Advisory Council

. Banner Image by Steve Gibbs

Advisory Council

The Advisory Council of the Laguna Foundation is a group of outstanding citizens who support the mission of the Foundation.

Connie Codding, wife of deceased shopping center developer Hugh Codding, has been very active in local philanthropy for a number of years. She is President of the Codding Foundation, a family philanthropic foundation benefitting youth up to 18 years of age in Sonoma County. She currently serves as Executive Vice President of Codding Enterprises which is developing Sonoma Mountain Village, a One Planet sustainable community located in Rohnert Park. In addition, Mrs. Codding serves on the boards of PDI Surgery Center, Planned Parenthood Shasta Pacific Board of Advocates in Sonoma County, Sonoma Paradiso Foundation and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Sonoma State University. Having grown up on Sonoma County, she enjoys many outdoor activities.

Gordon Dow

Caryl Hart is a Commissioner on the State of CA Parks & Recreation Commission and is also Director of Sonoma County Regional Parks. She has extensive experience in land conservation practice and policy, with a focus on land use and climate change. She is currently Chair of the Commission, and has been a member since 2000. From 2006-09, Commissioner Hart served as a member of the Forest Protocols Advisory Committee to the Climate Action Reserve, which developed accounting principles governing participation in voluntary carbon markets. She acted for fifteen years as an advisor to the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, and was a founding member of LandPaths, an environmental land trust and land management non-profit dedicated to maximizing resource conservation while allowing managed public access. Hart received her PhD in Environmental Science Policy and Management at the College of Natural Resources, University of California, Berkeley, her J.D. at the University of San Francisco College of Law, and a B.A. in economics from Cornell University.

Carolyn "CJ" Johnson

Dr. Claudia Luke, Director of Sonoma State University Field Stations Nature Preserves, has 20 years of experience directing field stations for the University of California and California State University. At Sonoma State University, she serves as Director for three SSU field stations (Fairfield Osborn Preserve, Galbreath Wildlands Preserve, and Los Guilicos Preserve) which support academic excellence in the liberal arts and sciences by providing education and research experiences in place-based learning. She has worked extensively with partners and collaborators to build regional academic-management collaborations in the areas of watershed management, habitat connectivity, habitat restoration, and environmental education. She has served as a Board Member and Science Advisor on the South Coast Wildlands Project and as Secretary-Treasurer to the Organization of Biological Field Stations.

Dr. Robert Rubin holds a Ph.D. in physiological ecology from UC Irvine. He has served as program developer for the National Science Foundation Office of Public Understanding of Sciences, and the U.S. Depart. of Energy Office of University Programs. Presently, he is on the scientific advisory boards of the Save Our Seas Foundation, The Sea Watch Foundation, and The Manta Trust; and is the Director of the Pacific Manta Research Group. As a marine biologist he conducts field research on Manta rays and pelagic marine communities in the sub-tropical Mexican Pacific. This work has resulted in educational documentaries produced by The Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, National Geographic, and the BBC. As a member of the biology faculty at the SRJC, he served as Chairman of the Life Sciences Department, President of the Academic Senate, and on the Board of Directors of the College Foundation. Additionally, he originated and sought funding for the Faculty Fund for Advanced Studies and the Student Internship Scholarship at The Pepperwood Preserve. Dr. Rubin has been acknowledged for Teaching Excellence by the State of California, the SRJC, The University of California, and the Congress of the United States. In 1996, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching selected him as the California College and University Professor of the year.

Raini Sugg and her husband Steve Vallarino have lived in Sebastopol since 1977 and raised two daughters. Raini has a background in education with degrees from SF State University and SSU. She became a Laguna Docent in 1999, the Foundation’s first year of operating an all volunteer educational program. She was instrumental in developing the Learning Laguna school program by creating curriculum, interfacing with teachers, and training docents. Raini served on the Laguna Foundation's Board fo Directors from 2013-2021, including serving as the Board President from 2014-2016.She served on the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center board of directors for eight years, two terms as president. As an avid birder and advocate for the environment, she has spent the last 17 years increasing the public’s awareness of the beauty and importance of the Laguna.

Rick Theis co-founded the Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy with his wife Carolyn Johnson in 2000 to educate more than 700 community leaders to create public policy that balances environmental and social justice with economic interests for a sustainable community. He is a trustee and chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee at Sonoma Academy where he led the development of the master plan and oversaw the construction of the Janet Durgin Guild and Commons. It will be LEED Platinum and Living Building Challenge certified. It received the 2017 Green California School Award for Leadership in Zero Net Energy and the 2018 American Institute of Architecture Top 10 Award for outstanding environmental design and performance. He was the Executive Director of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Association from 1984 to 1999.

