Jim Danza, Chair
Jim has been an Assistant Professor of Geography at Oxnard College since 2016. Courses include Physical Geography with Lab, Weather and Climate, and California and World Geography. Previously, he taught part-time at Ventura College for 16 years. His degrees are in Geography and Environmental Studies. He is a certified planner under American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).
Early in his career he was a water resources planner at a municipal water district. He later became a civilian at Naval Base Ventura County as an environmental planner and then Head Planner for the Base, totaling 21 years.
He is a Board Member (emeritus) with Friends of the Los Angeles River and Head of the Technical Advisory Board for more than 10 years. His work has influenced watershed policy in Los Angeles County and planning across the Navy.
He enjoys hiking and backpacking. His travels have taken him to most of North America with 27 countries visited.
Ron Bottorff, Founder
Ron grew up in central Illinois along the Mississippi River and has lived in Ventura County since 1957. He retired in 1992 after 40 years in the aerospace industry, having worked most of that time on propulsion systems for unmanned aircraft. Since retiring, he has devoted most of his time to environmental causes, especially those aimed at preserving California’s biological diversity. He founded Friends of the Santa Clara River in 1993 and has been its chairman ever since.
Ron participated for 13 years on the Santa Clara River Enhancement and Management Plan, served four years as the public member of the Ventura County Local Agency Formation Commission, and three years as a founding member of the Ventura County Ag Futures Alliance. He was also a founding member of the Ventura County Civic Alliance and served 14 years on its executive committee.
Past hobbies have included birding, hang gliding, paragliding, kayaking and many years of backpacking and poking around Sierra Nevada summits. Currently, reading has to pretty much suffice.
Lynne Plambeck, Treasurer
As a 40 year resident of the Santa Clarita Valley, Lynne has had the opportunity to promote sustainability and protection of the Santa Clara River and our community as the Valley grew and developed. Her activism started with the successful attempt to save the oaks on Valley Street, continued through her work on Elsmere Landfill and the CEMEX mine and goes on today with efforts to ensure a clean, healthy and adequate water supply. She has participated in many non-profits throughout the SCV, but especially focuses on local sustainability and the environment. She managed and often wrote for the Signal Newspaper’s “Environmentally Speaking” column for approximately 8 years.
Lynne holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from California State University at Northridge with post graduate work in business and languages. She owned a small manufacturing business in Burbank for 25 years.
Elected Positions
- Los Angeles Local Agency Formation Commission 1993-97
- Five – term Board member of Newhall County Water District, President 2004
- Board Member, Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency to present
- Ground water Committee, Association of California Water Agencies
Non-profit Positions
- President, Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and the Environment (SCOPE)
- Board Member Friends of the Santa Clara River
- Board member, Sierra Club, Angeles Chapter
- Board member Public Officials for Water and Environmental Reform (POWER)
- Member, Social Justice Committee, Unitarian Universalists of the Santa Clarita Valley
Awards
- Carla Bard Water Advocacy Award 2000
- National Sierra Club for work on the Santa Clara River 2007
- Sierra Club National Service Award 2007 for work on the Santa Clara River
- Angeles Chapter Sierra Club Weldon Heald Conservation Award 2004, Conservation Service Award 2012
- Named one of Santa Clarita’s 51 most influential people in 2004, 2006,
- Planning and Conservation League for Water Policy Advocacy 2011
- Truman Volunteer of the Year
- 2014 Democrat of the Year – 38th AD
Sandy Hedrick
Sanger Hedrick – a Ventura County native, Stanford graduate, USC MBA graduate, and a third generation citrus grower – began his professional career in 1966 as an analyst with Economics Research Associates of Los Angeles. He co-founded Development Economics Inc. of Redondo Beach but later returned to Ventura and established a career in Real Estate Consulting, Brokerage, Investments and Property Management. For twenty years and counting, Sanger has been the President and part owner of Hedrick Properties, Inc., a property management and citrus farming firm. In 1999, Sanger completed negotiations with the California Coastal Conservancy for sale of a major portion of his family’s ranch for conservation protection and ultimately part of the Santa Clara River Parkway. This portion of the parkway is now under the stewardship of Friends of the Santa Clara River.
Since then, he has been involved in numerous activities in the areas of conservation and restoration on the Santa Clara River. He is currently on the Board of The Ventura Audubon Society (VAS) and The Friends of The Santa Clara River (FSCR).
Barbara Wampole, Vice Chair/Founding Member
Janet Bergamo
Biography coming soon.
Andy Prokopow
Andy was born in Troy, Michigan and studied at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Michigan. There he obtained his degree in mechanical engineering in 1961. He became a Ventura County resident in 1965. He worked as a federal civil service general engineer with the Naval Air Systems Command for 34 years and is now retired. In addition to being part of the board of directors with the Friends of the Santa Clara River, Andy is also the treasurer and newsletter editor with the Ventura County Environmental Coalition, works with SOAR, the Ormond Beach Task Force and was a member of the 2015 Ventura Charter Review Committee.
Candice Meneghin
Candice is a Biodiversity Conservationist bringing a multidisciplinary and international perspective to environmental management and conservation, with several years’ experience managing natural resources including threatened and endangered species, integrated watershed management, environmental law compliance, and protected area management and expansion in her native South Africa.
Since joining CalTrout in 2012, Candice has chaired and coordinated the Santa Clara River Steelhead Coalition covering Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, overseen CalTrout’s litigation on the Santa Ynez watershed in Santa Barbara, secured implementation and planning funds for an array of priority Southern California Steelhead restoration projects, and implemented legislative outreach and advocacy for CalTrout’s work statewide.
Candice is a member of the Matilija Coalition and Matilija Dam Removal Funding Committee, West Fork San Gabriel River Working Group for Cogswell Reservoir operations, a Director of the Fillmore and Piru Basins Groundwater Sustainability Agency, California Fish Passage Forum Vice-Chair, participates in the Malibu Creek Ecosystem Restoration Project (Rindge Dam removal) technical advisory committee, and represents CalTrout in both the Santa Felicia Dam and South State Water Project FERC Relicensing processes on Piru Creek on the Santa Clara River watershed.
Candice lives in the Santa Monica Mountains with her husband and two dogs. She enjoys cooking, hiking, and is still trying to conquer the art of fly fishing.
Travis Kinworthy
Travis is a California native born and raised in Santa Barbara County. He grew up exploring the local beaches, lakes and mountain trails and continues to spend his free time outdoors enjoying nature. Travis relocated to Ventura County in 2000 continuing his career in Quality control for a local semiconductor manufacturing company. In 2007, he left the nine to five grind and started a small distribution business he operated until selling in 2015. Since then he has been a self-directed options and futures trader.
Introduced to The Friends of Santa Clara River in 2018, Travis was so impressed by the accomplishments of the board that he wanted to contribute as a volunteer. He recognizes the importance of environmental protection, nature preservation and conservation throughout the largest watershed in Ventura County. As a new board member in 2020, Travis hopes to raise awareness regarding the Santa Clara River watershed and assist in furthering community involvement to help restore and protect the natural resources provided by this vital fresh water system.
In the evenings and on weekends you’ll likely find Travis cycling around the Conejo Valley, open water swimming near the Santa Clara River Estuary and indulging at local coffee shops. Travis holds a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management from the University of LaVerne. He has also completed graduate course work in Sustainable Natural Resources from Oregon State University.
Friends of the Santa Clara River 