Our Staff

Lesley Kontowicz, Executive Director

After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Cinema Studies at New York University, Lesley’s career began in Design and Production Services at the CBS Broadcast Center in Manhattan. However, her small-town beginnings in rural Arkansas tugged at her soul as the big city enveloped her. In 1991, she and her husband relocated to Tucson, a good blend of both worlds—big enough to offer opportunities and small enough to feel connected with the community. For 20 years, she worked in the media, overseeing advertising and marketing for the largest publisher of visitor guides in the southwestern United States. For the past decade, she has focused on her first love—storytelling. She brings this expertise and her love of the outdoors, passion for the environment, and curiosity about our local heritage and culture to serve the Santa Cruz Valley. Email Lesley at lesley@santacruzheritage.org.

Nisa Talavera, Assistant Director

Born in Tucson, Nisa spent her childhood traveling and living on both coasts before eventually returning to the Sonoran Desert, a landscape that had always felt like home. She holds a B.A.Sc. and A.A.S. in Fashion Buying & Merchandising from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, where her love of creativity, design, and storytelling first took shape.

Her family’s historic property, Hacienda Corona de Guevavi near Nogales, played a defining role in deepening her connection to the region’s heritage. Managing the ranch allowed her to share the stories, art, and history of the valley with visitors while building long-standing relationships throughout Santa Cruz County. This appreciation for place and community later led her to the Patagonia Regional Times, where she served as Associate Editor and Director of Operations, strengthening nonprofit journalism and civic engagement across the county.

She brings this experience—and a lifelong love for the desert’s culture, landscapes, and the unmistakable scent of creosote after a monsoon rain—to her role with the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area. Nisa is honored to support the mission of celebrating and protecting the region’s rich cultural and natural legacy.

Zabrina Duran, Outreach & Programs Coordinator

Zabrina Duran was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies & Geography with a minor in Sustainable Built Environments from the University of Arizona. While at the University of Arizona, she was involved with the School Garden Workshop and the BioDiversity project, doing environmental education and outreach with Tucson youth. She was also a part of the Future of Food and Social Justice: A Youth Storytelling Project. Zabrina looks forward to contributing her knowledge and passion for the Santa Cruz Valley in support of our mission.

Bree Varnadore, University of Arizona RISE Program Intern

Bree Varnadore is a Sophomore at the University of Arizona where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Built Environments. Bree graduated from Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson and is a lifetime Girl Scout. Originally from Maryland, Bree relocated to Tucson, her father’s hometown, in 2022. In addition to her degree course work and internship with the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area which involves coordinating classroom interpretation and field trips for area schools, Bree works with the Catalina Foothills School District as an after-school CARE activity leader.

Athena Le, Conservation Legacy Steward

Athena was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She spent much of her childhood traveling with her dad, giving her the opportunity to explore museums, earn Junior Park Ranger badges, and eat at local restaurants recommended by hotel attendants or cab drivers. Since earning her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Writing from the University of Michigan, Athena has been eager to share the stories of resilient communities in order to strengthen cultural and historical bonds. Her professional career has included positions with Washtenaw Literacy, Mindo Chocolate Makers, and the Detroit Observatory. She has also spent the past 10 years bartending – a timeless, authentic way to engage with the neighborhood locals. She is excited to work with the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area through a Conservation Stewardship Individual Placement, where she will develop researched content for the NHA’s website while learning more about this culturally and ecologically diverse region.

Board of Directors

The Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance’s Board of Directors represents a broad base of stakeholders, including business owners, the tourism industry, historic preservation, archaeology, and more. The role of the Board of Directors is to advise, govern, oversee policy and direction, assist with the leadership and general promotion of the Santa Cruz Valley Heritage National Heritage Area, and support the organization’s mission and needs.

Mary Dahl, President

Mary Dahl received a Master of Science in Forestry from the University of Minnesota after completing an undergraduate degree in English. She relocated to Arizona in 1985 and began a long career in public service, working for Cochise, Apache, La Paz, and Santa Cruz counties in Arizona. She also serves on the board of directors for the Anza Trail Coalition of Arizona, and the Friends of the Tubac Presidio and Museum. Mary is also an elected member of the Tubac Fire District Board.

