Staff

Lesley Kontowicz, Executive Director (she/her/hers)

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.

Caitlin Brown, Grants Coordinator (she/her/hers)

Caitlin was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, where the desert landscape of the Southwest has always been a significant part of her life. She has developed a deep appreciation for its unique natural and cultural environments, especially the rich biodiversity of the Santa Cruz River Valley. Caitlin holds a degree in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Arizona and has a background in plant sciences and landscape architecture. Her interdisciplinary education shaped her understanding of the relationship between people and their environment, blending scientific knowledge with cultural perspectives. In her professional career, Caitlin has built a strong foundation in grant writing, administration, and management. These skills have been vital to her work with the NHA, where she combines her practical expertise with her passion for stewardship of the natural and cultural worlds. Her dedication to preserving the unique landscapes and cultural heritage of the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area is at the heart of her work, as she strives to protect and promote its precious natural and cultural resources for generations to come. Email Caitlin at caitlin@santacruzheritage.org.

Laura “Neff” Neff, Outreach & Programs Coordinator (they/them/theirs)

Neff, born and raised in Phoenix, has been a resident of Tucson since 2009. Neff holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from the University of Arizona. With more than a decade of experience in the environmental nonprofit sector focusing on sustainable food systems and agriculture, they have dedicated their career to food systems education and outreach, driven by a deep passion for sustainability and community engagement. Neff’s work centers on educating the public about the vital connections between conservation, food, and culture. They are enthusiastic about continuing this work with the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area. Email Neff at neff@santacruzheritage.org.

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 serves on the board of directors for the Anza Trail Coalition of Arizona, Friends of the Tubac Presidio and Museum, and Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance. 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.

Richard Fe Tom, AIA, Treasurer

Richard Fe Tom is a Principal and the founder of The Architecture Company with more than 40 years of experience working throughout Arizona on the preservation or adaptive reuse of historic structures and the master planning of cultural resources. He was involved with projects such as Rio Nuevo Master Plan, Tucson Origins Master Plan, Lalo Guerrero Senior Housing, Ajo Curley School Artisan Adaptive Reuse, Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, Cathedral Square Master Plan, and the Diocesan Conference & Education Center. Fe earned his Bachelor of Architecture and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Arizona. He served as a past president of the Tucson Chinese Association and a past Marana Heritage Conservancy board member. He is a current board member of Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace and Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance.

Anita Badertscher, Secretary

Recently retired, Anita Badertscher spent more than 30 years working in various capacities for the National Park Service. From Yosemite to Shenendoah, Chiricahua to Saguaro National Park, she ended her tenure 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 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.

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.

Frances Villa, Director

Frances Villa worked for more than 20 years in the banking industry before moving into the non-profit housing sector, where she’s worked for the past 15 years assisting people in need. Born in Tucson, Villa grew up on a ranch in Sahuarita, where she graduated from high school, and now makes her home in Green Valley. As a child, her family farmed cotton, grew their own vegetables, and kept cattle and horses. She brings to the board her unique perspective as one of the original families of the Sahuarita area, in addition to her professional analytical, organizational, and management skills. The bilingual Villa is also skilled fundraiser and event organizer. She credits her work ethic to growing up on a ranch, where hard work was the norm. As a board member, she looks forward to actively stewarding the land and culture her family has been involved with for generations.

Interested in becoming a board of director? View the job description here!