Rene Aguas, Engineer Technician

Rene has been working with the RCD since 2004, first as an intern and now on staff. Rene came to us from USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service where he served as Soil Conservation Aide and Student Training Agricultural Engineer. He brings with him a knowledge of NRCS policy as well as a thorough understanding of NRCS Engineering and Design Standards. A native of Salinas, California, Rene is currently working towards a degree in Engineering and Industrial Design.

Melanie Beretti, PROJECT DIRECTOR

Melanie has worked with the RCD since 2000, and has worked in resource conservation and watershed protection on the Central Coast for more than 10 years.  Melanie received her B.S. in Forest Resources from the University of Washington and her M.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of California in Santa Cruz. Melanie has investigated the effectiveness of on-farm conservation practices to protect water quality and the aquatic ecosystem as well as the consequences of hydrologic change on ecosystem health. Melanie has also participated in a variety of ecological research conservation projects with bats, amphibians, penguins, and Atlantic salmon.

Dina Iden, Project Coordinator

Dina was born & raised in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley with a background in commercial farming. She comes to us with 20 years experience with specific emphasis in livestock marketing, veterinary medicine and animal law & welfare. Since making the move to the Central Coast, she has been involved as a participant in the Livestock and Land Program and has now joined the RCDMC team to launch the Livestock and Land Program in Monterey County. She has served the community in a volunteer capacity, including serving on various boards of directors. She is an avid & accomplished horsewoman active in the American Quarter Horse Association, National Reined Cow Horse Association, and San Benito County Sheriff’s Mounted Search and Rescue Unit.

Jessica Lee, Financial Director

Jessica rejoined the RCD team September of 2006 as Executive Assistant. Jessica previously worked with the RCD in 2003 & 2004 on a part-time basis providing administrative support to the Executive Director and Board of Directors. Jessica came to the RCD after having retired from over a decade of service at a large grocery retailer, where she spent many years as warehouse manager and produce clerk. Her responsibilities focused on shipping/receiving, purchasing coordination with vendors, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and managing a team of employees. She brings an enthusiastic, professional attitude and a willingness to learn and grow with the ever changing demands of the District. Jessica is the ultimate fix it gal right down to the badly needed sugar fixes with the candy reserve she keeps in times of need.

PAUL ROBINS, Executive Director

Paul joined the RCD of Monterey County in July 2008 after serving as the Executive Director of Yolo County Resource Conservation District since 2000, before which he served YCRCD as Program Manager from 1995-2000 directing on-farm agronomic and natural resource management projects and monitoring, as well as outreach. The focus of his career has been on the interactions between agriculture, water quality, and wildlife habitat in California, with emphasis on the use of native vegetation systems and communicating their application to farmers and the public. Paul also teaches a biennial “Farmscape Architecture” 10-week landscape architecture studio course at UC Davis. Paul’s education includes an MS in Community Development and BS degrees in International Agricultural Development and Landscape Architecture from UC Davis.

Rami Shihadeh, Project Manager

Since joining the Resource Conservation District team in December of 2006, Rami has been involved with coordinating and implementing various vegetated treatment systems (VTS), erosion control, and streambank stabilization projects on farms in Monterey County. Rami’s previous work experiences include agriculture production, habitat restoration and erosion control in and around Monterey County for over ten years. Rami is a graduate of the University of Colorado and the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

RCD Staff from left to right: Rene Aguas, Deborah Nares, Melanie Beretti, Carly Alger (Intern), Jessica Lee, Emily Hanson, Rami Shihadeh