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. Click here to open an interactive map showing the area boundaries.
What's On This Page?
Forestville District
Representatives
Thai Hilton
Contact: Thai.lrrmac@gmail.com
Term: 2024-2025
Committee(s):
Occupation: Analyst, Sonoma County Department of Health Services, Homelessness Services Division
Community service experience: Board member of the Bay Area Chapter of American Society of Public Administrators (ASPA), Coordinated various volunteer opportunities to help the community of Montezuma, Costa Rica.
Platform: Board member of the Bay Area Chapter of American Society of Public Administrators (ASPA), Coordinated various volunteer opportunities to help the community of Montezuma, Costa Rica.
Goal(s): To raise the voice of the residents of Forestville and to show that community engagement is an effective way to address our concerns. I hope to learn a lot from the community and other committee members. I hope to use my compassion for my community and knowledge to improve this wonderful community.
Lonnie Lazar
Contact: lonbud@gmail.com
Term: 2025-2026
Committee(s):
Occupation: Estate Planning Attorney
Community service experience: Forestville Chamber of Commerce, Sonoma County Bar Association, LEAP Arts in Education Board Member
Platform: Like many who live here, I value what makes Forestville special and I hope to help protect what makes it unique. Some of this includes the sensitive environment, the spirit and intimacy of our town, its small schools, and its semi-rural status. I believe preserving what we value will keep this place feeling like home.
Goal(s): To be an informed representative of my community. I am beginning to meet people in and around Forestville and I am a good listener. I believe I can be of service to this community by conveying a considerate, educated expression of the needs, desires, and concerns of the people who live here, and not just of my own personal opinions, which may not always align with others in the community. When I represent Forestville, I hope to keep in mind that, though we are not all of one voice, we can agree to disagree and still move in positive directions.
Alternate
Cari Hernandez
Contact:
Term: 2025-2026
Committee(s): Community Outreach and Engagement Plan Ad Hoc
Occupation:
Community service experience:
Platform:
Goal(s):
Hacienda District
Representative
Vicki Clewes, Vice Chair
Contact: vicki.lrrmac@gmail.com
Term: 2025-2026
Committee(s): Community Engagement & Outreach Plan Ad Hoc
Occupation: Retired Legal Professional
Community service experience: CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for Foster Children, ACLU, Food for Thought, Redwood Empire Food Bank, volunteer on the MAC Trash AD Hoc Committee
Platform: I would like to help preserve the beauty of our Lower Russian River environment. With the continuing growth of our tourism economy and climate change it is important to manage the evolving environment in a positive way and balance moving forward with growth in a sustainable way. I’m passionate about animals and how they are integrated into our community. I would like to listen to concerns from and about the unhoused and possible solutions that will work for all.
Goal(s): To learn more about my neighborhood and my neighbors so that I can actively listen to concerns and convey them to the counsel.
Alternate
Brian Andriola
Contact: BAndriola.lrrmac@gmail.com
Term: 2024 - 2025
Occupation: Creative Professional
Committee(s):
Community Service Experience:
Vice president, 2022-2024 Hacienda Improvement Association (HIA): Led neighborhood projects for community improvement, resilience, and disaster preparedness. Responsibilities include community wide communication efforts, committee participation, fundraising, grant acquisition, signage and brochure creation and event organization. Previously served as HIA Secretary (2018). Advocated for and helped secure a FEMA grant to restore a main community corridor affected by the 2019 winter storms. Hunger relief worker/volunteer, Redwood Empire Food Bank.
Platform:
The 2019 winter storms profoundly impacted our community. Personally affected, I navigated the complexities of seeking assistance from county, state, and federal agencies. Transitioning from corporate to government processes, I listened, learned, and adjusted to a different pace to achieve resolve. With mentor support, community assistance, and a commitment to resolution and restoration, I became an advocate for solutions. Partnering with public works, county leaders, and various agencies, I engaged in collaborative problem-solving, gaining respect for community organizing and governance. This experience provided the foundation and inspired a desire to get involved with broader community efforts.
