Board and Staff

Mickey Kantor
Founder of the LA Conservation Corps
Mickey received a Bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University in 1961. After four years of service as a naval officer, he went on to study law at Georgetown University's Law Center. He practiced for 17 years at the law firm of Manatt, Phelps, Phillips & Kantor in Los Angeles, where he was instrumental in building a relationship between the LA Conservation Corps and Manatt, Phelps and Phillips, which, to date, has provided countless hours of pro bono assistance to the LA Corps, and also valuable board members and financial support. Mickey continues to remain actively involved with the Corps and its fundraising and public outreach efforts.

Jack Sahl, Ph.D.
President and Chair of the Board
As Director of Environment & Resource Sustainability for Southern California Edison, Jack D. Sahl is responsible for coordination of SCE’s sustainability programs for internal operations. This includes activities related to energy and water efficiency at SCE facilities; increasing transportation and transport fuel efficiency; chemical management; reuse, recycle and waste management; and working to ensure product life-cycle performance that is integrated with the SCE Supply Chain. Prior to this assignment, Jack headed SCE’s Corporate Environment, Health & Safety department and was responsible for all aspects of worker safety and environmental policy and programs for the company’s work force of 15,500. A former research scientist and founder of a consulting company, Jack has 35 published scientific reports and has worked in Canada, Europe, Australia and Japan. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of La Verne and holds master’s degrees in epidemiology and environmental health from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and the University of Minnesota, respectively. He earned a doctorate in epidemiology from UCLA.

Bruce Saito
Executive Director
Bruce has a long history of outstanding service to Los Angeles and California. In 1976, he joined the California Conservation Corps (CCC), working with youth at various locations throughout the state, where he served for 10 years. He is recognized both locally and nationally as an expert in procuring and managing conservation corps projects. Bruce was also instrumental in coordinating emergency efforts during the Los Angeles floods and fires in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, the 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest and the 1994 Northridge Earthquake.
In 1985, Bruce was hired by former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Mickey Kantor, to be part of a team to start the LA Conservation Corps. Since 1995, Bruce has served as the organization’s Executive Director.
In addition to his work at the LA Conservation Corps, he is the past president and current VP of Legislation of the California Association of Local Conservation Corps (CALCC), the organization that represents the 12 certified conservation corps covering most of the state’s urban areas from San Diego to Marin. He also serves on the Boards of the Los Angeles Community Garden Council, Infrastructure Academy, LA Neighborhood Land Trust and the Little Tokyo Senior Nutrition Program. In 2003, Governor Schwarzenegger appointed Bruce to serve on the Board of the State Board of Forestry and in 2010 Bruce became a founding Board member of the Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation. Bruce is also a Member of the California Prison Industry Authority Board. He has been recognized for his service by the City and County of Los Angeles, the State of California and the federal government, and has been honored with a National Philanthropy Day Outstanding Professional Award. Bruce received his bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University.
Recently, Bruce was awarded a Durfee Sabbatical Award in the summer of 2006 to honor his many years of dedicated service to the youth of Los Angeles.

Dan Knapp
Deputy Director
Dan was promoted to his current position in January 2008 after 11 years of outstanding service to the Corps. For nine (9) years, Dan served as the Corps' Division Director of our conservation programs and services, which engage youth between the ages of 13 and 24, and was responsible for over $13 million in project funds. His prior experience at the Corps also includes teaching environmental science to at-risk youth and managing the implementation of environmental service projects, including the Department of Water & Power's Trees for a Green LA program and Cool Schools project. He proves his dedication to environmental work by serving on the advisory boards for two (2) Corps program's EarthWorks Community Farm and the SEA Lab. He is an active volunteer with a local Girl Scout troop near his home in Huntington Beach. In addition to his conservation corps work, Dan sits on the Board of Directors of the National Forest Association, and serves on the advisory committee for Million Trees LA. Dan holds a bachelor's and a master's degree in Geography from California State University, Long Beach. He is also an ISA-certified arborist (WE-6295-A) and a Master Gardener.

Cheryl Petersen
Director of Finance
Cheryl is currently the Director of Finance for the Los Angeles Conservation Corps. She joined the Corps in February 2008 with 20 years of accounting experience, including more than 15 years experience in nonprofit fiscal and organizational management. Prior to the Corps, Cheryl was Director of Finance and Operations at the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena, and Controller at both the Loma Linda Veterans Association for Research and Education and the Southwest Museum in Los Angeles. During her career she has worked for organizations with annual budgets of 2 million to 25 million dollars in diverse funding, including all levels of government funding, corporations, foundations and private support and is versed on all levels of required reporting for contracts and grants internally and externally, as well as all required state and federal reporting including informational returns. She works closely with the management and the Board to insure that the organizations’ financial best practices and operations develop with the growth of the organization and continue to support the mission. Cheryl has also managed IT at each organization and is proficient in the installation, development and implementation of nonprofit software that supports fund accounting, and other technology resources to best manage the organizations’ assets to insure streamlined processes and accurate and efficient financial reporting. Cheryl also serves as a consultant for several emerging nonprofit organizations insuring that they develop proper financial reporting practices as they grow their organizations. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University, a Certificate in Federal Grants Management from Management Concepts in Washington DC and is currently participating in continued professional development with the Deloitte Center for Leadership and Community.

