Board of Directors

John Lehmkuhl

President

John earned degrees in wildlife biology (Humboldt State University), wildlife ecology (University of Montana) and a PhD in forest science (University of Washington).  As a U.S. Forest Service research wildlife biologist, he has worked at both the Olympia and Wenatchee forestry sciences labs, and has had adjunct faculty appointments at EWU, WSU, and UW.  John and his wife, Katherine March, have been active CDLT members since 2002.  John has served on the CDLT Lands Committee for a decade.  John is an active horseman and long-time member of Appleatchee Riders, as well as an all-round outdoor enthusiast. At his Squilchuck canyon log home, newly retired John is most likely to be out in his barn/shop, or at his leather-working bench. As a board member, John will help guide CDLT land stewardship, applying his understanding of wildlife and the ecology of the Pacific NW ecosystems.

“I want to contribute to the excellent work of the CDLT in conserving urban & rural wildlands, which are essential to the high quality of life that we enjoy in north central Washington.  My education and experience with wildlife and wildland ecology and management, and my long-time involvement with the horse community, I hope will add important dimensions to the CDLT Board.”
 

Ann Schaechtel

Secretary / Treasurer

Ann Schaechtel and her husband Don have lived full-time in Leavenworth since 2009 where they enjoy the nearby venues for cross-country skiing, hiking, canoeing, and alpine climbing. She has lived in multiple locations in the US and overseas during her career, first in chemical engineering and then in corporate financial analysis and planning. After escaping the corporate world, she has been active in the Seattle Mountaineers naturalist program and volunteered for nature-oriented organizations including The Nature Conservancy and Leavenworth Spring BirdFest.

"We chose to move to Leavenworth for the sense of community and for the outdoor recreation. CDLT is a part of that as I’ve paddled the White River, birded on Mountain Home, and botanized at Horse Lake. I especially value the organization’s efforts to connect the community with nature through access and education. I’m excited about the opportunity to serve on the CDLT Board of Directors because the organization’s work supports why we wanted to live here."

David Visser

Past President

David Visser maintains a legal practice with an emphasis on trust and estate matters, business matters, and civil litigation. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Seattle Pacific University and a graduate of the Washington State Bar Association Law Clerk Program.

"I grew up hiking and biking in the Wenatchee foothills, where I developed a love for nature and open spaces.  I observed the transactions and growth of the CDLT over the past decade from a distance while attending college in the Seattle area and starting my career as an attorney.  During that time, I developed an appreciation for the strategic and collaborative manner in which the CDLT has approached its mission and ultimately achieved its successes.  After 13 years in the Seattle area, I returned to Wenatchee with my family in 2012.  I became involved with the CDLT on a work project last spring as a way to give back to the trails that I use, and from there increased my involvement by joining the stewardship and trails committees.  I want to help the CDLT achieve its objectives because the success of the CDLT translates to success in developing healthy communities and preserving natural areas for future generations to enjoy"

Andy Dappen

Board Member

Andy Dappen is an outdoor writer and photographer whose work has appeared in many national magazines. In recent years, he has spearheaded the popular Wenatchee Outdoors.org website, a non-profit effort promoting our regional outdoor sports and resources. Andy’s move to Wenatchee twelve years ago with his wife, Jan, and two daughters was largely driven by the area’s immediate access to the outdoor sports and wild places he writes about. He serves on the Land Trust Board to protect the lands and the lifestyle that drew him here. Andy is serving his fourth term on the CDLT Board of Directors and was Board president from February 2004- February 2013.

Geordie Romer

Board Member

Geordie Romer lives in Cashmere, and has been a real estate agent in Leavenworth and Lake Wenatchee since 2004. Previously he spent nine years as backcountry ranger with the National Park Service, most of it in the North Cascades. As a North Central Washington Association of Realtors board member, he worked zoning and land use planning issues. His academic background in environmental policy, wilderness experience, and real estate knowledge bring a unique perspective to CDLT. Geordie is serving his second term on the CDLT Board of Directors.

“Following Aldo Leopold’s rules for intelligent tinkering – ‘save all the pieces’ - finding and saving our ‘important pieces’ is an exciting and noble goal.”

Anne Hessburg

Board Member

Anne Hessburg is an environmental planner for Grette Associate, where she works with shoreline and critical area land use permits. She enjoys making development projects work by helping people coordinate and design their projects in a way that complies with federal, state, and local environmental regulations. As Anne describes it, it is a “win-win situation.” A Leavenworth resident, she is a Planning Commissioner for the City of Leavenworth and serves on the Board of the City’s Residential Advisory Committee. Her professional role and personal involvement in environmental issues provide a rich context for understanding the demographics and stewards of our counties. Anne is serving her second term on the CDLT Board of Directors.

