Our Leaders

John became entangled with native plants while working as a park docent and landscaper in the 1980s. He has degrees from University of California Santa Cruz, San Francisco State University, and University of California Davis, where he received a doctorate in plant biology. After teaching at the State University of New York Brockport for several years, John returned to California and since then has been working as an ecologist for environmental consulting and engineering firms. For nearly 30 years, John has been active in California’s botanical community. His activities have included  serving on CNPS’ original vegetation committee (then the “Rare Plant Communities” committee), editing the California Botanical Society’s journal Madroño, and serving as president of the Sacramento Valley Chapter of CNPS.

Steve is a retired California State Scientist who led invasive weed programs at the CA Dept. of Food and Agriculture for 16 years and then served as Branch Chief of the Biogeographic Data Branch at the CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, which oversees the CA Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB), GIS services and the Vegetation and Mapping Program (VegCAMP).  Steve studied Entomology as an undergrad at UC Berkeley and both Entomology and Biostatistics at UC Davis completing two Masters. Botanical activities for Steve have entailed photographing all California monkeyflowers and describing 2 as new species.  He is also very in love with the northern Mojave Desert flora and partners in plant collecting forays and regional floras.  In addition to serving on the CNPS state board, Steve will continue his 15 year stint on the CA Invasive Plant Council board of directors. He lives in Davis with his wife Carol and is happily watching his two kids study herpetology and plant science in the UC system.

Vivian Neou is a retired software executive. She became interested in native plants after she retired and started hiking. That led her to volunteer at the CNPS SCV Nursery, where she became the nursery manager. She's a past president of the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the California Native Plant Society and is active in many other roles in the chapter. Vivian enjoys leading hikes for Midpeninsula Open Space District, Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve and Edgewood Park & Natural Preserve.

Bio coming soon...

Lucy grew up exploring the mountains and lakes around Truckee with her cross country ski team. She has lived in Santa Cruz since 2008 where she completed her degree from the UCSC environmental studies department and started a small gardening business focused on locally native and regionally appropriate plants. Lucy has done ecological garden design, perennial landscape management, and cared for orchards and vegetable gardens. After completing the UC Naturalist Program she went on to work with Brett Hall as a volunteer on vegetation mapping, seed collection and propagation, and rare species monitoring. She has served the California Native Plant Society as a board member since 2019 and as vice president of the local chapter since 2018. Lucy currently works at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum and Botanic Garden. In her role as Native Plant Program Project Manager, she focuses on plant conservation and seed banking, vegetation ecology and mapping, native plant horticulture and working with students. When she’s not obsessing over plants, Lucy spends her time drawing, painting, weaving, knitting, cooking, baking, reading and hanging out with family.

More information coming soon.

Bio coming soon...

Hannah received her B.S. in Plant Biology from UC Davis and her research interests revolve around plant systematics and taxonomy. Hannah found her passion for California native plants during her sophomore year in college where she took plant biology as a prerequisite which changed her career trajectory from pre-medicine to plant biology. Hannah currently works as a botanist at ECORP Consulting Inc. where she conducts on special-status plant surveys, focused floristic and vegetation surveys, and wetland delineations. She previously worked at the UC Davis herbarium and loves everything herbaria. Hannah is also an active member of the CNPS Redbud Chapter where she currently serves as the Education Committee Chair. When Hannah is not in the field botanizing you can find her cooking a new recipe or cuddling her cat while reading.

Dr. Matt Ritter grew up in rural Mendocino County, California. After earning a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from U.C. Santa Barbara, he attended U.C. San Diego for a Ph.D. in plant biology. He’s a botany professor in the Biological Sciences Department at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California, where he lives with his wife and two children. He’s the author of several books, including a new guide to California’s flora, California Plants: A guide to our Iconic Flora.  He also wrote the funniest and best-selling guide to California’s urban forest, A Californian’s Guide to the Trees among Us (Heyday, 2011). His writing has appeared in several magazines, including a regular column on tree diversity in Pacific Horticulture. He won the Cal Poly’s Distinguished Teaching Award and the International Society of Arboriculture Award for Excellence in Education. He is the California Coordinator of the American Forests Big Tree Registry, studies California’s native plants, and trees that escape cultivation, particularly Eucalyptus. He’s an avid woodworker, mason, and gardener.

Vince has been an active member of CNPS since 1980. He has assisted with listing petitions, litigation, rare plant studies, and the annual San Diego Chapter fall plant sale for many years. Vince graduated from SDSU and UCLA where he received an MA in Biology. He lives in San Diego, where he owns a small private environmental consulting firm specializing in biological studies and endangered species surveys. He enjoys propagating native plants, specializing in rare Dudleyas, and maintains a diverse native plant garden filled with dozens of uncommon species. He is passionate about endangered plants and unusual plant communities, and loves the outdoors.