Don Scoles, Executive Director
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Don Scoles is responsible for overseeing and directing open space property acquisition; habitat management; and operations including administration, fundraising, grants, outreach, and education. Don came to SDHC in 2009 with over 20 years of experience in the environmental planning and compliance field where he evaluated projects pursuant to environmental laws and regulations such as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and resource agency permits. He has extensive experience in restoration, erosion control, hazardous materials review, stormwater, and field implementation of environmental commitments during construction. Don received his Bachelor of Arts in Geography with an Emphasis in Environmental Studies and a minor in Biology from San Diego State University, and has completed a Professional Certificate in Hazardous Material Management. |
Penny Bauder, Acquisition Program Manager
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Penny Bauder serves as the new Acquisitions Program Manager for the San Diego Habitat Conservancy. Penny manages and coordinates all stages of SDHC’s acquisitions process and ensures projects are compliant with requirements from state and federal government agencies, the Land Trust Alliance Accreditation Commission, and SDHC’s land transaction policies and procedures. Penny's background includes a Master's Degree in Environmental Management from the University of Alaska and over 15 years of experience managing large-scale and complex natural resource projects from the ground up. As a program manager and environmental planner, Penny has worked for the Alaska Regional Office of the National Park Service, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Tongass National Forest, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, and Steens Mountain Cooperative Management Area. Her diverse background includes mentoring youth and working on climate change policy with nonprofits in California, Alaska, and Idaho and launching a children's STEM company.
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Vince Rivas, Conservation Habitat Manager
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Vince Rivas is responsible for performing field monitoring and maintenance activities pertaining to long-term management, as well as drafting cost estimates and proposals, tracking field activities, and preparing reports. Prior to joining SDHC in June of 2019, Vince served as a project manager at HELIX Environmental Planning for over 3 years, where he oversaw the installation and maintenance of habitat restoration projects, coordinated with clients and field staff, monitored budgets and invoices, prepared cost estimates and proposals, and developed and conducted training for restoration field crews. Vince also has experience as a program assistant with the I Love A Clean San Diego nonprofit organization, educating public audiences on environmental issues and sustainable behaviors. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and is currently attending San Diego State University for a Master of Science degree in Biology, Ecology Concentration.
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Galen Reid, Conservation Habitat Manager
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Galen Reid is a conservation habitat manager for San Diego Habitat Conservancy. As a dedicated field biologist with 25 years of experience performing avian, herpetological, fisheries and rare plant inventories throughout the Western US, Galen has an enhanced appreciation for the diverse biota and terrain endemic to San Diego County. Galen's background includes a Bachelor's Degree in Wildlife Management from Humboldt State University, years of work in construction, trail building, and wildfire prevention fuels maintenance. As a habitat manager, Galen has worked for the Bureau of Land Management, Six Rivers National Forest Service, Redwood National Park, and the Hawaii Department of Forestry and Wildlife. His most recent experience includes five years as a contract biologist for Caltrans and Southern California Edison, delineating an array of sensitive biota for projects throughout Southern and Central California. As a San Diego County native, Galen is committed to protecting and preserving the wild riparian corridors, sage scrub plains, rolling grasslands, redshank chaparral mesas and many other diverse landscapes under the charge of SDHC.
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Dane van Tamelen, Conservation Habitat Manager
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Dane van Tamelen joined SDHC as a habitat manager in 2024 and is responsible for preserve management, monitoring, maintenance, and reporting. Dane previously worked in environmental consulting for seven years as a biologist and project manager at HELIX Environmental Planning. He holds U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service permit authorization to conduct protocol surveys for coastal California gnatcatcher, and he has extensive field experience leading surveys and conducting monitoring for sensitive wildlife species including coastal California gnatcatcher, least Bell’s vireo, and burrowing owl. He is also experienced with botanical efforts including vegetation mapping, habitat assessments, plant identification, restoration monitoring, and special-status plant surveys. He has wide-ranging experience writing technical reports, performing construction monitoring, and managing various projects in both public and private sectors for environmental compliance. Dane received his Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he also worked as a field assistant for two years at Younger Lagoon Reserve and volunteered at the Thimann Greenhouse Lab.
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Connie Koros, Accountant
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Connie joined San Diego Habitat Conservancy in April 2020 at the Accountant. She is excited to be working for a nonprofit organization that is geared towards land conservation since she is passionate about the sustainability of natural resources. She has a degree in business with a focus in accounting and has been working in finance and accounting for over 25 years. Over the years, she has volunteered as Auditor and Treasurer for several boards, in addition to working as an Accountant for many small to medium sized businesses. The position of Accountant with SDHC is an exciting opportunity that will utilize her analytical skills in finance and accounting, as well as allow her to work closely with a great team to strengthen the financial sustainability of the organization. In her spare time, she enjoys taking wine education classes through San Diego State’s World Campus.
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