attended UC Santa Barbara’s Bren School of Environmental Science & Management where he conducted research on how beaver dam-building could support water resource management in New Mexico, earning him a Master of Environmental Science and Management degree. Since then, he has served as an AmeriCorps member to protect Vermont’s watersheds and most recently worked to connect artists with the natural beauty of the Santa Cruz mountains. He is excited to join the Santa Lucia Conservancy team and looks forward to how he can continue finding solutions for people and the natural world to help each other thrive.
Claudio Núñez, Conservation Grazing Manager
(831) 238-4342
After receiving a bachelor’s degree in music from The University of Michigan, Claudio began working in bars and restaurants across the US. It was while working as a cheesemonger in San Francisco that he discovered the earth-shaping potential of conservation on working lands. For over 6 years, Claudio has worked on farms, ranches and wineries across the country and in Europe. As the Conservation Grazing Manager, Claudio leads program development, planning, and implementation of the day-to-day operations that facilitate the use of cattle for land management. Claudio works with program associates to help move cattle through the undulating grassland landscape and collects vegetation and soil data in support of the Program’s goals and objectives. In his spare time, Claudio enjoys hiking, overeating, and making crafts.
Andrew Evans, Conservation Grazing Associate
(831) 238-5495
With a BS in Ecology, Behavior and Evolution from UCLA, Andrew is passionate about promoting coexistence between people and the environment through conservation, restoration, and sustainable practices. He grew up in Hawaii, worked on a trail crew in Denali National Park, participated in a field study program in Iceland, researched marmot behavior in the Rocky Mountains, studied the morphology of dog skulls in Los Angeles, and interned at an organic farm in Tennessee. Andrew practices what he preaches by incorporating sustainability into every day life: eating a kelp, shellfish, and plant-based diet, avoiding plastic at all costs, and engaging with indigenous ecological knowledge.
Sophie May, Seasonal Conservation Grazing Technician
(831) 402-9499
Since graduating from college with a degree in Industrial Labor Relations, Sophie has delved into work in agriculture with an interest in both the human and nonhuman parts of farm ecosystems. They have now had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of farms and each experience has felt to them like a specialized degree program in a different aspect of agroecology and ecosystem management. They came to SLC from their home in Upstate NY as a Seasonal Grazing Tech and are incredibly excited to delve into the world of grassland restoration and cattle ranching (and to enjoy the absence of a Northeastern winter).
Rue, Cattle Dog
Rue went through rigorous training to become a working cattle dog for the Conservancy. Now among the Conservancy’s longest-serving staff members, her obedience, focus, collaboration, and support contribute to the Conservation Grazing Program and Ecological Management Department’s efficient operations. As a short-haired border collie weighing under 30 pounds, Rue moves over 100,000 pounds of cattle between our managed grasslands. Even so, like us all, she sometimes confuses clockwise and counterclockwise. Often found hiding from the heat of the sun under Conservancy trucks, Rue may not be the friendliest to unfamiliar dogs, but is a softy for any and all human attention.