Dear Friend, After seven years as Executive Director of EAC, I will be stepping down on September 13th to take on a new role as aide to Marin County District Four Supervisor, Dennis Rodoni. “You can’t leave EAC!” my daughter, Reese, said to me when I told her I was planning on taking a new job. Since she was three years old, I have been involved with EAC in one way or another, and she’s having a tough time imagining me in any other position where she can’t visit Mom’s work to create climate change protest signs or give away native plant seeds to the public. My youngest, Abigail, who was EAC’s youngest-ever attendee to the Point Reyes Birding Festival in 2017–at only four weeks–is also having a hard time adjusting to this change. Despite their disappointment, I am happy I’ve been able to be a strong role model, demonstrating you can follow your passion while also being a mother. Making this decision to leave EAC has been difficult; I love my job and the community that has held me and my family for the last seven years. However, I know this is the right time for me to make a transition, and I am leaving with the knowledge that I am creating space for new leadership to continue to lift EAC with the foundation created during my tenure. My departure is only happening because I was ready for change and an opportunity presented itself that allows me to pursue broader community service for coastal Marin. I am grateful to the incredible staff, volunteers, board, and generous donors who made my work at EAC possible. Together, we expanded and created programs to safeguard our coast and oceans, protect public lands, defend resilient watersheds, reduce trash and toxins in our environment, reduce carbon pollution, advocate for climate resilience and mitigation, foster future environmental advocates, and provide a variety of outreach and engagement events designed to build appreciation and respect for the natural environment. Looking Back My journey at EAC began in 2012, I am proud to say, as an intern. Later, in 2014, I joined the EAC team in a development and program manager capacity, primarily overseeing the Marine Protected Area (MPA) Watch program and helping with membership. In 2016, I applied for the Executive Director position and didn’t look back! When I began my journey as Executive Director, we had a single staff person…me, and, thankfully, a dedicated Board of Directors who were eager to support my transition to the role and realize a shared vision for EAC’s future. During my tenure as Executive Director, I worked to build an outstanding team to support the Board of Directors, membership, programs, and operations. Accomplishments & Teamwork The team at EAC is responsible for the many accomplishments of the last seven years, and I know they will continue to strive for excellence upon my departure. Today, I feel like we have achieved many of our goals thanks to the diligence of our dynamic staff and our committed Board of Directors who worked collaboratively to deliver our mission of environmental advocacy, education, and community-centered programs!
- I am proud of our advocacy work in partnership with Ashley Eagle-Gibbs, Legal and Policy Director, to protect agricultural lands from development; protect Point Reyes National Seashore’s biodiversity and water quality; safeguard the Tomales Dunes from development; protect Tomales Bay and its watersheds from harmful development and pollution; to uphold the California Coastal Act to protect irreplaceable coastal resources in coastal Marin County and beyond; and to support young advocates fighting to reduce single-use plastics in our environment who championed the Marin County Reusable Foodware Ordinance with Marin County District Four Supervisor.
- Our community engagement and education programs are thriving, including the MPA Watch program which has trained hundreds of volunteers and brings in college interns each year to collect data that informs resource management decisions in and near California’s network of MPAs; and our protection of Duxbury Reef intertidal area with the creation of our Duxbury Docent program in partnership Bolinas residents and Marin County Parks. These programs have grown since I started with EAC to the point where I welcomed a new team member, Leslie Adler-Ivanbrook, Program Director, who took the reins in 2021. As I told her when I hired her, I was giving her my babies, and she has proven to be an effective manager and loves these programs as much as I do.
- We have expanded our community outreach and engagement with programs like the annual Point Reyes Birding and Nature Festival and the creation of our environmental educational space in our office in downtown Point Reyes Station. The festival has expanded since 2019, welcoming hundreds of people from all over the globe to experience exceptional birding in Marin and Sonoma Counties at the height of the spring migration. The festival has become a major fundraiser thanks to the efforts of Jessica Taylor, our Development Director, who worked to modernize and update the structure of the event since she joined our team in 2016. Our newest public education venture includes creating educational office exhibits where we provide environmental education to our residential and visiting community. Since 2022, we have engaged with more than 1,400 people, building new relationships and partnerships.