Michael Thompson served as an Assistant General Manager for the Sonoma County Water Agency until his retirement in 2023. While at Sonoma Water, Mr. Thompson developed and managed long-range financial plans, led strategic planning efforts, worked closely with Sonoma State University to promote environmental and natural resource education and research, created and sustained the Sonoma County Youth Ecology Corps, and participated in many regional efforts including the Russian River Water Forum, the Russian River Confluence, Alexander Valley water resource improvement, Russian River Regional Monitoring Program, and the Russian River Pathogen Total Maximum Daily Load process. He was instrumental in initiating and guiding the Restoration Plan for the Laguna de Santa Rosa and several nutrient reduction projects.
Prior to joining Sonoma Water in 1995, Mr. Thompson was an environmental engineer focused on investigating and remediating contamination at former industrial sites. He also worked as a geotechnical engineer and as a design engineer in offshore oil exploration. He received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and master’s degrees in civil engineering and in business administration from the University of California at Davis. He is a California-registered professional civil engineer.

Mr. Thompson grew up in Santa Rosa and has lived in Rohnert Park area for 35 years. He has served on the Marin/Sonoma Mosquito Abatement and Vector Control District Board of Directors and the City of Rohnert Park’s Park and Recreation Commission.

Vic Trione serves as Vice President of Trione Winery and Vimark Vineyards, and is the principal of Vimark Inc. In 1983, he co-founded Luther Burbank Savings and Loan in Santa Rosa with his brother Mark, and he held the position of Chairman until 2024, when the bank merged with Washington Federal. Continuing the legacy of his father, Henry Trione Sr., Vic has been dedicated to giving back to the Santa Rosa community through various initiatives and support for numerous non-profit organizations. In 2019, he and his wife Karen were honored with the Watershed Hero Award by the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, recognizing their longstanding support of the foundation’s mission.

Lisa Vollendorf, Ph.D., is a passionate advocate for equity and inclusion in our communities and educational institutions. She has worked in the California State University (including at Long Beach State, San José State, Sonoma State, and the CSU Chancellor’s Office) for the past sixteen years in various roles, including as a Spanish professor, dean, provost, and crisis management advisor. She is wholly devoted to forging opportunities for all students to feel welcome and succeed, regardless of their racial, ethnic, linguistic, or socioeconomic backgrounds. Lisa has served on numerous boards for cultural and educational organizations over the years, including MACLA (Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latinoamericana), the Green Music Center, and the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies. Lisa moved to Sonoma County in 2017, and is thrilled to have the opportunity to support the environmental protection and education efforts of the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation. A lifelong environmentalist, Lisa grew up in Breckenridge, Colorado, where she developed a deep love and respect for the planet. She is an avid hiker, backpacker, and traveler who always looks forward to the next adventure. You can follow her on Twitter @lisavol.

