The Annual Meeting is planned and run by an INCREDIBLE team of volunteers!
This meeting wouldn’t be possible without our volunteer planning committee. Many of these people have been volunteering as TWS-WS leaders for decades. And this year we have many new volunteers joining us as well. We thank everyone for their amazing service to the Western Section.
Would you like to join us? See below for open positions. Help is always needed, and we think it is quite satisfying and fun to be part of the Annual Meeting planning team.
Email: projectmanager@tws-west.org for more information.
2025 Annual Meeting Planning Committee
| Meeting Chair & President-Elect, TWS-WS | Jeff Alvarez, The Wildlife Project – jeff@thewildlifeproject.com |
| President, TWS-WS | Brooke Lange, SWCA – president@tws-west.org |
| Professional Development Chair | Janine Payne – pdc@tws-west.org |
| Meeting Planner/Project Manager | Candace Renger, TWS-WS – projectmanager@tws-west.org |
| Meeting Registrar | Shannon Lemieux, UC Davis Road Ecology – support@tws-west.org |
| Team: | |
| Awards Ceremony | Rich Burg, CDFW/Retired Brookle Langle, SWCA |
| Audio Visual Captains | Sam Sosa, USFWS – Chair Laura Coatney, Swaim Biological Chris Duran, Swaim Biological Debra Hawk, High Speed Rail Leslie Koenig, Swaim Biological John McNerney, City of Davis Dave Riensche, East Bay Regional Park District Celia Tarcha, Swaim Biological Don Yasuda, USFS |
| Birds of a Feather Networking Events / Meet-ups / Workshops | Jeff Alvarez, The Wildlife Project Eric Stitt, ICF International More help is needed! |
| Breakfast Roundtable | Lisa Fields, CDFW – Chair Wendy Loeffler, Recon Environmental Shay Zanetti, USFS Thea Wang, Endemic Environmental |
| Capstone Presentation | Brooke Langle, SWCA |
| Children’s Activities & Family Room | Luma Fowler, Endemic Environmental |
| Cornhole Tournament | Rick Williams, PG&E/Retired |
| Diversity Committee | Thea Wang, Endemic Environmental – Chair More help needed! |
| Exhibit Hall + Artist Recruitment | Emily Culhane, FWS Forestry California |
| Group Games | Matthew Bettelheim, AECOM |
| Karaoke | Laura Coatney, Swaim Biological |
| Keynote Speech Coordinator | Jim Sedinger, NDOW/Retired |
| Field Trips + Local Arrangements | Brian Fagundes, Point Blue San Joaquin Chapter TWS |
| Logo Gear + Merch | Emily Culhane, FWS Forestry California Taryn Cornell, Dudek |
| Member Town Hall | Brooke Langle, SWCA |
| Mentoring Program | Shannon Lemieux, UC Davis Road Ecology Katie Rock, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Jeff Alvarez, The Wildlife Project Elizabeth Meisman, Humboldt State University |
| Museum of Outdated Technology | Cynthia Perrine, Northern California Land Trust John Perrine, Cal Poly SLO/CDFW |
| Open Mic Night AND Career Advice Booth | Katie Smith, WRA, Inc |
| Photo Collection Submissions and Slideshow | Eveline Larrucea, Biologist/Ranch Manager Emily Culhane, FWS Forestry California |
| Photographers | Eveline Larrucea, Biologist/Ranch Manager Howard Clark, Colibri Ecological Consulting Eric Stitt, ICF International More help needed! |
| Plenary Session | Jeff Alvarez, The Wildlife Project |
| Poster Session Co-Chairs | Carlos Alvarado, Ascent Environmental Allison Fuller, Ascent Environmental |
| Printed Program Editing | Debra Hawk, High Speed Rail Rick Williams, PG&E/Retired Chrissy Sousa, Shasta Land Trust |
| Raffle and Auction | Carolyn Buesch, CDFW Chrissy Sousa, Shasta Land Trust Taryn Cornell, Dudek More help needed! |
| Social Media / Canva Design / PowerPoint Announcement Slides | Carolyn Buesch, CDFW Taryn Cornell, Dudek More help needed! |
| Student/Early Career Professional Activities | Katie Rock, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Shannon Lemieux, UC Davis Road Ecology Elizabeth Meisman, Humboldt State University More help needed! |
| Student Judging Coordinators | Eveline Larrucea, Biologist/Ranch Manager |
| Survey Coordinator | Thea Wang, Endemic Environmental Lisa Fields, CDFW |
| Student Quiz Bowl AND Wildlife Trivia | Rhys Evans, Vandenberg Space Force/Retired |
| Volunteer Coordination | Kristen Burgess |
| Yoga | Kelly Holland, GEI Consultants |
| Members-At-Large | Coming soon! |