Amanda Montez Joins Sempervirens Fund’s Board of Directors
Communications and Engagement Specialist brings insights on open space outreach to underserved communities
Mar. 2, 2015 — Sempervirens Fund, California’s oldest land trust, has just announced the appointment of Amanda Montez to its Board of Directors. Ms. Montez is the Communications and Engagement Specialist at Destination: Home where she is focused on the implementation of Santa Clara County’s Community Plan to End Homelessness.
“We are excited to have Amanda Montez join Sempervirens Fund’s Board. Her experience and passion for outreach to traditionally underserved communities combined with her knowledge of local open space issues adds great value,” said Fred Keeley, Sempervirens Fund Board President. “Not to mention that her energy and enthusiasm for connecting people with the redwood forests is contagious.”
Prior to joining Destination: Home, Amanda served as the Community Outreach Specialist for the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen), where she worked to educate diverse constituencies in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties about public lands and the $300 million general obligation bond to protect and increase access to open space, including redwood forests, that was successfully passed by voters in 2014. One of her projects was the implementation of the African American History Month Celebration, showcasing that community’s important contributions to California land conservation and raising awareness for all.
“I’m so excited to be a part of Semperviren Fund’s legacy of stewardship and preservation. My Dad’s constant planning for our next hiking or camping trip infused my childhood with beautiful outdoor memories, and after his passing, further inspired me to be active in conservation efforts as an adult,” said Montez. “I want to ensure that future generations of families will be able to share the same joy and wonder when they step onto a trail.”
Before joining Midpen, Amanda served as a Policy Analyst with the City of San Jose, as an Advocacy and Outreach Manager for Global Policy Solutions and as a Legislative Analyst for the National Council of La Raza, where she focused on housing, health, juvenile justice and presidential appointments in their Washington, DC office.
Amanda is also a board member for Santa Clara County’s League of Conservation Voters and previously served on the boards of the Silicon Valley Young Democrats and DAWN. Currently, she serves as the Vice Chair of the City of San Jose’s Housing and Community Development Commission.
Amanda holds a master’s degree in Political Management with a concentration in Strategic Issues Management and a bachelor’s degree in Political Communications from the George Washington University. She is a member of the 2014 Latino Leadership Alliance Academy Cohort through Stanford University.
Sempervirens Fund’s mission is to complete the Great Park, a connected redwood forest ecosystem in the Santa Cruz Mountains.