• Jill Demers

    Executive Director
    707-296-3992

    Jill has served as the HCRCD’s Executive Director since 2015 and has over 15 years of executive leadership experience in both the governmental and nonprofit sectors. She holds an M.S. in Natural Resources – Wildlife from Humboldt State University and a B.A. in Biology from Colby College. Jill has extensive experience managing publicly-funded wetland restoration planning and implementation projects and building lasting collaborative relationships with partners, resource agencies, funders, and the community. Jill is honored to work with the HCRCD’s Board, staff, and partners to support the region’s land stewards.

  • Curtis Ihle

    Assistant Executive Director
    707-498-5930

    Curtis is the Assistant Executive Director and has dedicated over thirty years of service to our community at HCRCD. He has decades of experience working with a variety of landowners and agency representatives in designing, implementing, evaluating, and reporting on a wide variety of water quality improvement, fisheries, watershed restoration, and resource conservation projects. Mr. Ihle excels at building cooperative relationships with Humboldt County landowners to identify resource problems and develop solutions.

  • Anita Hipp

    Office Manager
    707-832-6322

    Anita has been the Office Manager since 2020. She has 3 years of experience in governmental accounting related to Special Districts and currently manages the financial accounting of federal, state, and local grants and contracts. Additionally, she enjoys supporting the organization’s staff and programs.

  • Doreen Hansen

    Program Manager (Watershed Restoration)
    707-498-1072

    Doreen is the Program Manager for the Watershed Restoration program. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from UC Santa Cruz and a Master of Science in Natural Resource Economics from UC Davis. She has dedicated herself to restoring and enhancing natural habitats across diverse landscapes, from the Sierra Mountains to the coastal regions of Humboldt. Her experience includes lecturing and conducting research as an associate researcher at Cal Poly Humboldt, focusing on the intersection of economics and natural resources. She has also dabbled in healthy soil practices and enjoys developing working partnerships within the environmental and conservation sectors.

  • Katrina Henderson

    Program Manager (Forest Health)
    707-496-4849

    Katrina is the Program Manager in the Forest Health and Fire Resilience program. She holds a Bachelor of Science with a major in Environmental Science and a minor in Biology from the University of Oregon. She joined the Humboldt RCD in June 2023 after working in botany and forestry positions for the California State Parks, North Coast Redwoods District, and the Coastal San Luis RCD. She is passionate about implementing best practices for the stewardship of our resources and building local partnerships. In her free time, Katrina enjoys hiking, practicing yoga, spending time on the beach, and gardening.

  • Jake Taulbee

    Program Manager (Ag Enhancement)
    707-672-4125

    Jake is the Program Manager for the Agricultural Enhancement program. Jake began his career with Humboldt County RCD in February 2020 after working for Yolo County RCD and Solano County Water Agency. Jake received a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Ecological Restoration, from Humboldt State University in 2017. He is passionate about creating an ecologically and financially resilient agricultural community that can withstand unforeseen challenges in the short and long term. 

  • Alex Cunha

    Program Manager (Regional Forest Health)
    707-599-5484

    Alex joined Humboldt County RCD in October 2024 as a Regional Forest Health Program Manager.  His position serves the North Coast Durable Collaborative – a group of 11 North Coast RCDs that came together in 2019 to increase coordination, streamline program delivery, and amplify program outcomes for forest resilience in the North Coast Region. Alex most recently comes from the Oregon Department of Forestry where he worked as a Coordinator for the Southwest District’s NRCS program advancing wildfire resilience projects on private nonindustrial forestland.  Prior to that, he worked under the big skies of Eastern Montana as an Organizer for the Northern Plains Resource Council supporting community-led conservation campaigns. Alex was raised in Humboldt and is glad to be back home behind the Redwood Curtain. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Evolutionary Biology from Harvard University and in his free time enjoys walking out in the woods or catching the game downtown with friends.  

