2021 Toiyabe Chapter Elections

Sierra Club elections have closed. Results coming to this page soon.

Our 2021 Elections Page

Grassroots, environmental democracy is in season! Sierra Club members, please VOTE today to elect next year's executive committees for the Toiyabe Chapter and its groups (Great Basin Group, Tahoe Area Group, Range of Light Group, and Southern Nevada Group). Elections for open Executive Committee seats are open from December 2 through December 31, 2021.

Sierra Club, the nation’s most enduring grassroots environmental organization, is proudly democratic and member-driven. The at-large Chapter and Group delegates you elect guide the strategies and tactics for Sierra Club's work in Nevada and the eastern Sierra in 2022. Your vote ensures this work is guided by local Sierra Club members in an open and fair democratic process.

Vote today!

You will need your Sierra Club membership number to vote. Here is how to find your membership number. You can also call Sierra Club member services at (415) 557-1100.

Cast Your Vote Here. This digital ballot will close after December 31, 2021.

If you hold a joint membership, each individual under the group membership should submit their own ballot using the same membership number. Click the link above, vote for one member, then click the link again, and change the name in the field to the other member's name to cast the second vote.

Listed below are the final slate of candidates for all executive committee positions and their respective biographies. Elected executive committee members fulfill these responsibilities and will serve a 2-year term beginning in February 2022.

Thank you to these Sierra Club members for stepping up to run for office and their willingness to serve!

All active Sierra Club members will receive a ballot in the mail in early December with instructions for voting. Participation by members makes our Sierra Club stronger. Make sure you vote! If you have any questions, call Chapter Director Brian Beffort at 775-848-7783.

Chapter Candidates

Tina Davis

As a member of the Toiyabe Chapter since 2018, I've been engaged with the Legislative Committee, the Political Committee, the Zero Waste Team, and the ExCom. Sierra Club offers the opportunity to feel I have a voice in fighting climate change, environmental injustice, public land grabs, and natural resource decimation. I'm currently Chair of the Toiyabe Chapter Executive Committee, and while it has been a deep dive I would like to continue my work as Chair to keep the momentum going. Since I joined the chapter we've grown by leaps and bounds - we've created a Zero Waste Team, adopted social and environmental justice policies, developed the Nevada Rail Coalition (and subsequently had our Rail Proposal adopted into the Nevada State Transportation Plan), and grew our volunteer base through our Volunteer Engagement Team. I believe in the mission and the goals of our chapter and Sierra Club overall, and am proud of the accomplishments we've made. I share the vision of many ExCom members and I believe we make a great team - I truly enjoy leading the chapter and hope to continue in that role with the support of the chapter membership.

Ashlee Marie Forman

Ashlee Forman

I’m Ashlee Forman, born in Albuquerque New Mexico, raised in Las Vegas, and after several years and many memories, I now lovingly consider Reno, Nevada, my home sweet home.

I began volunteering with the Toiyabe chapter in 2021. Following my first legislative committee meeting, I decided to volunteer as co-chair. I gained invaluable experience organizing meetings, collaborating with members, and learning how to testify and lobby. Meeting after meeting, I was consistently inspired by my team member’s knowledge and dedication. This experience solidified my desire to pursue a career in environmental law and policy, a goal that I am in the process of making a reality.

Now, I am ready for my next volunteer position, this time as a member of the executive committee. I believe my academic and professional experiences have prepared me to be a competent addition to the team.
I graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno, with a degree in environmental science, policy, and planning. While studying, I was awarded a research grant to analyze local food access, and my findings were utilized in the City of Reno’s Climate Action Plan. I then interned with the City of Reno’s Sustainability Manager and contributed as an author for the Climate Action Plan.

After graduating, I served as a disability rights advocate and gained valuable communication and advocacy skills which were, in part, what helped guide the legislative committee through such an impactful session. Additionally, I have a clear understanding of our chapter’s goals and the knowledge necessary to contribute my perspective on key issues. Above all, I am wholly committed to helping the Sierra Club continue its vital climate work and I believe that being a part of the executive committee will provide me with an opportunity to do so. Thank you for your consideration!

