Banner saying "Nature's Inspiration"

More than 200 guests joined us in the forest to relax among friends old and new at Green Foothills’ 20th annual celebration, Nature’s Inspiration, on Sunday, September 24, 2023, from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. This year’s event was at Sequoia Peterson Grove in Sanborn County Park, Saratoga. Sanborn is home to the California redwood, an integral part of our local ecology and the theme of this year’s event.

We honored our outgoing Executive Director, Megan Fluke; welcomed Julie Hutcheson, our new Executive Director; and celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Green Foothills Leadership Program, which currently has more than 260 amazing graduates doing good work locally for conservation and equity.

Guests enjoyed a heartwarming program that included special guests Julie Dominguez of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area, Gerardo Ixteyo Loera and Corina Herrera-Loera of Calpulli Tonalehqueh, Sara Barth of Sempervirens Fund, a live performance by the Kathak Kala Vihar dance troupe, and a surprise special guest, Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian. There were light refreshments and plenty of time to mingle. The entire event was, as usual, a lot of fun!

See photos from Nature’s Inspiration 2023.

Can’t attend but would still like to support Green Foothills? Make a donation today.

Questions? For additional information about Nature’s Inspiration, please contact Jocelyn Rodriguez 650.968.7243 x314, [email protected].

At Green Foothills, we take pride in the inclusive culture we’re cultivating within our organization. For those with limited mobility, we will offer accessible parking, golf cart transportation, and special seating. For those who are hard of hearing, all speakers will be individually microphoned. Please let us know in advance if you would like these accommodations or if there is anything else you require to make your experience comfortable and enjoyable. Kindly email [email protected] by September 1, 2023.

Our 2023 Program

Reception 10:30 a.m.

Dress Code: Picnic Casual

Speakers and Performance 11:30 a.m.

Ian Bain, Board President, Green Foothills

Julie Dominguez, Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area

Gerardo Ixteyo Loera and Corina Herrera-Loera, Calpulli Tonalehqueh, Ceremonial Blessing

Sara Barth, Executive Director, Sempervirens Fund

Julie Hutcheson, Incoming Executive Director, Green Foothills

Megan Fluke, Outgoing Executive Director, Green Foothills

Performance by Kathak Kala Vihar

Closing by Julie Hutcheson

Reception Continues 12:15-1:30 p.m.

Our Growing List of 2023 Sponsors

Nature’s Inspiration underwrites a significant portion of Green Foothills’ annual expenses. We depend on funds raised from this event to support our work so that we can create the greatest impact. The generous support of our Nature’s Inspiration sponsors makes it possible for us to champion land use decisions that affirm and support open space, biodiversity, climate resilience, and natural resources in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.

Thank you to our Nature’s Inspiration 2022 sponsors. To become a sponsor for 2023, please visit our Sponsorship web page.

O’Brien Family Charitable Fund

Ranae DeSantis
Morgan Elizabeth
Google
KPMG and Lisa & Edward Munro
Ann & Mark Monroe
Myrtle L. Atkinson Foundation
Laura Wells

Anonymous
Ben Hammett
Gary & Patricia Hedden
Insperity
Peter & Sue LaTourrette
Law Offices Of Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy
Peter & Beverly Lipman
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
Peninsula Open Space Trust
PG&E
Lennie & Mike Roberts
Sempervirens Fund
Nancy & Greg Serrurier

Steve Abbors
Applied Materials
Brandenburg Family Foundation
Linda & Sid Liebes
William Reller
Save Mount Diablo
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Maxine Terner & Keith Weber

