New LinkRepresentatives

Vesta Copestakes

Contact: vesta@sonic.net

Term: 2019-2021

AdHoc Committees: Vacation Rentals, CAG Liaison

Occupation: Publisher, Sonoma County Gazette

Community service experience: Forestville Chamber of Commerce (Board, Vice President, President), Forestville Planning Association (Founder and Board Member), Forestville Education Foundation (Founder and Board Member), Friends of Forestville School (Board Member), Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Sonoma County (Board Member)

Platform: Like many of us who live here, we value what we have and want to protect what makes us unique. That includes our sensitive environment as well as our intimate towns, small schools and bedroom community status. Preserving what we value is how we will keep this place feeling like home. 

Goal(s): To be a good representative of my home. I know a lot of people and am a good listener. I believe I can be of service to our communities in a way that represents us as a whole, not just me and my personal opinions, which may not always coincide with others in my community. I know a lot about many issues, have a long history of being involved, so I have a perspective few others have. When I represent Forestville, I have to be clear that we are not all of one voice, but that we can agree to disagree and move forward.

Lisa Nahmanson

Contact: lisa.rivermac@gmail.com

Term: 2021-2022

AdHoc Committees: Community Outreach, Trash Ad Hoc

Occupation: Community Volunteer

Community service experience: Volunteer at Farm to Pantry

Platform: Prior to my 20 years as a small business owner and telecomm professional I worked as a legal aid attorney in San Francisco and Alameda counties, a law student advocate at the Homeless Advocacy Project in San Francisco, a bilingual youth counselor for Larkin Street Youth Services and Guerrero House in San Francisco, and a 6th grade teacher in Brooklyn, NY.

To be kind, anti-racist, and listen to and involve as many people as possible in the community and to seek compromise on issues that impact the community. 

Goal(s): to ensure all voices in forestville communities are heard and brought to the MAC, the supervisor's office of District 5 and to the county wide government.

Alternate 

Lucy Hardcastle

Contact: lhardcastle.lrrmac@gmail.com

Term: 2021-2022

AdHoc Committees: Vacation Rentals

Occupation: Crisis Counselor, West County Community Services

Community service experience: Forestville Planning Association (President), Soroptimist International of Santa Rosa (Secretary), Association of Fundraising (President), West County Community Services (Crisis Counselor), Food for Thought (Food Fairy and Fundraiser)

Platform: I have neighbors who represent a wide swath of folks who live in the lower River area. Teachers and counselors, artists and bohemians, construction workers and hairdressers. Some are wealthy, but most are not. Many struggle with the cost of living as our special enclave gets pricey. Being 'discovered' as a go-to area after years of neglect is thrilling. To come back from some pretty destructive flooding episodes and shine again is nice. But to be priced out of our homes is brutal. I am a good listener, can see the common threads that bind us together and communicate effectively and respectfully those connections to reach conclusions that work for all. 

Goal(s): To fairly represent my neighbors' voices while staying true to my own experience. 

Representative

Alice Teeter

Contact: alice.teeter@me.com

Term: 2021-2022 

Occupation: Public Health Nurse/Home Health Nurse

AdHoc Committees: Trash, Chair

Community Service Experience: Institute of Noetic Sciences Bioethics review board; California Pacific Medical Center Biosafety review board; Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association Secretary for Bay Area Chapter, Red Cross Disaster Services Volunteer Worker, East Bay

Platform: Unite forces to clean up the Lower Russian River! 

Goal(s): Assist Hacienda communities including Forest Hills, Hollydale, Mom's Beach and all our neighborhood voices being heard in county discussions that affect our ecology and welfare during good times and in disaster. 

Alternate

Sherrie Owens 

Contact: owens6410@comcast.net

Term: 2021-2022

Occupation: Retired - Founder of Almost Home and prior Executive at West County Health Centers

Community service experience:

Platform:

Goal(s):.

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Representative

Pip Marquez de la Plata, Chair 2021

Contact: pipmdlp.lrrmac@gmail.com

Term: 2019-2021

Occupation: Executive Director, Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County

AdHoc Committees:   Roads, Committee Chair

Community service experience: Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County (Executive Director), Friends of Rio Nido (Board President), Sweetwater Springs Water District (Board President)

Platform: I want to represent a district that generally feels overlooked, to work with other community members to find common ground and help facilitate dialogue. 

Goal(s): To ensure that the issues that face Rio Nido that have a potential to be solved by county government are heard and that the community feels as if they have seat at the table. 

Alternate

Joe Falejcyk 

Contact: j.a@falejczyk.net

Term: 2021-2022

Occupation: Retired

Community service experience:

Platform:

Goal(s): To work toward making a positive part of the Lower River community.  

