The CCRCD has created a blog page to share latest projects, news, insights, and other informative and interesting facts and events concerning the conservation of resources in Contra Costa County. Click here to see more about our Watersheds.
Skills: Watershed management and coordination, grant writing, fundraising, events.
Fun Fact: Owns a marina, small urban farm, and a Scottish Highlander cattle ranch in the Delta. Loves music and silly hats!
Heidi Petty has been with the CCRCD since 2007. Her current position is Watershed Program Manager and Fundraising Coordinator, focusing on the Contra Costa side of the Carquinez Strait shoreline. In 1999, Heidi started a small bonsai and custom saltwater reef tank business named ‘Through the Looking Glass: A Living Art Studio’ in Crockett, CA, where she got an in-depth understanding of saltwater filtration and hydrology. Heidi has held numerous community leadership positions in the Crockett, Port Costa, and Rodeo area, including President of the local Chamber of Commerce and Board Member on the Crockett Community Services District. Her entrepreneurialism and government service background makes her a valuable asset to the RCD as a special government district.
She now lives on the river in Oakley, CA, and owns a marina and small urban farm as well as a 28-acre Highlander Cattle Ranch in the SF Delta. She is excited to expand her work by partnering with the technology industry to create innovative ways to help the environment through long-term partnerships and connecting tech to her restoration work.
Skills: Horticulture, CA native plants, invasive plant management, pollinators, environmental education, project management, grant writing.
Fun Fact: Enjoys birding, photography, knitting, flower arranging, and traveling.
Lisa serves as the Watershed Conservation Manager for the Walnut Creek Watershed, she facilitates the Contra Costa Watershed Forum, and she leads the CCRCD’s Monarch Conservation Program. She joined the CCRCD’s staff in January 2019 and has worked on a range of projects to conserve Contra Costa County’s watersheds and biodiversity. These projects include native plant and pollinator habitat establishment, invasive plant management, creek restoration, and environmental education programming.
Lisa is from Los Angeles and has a BA with Honors in English from the University of California at Berkeley. She earned a Professional Sequence in Editing certificate from UC Berkeley Extension and worked in publishing for 10 years, primarily editing educational materials including science textbooks and curricula. She returned to school to study horticulture at Diablo Valley College where she earned a Nursery Technician certificate.
In 2023, she completed the UC Berkeley Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program with a certificate in Sustainable Environmental Management. Through her work in the environmental field, Lisa aims to cultivate healthy and sustainable relationships between people, plants, wildlife, and the land.
Skills: Conservation tillage, integrated pest management, grant writing, project management, partnership building.
Fun Fact: Loves beekeeping and had a goat growing up by the name of Lady Ashley.
Emma grew up in Albemarle County, Virginia next to the Rivanna River on Monacan land. She received her Bachelor’s in International Business Administration and her Master’s in Global Business & Sustainability from Erasmus University in the Netherlands.
After spending several years in the renewable energy industry, Emma worked as the interim farm manager of a 15 acre regenerative flower farm on Maui. There, she learned invaluable lessons in ‘āina and environment from Indigenous and local leaders via Hawai’i Farmers Union United’s ‘Farm Apprentice Mentoring Program’.
Emma has experience conducting invasive species removal and designing and implementing field work plans. Additionally, she has managed an orchid nursery, a Moringa grove, and apiary. She served as a grant writer for a successful climate-smart agriculture program and enjoys working to unite stakeholders in the pursuit of shared goals.
At CCRCD Emma supports community-led watershed and agricultural conservation efforts in the interest of a sustainable and equitable future for people and planet.
Skills: Environmental education, community engagement, research processes, insect identification, report writing.
Fun Fact: Victoria competes in triathlons and will hike or bike up any hill/mountain she can get her feet or wheels on. She summited Haleakalā in Maui, HI on bike in the summer of 2021. Her next challenge is pending. Victoria also loves to cook and create random dishes from available seasonal produce.
Victoria (she/her) is from Orange County, CA. She graduated in 2021 from University of California, Davis with a BS in Environmental Science and Management with an emphasis in Natural Resource Management and a minor in Insect Biology. She participated in a research lab at UC Davis exploring the impacts of human development on insect/plant relationships over time. Following this, she worked as an environmental consultant to identify and resolve soil and/or groundwater contamination to protect water resources throughout the Bay Area.
Victoria grew up helping her dad weed and tend to his extensive vegetable and fruit tree garden and spent many family vacations camping in various national parks. Victoria considers herself very lucky to have grown up with access and connections to the outdoors and wildlife. She understands the importance of access to healthy, natural places for individual and community wellbeing. Victoria is excited to work with CCRCD and partners to help achieve more safe, accessible, sustainable, and functional natural areas regardless of community wealth, race, or composition.
2001 Clayton Road, Ste. 200
Concord, CA 94520
The Mission of the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District is to Facilitate Conservation and Stewardship of the Natural Resources in Contra Costa County.
