Stewardship For All
Hosted by Bay Nature
Almost 50% of lands in California have some level of protection, but how do we best take care of these lands and steward them responsibly in the face of rapidly increasing climate instability, development pressures, and the urgent need for far more inclusive access to the natural world by hitherto disenfranchised groups? Bay Nature is an independent nonprofit publication and website with a vision that all people have a close relationship with nature. It has been one of the leading organizations helping connect the people of the Bay Area to the natural world and motivating society to seek to solve problems with nature in mind. In this session leaders in local conservation will share their insights into how to engage specific communities and the broader public through wide ranging volunteer programs, green jobs initiatives and policy innovations to ensure vibrant ecosystems with equitable access to all. Moderated by Kate Golden, Bay Nature’s Digital Editor. With: Annie Burke, the Executive Director of TOGETHER Bay Area, a leading regional voice for resilient lands and watersheds for all the people around the Bay; Yakuta Poonawalla, Associate Director of Community Stewardship and Engagement at the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy; Jessica Sloan, Volunteer Program Supervisor at East Bay Regional Park District; Steven Addison, Conservation Program Manager at Civicorps.
Golden Bear Room, Hotel Shattuck Plaza
March 30th | 4:45 pm to 6:00 pm
Panelists
Steven Addison
Conservation Program Manager
Civicorps
Steven J. Addison, who has 25+ years’ experience in the conservation field, is currently the Manager of Civicorps’ Conservation Program where he facilitates transformational job training and outdoor experiences for young adults. Steven previously worked for the California Conservation Corps (CCC) in many capacities; for the National Park and U.S. Forest services; and for California State Parks.
Annie Burke
Executive Director
TOGETHER Bay Area
Annie Burke is the Executive Director of TOGETHER Bay Area, a regional coalition of organizations working for climate resilience and social equity, and also serves as the co-chair of California's 30x30 Partnership Coordination Committee.
Yakuta Poonawalla
Associate Director of Community Stewardship and Engagement
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy,
Yakuta Poonawalla, the Associate Director of Community Stewardship and Engagement at the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, works to create programs and community partnerships that support stewardship, volunteerism, recreation, conservation and community science efforts. Yakuta, who also serves on the California Landscape Stewardship Network’s JEDI Roundtable and on the board of TOGETHER Bay Area, has written extensively for the National Recreation and Parks Association, the Children & Nature Network, the Center for Humans and Nature, and Bay Nature, and was recently a recipient of Bay Nature’s 2024 Local Community Hero Award.
Jessica Sloan
Volunteer Program Supervisor
East Bay Regional Park District
Jessica Sloan draws on her academic background in Geography and her passion for parks, conservation, and stewardship in her work as the Volunteer Program Supervisor for the East Bay Regional Park District for the last 4 years. She previously spent 6 years with the National Park Service.
Kate Golden
