Rico Aguayo
Executive Management Services, Inc., Fowler
Rico Aguayo is a Marketing Consultant at Executive Management Services, Inc. He is in the American Humanics Certificate Program in Non-Profit Leadership & Management and is completing a Kaufman Social Entreprenuerial Internship Program at California Rural Legal Assistance, creating a Community Development Credit Union (CDCU) to serve residents of a low income, ethnically diverse, & underserved area of Fresno. Rico is also appointed to the Fowler General Plan Committee and the California Farm Bureau Federation - Leadership Farm Burueau.

Back to Top

Julia Berry
American Farmland Trust, Sacramento
Julia Berry is a native of Fresno, California. She works in government relations with the American Farmland Trust. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Fruit Science from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA. She has worked as a hospitality staff member and laboratory technician in wineries and for a San Joaquin Valley agricultural company as a field inspector, diagnosing and prescribing treatment of pest problems, and as the Agricultural Representative for Assemblyman Mike Briggs, representing Fresno and Tulare Counties. Julia is also involved in her local Farm Bureau chapter and serves as Secretary for the Fresno Chapter of California Women in Agriculture.

Back to Top

Stan Chance
Federal Land Bank of Yosemite, Turlock
Stan Chance is the Assistant Branch Manager at the Modesto Branch of the Federal Land Bank of Yosemite. He is also farming 60 acres of almonds in Denair on property that has been in his family since 1906. He has an Agriculture Business Degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Masters Degree from a Chicago theological school. Stan has held numerous leadership roles for local community groups, Central California youth groups and international projects. Most recently he represented the Blue Diamond Almond Growers at the National Institute of Cooperative Education in Utah. Stan enjoys backpacking in the Sierras, playing guitar, yard saleing and purchasing shop tools.

Back to Top

Mary Alice Escarsega
Communty Services and Employment Training, Visalia
Mary Alice Escarsega lives in Visalia. She grew up in Goshen in a family that encouraged education. Before starting college, she worked as a farm laborer with her family picking grapes and chopping cotton. At the University of California at Santa Cruz, she majored in Sociology. She is currently employed at Community Services & Employment Training, Inc in Visalia as the Adult Training Services Director, working to connect workers with permanent employment and support services. She is involved in her community and serves on the board of Family HealthCare Network, a clinic that serves farm-worker and low-income families.

Back to Top

Lucie Garcia
Sierra View District Hospital, Porterville
Lucie Garcia was born and raised in Porterville. She is a graduate of Porterville High School, Porterville Community College, and California State University, Fresno, where she earned her degree in Business Administration with a Marketing option. She is currently working toward her Masters degree in Business Administration through the University of Phoenix. In addition to her work as the Marketing Director for the Sierra View Local Health Care District, Lucie is active in a variety of community organizations including the Porterville Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, American Cancer Society and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

Back to Top

Cynthia Gomez
CA Department of Transportation, Sacramento
Cynthia Gomez was hired by the California Department of Transportation to fill the Native American Desk as a liaison between the State and federally recognized tribes. She is a descendent of the Yokut tribe from the Tule River Indian Reservation located approximately 20 miles southeast of Porterville, in Tulare County. Cynthia served as the California representative for the Inter-Tribal Agricultural Council for two years. She has worked with Native American, State, local, and Federal agencies over the last twenty years in various capacities including community, economic, social, and cultural development.

Back to Top

Nathan Heeringa
J.G. Boswell Company, Corcoran
After graduating from the University of Arizona in 1996 with a degree in Plant Science, Nathan Heeringa moved to the Central Valley to work as an agronomist for the J.G. Boswell Company. Nathan is responsible for the management and crop protection on thousands of acres and multiple crops, which include cotton, safflower, wheat, alfalfa hay, and tomatoes. Nathan serves as a leader in his church to high-school-aged youth, has taught in the King's County Farm Bureau's "Teach the Teacher" program, and has recently become involved in other community service and political activities.

Back to Top

Margie Lee
CA Department of Corrections, Modesto
Margie Lee is an analyst for the California Department of Corrections. She was raised in Modesto. Margie is a founding member and Past President of the Women's Auxiliary, a group of women who raise money for scholarships and provide leadership training for women and youth for over 12 years of age. Margie is also the founder of the Youth chapter of the local N.A.A.C.P. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Muir Trail Girl Scout Council and the Community Housing and Development Committee for the City of Modesto. She is currently serving on the 1999-2000 Stanislaus County Grand Jury. Margie and her husband, Roger, have a daughter, Jacinta; a son, Tony; and three grandsons -all living in the Central Valley.

Back to Top

Mary Little
Retired; San Joaquin County Sheriff's Department, Stockton
Mary Little is the mother of six adult children. Her active involvement in Stockton and San Joaquin County includes work in prison ministry and the San Joaquin County Sheriffs STARS program. She has served as a member of the California State Correctional Juvenile Justice Health Care Committee, the Teacher Corps Community Council and the California Ombudsmen of Stockton. Mary organized a shelter feeding program and supervised operations of the Webster Slaughter football camp for young people, the Stockton Biotechnics Cutter Plasma Center, and worked as a long-term substitute teacher for Stockton Unified School District. She als worked for 20 years with KSTN religious broadcasting. Mary is currently working on a Bachelors degree in theology and music.

