Jessica Plachta, Executive Director
Jessica is a writer and conservationist with a keen interest in biodiversity and climate resilience. She majored in botany, and spent her first decade after college building a passive solar permaculture homestead in Washington State. Jessica grew up downstream of mine sites, and still carries toxic heavy metals in her body, a fact which informs her work to protect the clean waters that course through the veins of the Chilkat Valley. For the past 15 years, Jessica has enjoyed exploring the valley's intricate microclimates and their biological treasures while hiking, skiing and kayaking with her family. She still gets tears of joy every fall when that first sockeye strikes her subsistence net.
Torrey Larson, Communications Coordinator
Torrey is originally from Haines. When she was in 4th grade, her family started spending school years in Flagstaff, AZ, returning to Haines in the summer.
Torrey lived in Durango, CO and Hayward, CA before graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in American Cultural Studies from Western Washington University in Bellingham. She returned to Haines in 2018 and now finds deep joy and meaning in advocating for the wild landscape that helped shape her early years. She loves animals, harvesting mushrooms and berries, and cold water dips. In the winter she enjoys cross country skiing and ice skating.
Stacie Evans, Board President
For much of her life Stacie traveled, lived, and worked throughout the west in search of all things wild. In 2012 she found Haines and never looked back. Stacie earned her Bachelor's of Science at the University of Montana and has spent nearly every summer in the field since her first job in eighth grade. In the summer she still packs her bags and travels to Alaska's most remote places to collect biological data. In the winter months she is happy to backcountry ski, play ping-pong and help LCC protect this amazing valley that she calls home.
Eric Holle, Board Vice-President
Eric Holle has spent 33 years in Haines. 20 of those he served as LCC board president, and the remainder as vice president. He has worked on king salmon and other projects for ADF&G, done contract biological fieldwork on desert tortoises for BLM and USGS, and is an ex-professional player of five string banjo. Likes gnarly tree skiing in pow and hucking his meat off the big pillow drops. Also long kayak paddles around SE Alaska. Has been involved in conservation work involving Yellowstone grizzlies, Alexander Archipelago wolves, old growth forests of the Rocky Mtn west and SE Alaska, uranium mining issues,and coal-mining issues on Navajo-Hopi lands. Heros are mostly whistleblowers like Dan Ellsberg, Karen Silkwood, Dave Foreman, and Rachel Carson.
Scott Carey, Board Treasurer
Scott came to Alaska for the love of the mountains in 1981. On his first day in Haines, he walked into Ray Menakers newspaper office and became an LCC member. He has been working with LCC ever since, as president, treasurer, secretary and VP. He ekes out a living in Haines building timber frame homes with local wood. Running around in the alpine country gives Scott energy and inspiration to work on conservation issues.
George Figdor, Board Member
George got his intro to life on the Streets of Philly but has been a Haines resident since 1972 and joined LCC within 30 days of first stepping off the ferry in Haines and seeing the smoke from the mill filling the inlet. George has been a member for the past 10 years & was president in the late 70's. George has degree in communications but more importantly, a University of Alaska Master Gardener Certificate. George is interested in energy and sustainability issues, local food production, land use planning, and quiet rights issues. George is a serious photographer and kayaker. He enjoys doing kayaking photography. He especially likes growing food, building wind and solar power systems, and most of all...making flyers for nonprofits!
Mario Benassi, Board Member
Mario works with the youth, empowering them to care about the magic of the Chilkat Valley. A raptor expert, master chef, father, and film-maker who speaks for the animals.
Cary Weishan, Board Member
Cary, her husband and first daughter moved to Haines in 1981. They subsequently had another daughter and raised their family here. She has been an LCC board member since 2005 and served as Secretary from 2005-2009. After receiving a B.A. from the University of Redlands (English major) she earned an M.A. in Special Education from San Diego State University. Cary holds a current Alaska teacher certificate, K-8, with Special Education endorsement. Cary is especially concerned about taking care of this planet we call home. Having grown up in Santa Monica, California, she witnessed increasing air pollution from the Los Angeles basin to San Diego. Knowing how much damage has already been done in the lower 48 states, she is committed to protecting Alaska’s clean air, water, and soil.
Ben Aultman-Moore, Board Member
Ben moved to Alaska from his home state of West Virginia in 2015 in search of clean water, food security, and an involved community. He quickly fell in love with the rivers and salmon of Haines, the self-reliance and warmth of the small town. He now apprentices as a cabinet maker and timber framer, and is following his dream of building a house by hand. Ben remains dedicated to speaking for the rights and care of our human and non-human neighbors.
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