Trust For Public Land Strengthens California Land Conservation and Government Relations Work with Two New Senior Hires

Heidi Krolick and Juan Altamirano have joined Trust for Public Land (TPL) as Conservation Director for the Sierra Nevada and Central Valley and California Government Relations Director, respectively.  

Ms. Krolick has joined the California team leading TPL’s land conservation program in Interior Northern California—including the Sierra Nevada, Southern Cascades, and Central Valley. Her position was made possible, in part, thanks to a generous gift from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. whose company name and ethos were directly inspired by the region Krolick will manage. With more than 20 years of experience in land conservation and community engagement, she provides the leadership, vision, and passion needed to drive TPL’s efforts in the region. 

Prior to joining TPL, Krolick held a wide range of positions including executive director with the Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that more than 140,000 acres of watershed lands located across California are protected and enhanced for a broad range of beneficial public values. Krolick has extensive experience working throughout the region with federal, state, and local public agencies, the land trust community, indigenous leaders and tribes, and elected leaders. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism management from Lincoln University in New Zealand and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Environmental Studies and Geography from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She also earned a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. 

“This partnership with TPL allows us to extend our values beyond our company walls to benefit a larger community as well as future generations,” says Sierra Grossman, Vice President of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. “We’ve always been committed to environmental stewardship and reducing our own footprint and believe the critical work from leading organizations like TPL and experts like Krolick align with that commitment.” 

Altamirano joins TPL from the Audubon Society where he led the organization’s California state legislative and policy strategy. He has been involved in some of the biggest environmental and conservation legislative outcomes in California, including advancing equitable access to the outdoors, climate issues, clean air, holding the line against federal rollback on the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and leading the effort on 30×30 campaign that resulted in a Gubernatorial Executive Order. Previously he worked for the Brady Campaign and Center to Prevent Gun Violence, where he oversaw the organization’s grassroots, state, and federal legislative advocacy campaigns. In addition to extensive state and federal policy experience, he worked in local government, managing land use decisions. Juan obtained his bachelor’s degree from Adams State University in Colorado and Master’s degree from the University of Colorado Denver. 

“Heidi and Juan’s extensive experience will greatly help Trust for Public Land advance park equity and outdoor access and deliver on California’s bold plan to conserve 30 percent of California’s land and coastal waters by 2030,” said Guillermo Rodriguez, California State Director and Vice President-Pacific Region Trust for Public Land.  

Their efforts will build on recent legislative and conservation successes for TPL in California including converting dozens of Los Angeles and Oakland schoolyards into green space and passing Proposition 68, a statewide $4 billion parks, environmental and water bond act supported by 57 percent of California voters in 2018. Nationwide, TPL has protected more than two million acres, including 60,000 acres in the Sierra Nevada region which is more than any other nonprofit organization to date. 

In California, TPL has preserved almost half a million acres of open space since the organization’s founding in San Francisco in 1972. TPL has created a park or natural area within a 10-minute walk of 1.2 million people and completed more than 700 park projects.  Two of the country’s top 10 cities for park access and equity are in California—San Francisco and Irvine but in Fresno, for example, residents in neighborhoods of color have access to 44% less park space compared with those in white neighborhoods. There is still much work to do before everybody can benefit from healthy access to open space in the state. 

About Trust for Public Land 

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 3 million acres of public land, created more than 5,000 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $84 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected more than 9 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org. 

About Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. 

Inspired by frequent trips to the Sierra Nevada Mountain range, Ken Grossman founded Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in 1980. Highly regarded for using only the finest quality ingredients, Sierra Nevada has set the standard for craft brewers worldwide with innovations in the brewhouse and in its sustainability efforts. The pioneering spirit that launched Sierra Nevada now spans both coasts with breweries in Chico, California and Mills River, North Carolina. Sierra Nevada is famous for its extensive line of beers including Pale Ale, Hazy Little Thing®, Torpedo® and a host of seasonal, specialty and limited release beers. Learn more at www.sierranevada.com.