Lower Russian River MAC Representatives and Alternates
Nine representatives appointed by Supervisor Hopkins and determined through community application/selection. All members must reside within the district they represent in the Lower Russian River Municipal Advisory Council area. Click here to open an interactive map showing the area boundaries.
What's On This Page?
Forestville District
Representatives
Thai Hilton
Contact: Thai.lrrmac@gmail.com
Term: 2024-2025
AdHoc Committees:
Occupation: Analyst, Sonoma County Department of Health Services, Homelessness Services Division
Community service experience: Board member of the Bay Area Chapter of American Society of Public Administrators (ASPA), Coordinated various volunteer opportunities to help the community of Montezuma, Costa Rica.
Platform: Board member of the Bay Area Chapter of American Society of Public Administrators (ASPA), Coordinated various volunteer opportunities to help the community of Montezuma, Costa Rica.
Goal(s): To raise the voice of the residents of Forestville and to show that community engagement is an effective way to address our concerns. I hope to learn a lot from the community and other committee members. I hope to use my compassion for my community and knowledge to improve this wonderful community.
Lonnie Lazar
Contact: lonbud@gmail.com
Term: 2024-2025
AdHoc Committees:
Occupation: Estate Planning Attorney
Community service experience: Forestville Chamber of Commerce, Sonoma County Bar Association, LEAP Arts in Education Board Member
Platform: Like many who live here, I value what makes Forestville special and I hope to help protect what makes it unique. Some of this includes the sensitive environment, the spirit and intimacy of our town, its small schools, and its semi-rural status. I believe preserving what we value will keep this place feeling like home.
Goal(s): To be an informed representative of my community. I am beginning to meet people in and around Forestville and I am a good listener. I believe I can be of service to this community by conveying a considerate, educated expression of the needs, desires, and concerns of the people who live here, and not just of my own personal opinions, which may not always align with others in the community. When I represent Forestville, I hope to keep in mind that, though we are not all of one voice, we can agree to disagree and still move in positive directions.
Alternate
Lisa Nahmanson
Contact: lisa.rivermac@gmail.com
Term: 2023-2024
Community Stewardship Project, Chair
Occupation: Community Volunteer
Community service experience: Volunteer at Farm to Pantry
Platform: Prior to my 20 years as a small business owner and telecomm professional I worked as a legal aid attorney in San Francisco and Alameda counties, a law student advocate at the Homeless Advocacy Project in San Francisco, a bilingual youth counselor for Larkin Street Youth Services and Guerrero House in San Francisco, and a 6th grade teacher in Brooklyn, NY.
To be kind, anti-racist, and listen to and involve as many people as possible in the community and to seek compromise on issues that impact the community.
Goal(s): to ensure all voices in forestville communities are heard and brought to the MAC, the supervisor's office of District 5 and to the county wide government.
Hacienda District
Representative
Vicki Clewes
Contact: vicki.lrrmac@gmail.com
Term: 2023-2024
Ad Hoc Committee: Communications
Occupation: Retired Legal Professional
Community service experience: CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for Foster Children, ACLU, Food for Thought, Redwood Empire Food Bank, volunteer on the MAC Trash AD Hoc Committee
Platform: I would like to help preserve the beauty of our Lower Russian River environment. With the continuing growth of our tourism economy and climate change it is important to manage the evolving environment in a positive way and balance moving forward with growth in a sustainable way. I’m passionate about animals and how they are integrated into our community. I would like to listen to concerns from and about the unhoused and possible solutions that will work for all.
Goal(s): To learn more about my neighborhood and my neighbors so that I can actively listen to concerns and convey them to the counsel.