“Land conservation, environmental sustainability and outdoor recreation are part of my everyday life. My values and ethics mirror those outlined in the CDLT mission.”

Steven Milner

Board Member

Steve Milner is a chemical engineer and holds a Master’s Degree in ecology. He has traveled widely, working and teaching engineering internships in developing countries. His ecological research focused on those facets of human cognition influencing environmental attitudes and behaviors. He spent ten years developing environmental curriculum that he used in youth and adult church ministries. Steve and his wife Jill, former members of the Fox Valley Land Foundation, moved from the Chicago area to Lake Chelan in 2006 and immediately established a relationship with CDLT. In his spare time, Steve enjoys using his engineering background to help others understand opportunities, realities and spin associated with alternative sources of energy and fuels and the thermodynamics of climate change. Steve serves on the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and is currently serving a third term on the CDLT Board of Directors. Facilitating the process through which land-owners may preserve their natural heritage is a prime motivator behind Steve’s interest in serving another term.

Chris Stahler

Board Member

Chris Stahler came to Wenatchee in 1969, joining the Wenatchee Valley clinic as a general, vascular, and chest surgeon. He retired from active practice about fifteen years ago but continues to work part-time assisting in surgery. He has been active on several Boards, including North Central Washington Community Foundation, Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, and Wellness Place. Concerned about issues regarding the hills and valleys surrounding our community, he became active with CDLT. Chris is currently serving his second term as a Board member.

Bruce Williams

Board Member

Bruce Williams fell in love with this area while backpacking in the Enchantments in 1971. Today he, his wife Gro Buer, and their daughter live in Leavenworth where they enjoy the natural beauty, the many outdoor activities and the strong sense of community. Bruce is a retired CEO, lawyer and Peace Corps Volunteer and served nearly 20 years on the board of the Cascade Land Conservancy (now “Forterra”).

"I support CDLT because it conserves our natural environment and builds community, literally and figuratively finding common ground among diverse stakeholders. I am excited to serve on CDLT’s board to help our region protect outstanding natural landscapes, enhance world class outdoor recreation and maintain a strong economy"

John Zanol

Board Member

John is part of a fourth generation Wenatchee Valley orchardist family. Growing up, John roamed the dry hills above Orondo and fished in many lakes and rivers with his dad and grandpa. John attended Wenatchee Valley College and graduated from Gonzaga University and the University of Washington School of Medicine. After a residency at the University of Missouri, he worked in Missouri hospitals as an emergency room physician and as a clinical instructor. As a medical director, he frequently brought disparate parties from multiple levels together to find solutions to meet common goals--skills he brings to the CDLT board. Prior to retirement and their move back to Wenatchee in 2010, John and his wife Jane joined CDLT in 2008. He is now a daily user of the foothills trails and, as a new retiree, is an avid canoeist, angler, and hiker.

"I am delighted and honored to participate in CDLT's operation and future. I moved back to our beautiful valley for my family and the land."

Jack Mynatt

Board Member

When Jack was a college professor, he and his family spent 25 summers in Leavenworth, hiking, backpacking, and climbing. Jack has carpentry and electrician skills, used in building two homes. As a PhD psychologist, he taught advanced statistics and research design, authored psychology textbooks, and served as a principal investigator on research grants. After retiring from Bowling Green State University, he became a permanent Leavenworth resident, taking up skiing and kayaking, and joined the CDLT in 2011. The CDLT Board will benefit from Jack’s mathematical and analytical abilities.

“I first came to Leavenworth in 1974 to backpack the Enchantments. I fell in love with the land - the mountains, the rivers, a bit later the shrub-steppe. How can you stand at the top of Windy Ridge on a sunny winter day, look at the Cascades in one direction and the Columbia River in the other, and not feel blessed? But as I've lived in the Wenatchee valley, I've come to love our community, this remarkable group of smart, accomplished, dedicated people, as much as I do the land. How can you be around them and not feel blessed? For me, being on the CDLT Board is a way to give something back for being lucky enough to live here.”

Suzanne Hartman

Board Member

Suzanne Hartman is a 30-year communications professional and dually accredited by both the Public Relations Society of America and the International Association of Business Communicators. Suzanne is Manager of Communications for the Chelan County PUD. She has over twenty years of public relations/public affairs agency experience. She had her own public relations firm for 10 years focusing on environmental PR and sustainability. She successfully sold the firm to a national agency and worked for that agency creating one of the top five national environmental PR practices. She also worked on Capitol Hill in D.C. for Sen. Warren G. Magnuson and Rep. Howard Pollock of Alaska; and she worked for four years in television at two local Seattle network affiliates.