Connie Howard

Hello Sierra Club members. I am a 35-year resident of northern Nevada, a passionate conservationist and have served for the last two years on the Toiyabe Chapter ExCom. I am seeking a second term as I believe the Toiyabe Chapter can be a very effective force in statewide conservation efforts and environmental and social justice. Having worked on the ExCom for the last two years, I believe we have more work to do to achieve better strategic planning and internal functionality. The Toiyabe Chapter can be a very powerful voice for Nevadans who care about their wild and built environments and a future where we have protected our public lands, water resources and wildlife resources for all. During the last two years, I also served as Chair of the Conservation and Public Lands Team. This team works on a wide range of issues from banning coyote killing contests, fighting herbicides in Lake Tahoe and stopping military base expansion in both the north and south. The Ex/Com needs continuity to help it become more effective and provide leadership to a diverse and growing grassroots organization.

Having served on a variety of volunteer boards including the Executive Board of the Washoe County Democratic Party and Community Chest, Inc of Storey County, and I understand the purpose and roles of board leadership. The Toiyabe Chapter has suffered from turn over of key leadership over the last year and continuity is needed. The Ex/Com needs to focus on its core areas of responsibility: strategic planning, internal management/personnel, fundraising, JEDI issues (justice, equity, diversity and inclusivity) and team building. The Toiyabe Chapter has a great future as a leader of conservation in Nevada and a strong and focused Ex/Com is needed. Thank you for your vote. We have so much to do here in Nevada!

Finally, I have significant professional background in strategic planning and this is needed by the Chapter as past processes can be improved.

Tanya Flanagan

T Tanya Flanagan ransportation solutions and environmental equity in disadvantaged and aged neighborhoods is important, as is the Sierra Club’s work to impact legislative issues, recycling, conservation, urban sprawl and racial justice. I think my public-service history will be beneficial. I have volunteered for 20 years, organizing cleanups, health fairs, leadership seminars, career days, student conferences, mentoring programs, youth camps, and financial literacy workshops. My past achievements include serving as Western Region Vice President for the National Urban League Young Professionals and founding president of the local auxiliary. I was an Urban League board director and chaired the organization's Community Action Agency Board. I also served on the Las Vegas Urban Chamber of Commerce Board as treasurer, secretary, and was a PAC member. Additionally, I am a member of the Las Vegas Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. I co-chair Leadership Development and previously chaired political advocacy and was the financial secretary. I am a former Clark County Commission liaison and a previous Greater Las Vegas After-School All-Stars board member. With help from retired Metro Police Lt. Hal Edwards, the Outdoor Adventures Program was born to attract inner-city youth to environmental science careers and increase youths’ understanding about natural habitat. I also work with the Camp Brotherhood/ Sisterhood nonprofit taking area children to Camp Lee Canyon each year for a weekend of activities including nature hikes. Last, I am immediate past interim director for Susan G. Komen Nevada and former board president and chair of Multicultural Initiatives. I have worked with various Southern Nevada organizations on community projects. I think my best fit may be your Executive Committee to maximize the benefit of relationships with community leaders. I also think my influence on communities of color will help the Sierra Club build new relationships and lasting partnerships that enhance the future goals of the organization.

Misty Haji-Sheikh

Misty Haji-Sheikh Sierra Club {SC} is one of the largest environmental advocacy groups in the country. The sheer amount of different things that SC works on is very appealing, from climate change to mining, politics to waste reduction, transportation to 30 x30, and more is what appeals to me - and the fact that almost all of us are volunteers.

I have volunteered my entire life from collecting money from my neighbors for various causes as a child to being appointed to the Board of Directors. I love being a volunteer. I have served on these boards: T.A.I.L.S Animal Shelter, DeKalb County Nursing Home and Rehab Center, Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra, DeKalb County Convention and Visitor's Bureau, DeKalb School District 428 Finance Advisory Board and many more. I have also been PTA President and I coached 30 kids soccer teams.

How I am qualified to be an Executive Committee member of the Sierra Club and why I am interested in this position.

I was County Commissioner and Forest Preserve Commissioner and I served on the Finance Committee, Forest Preserve Committee, and Health and Human Services Committee as Chair. Here in Nevada, for Sierra Club, I am currently the SNG Vice-Chair, Social Media person, and the JEDI resource person. I believe that my experience and willingness to work qualifies me to be on the SC ExCom.
How my leadership can make a difference in SNG group efforts.

I have a background in management, including a management degree and a work history that includes running the mail service for the University of Texas at Arlington for 10 years. I have held many positions in leadership, but I am always willing to work with others, celebrate their successes, and learn as much as I can.

Group Candidates

Great Basin Group (GBG)

There are currently no candidates for 4 open seats on the Great Basin Group Executive Committee. Interested in serving as a leader for Northern Nevada Sierra Club activities? Nominate yourself as a write-in on this year's ballot. If you have questions or comments about the duties or process, please contact Toiyabe Chapter Director Brian Beffort at 775-848-7783.

