CLERC Staff
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Senior Program Manager - Carolyn RuttanCarolyn Ruttan has created three successful nonprofit organizations including the California Society of Environmental Analysts. After careers in aerospace, agriculture and local government she is the Senior Program Manager for the Clear Lake Environmental Research Center (CLERC) and Technical Director of the CLERC Lab. Now, a certified lab analyst grade 1, along with multiple science degrees, she operates a one-person environmental laboratory in a rural county in CA. Carolyn’s can-do attitude and reluctance to accept an “I don’t know” answer, or “it’s never been done before” answer, is her hallmark for achievement in places where there is a void with a tremendous need.
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Administrative Manager - Teresa MayorgaTeresa Mayorga moved to Lake County in 2016 to be closer to her family. Teresa is originally from Ventura County, CA, and she lived in Utah for 25 years. She chose her home because of the proximity to Clear Lake and to the State Park. Teresa is passionate about water and wilderness. She is a member of the Konocti Bay Sailing Club, and regularly enjoys the beauty of this lake community while on a sailboat, kayak or runabout.
Teresa has extensive administrative and accounting experience in the construction, mining and energy sectors. Teresa previously worked as an executive assistant and later as a maintenance planner and scheduler for the Rio Tinto Kennecott Power Plant that provided power for the Copper Mine Operations in Utah. More recently she worked a short stint at the Calpine Geysers Facility and three years with a lake county contractor. Teresa currently is serving as the Treasurer and Secretary for CLERC. |
Fire & Forestry Program Manager - Tracy ClineTracy Cline joined CLERC in January 2022 as the Fire and Forestry Program Manager. She earned a B.S. degree in Wildlife and Natural Resource Management in 1998 from Humboldt State University. She has 24 years of experience as a journey-level Biologist and Natural Resource Manager. Her extensive experience related to forest health and hazardous fuels, prescribed burning, special status species, integrated pest management, invasive species, watershed restoration, CEQA and NEPA, GIS and Grant acquisitions and management are a great asset to the CLERC team.
Tracy has worked for Federal, State and County governments including US Forest Service (USFS) as a District Wildlife Biologist, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as a Supervisory Natural Resource Specialist, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) in the Timberland Conservation Program, Santa Clara County Parks as a Natural Resource Specialist and Lake County as an Associate Resource Planner. |
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Operations and Outreach Coordinator - Rachel Avilla
Rachel joined CLERC in June 2022. She has been passionate about nature her whole life. Growing up in Sonoma county CA gave her ample opportunities to explore the forest, coast line and commune with all animals in her vicinity. She graduated from Saint Mary’s College of CA with a BS in Environmental Science. After an internship with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), she started volunteering and working in wildlife rehabilitation. Currently, with over 20 years of experience in this profession she is excited to use her skills to continue her dedication to the environment. She is the co-founder of the Wild Neighbor’s Database Project which designs and develops online data management systems to empower wildlife professionals and advance One Health. She works closely with universities and state agencies using wildlife rehabilitation data to conduct early wildlife morbidity and mortality surveillance. One of her other projects is collaborating with UC Davis’s - Oiled Wildlife Care Network on collecting and managing patient data during oil spill events. Recently, she resigned from her 4 year presidency for the California Council for Wildlife Rehabilitators, a small non-profit that helps organize and communicate with all California wildlife rehabilitators and acts as a liaison with CDFW. As much as she loves working directly with the animals, she has come to the acknowledgement that her skills are best used in information technology and community outreach. With her experience of collaborating with universities, state and federal agencies, small nonprofits and wildlife rehabilitation organizations she has learned to wear many hats and has acquired many useful skills. Rachel will bring 20 years of experience working hands-on with several entities in the environmental field. Her experience with non-profit management and information technology systems gives her a unique perspective on operational management as well and communicating an organization's mission. She looks forward to working with CLERC’s emerging importance and letting the world know about the amazing work it is doing to combat climate change and conserve Lake County and our surrounding communities' unique ecosystems. |
Fire & Forestry Project Coordinator - Grant Coleman |
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Grant was hired in 2022 as a Project Coordinator for CLERC’s Fire and Forestry Program. In 2016, he earned a B.S. in Wildlife Management and Conservation from Humboldt State and went on to work for a multitude of state and non-government organizations throughout California and Nevada. Through his travels he has gained experience working in many different fields completing projects involving ecosystem restoration, trail mapping, wildlife monitoring, invasive species management, and forest health planning. In addition to these experiences, he brings practical knowledge of chainsaw operation (FAL 3), basic firefighting (FFT2), UAV mapping (FAA Part 107) and heavy equipment operation.