Cheryl with corpsmember mentee Ocie Williamson.

Lisa Morris
Contract Compliance Officer
Lisa joined LA Conservation Corps in February 2011 with over 15 years of nonprofit and legal experience. She is responsible for ensuring the Corps complies with legal and contractual requirements associated with over 100 funding sources. Lisa also provides oversight for quality assurance and serves as liaison for the Board of Directors on audit-related matters. During her career, Lisa has worked with a number of nonprofits providing health care, child care, housing, and job training to underserved communities. Prior to joining the Corps, Lisa served as in-house counsel at a child care development agency and as an attorney at a legal services organization. Lisa sits on the Board of Directors of a legal services agency and is a member of the Association of Corporate Counsel. Lisa holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from UC Santa Barbara and a juris doctor degree from Pepperdine University School of Law. She is a licensed California attorney and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources.

Bo Savage
Division Director, Conservation Programs
Bo is responsible for overseeing a staff of 80 spread throughout 5 sites across, West, Northeast, East, and South Central Los Angeles who implement the Corps’ numerous conservation programs. His primary responsibility within the organization is to develop and oversee the nearly 4-dozen contracts that the Corps typically undertakes on a yearly basis in order to employ over 1500 corpsmember participants that plant trees, build parks, recycle renewable resources, and many other projects. These urban forestry, habitat restoration, and other conservation-related contracts total in excess of $15 million annually.
Bo has worked at the LA Conservation Corps since 1992, where he has managed a wide variety of projects throughout the years and has worked closely with the Corps’ junior high participants on up through its adult participants. In addition to his responsibilities and experiences at the Corps, Bo also serves as the Vice President for Legislation for the California YouthBuild Collaborative (a statewide youth employment and education consortium), and he serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Los Angeles Education Corps (a charter high school that educates the participants of the LA Conservation Corps). Bo holds a bachelor’s degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies from California State University, Long Beach.

Irene Lopez
Senior Director of Conservation Programs
Irene joined the Corps in 1990 and has served in her current position for the past 10 years. She provides program oversight to four (4) Corps programs and is responsible for an annual $4.5 million budget and for the work and safety of thousands of youth participants each year. These programs include the following: Clean & Green, one of our longest-running youth and workforce development programs that employs 14 to 17 year olds to perform community beautification work throughout the City of Los Angeles; Community Enhancement Teams, which provides clean-up services in various Business Improvement Districts throughout Los Angeles County. She also has responsibility for 44 Young Adult Corps members that work on crew such at the City of LA River Keepers project and the National Emergency Grant . Irene reports to senior management on program activities and evaluates program outcomes. She is a Los Angeles native who has held a number of different positions at the Corps, including Team Leader, Assistant Regional Coordinator and Crew Supervisor. Irene attended East Los Angeles College and is also a Citizen Forester, a program of Tree People. Irene has also served as a volunteer t-ball and softball youth coach in the East Los Angeles community for 20 years.

Brent Scheiwe
SEA Lab Director
Brent has worked with the LA Conservation Corps since January 2005. After serving as the SEA Lab Facility Manager for two years, Brent was promoted to SEA Lab Director in November 2007. He will continue to be the lead project manager on facility improvements, program implementations and federal grant contracts. He will also be responsible for cultivating and maintaining partnerships with government agencies at all levels, local marine science groups, community organizations and environmental educators. Brent is an experienced mentor to the young adults in our internship program as well as a responsible coordinator of all volunteer activities related to facility maintenance and animal care. He has logged over 1200 work-related SCUBA dives and participated in numerous work and marine research-related projects. Since 2005 he has been directly managing the SEA Lab’s public aquarium; marine husbandry research; and animal rehabilitation program. Brent completed a bachelor’s degree from Southern Cross University in New South Wales, Australia majoring in fisheries and aquaculture management. He has eight years of experience in operating and maintaining aquatic systems and caring for a variety of marine organisms.