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Representatives

Naomi Huffstutter

Contact: naomihuffrivermac@gmail.com

Term: 2021-2022

AdHoc Committees: Communications/Outreach, Homeless

Occupation: CA Realtor

Community service experience: Forgotten Felines: Animal Transport / Guerneville School Site Council: Chair / Guerneville Winter Shelter / Federal and State Elections: Poll Worker

Platform: Being a Guerneville resident for 50 years, my career has ranged from Manager of a large housekeeping company, Regional Sales Manager of a nationally known natural products company, then becoming a CA Realtor. After taking some time off to start a family, I stepped back into the workforce acting as a Services Manager for a vacation rental business building bridges between owners, staff, guests, and vendors alike. My most recent venture has been working in long term property management. So a little bit of everything, I'd say, generally based around sourcing solution

Goal(s): To help the Board of Supervisors better understand the issues of the Lower Russian River on a local level, to help advocate for people whose voices are not well heard and to promote unity and respect among all our citizens.

Nic Pereira

Contact:nic.rrmac@gmail.com

Term: 2021-2022

AdHoc Committees: Vacation Rental 

Occupation: Owner, Spa Dad & Sons

Community service experience:

Platform:

Goal(s):

Alternate - Sarah "Avi" Lindsay 

Contact: avivagordon@gmail.com

Term: 2021-2022

Occupation: teacher

Community service experience:

Platform:

Goal(s):

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Representative

Jeanette Dillman

Contact: jeanette.rivermac@gmail.com

Term: 2019-2021

AdHoc Committees:

Occupation: Retired

Community service experience: Russian River Health Center (Board of Directors), Sonoma County Association for Retarded Citizens (President), River Community Services (Board of Directors), Sonoma County Democratic Central Committee (Alternate), Sonoma County Human Services Commission (Commissioner), Russian River Area Resources and Advocates (Participant)

Platform: What interests me most is developing an organization that is open and transparent with solid policies and procedures to set the underpinnings for this critical community need. 

Goal(s): To represent Pocket Canyon and Noel Heights neighborhood, which is more sparsely populated and less urban. This area is often an afterthought and needs a place and voice at the table in establishing a solid foundation for this pioneer river council. 

Alternate

John Milo Chapman

Contact: Roatanrealtor@yahoo.com

Term:2021-2022

AdHoc Committees:

Occupation: Realtor / Musician

Community service experience:

Platform:

Goal(s):

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Representative

Kyra Wink

Contact: kyrawink@aol.com

Term: 2021-2022

Occupation: Retired

Community service experience: Friends of Villa Grande (Board Vice President, Member, Secretary), Kaiser Permanente (Volunteer), American Lung Association (Board Member)

Platform: I have experience in program development and the writing of protocols. I am a great organizer, communicator, facilitator and planner. I really enjoy working with diverse populations, teasing out commonalities for possible consensus building and problem solving.  

Goal(s): To develop and establish the foundation and protocols for the future of MAC operations and to help develop a synergistic relationship between the community and the supervisors and other governmental agencies. 

Alternate

Cynthia Strecker

Contact:  cstrecker.lrrmac@gmail.com

Term: 2021-2022

Occupation: Retired

AdHoc Committees:

Community service experience: Monte Rio Union School District (Board Member)

Platform: I feel that doing this job well means committing to more than just a monthly meeting. It is also necessary to commit to extending ourselves to many groups and individuals within our own community to ensure that we are receiving a well-rounded overview of their needs and perspectives. 

Goal(s): I would want to see the river area continue to progress in ways that maintain our diversity, strengthening our relatively strong middle class and safeguard our citizens who are struggling economically.

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Representative

Mike Nicholls

Contact: mcnicholls.lrrmac@gmail.com

Term: 2021-2022 years (shifting to Alternate in 2023)

AdHoc Committees: Land Use, Flood Mitigation, Agenda Setting 

Occupation: Community Volunteer

Community service experience: Wisconsin State Vocational Technical Curriculum Task Force (Governor Appointment), River Area Shelter and Downtown Task Group (Supervisor Appointment), River to Coast Children's Services (Board Member), Cazadero CSD (Board President), Access Sonoma Broadband (Co-Chair), Russian River Rotary (Member)

Platform: I have long felt the lower river region has been underrepresented and many times overlooked in the county conversation, which generally tends to be (Highway) 101-centric. Key goals include expanding the county conversation to include the Lower Russian River region and work to assure a greater share of TOT funding is returned to local communities. 

Goal(s): To assist in creating new local jobs, reduce the level of distrust held by many with regard to "the county," and to provide a local ear for residents and leveraging worthwhile opportunities with the balance of the board for the good of the region. 

Alternate

Tony Goodwin

Contact: tonythecraftsman@gmail.com

Term: 2021-2022 (To be sworn in as Representative in 2023)

Occupation: Master Craftsman, public servant, business owner

Community service experience: Cazadero Fire. In addition to being a fire-fighting hero, Tony started the GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service)  in the Austin Creek neighborhood after the Tubbs fires. The neighbors in Austin Creek have developed a local radio network to relay news and check in on each other during disasters. After the success of this example in Austin Creek, teams in Fort Ross, Timber Cove, Cazadero and beyond have purchased radios, set up networks, placed repeaters, and set up procedures for disaster communications.

Platform: 

Goal(s):  Working to empower the community and show them their voice matters and how important it is to be heard.

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