About FOLC

Mission & Vision

Our mission is to inspire a passion for understanding and preserving the natural life of the Lost Coast region in students, visitors and the community. Sharing this passion is what our programs are all about as we work toward our vision of a time when our local and global communities understand, value and appreciate the unique environment of the Lost Coast region and reflect this in their personal lives.

History

Founded by a group of community-minded nature lovers in 2000, Friends of the Lost Coast originally partnered with staff at the King Range National Conservation Area to bring interpretive information about the local Lost Coast region Conservation Lands to the public. Early projects included natural science fairs and the movie, Lost Coast Adventures, which teaches safety and stewardship to visitors. Since then we have grown to include many more partners and great programs.

Board of Directors

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Christina Huff

Christina is a retired coordinator of our local family resource center...

...now a trainer and consultant for family strengthening organizations. She enjoys backyard gardening and visiting/hiking on public lands throughout the country with her family. She’s proud of FOLC's work in promoting environmental education and access for children and families in our community. Christina joined the Board in 2016 and, over this time, has served in the roles VP, Secretary and Treasurer - and is currently Board President.

 

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Cheryl Lisin

Cheryl is a landscape designer who specializes in native plants for California gardens.

She operates a small native plant nursery and leads plant hikes for BLM, FOLC, Sanctuary Forest and the Southern Humboldt Community Park. Cheryl served as FOLC President from 2012 through 2022, and is currently the Board VP & Treasurer. She has been a Board member since 2010.

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Robie Tenorio

Robie lives in the Mattole River watershed at the mouth of Mattole Canyon Creek,...

..., where along with her partner she maintains large orchards and gardens for food and quality of life. Watershed restoration and land stewardship have been and are a priority for Robie and she is honored to join FOLC to help facilitate opportunities for the public and especially children to experience and learn about our natural environment in this amazing and beautiful place we are so lucky to call home.

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Carl Hanson

Carl was raised in Northern California, moving with his family from...

...the coastal mountains to the High Sierra where he developed an interest in the natural histories of the regions. Carl is a long time participant in local music and theater and has worked a variety of outdoor jobs. Carl says” Being on the board allows me to expand my knowledge and skills regarding the amazing and always profound Lost Coast”.

 

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Dawn Goley

Dr. Dawn Goley is the Director of the Marine Mammal Stranding Program...

...the Marine Mammal Education and Research Program and is a professor of Zoology at Humboldt State University. She and her students have conducted research on local marine mammals to better understand the biology, behavior and ecology of whales, sea lions and seals in the near and off-shore waters of northern California. 

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Ransom Reid

Ransom grew up in Shelter Cove and knows first-hand how special the Lost Coast area is.

 Ransom works with his father as a carpenter and plans to build his own home in the area. In the future, he wants to become an electrician. Ransom started his board service as a high school senior at Whale Gulch School and has served on the board since 2019.

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Beth Wells

Beth recently retired from a career in public health, where she worked in...

 ... disease prevention and community wellness programs. As a kid, she learned to love nature through Girl Scout camping trips and family vacations in the redwoods; she is excited to help inspire that passion in others. Beth enjoys hiking, camping, and birding in the Lost Coast region and beyond. She’s also a gardener, food preserver, musician, and baseball fan. Beth was proud to join the board in 2020.

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Andy Barnett

Andy is a music educator, performer, producer,  and author.

He was part of the initial technical and marketing team for Wild Iris Forestry, specializing in hardwoods. He has decades of community action experience, most recently with efforts to protect the environment through the Rotary organization, both locally and globally. 

Teachers

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Taylor Faye Benedict

Taylor Faye is FOLC's Environmental Education Coordinator, bringing place-based natural science...

 ...to local schools. She also coordinates our social media and is spearheading the Youth Interpreters program, guiding high school students in teaching natural science lessons to their elementary peers. She is a Humboldt State graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science and a focus in ecological restoration. Following graduation, she served 2 AmeriCorps terms in the Sierra Nevada foothills for a small environmental nonprofit as the Stewardship and Outreach Coordinator. She returned to Humboldt County in 2020 with hopes of setting down roots behind the redwood curtain. Outside of work, Taylor Faye enjoys long urban walks, every plant and cat she comes in contact with, and all things 80's!

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Reta Willmore

Reta is a teacher at Whale Gulch School in far northern Mendocino County on the Lost Coast.

She has a degree in Natural Resources and has worked with children for many years. Reta is the founding teacher of FOLC’s Summer Adventure Camp. Her passion for inspiring a love of nature in children and adults makes her a perfect camp teacher! Reta has taught Kundalini yoga classes, mindfulness training for elementary students, and is a Reiki practitioner.

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Michele Palazzo

Michele is a naturalist, herbalist, educator, activist, gardener and traveler with a Bachelor of Science degree in...

 ...Environmental Science and Forestry as well as five years of focused herbal study plus a California Early Childhood Education teaching credential. She has been working and exploring with plants and children for over 25 years. She teaches herb classes, leads edible and medicinal plant hikes, formulates and sells Mama Palazzo's Herbal Remedies, works at Beginnings as the head teacher for Children’s House and offers environmental education for children and adults. She resides in Whitethorn with her partner and their daughter where she grows food and medicine as well as harvests from the surrounding forest.

Executive Director

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Justin Crellin

Justin Crellin is Friends Of The Lost Coast's Executive Director.

A longtime southern Humboldt resident, Justin brings 20+ years of non-profit and community service experience. He was previously employed as General Manager of the Mateel Community Center and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Humboldt Redwoods Interpretive Association and SoHum Health. He is also an avid hiker and outdoor enthusiast, with a deep love of wild places - and a special affinity for the Lost Coast and our local redwood parks. Justin lives on a homestead near the headwaters of Mattole Canyon Creek, where he raised 2 children, and likes keeping busy working on homegrown conservation strategies and observing the incredible biodiversity we have in our backyard.

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