Anonymous
ACLU Foundation of Northern California
Jon Adams
Leslie Airola-Murveit & Hy Murveit
Tamara Alvarado
Marilyn & Bill Bauriedel
Steve Beck & Jane Baxter
Barbara Bessey
Steve Betando
Greg & Lauren Boro
Craig Britton & Carleen Bruins
Phyllis Browning
Matthew Burrows
David Cohen, San Jose Councilmember
Martha Cohn
Mike Danzenbaker & Lee Hung
Marshall Dinowitz & Lisa Kelly
Rod Diridon, Sr. & Gloria Duffy
Barbara Erny
Megan Fluke & Jeff Prentice
The Foster Museum
Smita Garg
Sequoia Hall
Susan Hansch & Richard Wright
Jerry Hearn & Rebecca Reynolds
Cayce Hill & Joe Zullo
Tracy & Julie Hutcheson
Lee Ann Jarrell
Sergio Jimenez, San Jose Councilmember
Pitch & Cathie Johnson
Alice Kaufman & Scot Griffin
Margaret Laffan & Shashank Arora
Richard & Alanna Lanman
Charlie Lum
Tor & Nancy Lund
Theresa Lyngso & Joseph McClintock
Margaret & Jamis MacNiven
Shelley & Andrew Meyer
Dan & Helen Quinn
Katie Sanborn & Barbara Wright
Roberta Saxon & Mike Sasnett
Jeff Segall & Helen He
Joe Simitian, Santa Clara County Supervisor, & Mary Hughes
SPHERE
SRT Consultants
Carolyn & Edwin Tognetti
Valley Water
The Walt Disney Company
Terrell Watt & Mark Karwowski
Bart & Nancy Westcott
Wisdom Revealed
Ciddy Wordell
John Zotz

African American Community Service Agency
Jeffery & Sharon Allyn
Blanca Alvarado
Lawrence Ames
Garnetta Annable
Ian Bain
Bryan Beck & Kaia Eakin
Josh Becker, California Senator
Manjeet Bhamra
Phil & Mary Bobel
Jo-Ann Byrne Sockolov
Dan & Helen Chapman
Colorprint
Constance Crawford
Cooney Family
Paul & Jade Davis
Gabriel de la Rosa
Michelle Domocol
Paul & Maureen Draper
Craige & Jan Edgerton
Linda & Jerry Elkind
Sandy Emerson
Ron Erskine
Anna Eshoo, United States Congresswoman
Nazy Fahimi
Nancy Federspiel
Pam Foley, San Jose Councilmember
Steve & Leslie Furney-Howe
Linda Gass & Rob Steiner
Marian Goldeen & Arthur Ogawa
Jeffrey Gong
Shruti Gopinathan & Vishal Gupta
Melissa Hippard
Kristine Karnos
Arthur Keller
Bill & Kathy Korbholz
Los Gatos Birdwatcher
Andrea Mackenzie & Jenni Martin
Anand Madhavan
Chris Manning & Laura Salcido
Barbara Marshman
Mary L. Reber Trust
Hyma Menath
John and Valerie Metcalfe
Allen Olivo & Robin McKnight
Teresa O'Neill
David Oppenheimer & Elaine Sulzberger Oppenheimer
Smita Patel
Mike Potter, Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority Director, & Cindy Chavez, Santa Clara County Supervisor
Emily Ann Ramos, Mountain View Councilmember
Diana Reddy
Emily Renzel & Enid Pearson
Curt Riffle & Karen Scussel
San Mateo County Parks Foundation
Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency
Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority
Kathryn Schmidt
Ben & Annette Segall
Sequoia Audubon Society
Joan Sherlock
Diane Siemens
David Simon & Lynn Gordon
Sharon Snyder
Jackie Speier
Rene Spring, Morgan Hill Mayor Pro Tempore & Mark Hoffmann
Carolyn A. Straub & Stephen L. McHenry
Hartono Sutanto & Tom Myers
Arpana Tiwari
Charlie Tomberg
George Tucker & Zoe Kersteen-Tucker, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space Director
Jessica Vernon
Don Weden
Mariquita West
Jim Wickett & Magdalena Yesil

Bay Maples

2023 Honorary Hosts

Margaret Abe-Koga
Mountain View City Councilmember


Ruben Abrica

East Palo Alto City Councilmember

Vicki Alexander
Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority Vice Chairperson