Visit the Great Basin Group’s webpage to learn more about the group’s past focus and work.

Range of Light Group (ROLG)

Visit the Range of Light Group's webpage to learn more about the group’s focus and work.

Chris Bubser

I would like to serve on the Range of Light Group ExCom to support the great work that the ROLG group is currently doing. I love the deserts, mountains and forests of the Eastern Sierra and appreciate how fragile these ecosystems are. I want to use my volunteer time to make sure we are working as a community, alongside many of the other wonderful conservation groups working in Inyo and Mono County, to protect it and keep it accessible for future generations. My husband and I are lifetime members of the Sierra Club and it would be an honor to serve the Range of Light Group.

Janet Barth

Janet currently serves as a ROLG ExCom member, and she is willing to serve another term.

Kristine Green

I am volunteering to serve as a Range of Light Group ExCom board member to support the Sierra Club's mission in general and to specifically become more involved with regional issues.

I have written and edited newsletters, newspaper articles, and press releases, and developed and maintained websites and content management systems. I am a Mammoth Lakes resident.

Southern Nevada Group

Visit the Southern Nevada Group's webpage to learn more about the group’s focus and work.

Brendan Becker

Hello, my name is Brendan Becker. I was born and raised in Henderson, Nevada. I've seen the effects that climate change has brought not only in Nevada, but the Southwestern region of the United States. During 2021, We experienced the hottest summer of our lives. A record that outdoes itself consistently. Elected officials take climate change seriously and have been doing work to address it. However, it’s not enough, you also have to find the right solutions. That's where I’m thankful for the Sierra Club. I began paying attention to environmental issues and causes earlier this year. The Sierra Club was the first organization I wanted to organize as a young climate activist.

I’d say what qualifies me to be an Executive Committee member of the Sierra Club SNG is my proven track record of being a reliable volunteer and team member. When I'm passionate to make a change, I'm at every meeting and event I can possibly attend. I'm someone that others turn to when a task has to be completed. I began my time organizing not knowing much, but grew during this journey thanks to encouragement I received from my peers. I love learning and adapting as an activist, not only for myself, but for the whole organization. I want to return the favor in leadership for Sierra Club's future members.

I'm very interested in becoming a member of the Executive Committee for the SNG to bring my own input. That’s where my leadership could make an enormous difference in various meetings. I think outside the box, and approach issues with a different perspective. I also want to be a voice for younger activists and bring them to the Sierra Club. I believe the future is bright for this organization and would love to be involved.

Misty Haji-Sheikh

How I am qualified to be an Executive Committee member of the Sierra Club and why I am interested in this position.

Vinny Spotleson

I think that climate change and environmental sustainability are the defining issues of our era. I would like to be a part of a democratic, grassroots organization that is working to save the world and do it the right way that brings everyone along in the process.

I have experience as a volunteer with Sierra Club going back to 2016. I have also been serving as a board member for Branded One CrossFit since 2017, which is a nonprofit gym for service members with disabilities. Finally, I have also worked professionally on environmental issues from 2009 - 2012 with Sierra Club, with several other environmental nonprofits, and as a staff member for former US Senator Harry Reid and current US Congresswoman Dina Titus.

I have been a member since 2009, was on staff for three years, and I was a part of the SNG ExCom from 2016-2018. I have been serving again to fulfill a term since 2021 as Chair. My focus has been to bring new people in and inspire them to take action as volunteers to influence political and corporate processes to try to force more sustainable outcomes.

Christina Patterson

Christina Patterson I am incredibly excited about the possibility of working with the Sierra Club and contribute in some capacity to all of the amazing work being done. Broadly, I believe in the work being done. To me, there is no more pressing need than prioritizing environmental concerns. I come at this with two lenses. The first, as a human. I want to live and exist in a world that cares about the land, water, air, and beings living on this planet. I want to enjoy the beauty and life that this world offers. As a psychologist, I am incredibly concerned about the intersection of environmental anxiety and mental health. To be clear, access to clean air, water, and land are mental health concerns. Access to racial equity is a mental health concern. Combatting dread and fear about the fate of one’s future is a mental health concern. It is impossible to ignore environmental justice and be a “good” psychologist.

Further, I am invested in Nevada. I am a Las Vegas native. This is my home. I have seen the devastation of poor urban planning, urban sprawl, drought, poor air quality, etc. I want my home to be safe for us. I worry about our future. That’s why I want to be part of the work being done by the Sierra Club.

