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Tri-Valley Conservancy is in the midst of its third executive director search in as many years after quietly elevating an internal official months ago to shepherd the land preservation nonprofit on an interim basis following its latest leadership departure.
In the wake of the nonprofit issuing a press release as part of its open recruitment for a new executive director, TVC Board Chair Mark Triska confirmed to the Weekly that David Epstein, who was hired in March 2022, left the organization last fall and director of finance and operations Jennifer Taggart has been serving as interim executive director ever since. The leadership transition appears to not have been readily publicized by the nonprofit before.
“The terms of his departure are confidential,” Triska said by email this week.
While speaking positively about Taggart’s interim leadership and optimistically about the ongoing search for a permanent successor, Triska acknowledged the instability at TVC since former executive director Laura Mercier stepped down three years ago.
“Tri-Valley Conservancy has been undergoing a period of transition since our longtime executive director of 15 years retired in June 2021. Our Board of Directors is committed to finding the right leader to guide TVC into the future,” said Triska, who is chairing the search committee.
Following Mercier’s retirement, the TVC board in July 2021 brought in Laura Antrim, who had prior experience with The Wine Group and BART. But Antrim only lasted five months, departing unexpectedly toward the end of 2021 and resulting in then-board chair Lori Souza being inserted as acting executive director.
Epstein, formerly CEO of CharityAdvantage, was selected as the next permanent executive director after a recruitment process that occurred in early 2022.
The exact date and reason for Epstein’s departure after just over a year with TVC remain unclear. The nonprofit’s website says Taggart, who first joined TVC in January 2023, “stepped up as our interim executive director” in the fall of 2023. Attempts to contact Epstein have been unsuccessful to date.
Now, according to Triska, TVC is focused on positioning itself for leadership stability with the hiring search and the temporary ascension of Taggart, whom he called “highly capable.” He noted that the nonprofit also inked a consultant contract with Megan Fluke, former executive director of Palo Alto-based environmental nonprofit Green Foothills.
“While leadership transitions can be challenging, TVC remains focused on our core mission and priorities,” Triska said, later adding, “Despite recent changes, TVC is well-positioned to continue making a positive impact in the Tri-Valley region.”
“Our incoming executive director will spearhead exciting initiatives, including expanding our conservation easements, developing partnerships for habitat preservation, and securing funding for vital infrastructure projects like the sewer extension in South Livermore Valley as approved by the voters of Livermore in 2022,” he said. “They will also oversee the growth of our youth education programs and the implementation of various programs to support local agriculture.”
The board has elicited support from consultant firm Potrero Group for its executive director search, with the application window closing next Monday (June 17). Triska said the directors hope to have a new executive director in place by late summer or early autumn. Learn more at potrerogroup.com/tri-valley.
“TVC seeks a visionary leader with proven experience in strategic planning, nonprofit operations, and community outreach. The ideal candidate will be a skilled communicator, collaborative bridge-builder, and passionate advocate for our mission,” Triska said. “We are confident that our partnership with the Potrero Group will help us identify an exceptional individual to lead TVC forward.”
