Staff Updates

The Catalina Island Conservancy team, which amounts to just less than 100 staff, works diligently to protect and preserve the Island and uphold the Conservancy's mission.

Conservation Operations Director

Laura Minuto has a long relationship with Catalina. Her family would sail to the Island from San Diego to spend summer vacations at the Isthmus and visiting Avalon. She developed an early interest in sustainability, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Earth Sciences from University of California, Santa Cruz and a Master’s degree in Hydrologic Sciences from University of California, Davis. After working on the mainland as an environmental consultant, an opportunity arose to work on waterrelated projects on Catalina Island.

Laura thrived on Catalina, volunteering as a firefighter for Los Angeles County Fire Department and quickly became part of the local community. She had been working as a subcontractor for different companies on the Island when she started looking into permanent employment with the Conservancy.

“The Conservancy was, and is, perfect for me,” she added. “The mission and goals really align with my views and offer opportunities to work on a wide variety of projects.”

She began with the organization as GIS program manager, developing and implementing the Geographic Information System program to support Conservancy projects across all departments. Several years into the role, Laura decided to pivot and serve the Island as a Conservancy ranger. Combined, these positions helped her develop a deep knowledge of both the Conservancy and the Island itself, uniquely qualifying her to become conservation operations director in October 2019.

Laura feels that “having strong relationships with staff and with other stakeholders in the community, and understanding how all of those pieces fit together, is critically important.” She believes that her diverse background and long standing relationship with the Island has positioned her well to provide support for the Conservation team.

Retirements

Lenny Altherr has been instrumental in the Conservancy for more than 21 years. He began working for the organization in October 1998, taking over the facilities management operations at Middle Ranch. Throughout the years, his responsibilities increased to include managing the ranger department, construction and trails.

“I liked the Conservancy as a whole and the mission,” he said. “My wife, Linda, worked here before I did, and I got involved through her and going out on the weekends enjoying the interior of the Island.”

When Lenny joined the Conservancy, there were just 28 employees. As the Conservancy has grown, so has Catalina Island’s popularity as a tourist destination.

“There are more people on the landscape now, definitely, and we have a trail system that is able to support that increase,” he said. “I think the organization has, as a whole, made the Island better, especially with trying to get younger people out into the wildlands with the education department and working with camps.”

He played an integral role in both the construction of the Trailhead visitor center and ensuring its designation as the first LEED Goldcertified building on the Island, as well as Airport in the Sky’s runway repair project. Lenny also recalls the unforgettable experience of rehoming several hundred bison to the Lakota Sioux reservation in South Dakota.

The Conservancy is deeply appreciative of Lenny's work and dedication over the years and wishes him a well-deserved, happy retirement.

Cynthia Fogg joined Catalina Island Conservancy nearly 12 years ago, diligently working to assist the president and CEO, and serving as the primary liaison with the board of directors, benefactor members

and government officials. In her service to the Conservancy, Cynthia saw the company grow in several areas including the number of staff and financial sustainability.

The project she is most proud to have been a part of during her time with the Conservancy is Airport in the Sky’s runway repair project at ACE Clearwater Airfield. As Government Liason, Cynthia was a key point of contact between government, military leaders and the Conservancy.

“I just loved that project because I felt it was so good for the organization in that the airport runway was repaired, but it was also good for the country in training the Marines,” she said. “It isn’t often that we get to do something that has that broad of an impact.”

Cynthia appreciated many unique aspects of the Conservancy, but especially the ongoing involvement of the Wrigley family in the leadership of the organization.

Cynthia has been an invaluable member of the Catalina Island Conservancy team. We wish her all the best in all of her future endeavors.