Alternate
Brian Andriola
Contact: BAndriola.lrrmac@gmail.com
Term: 2024 - 2025
Occupation: Creative Professional
AdHoc Committees:
Community Service Experience:
Vice president, 2022-2024 Hacienda Improvement Association (HIA): Led neighborhood projects for community improvement, resilience, and disaster preparedness. Responsibilities include community wide communication efforts, committee participation, fundraising, grant acquisition, signage and brochure creation and event organization. Previously served as HIA Secretary (2018). Advocated for and helped secure a FEMA grant to restore a main community corridor affected by the 2019 winter storms. Hunger relief worker/volunteer, Redwood Empire Food Bank.
Platform:
The 2019 winter storms profoundly impacted our community. Personally affected, I navigated the complexities of seeking assistance from county, state, and federal agencies. Transitioning from corporate to government processes, I listened, learned, and adjusted to a different pace to achieve resolve. With mentor support, community assistance, and a commitment to resolution and restoration, I became an advocate for solutions. Partnering with public works, county leaders, and various agencies, I engaged in collaborative problem-solving, gaining respect for community organizing and governance. This experience provided the foundation and inspired a desire to get involved with broader community efforts.
Goal(s):
I aim to help address community concerns and create communication strategies, to be in support of advocacy for road improvements, and to help build neighborhood resiliency. Serving as your Hacienda MAC Alternate to Vicki Clewes, my goals are to assist with communication, to raise awareness of MAC's role, and to work on community concerns by taking action steps towards solutions. Grateful to have grown up in West Sonoma County, I am committed to preserving and helping to enhance this beautiful community by being of service to you and the office of our 5th district supervisor, Lynda Hopkins.
Rio Nido District
Representative
Pip Marquez de la Plata, Chair
Contact: pipmdlp.lrrmac@gmail.com
Term: 2023-2024
Occupation: Executive Director, Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County
AdHoc Committees: Roads, Committee Chair
Community service experience: Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County (Executive Director), Friends of Rio Nido (Board President), Sweetwater Springs Water District (Board President)
Platform: I want to represent a district that generally feels overlooked, to work with other community members to find common ground and help facilitate dialogue.
Goal(s): To ensure that the issues that face Rio Nido that have a potential to be solved by county government are heard and that the community feels as if they have seat at the table.
Alternate
Jennifer Otten
Contact:
Term:
Occupation:
Community service experience:
Platform:
Goal(s):
Guerneville District
Representatives
Joe Rogoff
Contact: joe.lrrmac@gmail.com
Term: 2023-2024
Committees: Chair, Communications Ad Hoc Committee; Land Use Committee
Occupation: Retired
Community service experience: Ceres Community Project Board Chair and delivery angel, Chair advisor for Community Natural Markets, KOWS radio host, KGGV radio host, Whole Cities Foundation, Whole Planet Foundation
Platform: Our diverse community needs affordable housing to ensure we have enough year-round residents to support our schools and businesses, equitable allocation of state and county funds, realistic plans to update our antiquated infrastructure, and proactive planning for climate change and its effects on our environment.
Goal(s): I hope to be a conduit of information flow through meetings, the River Talk radio show, social media and every way I can. I would like more of the community to be aware of county initiatives and upcoming decisions, and for their voices to reach our supervisor and county agencies. I’d like to be an ear and an advocate for Guerneville.
Spencer R. Scott
Contact:
Term: 2024-2025
Occupation:
Community service experience:
Platform:
Goal(s):
Alternate - Kathleen Dahl
Contact: kathleendahl527@hotmail.com
Term: 2023-2024
Occupation: Reservationist at Casini Ranch Family Campground (background in Banking and long-time Legal Assistant)
Community Service Experience: Guerneville Elementary School Board Member (8 years). Parent Volunteer at Guerneville Elementary School. El Molino Little League Coach and Board Member. Russian River Soccer Board Member.
Platform: Hunger and children in our Community/Volunteerism in our Community
Goal: I am extremely proud of my time as a School Board Member wherein we instituted the breakfast program. For some students, the only meals they have are at school. I would like to assist in a program wherein all children have healthy food to eat. No child should be left behind hungry! Volunteerism in our Community is extremely important. Anything I can do to help is important to me.