Goal(s):
I aim to help address community concerns and create communication strategies, to be in support of advocacy for road improvements, and to help build neighborhood resiliency. Serving as your Hacienda MAC Alternate to Vicki Clewes, my goals are to assist with communication, to raise awareness of MAC's role, and to work on community concerns by taking action steps towards solutions. Grateful to have grown up in West Sonoma County, I am committed to preserving and helping to enhance this beautiful community by being of service to you and the office of our 5th district supervisor, Lynda Hopkins.
Rio Nido District
Representative
Pip Marquez de la Plata, Chair
Contact: pipmdlp.lrrmac@gmail.com
Term: 2024-2025
Occupation: Executive Director, Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County
Committee(s):
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
Jennifer Otten
Contact:
Term: 2025-2026
Occupation:
Community service experience:
Platform:
Goal(s):
Guerneville District
Representatives
Joe Rogoff
Contact: guerneville@sonoma-county.org
Term: 2025-2026
Committee(s)
Occupation: Retired, Board Member, Radio Host
Community service experience: Ceres Community Project Board Chair emeritus and 6 other non-profit boards, currently on Board of Oliver's Markets, PCC Community Markets, Chair advisor for Community Natural Markets, Chair of Trust Protector Committee for Organically Grown Company, KOWS radio host.
Platform: Our diverse community needs affordable housing to ensure we have enough year-round residents to support our schools and businesses, equitable allocation of state and county funds, realistic plans to update our antiquated infrastructure, and proactive planning for climate change and its effects on our environment. It also needs adequate, timely communication that reaches all members of the community.
Goal(s): I hope to be a conduit of information flow through meetings, social media and every way I can. I would like more of the community to be aware of county initiatives and upcoming decisions, and for their voices to reach our supervisor and county agencies. I’d like to be an ear and an advocate for Guerneville.
Spencer R. Scott
Contact:
Term: 2024-2025
Occupation:
Community service experience:
Platform:
Goal(s):
Alternate - Vacant
Contact:
Term:
Occupation:
Community Service Experience:
Platform:
Goal:
Guerneville South / Pocket Canyon District
Representative
Betsy Van Dyke
Contact: emvandyke1@gmail.com
Term: 2024-2025
Committee(s): Community Engagement and Outreach Plan Ad Hoc
Occupation:
Community service experience:
Platform:
Goal(s):
Alternate
Vacant
Contact:
Term:
Occupation:
Community Service Experience:
Platform:
Goals:
Monte Rio / Villa Grande
Representative
Patricia (Patty) Thayer
Contact: MonteRioVillaGrande@sonoma-county.org
Term: 2025-2026
Committee(s): Community Engagement and Outreach Plan Ad Hoc, Ex Officio member of the Lower Russian River Wastewater CAG
Occupation: Retired attorney
Community service experience: President of non-profit Friends of Villa Grande, member of PALS (Paws as Loving Support) social therapy dog teams, inventory specialist for Food for Thought, volunteer for Redwood Empire Food Bank food distribution, volunteer at Russian River Historical Society, volunteer for Sutter Health Hospice program, box office worker at Curtain Call Theater
Platform: I am very concerned about the lack of accurate information, understanding, civility and engagement I observe in many circumstances, which impedes our making progress on protecting the environment, housing our citizens, adapting to climate change and ensuring justice for all. I want to help improve our communications/discourse and our systems for engaging the public in the matters that affect all of us.
Goal(s): I hope to continue to learn more about how County government, agencies and districts function and to improve services for my community. I also want to help facilitate better communication to and from the members of my community so that we are more effective, efficient, fair and courteous.
Alternate - Craig Baker
Contact: MonteRioVillaGrande@sonoma-county.org
Term: 2025-2026
Occupation: Retired, Superintendent of Schools
Committees:
Community service experience: Served on School Board for Redwood City Elementary School District; Member of Kiwanis, Rotary Club, and other service organizations; Sat on Fair Oaks Advisory Counsel in San Mateo County.
Goal(s): Serve as representative to my local community; engage in community dialogue , and otherwise participate in helping to build a more vibrant and well-represented community
Cazadero/Duncans Mills District
Representative
Tony Goodwin
Contact: tonythecraftsman@gmail.com
Term: 2025-2026
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
Terry Gwiazdowski
Contact:
Term: 2025-2026
Committees:
Occupation:
Community service experience:
Platform:
Goal(s):
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