SAN DIEGO, CA, AUG 28, 2023 - San Diego Canyonlands, a regional non-profit environmental leader, announced nine new board members and a new board president. Comprised of educators, environmental experts, and seasoned business leaders, the team will help Canyonlands equitably boost San Diego’s water quality, air quality, natural beauty, climate resiliency, green workforce, property values, access to nature, physical and mental health, and overall quality of life.

“I’m excited by our new board, especially as we embark on several bold initiatives” remarked Clayton
Tschudy, Canyonlands Executive Director. “We want to expand our green-jobs training opportunities for the justice-involved and persons experiencing or at risk of homelessness; examine ways to lessen the cross-border environmental impacts of humanitarian crises like those occurring in Tijuana’s Los Laureles Canyon; and support local conservation planning for the San Diego Citywide Trails Masterplan and the County of San Diego Native Landscape Program. These are brave objectives in addition to everything we already do, and I’m glad to have such talented support to help us succeed.”

USD professor and business owner Kirstin Skadberg was chosen as new board president. Skadberg has a PhD. in ecology, and 25 years of experience spanning organizational professional development, teaching, and public enhancement projects with the City of San Diego, Caltrans, and SANDAG.

Bryan Hill, Project Manager at Torey R. Walker Engineering was named as Secretary, while Sandeep Aujla, Director of Fire Science and Climate Adaptation at SDGE, will continue as Treasurer.

Rounding out the nine-member board are:

Erik Bowlby, Founder, San Diego Canyonlands;
Teddy Cruz, Director of Urban Research, UCSD Center on Global Justice;
Leigh Kyle, Partner and Principal, Spurlock Landscape Architects,
Christina Schaefer, Principal and Owner, Schaefer Ecological Solutions;
Clayton Tschudy, CEO of San Diego Canyonlands; and
Teresa Wilkinson, Director of Environmental Planning at Rick Engineering.

The team started their one-year terms together on July 1. Each member can be elected to serve additional terms if they are enjoying their role, and making good progress towards their individual goals.

“I am honored to lead such an inspiring group, and I look forward to working with them to help San Diego’s sensitive and threatened canyon ecosystems survive and thrive,” said Skadberg.

To learn more, or to read the board member bios, please visit https://www.sdcanyonlands.org/