- Our newest campaign, acting as the fiscal sponsor for the Cleaner California Coast campaign, is a partnership with Marin, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties and Leave No Trace focused on reducing trash and litter through a coordinated messaging campaign. We welcomed Madeline Nieto Hope as a Program Coordinator to the team, and promoted our long-time intern, Grace Milstein, as Communications Associate to support this project.
- Our Coastal Advocate and Legal and Policy internship program has expanded under the guidance of Leslie Adler-Ivanbrook and Ashley Eagle-Gibbs, creating opportunities for students to gain real-world experience every year while helping to further our mission. This summer, the internship presentations of their summer project work highlighted the importance of this program and our work in the future.
- And finally, I am proud of the overall community engagement and growth of EAC since I took the helm in 2016. Thanks to the partnership with our Development Director, Jessica Taylor, and our Board of Directors, we have increased our annual membership by 150% and developed a robust giving program to support our environmental advocacy programs to realize our mission and vision. The success of our giving program shines when we reflect on our 50th anniversary where we raised $100k to hire new positions and build our reserve while also ensuring our giving programs support the important work that would not otherwise happen without the generosity of our membership.
When this team started at EAC, we worked collectively through our strategic plan to lift EAC. Today, I am so proud of all that we have accomplished with your support, and I know this strong team will continue to deliver EAC’s mission to protect the lands, waters, and biodiversity we all love in West Marin. Looking Forward I am happy to let you know the Board of Directors has named Ashley Eagle-Gibbs, EAC’s Legal and Policy Director, Interim Executive Director to ensure a smooth transition. Ashley has been a dedicated member of the EAC team for over seven years, first as our Conservation Director before being promoted to Legal and Policy Director in 2021. Bridger Mitchell, Board President, will be sharing additional communication about Ashley’s role in the coming weeks. Ashley brings her legal and policy experience as an attorney, a deep understanding of EAC, a fresh perspective, and strong managerial skills to her position. I am confident she will ensure EAC continues to deliver exceptional programs and advocacy to protect the places we love. If you have not had a chance to see Ashley in action, tune into a Coastal Commission or Fish and Game Commission meeting to see her advocating for our coast, biodiversity, and public lands. She is very well respected statewide by our coastal advocacy community, partners, and agencies. I hired Ashley a few months after I accepted the Executive Director position, and since that time she has been my “right hand” as we always have so much to do at EAC. Transition Planning My last day with EAC is Wednesday, September 13th. I am working closely with Ashley, our team, and the Board of Directors to ensure a smooth transition. If you have any questions, please contact me at the office by calling, stopping by, or sending me an email. Uncertainty is common in any transition. The transition also offers new possibilities. I am confident that with Ashley at the helm, EAC will benefit from a fresh perspective and continued strong support of our core programs and advocacy campaigns. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of EAC’s story! I remember stepping into these shoes seven years ago and being humbled to take on the role and leading a long-standing organization with a history of effective environmental advocacy and stewardship. Looking back at my announcement in 2016, much of what I said at that time still applies today. I am so grateful to everyone who made this journey possible for me and for the chance to lead an organization like EAC! “West Marin has always been a part of me,” Patton said. “I spent most of my childhood in Dogtown on my great-grandmother and great-aunt’s property. I have fond memories of Bolinas and Stinson beaches, horseback riding on our trails, and exploring the outdoors with my cousins. Not many people have the chance to nurture the community and environment that nurtured them, and I appreciate this wonderful opportunity to give back.” - Morgan Patton, January 15, 2016 I am excited about EAC’s future and look forward to continuing to be involved with the organization as a member and volunteer at the many stewardship, outreach, and educational events EAC offers to our community in coastal Marin County. In community, |
