Board Meetings

The Solano Land Trust board of directors typically meets once monthly on the first Wednesday of the month at 5:30 pm at the Solano Land Trust office, with the following exceptions in 2012: no meetings are scheduled in January, April, July and December. Please contact Solano Land Trust at 707-432-0150 for more information and to verify the meeting time and location. The Solano Land Trust office is located at 1001 Texas St., Suite C, Fairfield, CA 94533.

Darrin D. Berardi, D.C., President

Dr. Berardi joined the board in 2006 and is on the Development Committee. He is the clinic director of Berardi Chiropractic Clinic in Fairfield. He attended Fairfield High and Solano Community College before graduating from Life Chiropractic College West in 1989. Berardi is a past president of the Fairfield-Suisun Rotary Club and current secretary of the Fairfield-Suisun Twilight Rotary Club. He lives in Fairfield, and enjoys mountain biking, hiking and golf.

Linda Seifert, Vice President

Linda Seifert joined the Solano County Board of Supervisors representing District 2 in 2009. Her district includes Benicia, Cordelia, Green Valley and portions of Vallejo, including open space on Mare Island and much of the Sky Valley / Tri-City and County / Cordelia Hills areas. Seifert’s service to Green Valley and Solano County has earned her support from citizens and organizations that champion open and transparent government and value community participation in the civic process. She is an advocate for preserving the agricultural character and resources of the county and for improved recreational resources. Prior to joining the Board of Supervisors, Ms. Seifert was a partner in a Walnut Creek law firm and later General Counsel for the California Dental Association. Her record of community involvement includes past president of the Green Valley Landowner’s Association, service on the boards of the First 5 Commission of Solano County, Child Haven, Yolo-Solano Air Board, Partnership Healthplan of California, Solano County Library Foundation, and the Tri-City and County Cooperative Planning Group Governing Board.

Jeff Dittmer, Treasurer

Cattle rancher Jeff Dittmer is a retired firefighter and a member of the Cordelia Fire District. His father, Bob Dittmer, sold Rush Ranch to Solano Land Trust in 1987. Jeff serves on the Agricultural Conservation Easement Committee.

Bob Berman, Immediate Past President

In 1986, Bob Berman assisted in the establishment of the Solano County Farmlands and Open Space Foundation (former name of Solano Land Trust), and also served as the Foundation’s first president from 1986-1996. He currently serves on the Fee Acquisition and Mitigation Committees. Bob is a member of the Tri-City and County Cooperative Planning Group Citizens Advisory Group, and was a member of the Benicia Planning Commission from 1986 to 1994. In 2000, Bob received the Bob Walker Bay Area Conservation Open Space Conservation Award from the Bay Area Open Space Council, and in 2003 he received the Carquinez Strait Heritage Award from the Carquinez Strait Heritage Area Committee. As an environmental planner with 38 years of experience, he is owner of Nichols-Berman, an environmental impact assessment firm, headquartered in Benicia, California.

Michael Fortney, Secretary

Michael Fortney joined the board in 2010. Mike Fortney is vice president of the Solano County Division of Placer Title Company and has been in the title and escrow business for 17 years. He is involved with local politics, and is passionate about ensuring that the children in our community have a safe environment to learn and play. When he is not coaching youth soccer or Bobby Sox softball, Mike volunteers with the Vacaville Boy and Girls Club, and serves on their board. He is dedicated to helping today’s youth become future leaders by mentoring and by teaching teamwork, decision-making, and life skills. Mike has also contributed his energy and skills to Solano County SPCA, Solano County Humane Animal Services, Vacaville Recreation Foundation, Solano Association of Realtors, Travis Regional Armed Forces Committee, Northern California Homebuilders Association, California Building Industry Association, Vacaville and Fairfield Chambers of Commerce, and Solano Economic Development Corporation.

Board Members

Jim Campbell

Jim Campbell's bio to come.

Elizabeth Fry

A board member since 2008, Elizabeth Fry is a Vacaville real estate broker and the owner of Showcase Properties. She is also affiliated with Cabela's Trophy Properties. She has been a member of the Vacaville Public Education Foundation since 2004 and is a co-founder and president of the Solano Midnight Sun Foundation, which raises money to help women suffering from breast cancer. She is a member of the Northern Solano County Association of Realtors.

Jane Hicks

Jane Hicks joined the board in 1999, but has been a docent at SLT's Jepson Prairie Preserve since the docent program began in 1982. She is the regulatory branch chief, San Francisco District, for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. She also serves as a commissioner for the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission. Jane is a resident of Vallejo.

John Isaacson

John Isaacson joined the board in 1992. He is a past president of Green Valley Landowners Association and a resident of Green Valley. John is chief of crime suppression for the Governor's Office of Emergency Services.

Albert M. Lavezzo

Mr. Lavezzo joined the board in 2007. He is president and chief executive officer of the law offices of Favaro, Lavezzo, Gill, Caretti & Heppell, with offices in Vallejo and Fairfield. He is also past chairman of the board and general legal counsel of Surety Bank, now merged into First Bank and Trust. Mr. Lavezzo has an impressive record of community involvement including past chairman of the Travis Air Force Base Regional Armed Forces Committee; past chairman and current board director of the Solano Economic Development Corporation; past City of Vallejo councilman; past chairman of the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce; past board director of the Vallejo Convention and Visitor's Bureau; and, past president of the Solano County Bar Association.

Russell Lester

Russ is co-owner of Dixon Ridge Farms and a fourth generation California farmer. Russ began farming organically in 1989 and has helped shape many organic farming concepts and practices for orchards. An advocate for farmland protection, Russ is a member of the California Advisory Committee for American Farmland Trust. He has been a featured speaker at national conferences on farmland protection and organic agriculture. In addition, Russ is past president of the Winters Joint Unified School District as well as the Solano County Agricultural Advisory Board. He attended University of California at Davis and recently completed a two-year fellowship with the California Agricultural Leadership Program. Russ serves on the Agricultural Conservation Easement Committee.

Sean Quinn

Sean Quinn joined the board in February 1998, and served as president from October 2002 to January 2006. He currently sits on the Executive, Fee Acquisition and Rush Ranch Capital Campaign Committees. He is on the board and Executive Committee for the Solano Economic Development Corporation, the board of the Solano Workforce Investment Board, the board of the California Academy for Economic Development and chair of the California Economic Development Advisory Committee for the Department of Housing and Community Development. He is a past president of the California Association for Local Economic Development, and the city manager for the City of Fairfield.