  • Travis Massey

    Project Coordinator (Watershed Restoration)
    707-498-3687

    Travis is a Project Coordinator in the Watershed Restoration program. He holds a Bachelor of Science from CalPoly Humboldt in Environmental Science and Management – Geospatial Science and Scientific Scuba Diving. He joined HCRCD in July of 2024 after working for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife as an Environmental Scientist monitoring salmonid populations in the South Fork Eel River for the Coastal Watershed Planning and Assessment Program. Travis is passionate about working with Humboldt County’s community members to develop restoration projects that benefit landowners and sustainably enhance the environment. During his free time, he enjoys surfing, diving, fishing, and woodworking.

  • Megan Kownurko

    Project Coordinator (Ag Enhancement)
    707-498-7566

    Megan is a Project Coordinator in the Agricultural Enhancement Program. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Resource Management with minors in Environmental Soil Science and Watersheds & Water Resources, and a certificate in Agricultural Stewardship and Conservation from Penn State University. She joined the HCRCD in September 2024. Prior to this role, she served an Americorps term in the Watershed Stewards Program at the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board and interned at the Centre County Conservation District in Pennsylvania. Megan is eager to support the local agricultural community. In her free time, Megan enjoys painting, playing the flute, and spending time outside.

  • Giorgio Zampaglione

    Project Coordinator (Habitat Restoration)
    707-498-1180

    Giorgio is a Project Coordinator in the Habitat Restoration Program. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Geography from the University of Bristol and a Master of Science in Remote Sensing and GIS from the University of Edinburgh. He joined HCRCD in April of 2025. Prior to this role, he served a full term as a Team Lead with the AmeriCorps NCCC ForestCorps program serving in various National Forests throughout California and Arizona working on various natural resource management projects. Giorgio is excited to start working in this beautiful corner of the world and to contribute to meaningful restoration projects which benefit the local community and environment. During his free time, he enjoys mountain biking, surfing, climbing, and skiing.

  • Olivia Lopes

    Project Coordinator (Forest Health)
    (707) 498-9209

    Olivia is a Project Coordinator in the Forest Health and Wildfire Resiliency program. She received a Bachelor of Science in Rangeland Resource Science with an emphasis in Wildland Soils from Humboldt State University in 2014. She joined the Humboldt County RCD in July 2025 after working in a similar position with the Willow Creek Fire Safe Council and spent many years working at local organic food farms. Olivia is passionate about promoting healthy landscapes through sustainable forestry and agricultural practices. In her free time, Olivia enjoys gardening, cooking, roller skating, and hanging out with her dogs.

  • Zoë Ziegler

    Project Coordinator (Forest Health)
    707-599-1512

    Zoë is a project coordinator in the Forest Health and Fire Resilience program. She joined the HCRCD in July 2025 and is passionate about empowering local community members to become land stewards and fostering resilient forests and ecosystems. Previously she worked on a local fruit and veggie farm and was a stewardship coordinator for a local land trust. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Environmental Biology from UC Berkeley and a Master of Science in Natural Resources from Cal Poly Humboldt. In her free time, she’s an enthusiastic member of the Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association, a spontaneous triathlete, and a lover of free-flowing rivers.

  • Petra Engstrom

    Project Assistant (Ag Enhancement)
    707-599-0995

    Petra is the Project Assistant with the Agricultural Enhancement team at the Humboldt County Resource Conservation District. While she focuses her time on conservation planning, she also cherishes her time in the field connecting with farmers and ranchers. She graduated from UC Davis in 2023 with a degree in Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems and French, while also competing as a member of the university’s NCAA D1 gymnastics team. Over the last four years, she has worked on several farms across California, France, and England. She served as a GrizzlyCorps fellow with HCRCD before earning a staff position. She is passionate about soil health, food justice, and biodiverse agroecosystems. In her free time, you can find Petra hiking, doing handstands, and running around Humboldt.

  • Matt Settelmayer

    Project Assistant (Habitat Restoration)
    707-296-0009

    Matt is a Project Assistant with the Habitat Restoration Program. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Geography with a Minor in GIS from Cal Poly Humboldt. Prior to joining the HCRCD, He worked as a Field Crew Supervisor with the Mattole Restoration Council working on native revegetation projects through the Lost Coast and Kings Range wilderness areas. He also worked with the Redwood Community Action Agency contributing to invasive plant mitigation projects throughout wetlands within the Humboldt Bay Area. He is excited to continue to apply these experiences to help restore the sensitive ecosystems that make Humboldt County unique.