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	Connie Codding, wife of deceased shopping center developer Hugh Codding, has been very active in local philanthropy for a number of years. She is President of the Codding Foundation, a family philanthropic foundation benefitting youth up to 18 years of age in Sonoma County. She currently serves as Executive Vice President of Codding Enterprises which is developing Sonoma Mountain Village, a One Planet sustainable community located in Rohnert Park. In addition, Mrs. Codding serves on the boards of PDI Surgery Center, Planned Parenthood Shasta Pacific Board of Advocates in Sonoma County, Sonoma Paradiso Foundation and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Sonoma State University. Having grown up on Sonoma County, she enjoys many outdoor activities.
	Gordon Dow
	Caryl Hart is a Commissioner on the State of CA Parks & Recreation Commission and is also Director of Sonoma County Regional Parks. She has extensive experience in land conservation practice and policy, with a focus on land use and climate change. She is currently Chair of the Commission, and has been a member since 2000. From 2006-09, Commissioner Hart served as a member of the Forest Protocols Advisory Committee to the Climate Action Reserve, which developed accounting principles governing participation in voluntary carbon markets. She acted for fifteen years as an advisor to the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, and was a founding member of LandPaths, an environmental land trust and land management non-profit dedicated to maximizing resource conservation while allowing managed public access. Hart received her PhD in Environmental Science Policy and Management at the College of Natural Resources, University of California, Berkeley, her J.D. at the University of San Francisco College of Law, and a B.A. in economics from Cornell University.
	Carolyn "CJ" Johnson
	Dr. Claudia Luke, Director of Sonoma State University Field Stations Nature Preserves, has 20 years of experience directing field stations for the University of California and California State University. At Sonoma State University, she serves as Director for three SSU field stations (Fairfield Osborn Preserve, Galbreath Wildlands Preserve, and Los Guilicos Preserve) which support academic excellence in the liberal arts and sciences by providing education and research experiences in place-based learning. She has worked extensively with partners and collaborators to build regional academic-management collaborations in the areas of watershed management, habitat connectivity, habitat restoration, and environmental education. She has served as a Board Member and Science Advisor on the South Coast Wildlands Project and as Secretary-Treasurer to the Organization of Biological Field Stations.
	Dr. Robert Rubin holds a Ph.D. in physiological ecology from UC Irvine. He has served as program developer for the National Science Foundation Office of Public Understanding of Sciences, and the U.S. Depart. of Energy Office of University Programs. Presently, he is on the scientific advisory boards of the Save Our Seas Foundation, The Sea Watch Foundation, and The Manta Trust; and is the Director of the Pacific Manta Research Group. As a marine biologist he conducts field research on Manta rays and pelagic marine communities in the sub-tropical Mexican Pacific. This work has resulted in educational documentaries produced by The Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, National Geographic, and the BBC. As a member of the biology faculty at the SRJC, he served as Chairman of the Life Sciences Department, President of the Academic Senate, and on the Board of Directors of the College Foundation. Additionally, he originated and sought funding for the Faculty Fund for Advanced Studies and the Student Internship Scholarship at The Pepperwood Preserve. Dr. Rubin has been acknowledged for Teaching Excellence by the State of California, the SRJC, The University of California, and the Congress of the United States. In 1996, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching selected him as the California College and University Professor of the year.
	Raini Sugg and her husband Steve Vallarino have lived in Sebastopol since 1977 and raised two daughters. Raini has a background in education with degrees from SF State University and SSU. She became a Laguna Docent in 1999, the Foundation’s first year of operating an all volunteer educational program. She was instrumental in developing the Learning Laguna school program by creating curriculum, interfacing with teachers, and training docents. Raini served on the Laguna Foundation's Board fo Directors from 2013-2021, including serving as the Board President from 2014-2016.She served on the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center board of directors for eight years, two terms as president. As an avid birder and advocate for the environment, she has spent the last 17 years increasing the public’s awareness of the beauty and importance of the Laguna.
	Rick Theis co-founded the Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy with his wife Carolyn Johnson in 2000 to educate more than 700 community leaders to create public policy that balances environmental and social justice with economic interests for a sustainable community. He is a trustee and chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee at Sonoma Academy where he led the development of the master plan and oversaw the construction of the Janet Durgin Guild and Commons. It will be LEED Platinum and Living Building Challenge certified. It received the 2017 Green California School Award for Leadership in Zero Net Energy and the 2018 American Institute of Architecture Top 10 Award for outstanding environmental design and performance. He was the Executive Director of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Association from 1984 to 1999.
	Michael Thompson served as an Assistant General Manager for the Sonoma County Water Agency until his retirement in 2023. While at Sonoma Water, Mr. Thompson developed and managed long-range financial plans, led strategic planning efforts, worked closely with Sonoma State University to promote environmental and natural resource education and research, created and sustained the Sonoma County Youth Ecology Corps, and participated in many regional efforts including the Russian River Water Forum, the Russian River Confluence, Alexander Valley water resource improvement, Russian River Regional Monitoring Program, and the Russian River Pathogen Total Maximum Daily Load process. He was instrumental in initiating and guiding the Restoration Plan for the Laguna de Santa Rosa and several nutrient reduction projects. Prior to joining Sonoma Water in 1995, Mr. Thompson was an environmental engineer focused on investigating and remediating contamination at former industrial sites. He also worked as a geotechnical engineer and as a design engineer in offshore oil exploration. He received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and master’s degrees in civil engineering and in business administration from the University of California at Davis. He is a California-registered professional civil engineer. Mr. Thompson grew up in Santa Rosa and has lived in Rohnert Park area for 35 years. He has served on the Marin/Sonoma Mosquito Abatement and Vector Control District Board of Directors and the City of Rohnert Park’s Park and Recreation Commission.
	Vic Trione serves as Vice President of Trione Winery and Vimark Vineyards, and is the principal of Vimark Inc. In 1983, he co-founded Luther Burbank Savings and Loan in Santa Rosa with his brother Mark, and he held the position of Chairman until 2024, when the bank merged with Washington Federal. Continuing the legacy of his father, Henry Trione Sr., Vic has been dedicated to giving back to the Santa Rosa community through various initiatives and support for numerous non-profit organizations. In 2019, he and his wife Karen were honored with the Watershed Hero Award by the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, recognizing their longstanding support of the foundation’s mission.
	Lisa Vollendorf, Ph.D., is a passionate advocate for equity and inclusion in our communities and educational institutions. She has worked in the California State University (including at Long Beach State, San José State, Sonoma State, and the CSU Chancellor’s Office) for the past sixteen years in various roles, including as a Spanish professor, dean, provost, and crisis management advisor. She is wholly devoted to forging opportunities for all students to feel welcome and succeed, regardless of their racial, ethnic, linguistic, or socioeconomic backgrounds. Lisa has served on numerous boards for cultural and educational organizations over the years, including MACLA (Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latinoamericana), the Green Music Center, and the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies. Lisa moved to Sonoma County in 2017, and is thrilled to have the opportunity to support the environmental protection and education efforts of the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation. A lifelong environmentalist, Lisa grew up in Breckenridge, Colorado, where she developed a deep love and respect for the planet. She is an avid hiker, backpacker, and traveler who always looks forward to the next adventure. You can follow her on Twitter @lisavol.