Lower Russian River MAC Representatives and Alternates
Nine representatives appointed by Supervisor Hopkins and determined through community application/selection. All members must reside within the district they represent in the Lower Russian River Municipal Advisory Council area.
What's On This Page?
Forestville District
Representatives
Vesta Copestakes
Contact: vesta@sonic.net
Term: 2022-2023
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.
Hacienda District
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): .
Rio Nido District
Representative
Pip Marquez de la Plata, Chair 2021
Contact: pipmdlp.lrrmac@gmail.com
Term: 2022-2023
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.
Guerneville District
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: 2022-2023
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):
Pocket Canyon District
Representative/Alternate positions open for Pocket Canyon District, encompassing Pocket Canyon through Vacation Beach on the south side of the River. Please apply here.
Representative & Alternate Seats currently vacant
Monte Rio District
Representative
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.
Alternate
currently vacant
Cazadero/Duncans Mills District
Representative
Tony Goodwin
Contact: tonythecraftsman@gmail.com
Term: 2021-2022
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.
Alternate
Mike Nicholls
Contact: mcnicholls.lrrmac@gmail.com
Term: 2021-2022
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.
Member Representative FAQs
Do you have questions about being a representative for this council?
Representative FAQs (PDF: 92 kB)