Garnetta Annable
Santa Clara Valley Open Space District Director

Rebeca Armedariz
Gilroy City Council Member

Martha Barragan
East Palo Alto City Councilmember

Arjun Batra
San Jose City Council Member

Emily Beach
Burlingame City Councilmember

Josh Becker
California State Senator

Domingo Candelas
San Jose City Councilmember

Helen Chapman
Santa Clara Valley Open Space District Chairperson

Cindy Chavez
Santa Clara County Supervisor

Donna Colson
Vice Mayor of Burlingame

Drew Combs
Menlo Park City Councilmember

Dave Cortese
California State Senator

Noelia Corzo
San Mateo County Supervisor

Maria Doerr
Menlo Park City Councilmember

Kaia Eakin
Redwood City Council Member

Pam Foley
San Jose City Council Member

Jon Froomin
Mayor of Foster City

J.R. Fruen
Cupertino City Councilmember

Lisa Gauthier
Mayor of East Palo Alto

Craig Gleason
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board Secretary

Alison Hicks
Mayor of Mountain View

Zach Hilton
Gilroy City Council Member

Karen Holman
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Director

Diane Howard
Redwood City Council Member

Ash Kalra
California State Assemblymember

Ellen Kamei
Mountain View City Councilmember

Zoe Kersteen-Tucker
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Director

Yoriko Kishimoto
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board President


Lydia Kou

Mayor of Palo Alto

Ed Lauing
Palo Alto City Council Member

Alex Lee
California State Assemblymember

Sergio Lopez
Campbell City Councilmember

Julie Lythcott-Haims
Palo Alto City Council Member

Margaret MacNiven
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board Vice President

Matt Mahan
Mayor of San Jose

Yvonne Martinez Beltran
Morgan Hill City Council Member

Lisa Matichak
Mountain View City Councilmember

Tom Mattusch
San Mateo County Commissioner

Sheila Mohan
Vice Mayor of Cupertino

Kitty Moore
Cupertino City Councilmember

Rob Moore
Los Gatos City Council Member

Betsy Nash
Menlo Park City Councilmember

Lucas Ramirez
Mountain View Councilmember

Emily Ann Ramos
Mountain View City Councilmember

Curt Riffle
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board Treasurer

Maria Ristow
Mayor of Los Gatos

Chris Shaw
Mayor of Woodside

Pat Showalter
Vice Mayor of Mountain View

Joe Simitian
Santa Clara County Supervisor

Rene Spring
Pro Tempore of Morgan Hill

Greer Stone
Vice Mayor of Palo Alto

Chris Sturken
Redwood City Council Member

Vicki Veenker
Palo Alto City Council Member

Hung Wei
Mayor of Cupertino

Bill Widmer
Mayor of Atherton

Jen Wolosin
Mayor of Menlo Park

From our founding more than 60 years ago until today, Green Foothills has been the local, vocal and effective protector of this region’s natural wonders. We have all benefited tremendously from the work of Green Foothills.

Jeff Segall
Jeff Segall

I am grateful for the opportunities that Green Foothills opens up for sincere and organized acts of solidarity that collectively over time will result in change and movement. As a Chicana/Mexika mother and dancer, on the red road, Green Foothills inspires me to take action and center Mother Nature and First Peoples in this struggle to retain land as free and sacred.

Tamara Alvarado

We owe a debt of gratitude to Green Foothills for their decades-long work standing up for nature and people. They have been effective advocates for the region’s open space, farmland, and natural resources, protecting our region’s natural heritage for future generations. As we experience the growing effects of climate change, the role Green Foothills plays as the conscience of the community will be needed more than ever.

Andrea Mackenzie headshot
Andrea Mackenzie

Many of the most important decisions affecting our natural environment involve land use decisions made by our local governments. For more than 60 years, Green Foothills and its allies have worked diligently and effectively to assure that local government decisions in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties have protected open space and prevented sprawl.

Don Weden
Don Weden

The work of Green Foothills is legendary and extremely environmentally significant to efforts to address climate change.

Helen Chapman headshot
Helen Chapman

My support for Green Foothills stems from our reliable long-term passionate commitment to protect local open space now and in the future. This in turn benefits our Wildlife friends and the Earth, essential partners of the human race!

Matt Burrows

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