Meet Our Team - Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust

Our Team

The Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust

MIKE HUBBARTT serves as our current Board President. He is also the Newsletter Writer, and the Guide Coordinator. Mike leads hikes, coordinates guide’s training meetings, writes the semi-annual newsletter and makes public appearances to promote the Foundation’s preservation goals. A former teacher, he currently works with as an interpreter at the Oroville Visitor Center. Mike is the author of “The Sutter Buttes” in the Images of America Series, which is a history of the families of the Sutter Buttes. He enjoys hiking, backpacking, gardening, woodworking, and reading.

BEN CHANDLER serves as Secretary and a Board Director for SBRLT. He grew up in Oregon, with meaningful summers in the Sierra Nevada lakes and forests, and farmlands of California’s Central Valley. Open spaces and farmland have been the source of his grounding and joy, in California and around the world. After working in the greater Bay Area and overseas, he relocated to Butte County in 2018 and works for the State of California. Ben continues to enjoy spending time outdoors, and especially being active with ranch activities in the Sutter Buttes.

Joseph Ensley serves as Board Treasurer and is a Board Director for SBRLT. Originally from rural Minnesota, Joseph served 11 years in the Aire Force. In 2022, he and his wife, Helen, moved to the Yuba-Sutter area when she received orders to Beale AFB. After Helen completed her service, they decided to make this community their home. Joseph founded The King’s Accountant, blending military precision with a dedication to community growth. Joseph emphasizes building relationships, leveraging technology, and empowering others. In his free time, he enjoys participating in community activities, fostering local development, and escaping to nature (when it’s not tax season).

MARGIT SANDS serves as a Board Director for SBRLT. She hails from a family whose history is closely tied to the region. Her family has owned a ranch in the heart of the Sutter Buttes since 1898, and Margit considers herself fortunate to have grown up working cattle on the ranch and finds that her appreciation for the Sutter Buttes grows with each passing year. She has retired from her lifelong career of teaching elementary school, primarily at Manzanita School in Gridley. Now she devotes more time to the cattle operation with some side interests of playing her flute and sewing. She also is the Charter Hike Coordinator for our sister organization, Middle Mountain Interpretive Hikes.

CAROLYN BROWN serves as a Board Director for SBRLT. Prior to retirement Carolyn worked for the State of California as an Environmental Planner. Through her job career she gained experience in regulatory permitting, the development and implementation of biological mitigation plans, land endowments and conservation easements. Carolyn grew up camping in the deserts of southern California and Baja where she developed her love of and appreciation for nature. Having observed the loss of agricultural lands and open space throughout the state, she is a strong proponent of land conservation/preservation of these resources. Carolyn finds great joy, grounding and solace being outdoors, immersed in nature. Her hobbies include hiking, biking, kayaking and travel. She is an avid proponent of “go native” for your yard needs.

BABS COTTER serves as a Board Director for SBRLT. Until her retirement in 2002, she taught elementary school for 38 years, retiring from Butte Vista School where she was also Teaching Vice-Principal. Growing up in Chico, Babs spent summers at the family’s cabin in the Sierra, developing a love for the outdoors, and a strong desire to preserve our natural landscape. Babs is also an active volunteer with the American Cancer Society, the local Community Memorial Museum, and PEO Sisterhood. She lives in Yuba City with her husband, Morris. They have two grown children and two granddaughters. She continues to spend time at the family cabin, and enjoys gardening, hiking, and spending time with her granddaughters.

EMMA VODDEN serves as a board director. Emma is originally from the Santa Cruz mountains area and migrated to Grass Valley in 2018. She has been an employee/owner of BriarPatch Food Co-op since 2020 as part of their Human Resources Department. During her time at BriarPatch she has worked to create, implement, and track policies and procedures including in support of opening of their second location. Whether at the ocean, the mountains, or anywhere in between, Emma’s happy place is outdoors in nature; hiking, biking, paddling, or just being still among the beauty and wonder.

CURT AIKENS serves as a Board Director for the SBRLT. He grew up in California enjoying the outdoors through camping, backpacking, hiking, skiing and cycling. He retired in 2021 after spending 23 years of service to the Yuba Water Agency and people of Yuba County. During his 19 years as the General Manager, he guided sustainable holistic water management solutions to Yuba County’s water issues with a dedicated team of employees, consultants and board members. He is fascinated by the Sutter Buttes and has volunteered as a Backup Guide for the Middle Mountain Interpretive Hikes. He desires to use his skills to further land stewardship in the region for future generations.

ALYSSA LINDMAN serves as our Executive Director, and is a previous Board Director and Back-up Guide for our sister organization, Middle Mountain Interpretive Hikes. Alyssa is also currently serving on the Yuba County Planning Commission for District 1. Alyssa graduated UC Davis with a B.S. in Landscape Architecture and minor in Landscape Restoration. Since graduating she has worked in the field of landscape architecture designing everything from public and residential landscapes to creek restoration and mitigation projects. Alyssa has also worked as on-site supervisor for several mitigation and restoration projects, which included project construction oversight, invertebrate and hydromonitoring, as well as land surveys. In her free time, Alyssa enjoys hiking, camping, kayaking, art, and family.

L. OLIVIA MOORE – Olivia brings to our team more than three decades of experience in administrative management, with a strong background in nonprofit organizations. In addition to her administrative expertise, Olivia is also a successful entrepreneur, managing her own jewelry and massage businesses.

Outside of work, Olivia is an avid nature enthusiast, finding solace and joy in activities such as hiking. However, her true passion lies in kayaking across the serene lakes of California, where she finds peace and rejuvenation amidst the beauty of nature.

Individual Membership

Increase awareness through supporting education, and conservation programs.

Business Membership

Build partnerships to balance conservation with economic growth, flood protection & agriculture

Planned Giving

Provide the resources to create extraordinary opportunities and preserve the Sutter Buttes legacy.

Conserve your land

Property is more than just real estate. It is a legacy, a part of family heritage.