• Board Members

  1. Michael Beck, San Diego Director of Endangered Habitat League, President of Endangered Habitats Conservancy, and San Diego County Planning Commissioner, CA. Michael Beck is the San Diego Director of Endangered Habitats League (EHL) and President of its sister land trust, Endangered Habitats Conservancy. EHL formed in 1991 to advocate for the listing of the California gnatcatcher, the listing of which drove the development of NCCP/HCP programs in southern California. EHL has been engaged in large scale conservation planning, implementation, and related land use, policy and financing since 1991. Michael is also a San Diego County Planning Commissioner.
  2. Kelli Boren, Project Environmental Support Manager, American Electric Power (AEP).  Kelli Boren manages a team of environmental specialist permitting electrical infrastructure projects across the country.  She has more than 25 years of experience preforming environmental compliance related work on high voltage electric transmission projects throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana and is currently learning more about species of concern in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.  She led the development and implementation for AEP of multiple HCPs related to the American Burying Beetle in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. She is currently helping to draft an 11-state HCP covering 10 species.  She holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from West Texas A&M University. Kelli has been an active participant in the National HCP Coalition, attending every annual meeting since the Coalition’s founding.  Kelli is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
  3. Valerie Covey was elected to represent Williamson County Precinct Three on the Williamson County Commissioner’s Court in November 2006 and was reelected to her third full term in November 2016. She serves the county by participating on various boards and committees, including: the Williamson County Conservation Foundation, the Williamson County Mental Health Task Force, the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter Board, the Williamson County Audit Committee, the Williamson County Investment Committee, Opportunities for Williamson and Burnet Counties, the CAPCOG General Assembly and the National Habitat Conservation Foundation Coalition, of which she chairs. In August 2019, Covey was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Governing Board of the Texas Indigent Defense Commission. She attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a degree in accounting and has been licensed as a certified public accountant for more than 30 years. She and her husband of 34 years, Mark Covey, have lived in Georgetown, TX since 1994, and are blessed with three sons and a daughter-in-law. Commissioner Covey serves as the President of the National HCP Coalition.
  4. Timothy Day, Senior Natural Resources Manager, Escambia County, FL. Tim Day manages several divisions including: Marine Resources, Mosquito Control, Natural Resources Management, Environmental Code Enforcement, Water Quality, and RESTORE. Tim’s primary interest is in coastal biology and enjoys finding solutions to managing wildlife resources in the context of public use and private property rights. He has worked with the Perdido Key beach mouse, nesting marine turtles, and shorebirds since 2004 and is in the seventh year implementing the Perdido Key Habitat Conservation Plan. Tim holds a Bachelor of Science in Animal Ecology from Iowa State University and was the recipient of the 2006 USFWS “Partners in Conservation” award and the USFWS Southeast Region “Regional Recovery Champion” in 2017. Tim serves as the Secretary of the National HCP Coalition.
  5. Terah Donovan is Senior Principal Conservation Biologist at Environmental Science Associates. Terah manages an integrated natural resource management program for rare and endangered species and ecosystems in California. She balances at-risk species conservation and recovery with economic development, infrastructure construction, and operations and maintenance. Together with her clients, she ensures project outcomes that meet regulatory requirements and result in better ecological and financial outcomes. Her team integrates best available science, management and monitoring methods, and technology into their projects. She creates project opportunities for her colleagues that allow for professional engagement and growth. Terah has supported planning or implementation of 17 HCPs. Terah is based in San Diego, CA and has worked in the environmental field for over 20 years, with a focus on HCPs. She serves as a Director and Vice-President of the National HCP Coalition and is Program Committee Co-chair. She was Alumna-in-Residence at Duke University in 2017. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science from Northwestern University and a Master of Environmental Management in Conservation Science and Policy from Duke University. She is a returned Peace Corps Volunteer from Bolivia. In 2020, she learned to surf. Terah serves as the Vice President and Program Committee Co-chair of the National HCP Coalition.
  6. Abigail Fateman is the Executive Director of the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy, which implements the region’s Habitat Conservation Plan/ Natural Community Conservation Plan. She was involved in the development of the Plan (starting in 2003) and after Plan adoption served as the Land and Habitat Manager before becoming the Executive Director. Ms. Fateman earned a M.S. from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment, where her research focused on stream ecology and monitoring stream health in urbanized areas. Ms. Fateman has been involved in conservation efforts including land management, scientific research, and policy development for over twenty-five years. Ms. Fateman serves as the Program Committee Co-chair of the National HCP Coalition.
