Mother Lode Land Trust Board of Directors

Mike Kirkley, President
Sutter Creek
Mike has lived in Sutter Creek since 1988 and is married with two grown children. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Management and Master of Science in Agriculture from Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo and is a Registered Professional Forester. Mike recently retired from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection as an Assistant Chief where he managed Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp and supervised all fire protection operations in Amador County. Mike has worked as a Community College instructor, State University lecturer, research forester, timber appraiser and consulting forester. Mike has served on the Sutter Creek City Council and the Amador County Planning Commission and is currently a Sutter Creek Planning Commissioner and is passionate about sound land use planning. He is a small timberland owner and enjoys hiking, fishing, kayaking, hunting and motorcycle riding.

Bob Dean, Vice President
Mountain Ranch
Bob Dean is the President of the Calaveras County Water District and a long time resident of Calaveras County. He is active in many environmental organizations as well as the Calaveras County Planning Commission. He plays an active role in the revision of the county’s general plan.

Stephanie Moreno, Secretary
Sacramento
Stephanie Moreno was a founding member of the Amador Land Trust, and joined the Mother Lode Land Trust Board after returning to the Sierra Foothills, where her family has had its roots for six generations. A former Amador County Supervisor, she is active in agricultural and natural resource conservation issues, and served as the Public Outreach Coordinator for the Amador Resource Conservation District.

Scott Oneto, Treasurer
Jackson
Scott is the Farm Advisor and County Director with the University of California Cooperative Extension in Tuolumne County. Scott’s family has a long history in California agriculture. As a fifth generation of Amador County, Scott’s family has been raising livestock, growing timber, and growing fruits and vegetables since the early 1800’s. Scott graduated from U.C. Davis with a Bachelors degree in plant biology and a Master’s Degree in Weed Science.

Affiliations: Society of Range Management, Society of Range Management California Pacific Section, California Invasive Plant Council, California Weed Science Society, Western Society of Weed Science, National Association of County Agricultural Agents, California Association of Farm Advisors and Specialists, California Cattlemen’s Association, Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals

Susan Bragstad
Amador City
Susan is a retired architect and current olive farmer and olive oil producer. Susan was formerly a city councilmember in Amador City, as well as the vice mayor, mayor, and treasurer.

Dan Port
Ione
Dan Port and his wife Susan operate Winterport Farm near Ione. Susan's family (Winter) has been farming in the area since 1867 and their 180 acre farm has been in the family for almost 100 years. For years the farm was a dairy like many others in the Ione and Jackson Valleys but Susan's father sold the dairy in 1970 because of pressure from milk processors to get big or get out.

In 1980 Susan and Dan began growing melons for their roadside stand and farmers markets. Over the next 20 years the farm was their sole source of income and grew to become a diversified enterprise which included production and sales of melons, vegetables, strawberries, bush berries, pumpkins, Christmas trees, beef cattle, and hay.

In the late 1990's, Susan returned to the teaching profession to provide for the college expenses of their two children, Jeff and Carina. Susan is a Reading Specialist teaching at Jackson Junior High School. Jeff has graduated from Stanford University with a History major and is currently working for the Penninsula Open Space Trust. Carina is a student in Wildlife Conservation Biology at U C Davis.

For many years Dan was a Board member of the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), a farmer/environmentalist organization which promotes small farms and sustainable agriculture.

Susan and Dan believe that MLLT provides a means of saving the foothill way of life from developers who would be happy to see Amador and Calaveras counties look like Sacramento as long as they can make a buck. They want to preserve the working landscapes of farms, ranches, and sensibly logged forests along with the public lands which make the foothills a great place to live.

Kevin Bonneau
Volcano
Kevin’s family has been ranching in the mother lode for generations. He attended Amador High School and then went on to UC Davis where he studied Political Science and Economics. After college Kevin returned home and took a job at the local sawmill. During this time he also traveled and worked extensively in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Kevin currently manages real estate holdings and advises or serves on seven for profit and non-profit boards.

Carlan Meyer
Placerville
Carlan V. Meyer was born in Placerville, CA on July 4th 1940. He grew up in the Placerville area and graduated from El Dorado High School in 1958. Carlan went on to attend American River College where he received his AA degree and a certificate in Real Estate. After American River, Carlan transferred to Sacramento State University where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics.

Carlan has been married to his beautiful wife Susan for 48 years and they have a son, Michael and twin daughters, Monica and Veronica. In 1973 the Meyer family purchased a ranch on Highway 49/Coloma Road where, to this day they grow apples, peaches, pears and raise Polled Herefords.

In 2003 Carlan retired from the El Dorado County Assessors office where he worked for 38 years. He has also recently retired from 34 years with the Placerville volunteer fire department and is also past member of the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers and Certified State Appraiser.

Currently Carlan is a member of the Native Sons of the Golden West; Director/past president of the El Dorado County Farm Bureau; El Dorado County 4-H leader for 38 years; President of the El Dorado County Julior Livestock Auction; Secretary/Director of the Placerville Fruit Growers Incorporated for 38 years; Dirctor/Chairman of the El Dorado County Resource Conservation District; and Director of the Placerville Grange.

Carlan works as a consulting appraiser and is a new director on the Board of the Mother Lode Land Trust.