Los Padres ForestWatch has expanded its Board of Directors with the addition of two new members: Carrie Miller of San Luis Obispo County and David Pellow of Santa Barbara County. Their appointments broaden the board’s expertise and strengthen ForestWatch’s mission to protect Los Padres National Forest and other public lands across the Central Coast.
Miller, a life-long San Luis Obispo resident and partner at Trellis Wealth Advisors, brings decades of professional leadership and a lifelong connection to California’s natural landscapes. Pellow, the Dehlsen Chair and Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies at UC Santa Barbara and Director of the Global Environmental Justice Project, brings extensive expertise in environmental justice, sustainability, and nonprofit leadership.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Carrie and David to an expanding ForestWatch board,” said Jeff Kuyper, executive director of Los Padres ForestWatch. “They both bring tremendous experience, strong connections to their communities, and a genuine love for the landscapes we work to protect. Their leadership will help us deepen our work in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties and across the Central Coast.”
Carrie Miller: Stewardship rooted in San Luis Obispo County
Raised in San Luis Obispo, Miller returned to the Central Coast after two decades in San Francisco, where she built her career in Charles Schwab’s institutional custody business and volunteered with the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary monitoring bird and marine mammal populations.
A passionate birder for more than 20 years, Miller also helped lead a guided birding walk for ForestWatch’s Forest Academy earlier this year. She believes helping people experience wildlife and wild places close to home can inspire a deeper commitment to protecting them.
“Growing up in San Luis Obispo, I’ve always felt fortunate to have wild places so close to home,” Miller said. “From the Santa Lucia Mountains to Carrizo Plain, this county has extraordinary public lands worth protecting. I’m excited to help ForestWatch grow its presence here and connect more people with the landscapes and wildlife in our own backyard.”
David Pellow: Bringing an environmental justice perspective
Pellow’s teaching and research focus on environmental justice, sustainability, social movements, human-animal relationships, and social inequality.
Originally from Tennessee, he developed an early appreciation for the outdoors through family trips to the Great Smoky Mountains. He has since spent much of his career examining the relationship between people, nature, and social change, while also serving on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations.
“Protecting public lands is inseparable from questions of who has access to them, whose voices are heard in decisions about them, and how we build a more just and sustainable relationship with the natural world,” Pellow said. “ForestWatch has an important role to play in bringing those conversations together, and I’m excited to contribute to that work here on the Central Coast.”
A longtime Santa Barbara resident, Pellow also enjoys exploring local trails and open spaces, including Pratt Trail and Snyder Trail in Los Padres National Forest.
The addition of Miller and Pellow brings new perspectives and expertise to ForestWatch’s Board of Directors as the organization continues its work to protect public lands, wildlife, and communities across the Central Coast.