  7. Aaron Gabbe has over fourteen years professional experience leading stakeholder-driven, regional Habitat Conservation Plans, Natural Community Conservation Plans, and non-regulatory conservation plans (Regional Conservation Investment Strategies) across a wide range of landscapes and natural communities for a diversity of endangered and threatened fauna and flora in California and Oregon. Aaron is currently the Director of the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority, which is the operator for the Western Riverside County Multi-Species Conservation Plan. Prior to this, Aaron was a Managing Director at ICF where he managed and oversaw the preparation and implementation of multi-species conservation plans for endangered species throughout California and Oregon.
  8. T. Milford Harrison was elected to the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District Board in 2018. He currently serves as Board Treasurer and represents Division IV which includes Redlands, Loma Linda, Grand Terrace and Colton, as well as portions of Riverside County and the Riverside Highland Water Company. T. Milford Harrison was appointed to the District Board in September of 2016 to fill the unexpired term of the Late Manuel Aranda who died very early into his most recent four year term. Director Harrison brings an extensive background in local and regional government to his position on the Board. In addition to his own consulting practice as a Government Relations and Land Planning Consultant, he has held a variety of elected and appointed positions in local government over the last 30 plus years. He has also represented some of the largest development projects in the Inland Empire and has also negotiated agreements with State and local agencies on behalf of his clients. He was born in the City of Loma Linda and is a former Councilman and Mayor for the City as well as their first Economic Development Director. He has been Executive Director of San Bernardino International Airport and IVDA as well as Chief of Staff for two different County Supervisors. He has held the position of Riverside County Planning Commissioner and taught Urban Planning at UCR. He was also Planning Director for the City of Beaumont. His Airport and Loma Linda positions included dealing with water issues on a continuing basis, which provided background knowledge for his position on the District Board. Director Harrison attended La Sierra University, Riverside City College and California Southern Law School where he graduated with both a BSL and a Juris Doctor Degree. He is married to Cheryl, who is a graduate of Loma Linda University with a BS in Dental Hygiene as well as the owner of University Travel. Cheryl and Milford have two children and three grandchildren.
  9. Charles Landry is a retired Executive Director of the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority (RCA), where he served for 12 years. The RCA manages one of the largest Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP) in the nation, responsible for acquiring and managing a proposed 500,000‐acre reserve, incorporating 146 species, including 33 listed species, in a fast‐developing county. Acquired nearly 40,000 acres for the HCP, using both federal and local funding to balance conservation with transportation and development. Previously served as the Consultant Project Manager of the Riverside County Integrated Project (RCIP), a three‐part program integrating land use, transportation, and conservation, with the MSHCP serving as the keystone of the Project. Helped found the National HCP Coalition, served on the board, and was Vice‐President of the Coalition prior to retiring as the RCA executive director. He was also a long‐time member of the California Habitat Conservation Plan Coalition. Charles is a Civil Engineer and a retired Unites States Army Corps of Engineers Officer with 22 years of service. He currently lives in Flower Mound, TX and works as a volunteer for conservation and transportation.
  10. Betsy Miller has worked as a public servant for twenty years. She currently serves as the General Manager of the San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District, where she oversees regional aquifer recharge operations, development of key projects to expand local groundwater sustainability, and implementation of a multi-agency Habitat Conservation Plan. Prior to joining the District, she worked for the City of San Diego for 17 years in the Planning and Park & Recreation departments, gaining expertise in land use and development, natural resource planning, and community engagement. Betsy graduated from Whitman College with a degree in Biology and holds a Master of Arts from San Diego State University in Geography with a specialty in Natural Resources Management. Betsy serves as a Board member for the National Habitat Conservation Planning Coalition, and is a past Board member of the Los Penasquitos Lagoon Foundation and the Junior League of San Diego. She has also volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County since 2006 and is as an associate editor for the Natural Areas Journal. In 2015, she was selected as a finalist for San Diego Magazine’s Woman of the Year.
