Eric Mondero, Board President

Eric Mondero has a combined 20 years experience in the government relations industry and as a congressional aide. Currently Eric is a government relations advisor to the American Red Cross where he advises the organization on federal budgetary matters and international affairs issues. Prior work experiences include senior legislative officer at the US Department of Labor, and government relations consultant at Ball Janik LLP. Eric’s stint on Capitol Hill includes 8 years for former Congressman Ron Packard serving in various roles and ultimately as his chief of staff and appropriations aide. Eric earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from San Diego State University. A native San Diegan, Eric is glad to be back after many years in DC.

Kenneth Little, CFO/Treasurer

Ken Little is a managing partner with the global investment advisory firm of Brandes Investment Partners, L.P. where he is responsible for leading the firm’s research efforts and serves as a member of the firm’s global investment committee.  He earned his MBA from The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of La Verne. Ken is a certified public accountant (inactive) and a member of the CFA Society of San Diego. He also is a member of the board of trustees of the University of La Verne and serves in an advisory capacity for the Barrio Logan College Institute and the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation.  Ken enjoys hiking, camping, and kayaking and appreciates the work land conservancies do in order to preserve and enhance the natural environment for many of these activities

Trish Jones Mondero, Secretary

Trish Jones Mondero is the principal and lead consultant at Bluebird Collaborative. In 2014, she relocated to southern California from Washington, D.C. She has more than 20 years of professional experience helping organizations develop multi-faceted legislative strategies focused on media strategies, cultivating, building, and strengthening relationships with Congress. This includes the research and design of key messages, media strategies, and legislative testimonies to articulate funding needs and critical concerns. With decades of experience in developing, managing, and implementing legislative programs for non-profits and her expertise with annual authorization and appropriation processes, Trish steers organizations through the complex and ever-changing political environment on Capitol Hill.  Early on in her career, Trish served as the deputy press secretary for U.S. Senator Evan Bayh (D-Ind.). Prior to moving to Washington, D.C. from Anderson, Indiana, Trish worked on Senator Bayh’s first Senate campaign. While in Indiana, she was a reporter for two local newspapers, where she wrote and developed a political column during the 1996 general election, composed a weekly column that provided information on the local small businesses in the community, and reported on environmental issues affecting local residents. Trish is a graduate of Ball State University, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Journalism. For relaxation, she teaches yoga part-time and enjoys running.

David Claycomb, Founding Member

​Dave Claycomb was a founder and former president of the Board of Directors of San Diego Habitat Conservancy, where he remains an active Board member.  He received a Bachelor of Science in Botany from the University of New Hampshire in 1975 and a Master of Science in Natural Resources Management from Humboldt State University in 1983.  In 2007 he established an environmental sciences scholarship in his name at the University of New Hampshire. Dave founded the San Diego County based environmental consulting firm, HELIX Environmental Planning, Inc. (HELIX) in 1991 and in 2008 he relinquished the role of CEO of HELIX where he remains on the firm’s Board of Directors. Mr. Claycomb is a member of the American Planning Association, Association of Environmental Professionals, International Association of Impact Assessment, and is sanctioned by the American Institute of Certified Planners. He is a Board member and treasurer of the UXO clearance advocacy group, Legacies of War, based in Washington D.C., and general partner in EC Boulevard Partners, LLC and KI Investment Holdings, LLC. He travels frequently and is married with two sons and a daughter.

Chelita Borbon

Chelita Borbón graduated from the University of San Diego in 2012 with a degree in Environmental Science. She previously worked as an environmental restoration project manager at HELIX Environmental Planning, working for their Construction Group. Chelita's position took her all over San Diego County and beyond to work with local government agencies and the private sector on a variety of habitat restoration projects. She enjoys being involved with her local community. Chelita has mentored students at the Barrio Logan College Institute, which aims at increasing college participation. Her favorite community-based project was working as an assistant producer on the documentary "Everything Comes from the Streets." The documentary highlights the low rider community history in Southern California, which debuted on KPBS. In her spare time, Chelita enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, and traveling. 

Joe Duffel

Joe Duffel  is an influential business leader in the San Diego community with over 20 years of experience in the communication field.  His leadership has earned him numerous awards for revenue creation and retention. Joe brings his expertise in fund raising to San Diego Habitat Conservancy. Joe  has served on numerous boards in various capacities and is currently the fund raising chairman for the San Diego State Delta Upsilon alumni association.  In this role he has chaired many successful fund raising events and plans on recreating that success in the same role with SDHC. An avid outdoorsman, Joe understands the importance of habitat preservation and restoration and is excited to help facilitate these projects by acquiring new revenue sources for SDHC.

Christina Schaefer

​Christina Schaefer is a landscape ecologist with 30 years experience in natural resources planning and management, conservation planning, and restoration ecology. As the owner of Schaefer Ecological Solutions she engages in the regional dialogue on the planning and implementation of habitat conservation and resources management, including the development of adaptive management and monitoring programs and management funding analyses. Christina holds a Master of Science in Landscape Ecology from the University of Munich/Freising in Germany, and a Master of Landscape Architecture in Natural Resources Management from the University of Arizona in Tucson. Originally from Germany, Christina came to San Diego in 1992 with a thorough background in international conservation work in Europe, Mexico and the Middle East, where she researched and piloted habitat restoration programs in arid and saline environments. Christina and her husband have two sons that keep her engaged in voluntarism, outreach and education. She guest-lectures in a Conservation Economics class at UC San Diego, was a board and founding member for the San Diego Cooperative Charter School and also assisted with the creation of the Albert Einstein Academy Charter School. In the little time that remains, she enjoys playing the piano, walking, hiking, camping, skiing, learning languages and traveling internationally.

San Diego Habitat Conservancy
Phone: 619-365-4839
​SDHC@sdhabitat.org