Back to Top

Brian Masunaga
Image Landscape, Roseville
Brian Masunaga is the owner/operator of Image Landscapes, a construction company and wholesale nursery. He is a current board member of the Building Industry Association-Associates Council and the president of the Heritage at Diamond Oaks Homeowners Association. He currently serves on the Sheridan Municipal Advisory Board. Brian served as the president of the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce; chaired the Sacramento Municipal Utility District's Equal Opportunity Program; and is currently a member of the California Landscape Contractors Association and the California Association of Nurserymen. Brian also created the Brianne Masunaga Personal Success Library of personal development material at Sacramento Works, a non-profit outreach and mentoring organization.

Back to Top

Richard Novoa
CA Department of Transportion
Richard Novoa is a life-long resident of West Sacramento. He attended Sacramento City College and California State Sacramento, majoring in business. Richard has worked for the Franchise Tax Board, Health Services, and the State Water Board during his employment with the State of California. He has recently accepted a new position with California Department of Transportation. He is now managing the Mentor/Protege pilot program for small businesses that want to contract with the agency. He is active in variety of community service organizations, including the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He is appointed to the Sacramento Sports Commission and is the current chairperson for the West Sacramento Parks and Community Service Commission. Richard is an avid soccer fan and is currently coaching his son's youth soccer team.

Back to Top

Ruth Ostroff
Central Valley Habitat Joint Venture, Sacramento
Ruth Ostroff is a native Californian and has lived in Northern California all her life. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry from U.C. Berkeley. Ruth has volunteered extensively for Camp Fire Boys and Girls and has also served on several boards, including Directors of Volunteers in Agencies and California Alumni Foresters. She previously worked as Volunteer Coordinator for Sacramento County's Effie Yeaw Nature Center. Since 1993 she has worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with the Central Valley Habitat Joint Venture, a coalition of 16 conservation agencies and organizations conserving wetlands in the Central Valley.

Back to Top

Phil Rockey
Oakdale City Council, Oakdale
After growing up in a small town outside of Seattle and finishing a twenty-five year career in public education in the Bay Area, Phil Rockey and his family moved to Oakdale to develop a school for early childhood education, Rockey's Rainbow Rompers. Phillip has spent the last five years getting involved in the Oakdale community. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Chamber of Commerce, the Riverbank-Oaldale Transportation Board, the Stanislaus Transportation Council of Governments, Hazardous Waste, and the Bicycle Pedestrian Safety Committee. He also serves as liaison to the Parks & Recreation Commission and the Museum Commission. Phil was recently elected to the City Council of the City of Oakdale after serving on the City's Planning Commission. He enjoys keeping fit by running, bicycling, kayaking, and coaching youth soccer.

Back to Top

Theresa Rodriguez
Oakdale High School, Riverbank
Theresa Rodriguez grew up in the Oakdale area and graduated from Riverbank High School. She is employed at Oakdale High School as a teacher's aide, assisting in the bilingual program and helping Hispanic children with translation and counseling. In her work, she interfaces with parents and the school to help resolve problems with the students both educationally and socially. She was active in establishing a Youth Group at St. Mary's Church in Oakdale and was involved with the program for five years. She is a member of the Hispanic Youth Leadership Council and she helped to plan the first Latina Festival in Riverbank. She is the mother of five children and has three grandchildren.

Back to Top

Shawn Tillman
City of Chico
Shawn Tillman grew up in Shasta County and has worked in both public and private sector positions related to planning, real estate and development.  He is currently a senior planner, managing the adoption of neighborhood plans for Chico's Avenues and the Southwest neighborhoods (www.chiconeighborhoods.org).  Prior to working in Chico, Shawn focused on neighborhood revitalization and redevelopment partnerships with the Redding Redevelopment Agency, and on community/economic development with the City of Anderson.  He is the founding director of the Downtown Redding MarketFest, is the founder of Viva Downtown Redding, and is a past board chair of the Shasta Land Trust.  Shawn enjoys playing music, cycling, and spending time with his family.

Back to Top

Sharon Wallace
Sacramento River Preservation Trust, Chico
Sharon Wallace has lived in the North Valley for 20 years and has been active in civic groups since she was a student at CSU, Chico. She is a journalist, but her most recent activities have been as a concerned parent and community activist. Sharon is currently serving as the office manager of the Sacramento River Preservation Trust and as President of the Butte County League of Women Voters. Sharon is the Ag Programs Chair of the Northern California Regional Land Trust. After 7 years as the host of the radio show, New Food for Thought, on KZFR Community Radio in Chico, Sharon has ended her stint on community radio and has also graduated from the site council of her children's school. Sharon is particularly interested in sustainable agriculture.

Back to Top