Michael McDonald

Executive Director

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A multi-generational Tucsonan, my public life has included leadership roles at a local start-up manufacturing company; several social service nonprofits, including Habitat for Humanity Tucson and the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona; as well as environmental conservation nonprofits, including The Nature Conservancy, Native Seeds Search, and the Tucson Audubon Society.

I’m slowly completing a second master’s degree through Arizona State University.  My first two degrees are from the University of Arizona and Thunderbird School of Global Management.

With my grandchildren growing up here, I believe that now more than ever, in this era of climate change, people of goodwill need to continue to come together with great resolve and ingenuity to conserve the biocultural diversity and resilient health of this unique place that is home to so many diverse species, people, and communities.

Cameron Becker

Director of Land Programs

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I am a fourth generation Tucsonan and I grew up exploring and enjoying the outdoors from the Sky Islands down to the Sea of Cortez. My work with the Trust allows me the opportunity to make a difference in these open spaces and working landscapes. I couldn’t ask to work with a better team of people who share my passion for conserving the legacy and resources that make our community such an amazing place to live.

Andrew Quarles

Stewardship Manager

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A love of nature has always driven me to get outside to explore my surroundings. I grew up along the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia but in 2016 took a 13,000-mile road-trip across the US which exposed me to the diverse environments this continent has to offer.  I feel lucky to be working with such an effective organization and motivated team to conserve the unique Sonoran landscape so the many cultures who call this place home can continue to enjoy it for generations to come.

Camille Pons

Donor Engagement Manager

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I came to Arizona by way of my parents’ careers and grew up in the shadow of the Huachuca Mountains. After completing two degrees at the University of Arizona, I call Tucson home.  My philanthropy career has allowed me to serve three local non-profit organizations and my alignment with Arizona Land and Water Trust now brings together my love for the Sonoran Desert, our community, and the conservation of the land and natural resources of our region.  I am grateful to serve the inspired mission of the Trust alongside an exceptional team of colleagues and a dedicated Board of Trustees.

Don Snider

Director of Finance & Administration

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Preserving the best of Arizona for future generations is a mission that I find extraordinarily compelling.  During my youth, I gained my initial appreciation for the serenity and beauty of Arizona while growing up in the Tombstone School District and exploring big, pristine open spaces in Cochise and Santa Cruz Counties, and later expanding my horizons to Pima County while attending the University of Arizona, where I studied finance and accounting, earning and maintaining a CPA license until what I thought would be my recent retirement. While career choices and international travel had taken me far from my Arizona home, now in my later years, I now hope to use my decades of experience to serve the Arizona Land and Water Trust.

Yvonne Marshall

Land Project Manager

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Land and water is the motivation behind many pursuits in my life.  Years ago I began my career as an AmeriCorps member working for the Forest Service, where I had the opportunity to perform fisheries surveys on wild rivers.  That sparked my passion for water, and it led me to seasonal work on the Verde River in Central Arizona.  Hydrologists there inspired me to attend the University of Arizona, where I received my degree in Natural Resources with a focus on Watershed Hydrology, all while working in the Coronado National Forest.

For years now, I have worked in Southern Arizona with landowners, ranchers, and rural communities focused on sustainable land management.  While my professional career has taken me to many places in North and South America,  my recreational career as a Divemaster has taken me to numerous exotic locations in my quest for warm water scuba diving.  However, there is nothing quite like the beauty in the biodiversity we have here in the Sonoran Desert and the Sky Islands.  I am excited to be a part of this team to help conserve our land and water.