  11. Nathan Pence, Executive Manager of Environmental Science at Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA), leads the GBRA’s environmental stewardship initiatives while overseeing day-to-day operations for the Canyon Lake Gorge and Water Quality Lab. Pence leads the ongoing development of a comprehensive Habitat Conservation Plan for the Guadalupe River basin and the administration of the Clean Rivers Program for the Guadalupe River and Lavaca-Guadalupe Coastal basins in partnership with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.  He is a founding board member for the National Habitat Conservation Plan Coalition and current Treasurer, serves as Vice Chair of the Guadalupe Basin Coalition, is on the steering committee of the Greater Springs Project and is a member of the Texas Water Conservation Association Endangered Species Committee.  Pence also represents GBRA as a member of the US Water Alliance One Water Council, the City of New Braunfels Natural Resource Committee, and the New Braunfels Utility Headwaters Center Technical Advisory Committee. Mr. Pence has more than 15 years in watershed management and planning with an accomplished record of collaborating with local officials and stakeholders. Prior to working at the GBRA, Mr. Pence served as the Threatened and Endangered Species Executive Director for the Edwards Aquifer Authority in San Antonio, where he facilitated and managed the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan. He also worked for the City of New Braunfels collaborating with local tourism officials and environmentalists on economic development projects while protecting the integrity of natural resources.  Mr. Pence has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Aquatic Biology from Texas State University. Mr. Pence serves as the Treasurer of the National HCP Coalition.
  12. Rebecca Pfaller, Conservation Biologist, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, FL. Rebecca Pfaller is a Conservation Biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.  She has worked on HCPs and other non-traditional Section 6 projects throughout the state of Florida for the past 13 years. 
  13. Steve Quarles is general counsel for wildlife and the environment for the American Clean Power Association. He recently retired from the Law firm, Nossaman LLP, where his practice focused on the Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, other federal wildlife laws, and on renewable energy. He represented a broad range of clients including companies, trade associations, state and local governments, and environmental organizations on wide‐ranging matters from federal litigation (including Sweet Home [Endangered Species Act] and Ohio Forestry [National Forest Policy] before the Supreme Court) to multi‐state habitat conservation plans, eagle incidental take permits, inter‐agency consultations, policy making before the Department of the Interior, and legislation before Congress. Steve previously served as Deputy under Secretary of the Interior; special counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; member of the Mineral and Energy Resources Board, National Academy of Sciences; two committees of the National Research Council commissioned by Congress; and Assistant to the Representative, Ford Foundation, Brazil. He was appointed to the Secretary of the Interior’s Federal Advisory Committee on Land‐Based Wind Turbine Guidelines and Secretary of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board. He is or has been a member on the boards of the National Habitat Conservation Planning Council, Bat Conservation International (vice‐chair), NatureServe, National Wildlife Refuge Association, American Forest Foundation, Pollinator Partnership, Pacific Forest Trust, Maryland Environmental Trust, Forever Maryland (chair) and Maryland Hazardous Waste Siting Council, and a member of the advisory councils of Rainforest Trust and Environmental Policy Innovation Center. Steve graduated from Princeton University and Yale Law School and taught on a Fulbright grant at Aligarh Muslim University in India. He spends most of his free time helping his spouse manage their Hanoverian horse breeding farm in Mt. Airy, MD, hiking, canoeing, and enjoying wildlife photography in semi‐annual visits to Africa.
  14. Edmund Sullivan’s over 25 years of professional and academic experience has focused on natural resource conservation, wildlife ecology, habitat restoration, brownfield redevelopment, and sustainable economic development.  Mr. Sullivan’s is a current NHCPC Board member and has been a member in good standing since the inception of the organization. Mr. Sullivan’s is currently the Executive Officer for the Santa Clara Habitat Agency and has served in this role since 2014. Mr. Sullivan’s prior experience includes Placer County Planning Department (2003-2014), AKRF, Inc. Technical Director, Natural Resources and Planning (2002-2003), Niagara County Planning, Development and Tourism (1998-2002), Policy Analyst with Dane County in Madison, WI (1994-1996), and the Chevron Corporation (1988-1992). Mr. Sullivan earned his Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning with a focus on sustainable community development, water resources, and wildlife and landscape ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Mr. Sullivan earned a Master of Science in Labor and Industrial Relations from Michigan State University and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
  15. David Zippin leads a large practice in habitat conservation planning and implementation at ICF, a global consulting firm. He has more than 30 years of experience preparing and implementing over 50 HCPs in 25 states and territories for government agencies, water agencies, transportation agencies, utilities, and timber and energy companies. David teaches Endangered Species Act compliance, habitat conservation planning for endangered species, and habitat conservation plan implementation at the University of California Extension Program and at the USFWS National Conservation Training Center in West Virginia.  He is also the coauthor of the award-winning book Understanding the Habitat Conservation Planning Process in California: A Guidebook for Project and Regional Conservation Planning.  He received a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Texas–Austin and a B.A. in Ecology from the University of California, San Diego. He is based near Monterey, California. David was a founding member of the National HCP Coalition. He has served on the Board of Directors of the NHCPC since its beginning in 2016.