Mesa Land Trust Staff

Rob Bleiberg, Executive Director:  Hired in 1996, Rob has led the organization through a significant growth period.  He has established strategic partnerships with Mesa County, the Nature Conservancy, American Farmland Trust and other private and public entities.  Rob's experience includes Land & Water Protection Intern with the Nature Conservancy of Colorado; 4 years as Regional Coordinator for the Student Conservation Association (SCA) in Boulder, CO and Yellowstone N.P.; Environmental Journalism Intern with High Country News in Paonia, CO.  Rob has an M.S. in Natural Resource Policy from University of Michigan and a B.A. in American Studies from Wesleyan University. (e-mail:  rob(at)mesalandtrust(dot)org)

Drew Bennett, Colorado Conservation Trust Fellow:  Drew is a Front Range native and attended the University of Denver where he earned a B.S. in Environmental Science and an M.B.A. After leaving Denver, he completed an M.A. in Geography at the University of Texas at Austin. During his studies at Texas, he worked on a research project investigating land-use issues in indigenous communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Drew has also worked as a Biodiversity Monitoring Intern with The Nature Conservancy of Colorado and as a Naturalist with the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. Drew will work on GIS mapping projects, conservation easement transactions, and a variety of other activities. More than anything else, Drew loves being outside enjoying Colorado’s high peaks. (e-mail:  drew(at)mesalandtrust(dot)org)

Diana Cort, Development and Program Associate:  Hired in 2000, Diana is responsible for fundraising, individual and business memberships, and assists with grant-writing and public relations.  Her program work includes easement stewardship, contract administration and outreach.  Diana's previous experience includes 15 years in account management, marketing, consulting and customer service in employee benefits and insurance.  She has also volunteers for the Urban Trails Committee and is an avid boatman.  Diana has a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Arizona. (e-mail:  diana(at)mesalandtrust(dot)org) 

Mary Hughes, Development Officer:  A native of Louisiana, Mary, is the newest member of the Mesa Land Trust staff.  With 32 years of experience as co-owner of a family operated dairy, she understands the need for protection of agricultural land, conservation of wildlife habitat, and the need for open space preservation.  A graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University with a Master’s of Science in Applied Sociology, Mary’s research has included urban forestry and open space preservation projects.  Mary gained fundraising and development experience while at The Salvation Army in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (e-mail:  mary(at)mesalandtrust(dot)org)

Loralie Jensen, Program Assistant and Office Administrator:  Loralie joined the Mesa Land Trust team in the summer of 2001 as its Program Assistant and Bookkeeper.  Her work at the Land Trust includes assisting in all areas of the office, bookkeeping, and website development and maintenance.  Loralie previously worked in the retail and medical industries, and with the Bureau of Land Management as a Range Technician.  She has an Associates degree from Mesa College.  Loralie enjoys the outdoors and  time with her family.  (e-mail:  loralie(at)mesalandtrust(dot)org)

Margie Latta, Land Protection Specialist:  In July 2005, Mesa Land Trust hired Margie as a Land Protection Specialist.  Margie is responsible for managing the transactional component of the Mesa County Community Separator Project, a collaborative venture between Mesa County and the cities of Grand Junction, Fruita, and Palisade.  The project was created to protect the working landscapes in the buffer zones between the three towns.  Margie has a M.S. in Natural Resources Science from the University of Rhode Island and a B.A. in Physical Anthropology and Biology from S.U.N.Y at Albany.  Since 1994, Margie formerly worked as a wildlife biologist for the Arizona Game and Fish Department in Phoenix, Arizona.    In her spare time, Margie enjoys running, hiking, biking, landscaping and cooking. (e-mail:  margie(at)mesalandtrust(dot)org)

Ilana Moir, Glade Park Land Protection Specialist: A native of Western Colorado, Ilana came to the Land Trust after receiving her Master's degree in Environmental Management at Duke University and a B.A from Smith College.  While in school she focused on land conservation planning and protected areas management.  Ilana came to the Land Trust as a Colorado Conservation Trust Fellow and worked in that capacity for two years before joining the Land Trust fulltime staff.  She is leading conservation easement transactions in areas targeted by the Glade Park Initiative, carrying out computer mapping and GIS assignments, and expanding land protection planning to additional areas of the county. On the weekends Ilana enjoys  the great outdoors and spending time with her family and friends. (e-mail:  ilana(at)mesalandtrust(dot)org)

Doris Butler, Bookkeeper Emeritus:  Doris is semi-retired after being on staff at Mesa Land Trust since 1995.  Doris and her husband John are founding members of the Land Trust and donated one of the first conservation easements on a small farm they own.  Doris and her husband have both been involved in land use planning efforts for over 3 decades.   Doris also serves as Treasurer of the First Baptist Church in Palisade.  Doris and John have 4 children, several grandchildren, and a few great grandchildren.