Tiffany Alexander Aldridge
Director of Fundraising
Tiffany brings more than 16 years of foundation and philanthropic expertise and political expertise to the LA Conservation Corps. As Director of Fundraising her responsibilities include managing the unrestricted fundraising and marketing efforts and special events of the Corps. She also acts as the main liaison for the Board of Directors and Senior Management on fundraising matters. Prior to joining the Corps, she served as Managing Director for Stewart Partners where she provided foundation/philanthropic services to professional athletes, celebrities and high profile individuals. Before Stewart Partners, Tiffany served as the National Director for Development at Rock the Vote and Development Officer at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation where she created new AIDS awareness and education programs that sought to engage minorities and young people. An active member of her community, Tiffany’s charity involvement includes serving on the Advisory Committee of the Cedars Sinai Hospital’s Sports Spectacular and A-MAN, Inc. Additionally, she serves as the Legislative Chair of the Los Angeles Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. A native of Los Angeles, Ms. Alexander Aldridge attended the University of California, Berkeley.

Da Lana Walker
Director for After School Program
Da' Lana was promoted to After School Program Director in August 2010 after 15 years in the program, starting as an AmeriCorps member to most recently serving as Senior Program Manager for the last 7 years. As Director, she provides program oversight to the After School Program, which operates on a $2.4 million budget, and is responsible for the services delivered to over 3,000 elementary and middle school students at 16 sites. As Senior Program Manager, she oversaw a new component of ASP – Professional Development, Training and Leadership, which provides all mandated training and follow-up communication for contract employees, along with professional development opportunities designed to retain staff. She organized all city-wide events, literacy programs, parent and community relations and Categorical Program Monitoring. Da' Lana is a graduate of Dorsey Senior High School and has served on the planning committee for the Middle School University for California’s After School Providers. She also is a Peer Reviewer for the Los Angeles County of Education (LACOE) and serves as a member of the LACOE Workplan Advisory Group. She is a native of Los Angeles and holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix.

Raynetta Winston
Human Resources Director
Raynetta joined the Corps in November 2004. Her primary responsibility involves providing strategic director of the Human Resources Division at the Corps. This includes, but is not limited to the following: compensation, health and welfare benefits, retirement plan, recruitment, performance standards, policies, safety and fleet operations. She is a member of several professional organizations including Professional in Human Resources (PIHRA) and Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and is a founding member of the Covey Coaching Innovation Advisory Board. Raynetta holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Azusa Pacific University. She is also a Certified Coach (issued by Franklin Covey LLC) and completed the Advanced Program in Human Resources at the University of California, Los Angeles’ Anderson Graduate School of Management.

Noel Trout
Executive Director of the Los Angeles Education Corps
Noel is the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Education Corps, the charter school that operates in collaboration with the LA Conservation Corps.
In 1996 he helped found the charter school and served as one of its two original teachers, which at that time operated only in conjunction with the LA Conservation Corps' South Los Angeles site and about 60 students. Since that time the charter school has grown to include two other sites shared by the LA Conservation Corps--a location in Watts called Youth Opportunities High School and a location in the Pico-Union neighborhood known as EcoAcademy High School--and now serves over 600 students annually with a teaching staff of 20.
Noel has an MA in Administration, a BA in Psychology, and teaching credential in English. Prior to working for the charter school, he taught in the Inglewood Unified School District and coached for the Los Angeles Unified School District, and between 1991 to 1996 he worked for the LA Conservation Corps in a variety of capacities.

Board of Directors

Mickey Kantor
Founder

Jack Sahl, Ph.D.
President and Chair of the Board
Southern California Edison

Albert Chavez
Vice Chair, Finance and Treasurer

Ari Swiller
Vice Chair, Development
Renewable Resources Group, Inc.

Mercedes Morton, Esq.
Vice Chair, Policy and Programs

Chris Modrzejewski
Board Secretary
Sage Advisors, Inc.

Chad Brownstein

Scott Budnick
Green Hat Films (formerly TPC)

Teresa Cisneros Burton, Esq.
Academia California

James Carlo Cascone
Deloitte & Touche LLP

Tina N. Castro
The California Endowment

Janet Dreisen Rappaport

Laura Hartigan
Hartigan & Associates

Helenann Hirsch
Attorney

Ann Hollister

Stuart Laff
Rottet Studio

Bryan LeRoy
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP

Mary Leslie
Los Angeles Business Council

Joseph Rakauskas
Alliance Inspection Management LLC

Phil Recht
Mayer Brown LLP

John Rego
Sony Pictures

Heidi Schulman

Miya Sumii
Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office

Janet Teague

Dana S. Treister, Esq.
Munger, Tolles & Olson

Jason Turner
Venbrook

John Van de Kamp, Esq.
Dewey LeBoeuf LLP

Lisa Weinberger, Esq.
Legal Counsel
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP