About Us

Our motivated staff has created a roadmap for how visitors can sustain or enhance Tahoe's unique 8 Worlds of Wonder.
​Where marketing, hosting and the Visitor Activity menu will guide travelers on how to do no harm.

BOARD MEMBERS

​ Jacquie Chandler

Jacquie is the creative force of Sustain Tahoe. As the executive director, she is the maestro in generating vision and meaningful story to each of the projects that are presented. When she was a Corporate Story Coach for a well-established sales and marketing company, Jacquie attended a tourism conference in South Lake Tahoe. Inspired by success stories of destinations who had adopted Geotourism principles, Chandler won the designation of Geotourism Liaison for The Lake Tahoe Basin from the National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations (NGCSD). Sustain Tahoe was her vision and continues to evolve under her creative leadership.

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Penelope Curtis

Penelope is the president of Sustain Tahoe and has a 50 year background in nonprofit arts, culture, orchestral organizational management. She is a Board Source certified nonprofit development consultant and founder of the Julia Morgan Conservancy (Grass Valley North Star House) which is now a cultural heritage tourism site in Nevada County. Penelope served as Coordinator for the California Cultural Heritage Tourism Council, a department of the California Travel & Tourism Commission.

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​​Ava Hinojosa

Ava is an executive management professional and leader with a demonstrated work history in nonprofit and profit industries. She is skilled in organizational management, business operations, programs, and development. Ava enabled the first Washo-inspired Earth Walk site at the Incline Village Welcome Center, along with creating an Indigenous heritage showcase in the Visitor Center. She actively guides our funding opportunities and offers strategic insight in aligning business interests to our NGO mission. 

ADVISORY BOARD

Dona Wessells

​​As a sustainable landscape professional, Dona's insight and guidance has led to the progression of our current book and media project. Her experience helps the next generation navigate through the social and ecological landscapes they are inheriting.

​Dr Shay Strauss

​Shay grew up in Lake Tahoe and has a deep passion for conserving this watershed. While receiving her undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley in Conservation Ecology, she spent summers as a restoration ecology research assistant in the Tahoe Basin. Shay has years of volunteer work with organizations like the Tahoe Rim Trail, Protect Our Winters, and many of Tahoe's ski resorts. Her passion for caring for people and the planet has led Shay to become an Emergency Physician after earning her masters degree in Biochemistry. The impact of climate change and our populations' growing health concerns have become more obvious each year. Shay's scientific background and her experience of growing up in Lake Tahoe, provides an unique and evidence based guidance to Sustain Tahoe's Geotourism efforts. 

​Ben Rupert

Ben is a ​Washoe Paiute Sustainable Travel Guide and Educator. He has been a guiding light on indigenous wisdom that formed the core of the original peoples culture. Ben's efforts showcase a movement forward to connect modern culture to the ancient culture-of-caring. This ideology joins people, planet, and all of earths species, to coexist in harmony.

Cary Crites

​Lake Tahoe Marine Captain, Cary is a founding member and contributor of the organization since 2010. Instrumental in helping produce the Stewardship Congress, and the 4 Tahoe Expositions, Cary's ability to unite and inspire the community to Sustain Tahoe's greatest moments and awards. His current profession provides insight around how to make the Daphnia project (floating science lab) a reality. 

​VOLUNTEER STAFF

Ava Hinojosa - Editor and Strategic Planning
Mia Andler - Nature Educator
Kris Lance Burke - Field Coordinator

CONTRIBUTORS

Karem Ortiz - Graphic design NZ
David Colley - Graphics, marketing collateral
Penelope Curtis - Graphic design "Earth Walk" booklet, photography, video
Sheri WoodsGreen - 'TriNomics' collaboration model
Dr Charles Goldman - decades of lake science defining the boundaries
Kelly Houston - Editor, marketing 
Anton Elder - Photography
Bart Peterson - Photography
Dustie Nelson - Illustration, "Earth Walk" booklet
Tailor Pollak -  Illustration, "Earth Walk" booklet
Ben Rupert - Washo Paiute educator 
Lew Madden - Naval Engineer

EIN	38-3815121
Name in IRS Master File	SUSTAINABLE TAHOE
Street Address	PO BOX 3206
City, State, Zip	INCLINE VLG, NV 89450-3206
NTEE Classification	Natural Resources Conservation and Protection
NTEE Type	Environmental Quality, Protection and Beautification
Classification	Charitable Organization
Subsection	501(c)(3) (View the list of codes)
​Activities	Developing and facilitating Geotourism in the Tahoe Truckee Watershed from South Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake. Introducing visitors to destination stewardship through activities, adventures, and recreation that embrace Lake Tahoe’s uniqueness.
​Contributions	Contributions are tax-deductible
Affiliation	Independent – we are an independent organization not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic group.
Ruling Date	2011 IRS Verification letter
Latest Form 990 Return	Jan -Dec 2023
Fiscal Year End	​December