During the 2021 field season, he served as a forestry aide for the California Tahoe Conservancy where he helped prepare over 500 acres of state land for future fuels reduction projects. It was during his tenure in Tahoe that he witnessed the benefit of proactive fuels management firsthand and how it aided firefighter response during the Caldor fire. Grant hopes to use his fresh perspective and diverse skill set to assist with CLERC’s Fire and Forestry Program. |
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Biologist - Briana HalsteadBriana Halstead joined the CLERC family as a Biologist in March 2022. She is originally from Minnesota and has lived in Lake County, CA now for just about 10 years. Since leaving MN, she has explored and experienced nature and the outdoors in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Texas, Arizona, Colorado and Nevada while working for federal agencies in these various locations. Briana graduated in 2005 from University of WI- River Falls with a BS in Conservation Biology and in 2018 from the University of Colorado with a MS in Natural Resource Stewardship and Planning. She has worked throughout the US in various roles for the National Park Service, US Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management.
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Fire & Forestry Project Coordinator - Mark RobertsMark joined the CLERC Family in August of 2022 as a Fire & Forestry Project Coordinator. Mark will be working part time for CLERC as he is currently the Senior Planner (planning manager) for a local governmental agency. He will continue this role and be working for CLERC in the evenings and on his days off from the City. Mark has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Environmental Studies and Planning from Sonoma State University, a certificate in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) from San Francisco State University, and multiple certificates from FEMA in Emergency Management Systems/Protocols. Since graduating from Sonoma State University in 2007, Mark has gained over ten (10) years of professional planning and environmental experience (including CEQA/NEPA Analysis) from various governmental agencies. He has a strong understanding of the operations of Federal, State and local agencies regulations, ordinances, and policies. He is a local who understands the critical fire and forest health issues that CLERC and the community are working to address.
Mark grew up along the Russian River in Sonoma County. During his childhood he spent his summers swimming in the Russian River/nearby creeks or exploring the hills of his beloved community. His passion for the outdoors began at an early age and continues to grow. Mark spent close to ten years rock climbing throughout the State of California and Nevada. Even though Mark has taken a step back from rock climbing, his passion for the outdoors continues. In his spare time, you may see him exploring remote wilderness areas, camping/backpacking, hiking, fishing, skiing the slopes of Tahoe, or enjoying some type of outdoor activity. |
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photo coming soon...
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UAV Operator - Peyton MayPeyton joined the CLERC Family in April of 2022 as CLERKS Certified Drone Pilot. Peyton works part time for CLERC and full time as a Vegetation Program Manager for a California utility company. He will continue this role while working for CLERC on his days off with the utility company. Peyton has an FAA 107 Drone License, is a certified Gunsmith, and is currently studying for his ISA Arboriculture recertification.
Since entering the environmental work force in 2007, Peyton has gained 12 years of tree work experience, knowledge in fire safety & prevention, and project planning experience from three major California electrical utilities companies. Additionally, Peyton has a combined 4 years of experience as an FAA 107 Drone Operator. He spent two years operating his own Hawaii based drone services company and continued his passion when he returned to Lake County. He has a strong understanding of state and federal Utility Vegetation requirements, Arboriculture practices, and FAA commercial Drone (SUAS/UAV) regulations. Born and raised in Lake County, Peyton grew up in Clearlake. He understands the importance of forest health and the role it has in wildfire prevention from his personal experiences living there. During his childhood, he spent much of his time exploring the oak forests and watersheds of Lake County with his two brothers. During his teenage years, he enjoyed mountain boarding down dirt roads and hiking trails through Cobb Mountain and around the Cache Creek wilderness. His passion for local exploration continued to grow. By his 20’s, Peyton began pushing further and further into the untouched wilderness of Lake County. Multi-day back packing trips into the Cache Creek wilderness & rafting the rapids, cave & mine exploration, and repelling down Mt. Konocti were typical activities he enjoyed in his spare time. With a family of his own now, Peyton enjoys taking his wife and daughter on hikes and cooling off in local swimming holes. |