More than two-thirds of my life has been spent exploring and studying the mountains, waters, canyons and plateaus of our beautiful state. To say that I am a conservationist doesn’t quite capture my reality, but it’s close. The Land Trust answers two key questions for me: “Why do I care; and What does it mean to me?” This is a journey I am looking forward to taking with you.

Heather Ostenson

Board Member

Heather Ostenson lives in East Wenatchee, where she has recently founded a baking company. Prior to that, she spent 16 years working in the civil engineering field, is a licensed professional engineer, and was a co-founder and former principal civil engineer of Project Groundwork. She has consulted on a range of municipal and private projects, with a two-year period working exclusively in land development. She serves on the Douglas County Boundary Review Board and volunteers for the Numerica Performing Arts Center and Music Theatre of Wenatchee.

"Much of my professional work of the last decade was for projects and issues pertaining to the planning, development, and management of land, natural resources, and the built environment. The prioritization and balancing of objectives, and consideration of our interactions with and impacts on these environments were, and will continue to be, essential actions. I enjoy learning and innovating, and think those close to me would characterize me as forward-thinking, great with details and developing alternatives and solutions, and as possessing integrity. I place high value on our valley's natural areas and agricultural resources, and think that densification and redevelopment are key to sustainability for our cities. CDLT has had a significant impact on the quality of life in our two counties, and our ability to attract and retain talented individuals in our communities. I look forward to sharing my experience, expertise, and perspective with the Directors, staff, and members of CDLT in support of its initiatives, adaptation, and growth."

Jennifer Korfiatis

Board Member

Jennifer owns a freelance marketing and public relations agency in Wenatchee, and works with a variety of companies throughout the Pacific Northwest. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Wenatchee Valley College where she teaches business, entrepreneurship, and marketing classes, and is a partner in AdventureWenatchee.

“My family spends a great deal of time enjoying the Wenatchee Foothills. I enjoy trail running, my husband is a mountain biker, and my son hikes. As a family, we are so grateful to the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust for their efforts in developing and maintaining this wonderful system, and I believe my involvement with the Board of Directors is one way we are able to give back and help this organization grow.”

Bill Gaines

Board Member

Bill Gaines resides in Leavenworth with his wife Susan and daughter Emily. They have lived in the Wenatchee Valley for about 25 years. Their daughter was born and raised in this fantastic area and she often tells them how fortunate she feels to call this place her home, and how much she enjoys the people and outdoors that are important to our quality of life. Bill is a scientist working in the field of resource conservation. He was a wildlife biologist with the US Forest Service for 27 years, and is now the Executive Director of the Washington Conservation Science Institute, a small natural resource research firm. As a practicing conservationist, Bill understand the importance of education, collaboration, and communication, all grounded in a strong science understanding.

"I have witnessed the growth of the CDLT, from a small grassroots organization to one of the premiere land trusts in our region, if not the country. This has occurred because of the strong and visionary leadership of directors, board members, and staff. The CDLT has, and will continue, to make significant contributions to our quality of life. I consider the opportunity to serve on the board of CDLT as a means of giving back to the communities of the Wenatchee Valley that have meant so much to our family and to future generations.”

Steve Jacobs

Board Member

Steve Jacobs has lived in the Wenatchee Valley area since 1984 and moved to Leavenworth in 2002. Steve and his wife, Juli, love the outdoors and what it has to offer. They enjoy hiking, camping, running and cross country skiing. Steve is a CPA and semi-retired from Confluence Health and served as Controller and CFO for Central Washington Hospital and Vice President of Finance for Confluence Health. Steve has served on various boards including United Way and the Women’s Resource Center and currently serves as the public member of the Washington State Health Care Facilities Authority.

“We are fortunate to live in this special place and it is vital that this wonderland is preserved for current and future generations. The mission and activities of CDLT support this and I am honored to serve as a Board Member.”

Todd Kiesz

Legal Counsel

Born in Eugene, Oregon, Todd earned his law degree from the University of Washington and joined the Wenatchee firm of Jeffers, Danielson, Sonn and Aylward in 1996. His practice areas include estate planning, real estate, corporate and commercial law. Together with his wife Amy and their four children ages five through eleven, he enjoys being part of this community and has been actively involved in different community charities and events through the years. His favorite outdoor pursuits include skiing, biking, running and windsurfing. Todd was awarded special recognition at our 2011 Annual Dinner for his outstanding effort navigating CDLT through the legal issues of complicated land transactions. He has served as Legal Counsel for the Land Trust since 1998.

“I very much enjoy the opportunity to be involved in our community helping to secure the natural resources for the enjoyment of future generations.”