OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jill Bays - President
Jill@TransitionHabitat.org
Jill Bays, along with Carol Hill, Bertrand Bays, Tara Matthews, Robert Plank and Roberta Dewey founded THC in 2005 after deciding to save some of the most beautiful natural land in the area. Jill played a key role in THC becoming an accredited land trust and works on land transactions and grants for the organization. Jill holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Relations and Organizational Behavior from the University of San Francisco. She participated in the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation plan as a Stakeholder representing the California Council of Land Trusts, and is on the steering Committee of the Antelope Valley Regional Conservation Investment Strategy. Jill serves as a volunteer director and volunteer officer.
Geary Hund- Vice President
Geary has worked as a conservation professional for more than 40 years. He began his career with California State Parks, first as a ranger and then as an ecologist, receiving two awards from the Director of State Parks and one from the Lieutenant Governor for his work on wildlife corridors and obtaining statewide funding for State Parks’ natural resource management program. After retiring from State Parks, Geary worked first as a refuge and then endangered species biologist for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Geary also worked as Associate Director of the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy, and for The Wilderness Society on National Conservation Lands in California. While with The Wilderness Society, Geary played a lead role in the introduction and passage of the Riverside County Wilderness Bill, which added to existing wilderness and monuments, designated new wilderness areas and created the first Wild and Scenic Rivers in Southern California. He received a Wilderness Hero’s award in 2011 in recognition of his efforts. Geary joined the Mojave Desert Land Trust board in early 2017 where he served as Treasurer. Geary served was appointed as Executive Director of the Mojave Desert Land Trust in 2019. He was instrumental in the passage of AB 1183, the California Desert Conservancy Program. He retired in 2021 and now serves on the MDLT and THC boards.
Steve Olney- Secretary
Steve Olney was originally from Torrance. After obtaining a Bachelor's Degree in Geology, at Humboldt State University, Steve moved to the high desert in 1984. With the family immersed in horse activities, he researched and trained for a career as a Farrier. Steve grew up in a very out-of-doors family; spending much time in the mountains and deserts of the western states. He is a member of the North American Trail Ride Conference, American Endurance Ride Conference and Equestrian Trail Inc., as well as helping to manage rides and support Back Country Horsemen of California. Steve sees the need for land preservation along with trail networks. He serves as a volunteer Director for Transition Habitat Conservancy.
Gina Charpentier- Treasurer
Gina Charpentier was born in Redondo Beach, California in 1965. She grew up in Torrance and Corona, California on a 5-acre citrus ranch with a variety of the usual pets. She loved hiking, horseback riding, swimming, photography, painting and drawing. She currently resides in Oak Hills, California, with her husband and two children. In 2011, her interest in nature and conservation lead to the installation of a Monarch Waystation at her home which was inspired by a childhood experience. As a young girl in Corona she discovered a roadside milkweed plant covered with caterpillars, and was completely amazed by their transformation into the beautiful Monarch butterfly. She began speaking about and teaching the importance of Monarch conservation to local K-12 students, museums, bug fairs, senior centers and garden clubs. It was this conservation work and Girl Scout volunteering that led her to become a board member and Treasurer for Transition Habitat Conservancy.
Bertrand Bays- Director
Bertrand Bays was born in Switzerland. Bert holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the Federal Institute of Technology, Switzerland. He worked as Product and Business Manager for DuPont for 8 years. Bert and his spouse now own and operate a successful language services business. Bert helped THC build a successful drone monitoring stewardship program, and helps out with GIS mapping and all things technical at the Conservancy. Bert wrangles the financial reports for the Board of Directors and solves complex problems a Land Trust continually encounters.
Daniel Potter- Director
A California native, Dan attended College of the Sequoias and Kings River Community Colleges. He retired from Honeywell after 34 years service starting with the Garrett Airesearch Corp in 1981 and remaining with the Military Customer Support group spending 3 years with the Marine Corp in Okinawa Japan and 5 years at Cherry Point Marine Corp Air Station in North Carolina. The remaining time was spent at Air Force Plant 42 and Edwards Air Force Base testing advanced technologies. During this time he was privileged to have directly participated on 5 different test teams which were awarded the Collier Trophy. In 2003 Dan purchased a small ranch on the west side of Lancaster where he took up camera trapping using the commercially available cameras. Not being happy with the quality of those cameras, Dan started developing his own cameras. Dan was invited to investigate the Transition Habitat Conservancy's Portal Ridge property using his homebrewed Trail Cameras, and gives insight to the behind-the-scenes animal life on the Preserve.
Amy White- Director
Amy grew up in Los Angeles where she spent most of her childhood outdoors, hiking, sailing, and catching lizards and snakes. She worked in the business of advertising sales and marketing for 25 years, where she inspired, motivated and lead teams to exceed their goals and grow professionally. Amy “retired” from the corporate world to pursue her desire to be her own boss.
She created a successful marketing firm, established a trailer rental and glamping business, and worked with local charities. Amy is always looking for ways to stay connected and give back to what she holds dear.
Ryan White- Director
Ryan attended SDSU where he received a degree in Psychology. Soon after graduating his entrepreneurial nature led him to start and cultivate a global lifestyle apparel company. As a Southern California native, Ryan developed his passion for the outdoors growing up untethered in the hills, valleys, and creeks of the undeveloped areas of Agoura Hills. These childhood experiences shaped his world view of loving all of nature’s wonders and advocating for preservation and protection of native species. As an empty nester, Ryan resides in Carlsbad, CA where he enjoys his time with his wife and their dogs.
Armand G. Gonzales- Director
Armand began his thirty-three year career with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in 1985. He progressed through the Wildlife Biologist and Environmental Scientist series, before retiring in 2017 as the Special Advisor for Climate Science and Renewable Energy. Along the way he contributed to the acquisition and permanent conservation and management of over 30,000 acres of habitat inhabited by native species, many of which are listed as threatened or endangered under the California Endangered Species Act. He worked in three separate CDFW Regions (1, 2, and 3), and Headquarters. During his time assigned to HQ, he led the award winning 2015 update of the State Wildlife Action Plan; was the Editor-in-Chief of the California Fish and Game Journal; and oversaw the revisioning and restructuring of the Habitat Conservation Planning Branch. He also developed and implemented the highly successful advance mitigation program for the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, and designed the CESA Fee structure and regulations allowing CDFW to fund endangered species permitting. Armand earned a B.S. degree in Biological Conservation from CSU Sacramento, and an M.S. degree in Natural Resources Management-Wildlife from Humboldt State University. After retirement from state service, Armand attended Lincoln Law School and Villanova University and now specializes in Federal Immigration Law, representing asylum seekers in Federal Immigration Court. Armand was the President of the Western Section of the Wildlife Society and is a Certified Wildlife Biologist. Armand has two daughters who he adores, and is rarely seen without his faithful companion, Moji, nearby. For relaxation, Armand enjoys carpentry, woodworking, gardening, and hiking. In addition Armand is a PADI certified scuba Divemaster and is a U.S. Army veteran.