SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The California Tahoe Conservancy on Thursday announced the election of Adam Acosta as its new Board Chairman and Tamara Wallace as Vice Chair. Acosta is the first Latino to chair the Conservancy Board.

“I am honored to have been elected as the Conservancy Board Chair,” said Acosta. “I look forward to continuing to work with my fellow Board members and the Conservancy staff. In addition to the important work of restoring and expanding equitable access to Tahoe’s natural resources, I’m excited by the Conservancy’s increasing commitment to racial equity — a commitment that’s closely aligned with Governor Newsom’s administration.”

The California State Assembly appointed Acosta to the Conservancy Board in 2017. Acosta serves as a senior policy advisor to the Los Angeles City Council. Previously, he was the Assistant Executive Director for the California American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. During his 24-year career with AFSCME, he spearheaded the reform of public sector labor laws on behalf of municipal and county employees throughout the state of California.

Acosta was born and raised in Santa Barbara and graduated from San Diego State University. He is an avid outdoorsman who frequents the Eastern High Sierra with his two children Adam and Isabela.

“Adam Acosta is a leader who is respected statewide and who has always brought a welcome perspective to our Board,” said Jason Vasques, the Conservancy’s executive director. “I look forward to working with Adam and Vice-Chair Wallace in their new roles as our agency continues to expand our work to address emerging issues like climate resilience and reducing wildfire risk for our communities.”

Wallace has served as the city of South Lake Tahoe’s representative to the Conservancy Board since 2020. A member of the South Lake Tahoe City Council, she is a past member of the City’s Planning Commission, past-president of the Kiwanis Club of Lake Tahoe and was the charter secretary for the Tulare Sunrise Rotary Club. She has managed several small businesses in South Lake Tahoe, is past executive vice president of the Tulare Chamber of Commerce and the former Executive Director of the South Tahoe Chamber.

The Conservancy thanks past Board Chair Sue Novasel and past Vice Chair Cindy Gustafson for their service.

At the same meeting, leaders from the Equity and Wellness Institute led the Board through a training on community engagement and racial equity. The Conservancy has engaged the Equity and Wellness Institute in a two-year contract to help build the Conservancy’s capacity to achieve racial equity goals and better engage with the communities it serves.