Guerneville South / Pocket Canyon District
Representative
Betsy Van Dyke
Contact: emvandyke1@gmail.com
Term: 2023-2024
Committees: Communications
Occupation:
Community service experience:
Platform:
Goal(s):
Alternate
Greg Hennig
Contact: ghennig1801@gmail.com
Term: 2023-2024
Occupation: Financial Software Consultant
Community Service Experience: I am using this position as my entrance to community service locally. I am a former Scoutmaster in the Boy Scouts of America
Platform: I believe in listening to my neighbors in the Pocket Canyon area, and hope to find the compromises we need to balance the divergent needs of all in the area. I believe we must strike a balance between being a neighborhood of full timers, summer dwellers, and vacationers. All are important to maintain a vibrant community, both for the residents and business in the Lower Russian River area.
Goals: My first goal will be to advocate for our fair share of dollars to maintain and enhance our law enforcement, fire, and infrastructure needs. Secondly, I believe we need to support those who are not able to find basic needs – food and shelter – and want to accept the services that we may be able to offer. Third, I believe we should lobby our law enforcement to ensure that existing laws are enforced, including things like noise, traffic and vagrancy for those who are not willing to accept services that we may be able to provide. I’m sure there will be other goals discovered as I get further embedded in the community and hear from members of the district.
Monte Rio District
Representative
Cynthia Strecker
Contact: cstrecker.lrrmac@gmail.com
Term: 2023-2024
Occupation: Retired
AdHoc Committees:
Community service experience: Monte Rio Union School District (Board Member)
Platform: I feel that doing this job well means committing to more than just a monthly meeting. It is also necessary to commit to extending ourselves to many groups and individuals within our own community to ensure that we are receiving a well-rounded overview of their needs and perspectives.
Goal(s): I would want to see the river area continue to progress in ways that maintain our diversity, strengthening our relatively strong middle class and safeguard our citizens who are struggling economically.
Alternate - Patricia (Patty) Thayer
Contact: patricia.lrrmac@gmail.com
Term: 2023-2024
Committees: Standing Land Use Committee, Chair
Occupation:
Community service experience:
Platform:
Goal(s):
Cazadero/Duncans Mills District
Representative
Mike Nicholls, Vice Chair
Contact: mcnicholls.lrrmac@gmail.com
Term: 2023-2024
Committees: Land Use Standing Committee
Occupation: Community Volunteer
Community service experience: Wisconsin State Vocational Technical Curriculum Task Force (Governor Appointment), River Area Shelter and Downtown Task Group (Supervisor Appointment), River to Coast Children's Services (Board Member), Cazadero CSD (Board President), Access Sonoma Broadband (Co-Chair), Russian River Rotary (Member)
Platform: I have long felt the lower river region has been underrepresented and many times overlooked in the county conversation, which generally tends to be (Highway) 101-centric. Key goals include expanding the county conversation to include the Lower Russian River region and work to assure a greater share of TOT funding is returned to local communities.
Goal(s): To assist in creating new local jobs, reduce the level of distrust held by many with regard to "the county," and to provide a local ear for residents and leveraging worthwhile opportunities with the balance of the board for the good of the region.
Alternate
Tony Goodwin
Contact: tonythecraftsman@gmail.com
Term: 2023-2024
Occupation: Master Craftsman, public servant, business owner
Community service experience: Cazadero Fire. In addition to being a fire-fighting hero, Tony started the GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) in the Austin Creek neighborhood after the Tubbs fires. The neighbors in Austin Creek have developed a local radio network to relay news and check in on each other during disasters. After the success of this example in Austin Creek, teams in Fort Ross, Timber Cove, Cazadero and beyond have purchased radios, set up networks, placed repeaters, and set up procedures for disaster communications.
Platform:
Goal(s): Working to empower the community and show them their voice matters and how important it is to be heard.
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