About ECOSLO

The Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo (ECOSLO) is a local non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the natural environment through community-based action, advocacy, and education.

ECOSLO strives to support and create resilient, healthy natural systems and life styles in San Luis Obispo County. We are committed to a sustainable future while working to improve the quality of life and economic vitality in our communities. Through education, advocacy, and community building, ECOSLO acts to protect the natural environment and environmental health of the Central Coast.  It supports renewable energy, energy conservation and efficiency, sustainable agriculture, green building and the local economy to promote sustainable economic development, protection of agricultural lands and open space, social equity, environmental justice and protection of our natural environment.

Board Members

Sandra Marshall (Chair)
Sandra Marshall has been serving on the Board of Trustees since June of 2011; her term as Chair began in September of 2012.  Marshall also serves as a Board Member of the Earth Day Alliance, Inc., a nonprofit 501c3, whose sole mission is to coordinate an annual Earth Day event for San Luis Obispo County; she has guided this growing event for the past 14 years.  In 1991, she founded the Information Press, a free monthly publication distributed throughout San Luis Obispo County. Available in print and online, Marshall continues to serve as Publisher and owner.

Pam Heatherington (Vice Chair)
Pam Heatherington was Executive Director of ECOSLO from 2000 to 2005. Her highest interest and focus is to connect the health of the environment to the health of all living things. Pam has a degree in Philosophy from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, She is the Billing Manager for Pacific Coast Pharmacy. Pam served as a San Luis Obispo County Health Commissioner for more than a decade, and is Treasurer for the local chapter of Surfrider Foundation. She has also served as a Planning Commissioner in Atascadero, was a member of the Sierra Club International Toxic Committee, and was one of the founding Boardmembers of the Organization of Regional Coastal Activists (ORCA).

Allyson Nakasone (Treasurer)
Allyson has been involved with ECOSLO since 1995. First as the bookkeeper and most recently as a the Board Secretary. She came to San Luis Obispo in 1994 to attend Cal Poly and decided to stay after receiving her degree in Soil Science.  Today she has an active business as a full time Realtor and helps bring the green message to the Real Estate community. Allyson is a Master Gardener, certified EcoBroker, designated Green Certified Realtor from the National Association of Realtors and certified Green Building Professional by the California Department of Real Estate.

Clint Slaughter M.D. (Secretary)
Clint Slaughter has been on the board of ECOSLO since 2007. Since he has been a part of the organization, he has watched ECOSLO participate in a wide variety of environmental activities, including public education, grassroots efforts, and local activism. Clint Slaughter has received a Bachelor's of Science from Trenton State College, a M.D. from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark, NJ, and he completed an Emergency Medicine Residency program at U Mass allowing him to become board certified in Emergency Medicine.  Currently he works as an Emergency Physician at Arroyo Grande Community Hospital.

Deborah Hillyard
Deborah Hillyard has served as a member of ECOSLO for many years.  Currently she works as an Environmental Scientist for the California Department of Fish & Game.  Her education in biology and range ecology focused on the ecology and management of arid and semi-arid systems.  She is familiar with many of the rare, threatened and endangered species of the Central Coast, and has facilitated conservation of their populations and habitats. Deborah has taught sections of workshops regarding rare plants, coastal prairie, maritime chaparral, and the various laws and regulations which apply to Central Coast species and habitats.

Bob Lavelle
Bob Lavelle has been a member of ECOSLO for over ten years. He became involved in environmental activism in the 70s as a member of the Abalone Alliance and worked to block Diablo Nuclear Power Plant from being built in Avila. His focus is on energy issues. Bob graduated from UCLA with a law degree and still maintains his membership in the California State Bar. Currently. Bob owns his own construction company, Lavelle Construction, and is a licensed General Contractor.

Carolyn Huddleston
Carolyn joined the ECOSLO Board in June of 2012.  She has lived in SLO County for more than 30 years, and remembers back when ECOSLO started the first recycling program in the county. She is currently working on her bachelor’s degree through the distance learning program of Prescott College (Prescott, Arizona), with a major of environmental studies, and a minor in sustainable community development.  Her passion is to connect people with their environment, as we in the developed world have become so insulated from our environment.  Carolyn also helps the Morro Bay National Estuary Program monitor the water quality in the Morro Bay watershed.  Her day job is managing Templeton Gardens Senior Apartments, just down the street from Twin Cities Hospital.

Melody DeMeritt
Melody DeMeritt has spent many years serving the environment.  She served as Treasurer on the Board of the Coastal Alliance on Plant Expansion in Morro Bay from 2000 to 2004.  She was elected to the Morro Bay City Council in 2004 and served until 2008.  After public office, she joined the Santa Lucian Sierra Club Executive Committee and was Chair from 2010 to 2012.  Melody just retired after 30 years of teaching at Cal Poly and joined the Board of Trustees of ECOSLO in November 2012.

Nancy Graves
Nancy has lived in SLO county since 1996 and worked as an Audio Visual Specialist for the State of California.  She has been an active volunteer in environmental and coastal issues, and the California Coastal Trail (CCT).  She has served on the Coastwalk Board of Directors, the State Steering Committee for the CCT, O.R.C.A. Board of Directors,County Trails Advisory Committee and the Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee.

Staff

Kylee Singh, Program Coordinator 
Kylee is a Masters of Public Policy student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She recently moved here from Humboldt county where she was actively involved in environmental campaigns in the area. She was on the team that helped motivate decision makers on the Humboldt State University (HSU) campus to ban bottled water sales, making HSU the first public university in the U.S. to do so. She is passionate about the environment and her community and is excited  about setting roots in SLO county and working for ECOSLO!

Tyler Conrad, Administrative Coordinator 
Tyler has a background as an elementary school teacher and spent the last 15 years teaching in kindergarten. He has also worked in different positions in county, state and national parks.  He spent 12 years working as a California State Park Ranger in various units including the Tule Elk State Reserve, Fort Tejon and Empire Mine State Historic Parks, and several state recreation areas. Tyler loves spending quality time in the outdoors with family and friends.  He especially likes to hike, kayak, and camp. Tyler says he's excited to be serving ECOSLO and can't wait to meet you out on the trail!