Linda Mayro, Vice-President

Linda Mayro completed a Master of Arts in Anthropology at the University of Arizona. She began her career at the Arizona State Museum in cultural resources management, historic preservation, and conservation. Linda began working for Pima County in 1988. She recently retired as the Director of the Office of Sustainability and Conservation, a multi-disciplinary department that oversees the County’s Sustainability program, the ecological monitoring program, the identification and protection of County archaeological and historic properties, and County water policy. Since the inception of the Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance in 2003, Linda has served as a board member. She is an Arizona Advisor to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She is a past member of the State Historic Preservation Advisory Committee and the January 8th Memorial Foundation.

Anita Badertscher, Secretary

Recently retired, Anita Badertscher spent more than 30 years working in various capacities for the National Park Service. From Yosemite to Shenandoah, Chiricahua to Saguaro National Park, she ended her thenure as a park service employee as the Chief of Interpretation and Education at Tumacácori National Historical Park. Originally from Ohio but drawn to the natural landscape of the of the Sonoran Desert, she has spent more than half her life here, where her kids were born and raised. A past resident of Amado and Tubac, Badertscher now resides in Rio Rico. She recognizes parallels between the work she did as a park ranger working to preserve and protect this special region and her role as an SCVNHA board member. She sees her board service as being in line with her values and looks forward to bringing the skills she garnered during her professional career to the board, especially in the areas of interpretation and public communications.

Luis Yanez, Treasurer

Luis Yanez is a Financial Planning Associate at TCI Wealth Advisors. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona majoring in Management Information Systems. Luis began his career in finance at Vanguard, where he spent seven years growing professionally before joining TCI in January 2024 where he now works closely with Advisors to help deliver holistic, client-centered financial plans. Passionate about the region he calls home, he is committed to protecting the nature, history, and culture that make the U.S.–Mexico borderlands so distinct. Giving back allows him to help preserve the stories that shape this area while creating meaningful opportunities for his family to connect with the land and its rich heritage.

Augustine “Augie” Garcia, Director

A visionary entrepreneur dedicated to forging community and cross-border alliances, Mr. Garcia has an extensive history of accomplishments in both the private and government sectors. Born and raised in the small mining town of Ajo, Arizona, and a graduate of the University of Arizona, this former aide to Governor Bruce Babbitt has been an active member of the Tucson business community for over twenty years. In 1984, he founded A.T.I. International, an international marketing and import-export firm. By 1988, Mr. Garcia founded Sunbelt Coatings Paints and Supplies, a paint retail, wholesale, and export operation. The latter company represented some of Mexico’s largest paint, chemical, and sundry industries in Mexico. On August 2, 2007, Mr. Garcia established A.T.I. (Associates in Trade and Investments) International LLC., an Arizona company that provides various services.

Mike Medrano, Ex Officio

Mike Medrano is Superintendent of Tumacácori National Historical Park. Medrano has worked for the National Park Service for over 30 years, most recently as the chief of resource stewardship and science at Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas. Medrano holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology with an emphasis in zoology, a Minor in Criminology, and a Doctorate in Biology, all from the University of New Mexico. Medrano’s first experience working with the National Park Service was as a seasonal interpretive park ranger at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico. Since then, Medrano has spent thirty years working as a public servant in positions at Petroglyph and Fort Union national monuments in New Mexico, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, and Tumacácori National Historical Park.

Laurinda Oswald, Director

Tucson native and Santa Cruz County rancher Laurinda Middleton Oswald has been working closely with the land for decades. Her parents purchased the historic Amado property (now Middleton Ranch) in the late 1950s, and Laurinda was born soon after. She spent much of her childhood in Italy (her father was an Italian citizen) but the family returned often to the ranch. In 1982, Laurinda came back to manage the then-800-acre ranch (it has since expanded). Her current ranching practices include a responsible grazing rotation system for her cattle along the Santa Cruz River. With family in New York City and Italy, Laurinda travels frequently when not working at the ranch. A forward-thinker and active community volunteer—she currently serves on a number of boards—Laurinda looks forward to contributing to the Heritage Area’s long-term planning goals.

Interested in joining our board of directors? View the job description here!