Regarding my volunteer history, it has varied widely. I’ve volunteered to table events for non-profit organizations, registered people to vote, driven food to those who cannot leave their home, and worked with organizations to provide clothes to children who need them. I have primarily spent my most recent volunteer hours working within various psychology associations. Currently, I am the Southern Region Co-Chair of the Legislative Committee for the Nevada Psychological Association and am a member of their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. I am also the President-Elect of APA Division 44, The Society for the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity and recently rotated off as co-chair of their Public Policy Committee.

I have extensive experience working with executive committees in leadership roles. I currently serve on two executive boards: the Nevada Psychological Association and The Society for the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. I understand procedure, time management, organization, report writing, etc. I am familiar with the nuts and bolts of being an executive committee member. Specifically, I want to join the Sierra Club Southern Nevada group so that I can engage more directly with the on-the-ground happenings in my community.

Not only do I bring experience to the role, but I am a psychologist. I feel confident that I have the ability to utilize my knowledge and skills as a psychologist to benefit the Sierra Club. I am experienced in public speaking, writing for others’ public speaking, engaging in difficult conversations with others, reviewing research and making it accessible to a broader audience, and engaging thoughtfully and critically about plans. My areas of expertise focus on historically excluded groups. Clinically, I specialize in LGBTQ+ populations. In research, I specialize in cultural competence training and education. I also love writing strategic action plans.

Tahoe Area Group (TAG)

Visit the Tahoe Area Group's webpage to learn more about the group’s focus and work.

Lynne Paulson

Lynne Paulson My interest in conservation activities and love of the outdoors began with my childhood in a rural suburb of Syracuse, New York. My awareness increased when our family moved to California and my father took us on numerous hikes and backpacking trips in Southern California and in the Sierras.

I have served as secretary of the Tahoe Area Group Executive Committee since 2014. I also lead the Tahoe-based Washoe Meadows Community in its fight against an environmentally destructive project that would include an unprecedented downgrade in state park land in order to allow a golf course expansion in Washoe Meadows State Park. I began this role in 2007. My conservation activities in Tahoe have included leading numerous park cleanup events, citizen water sampling activities, advocacy at government and agency meetings and participation in the Sierra Club’s committee related to California State Parks. I have also organized numerous hikes and tours in Washoe Meadows State Park to view birds, wildflowers and fens.

In the coming year I would like to continue these conservation activities and would like to help integrate them with overall strategies for the Tahoe Area Sierra Club. I was previously active in the Guadalupe Group of the Loma Prieta Chapter, serving as secretary for the Sustainable Land Use Committee. A retired engineer and project manager, I have been involved in several conservation and community improvement campaigns in the San Francisco Bay Area including creek and park cleanups, planting events and advocating for protection of environmentally sensitive lands.

Tobi Tyler

Tobi Tyler Living in the Lake Tahoe Basin the last sixteen years has been like coming home for me as I’ve loved hiking and just being in the Sierra Nevada my whole life. Enjoying hiking, backpacking and peak-climbing in the western U.S., particularly the Sierra Nevada, as well as other parts of the world, for the past 47 years of my adult life has cemented my passion for environmental protection. My career as environmental engineer focused on protecting wetlands and other water resources. After retiring in 2017 from the Lahontan Water Board, I have been contributing much of my “spare” time to the Sierra Club, which has always been my North Star on environmental issues as a true grassroots organization. I’ve been a Sierra Club member since 1979, met my husband on a Mother Lode Chapter outing to central Nevada in 1986 and later married him on top of Mt. Shasta. I have been an Executive Committee member of the Toiyabe Chapter since early 2019 where I’ve served as Chair of the Political Committee and an Executive Committee member and Vice Chair of the Tahoe Area Group since June 2020. I would be truly honored to continue as Executive Committee member in both the Group and Chapter levels.

Dan Cobb

Dan Cobb I have been active in the Sierra Club since the 1980s as an outings leader, outings chair, section chair, and newsletter editor. I served as an instructor for the Loma Prieta Chapter’s Basic Backpacking Course and Outings Leadership workshops for over 20 years. After retiring and moving to Lake Tahoe in 2017, I joined the Tahoe Area Group, revived the Group’s long-dormant outings program, and was invited to join the ExCom. I currently serve as Outings Chair, and also maintain TAG’s website, email, and social media accounts. I am committed to the Tahoe Area Group’s mission of preserving the area’s natural beauty and environmental richness, and helping residents and visitors enjoy it responsibly..

Cast your vote today. If you have any questions, please contact Chapter Director Brian Beffort at 775-848-7783.

2021 Toiyabe Chapter Elections