Our Board

Joe Schneider, Board Chair, purchased a home on Lopez in 2000 and was primarily a summer a resident until 2020 and now lives on Lopez 80% of the time. He is educated as an architect and has owned and operated J.A.S. Design-Build for the last 30 years with his wife Kim with operations in both Seattle and Lopez Island. J.A.S. started building homes on Lopez in 1996 and currently has 8 full time employees on the island. He was drawn to LCLT because of how purposeful the mission is in providing affordable housing in an environmentally sensitive manner. When not running J.A.S he enjoys oyster farming and recreational masonry.

Luis Felipe Cisneros, Vice Chair, was born and raised in California where he lived for 22 years. He is currently on beautiful Lopez Island where he is an LCLT leaseholder. Luis considers himself a multifaceted employee: he enjoys construction and other outdoor activities, and is currently employed by the Lopez Islander Resort where he is expanding his knowledge base. In his free time, Luis enjoys reading books, learning new skills, and tries to lead a sustainable life.

Eleanor Brekke, Treasurer.  Born and raised in the Seattle area, Eleanor has been visiting Lopez since early childhood and exploring the island by sailboat and bike. In 2008, Eleanor purchased a cabin on island and she has been part time resident ever since. Eleanor has over 25 years experience working commercial real estate.  She is a Certified Sustainable Building Advisor and holds a bachelor degree from the University of Washington.  Eleanor is returning to LCLT’s Board after having served on it from 2012-2018.  She continues to be inspired by the work LCLT is doing on island and wants to be part of LCLT’s innovative work in preserving the unique character and natural beauty of Lopez Island.

Grant Carlton, Secretary moved to Lopez in 2022, joining his partner who was born and raised on the island. He has a passion for protecting the western landscape and connecting people to the natural environment in a meaningful and sustainable way. As a conservationist and attorney, he has worked at the nexus of conservation and public access project management and policy development for and with local land trusts, non-profits, and communities in the West for nearly a decade. Grant has practiced land use and property law in Jackson, Wyoming (where he battled a chronic skiing problem), protected habitat and agricultural land in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley through his work at a local land trust, led the open space and conservation program for the City of Missoula, Montana, and now works to develop and implement local policy in San Juan County. Grant is excited to support LCLT in creating a more vibrant, equitable, and sustainable community. He finds solitude and inspiration in riding his bike through remote landscapes, paddling wild rivers, skiing deep powder, and sleeping under the stars.

Jan Marshall, moved to Lopez with her husband Richard in 2021 to be closer to family. Born in the Midwest, Jan majored in art at the University of Kansas. She managed Richard’s film production company in NYC for 11 years. She also served as a board member at her sons’ school and was involved in developing the school’s long term plan and fundraising goals. In California, Jan earned her Teaching Credential in 2003 and a Master’s Degree in Administration from CSULA. She taught 3rd grade at a Title 1 K-8 school in Pasadena for 11 years. English was the second language for the majority of her students. She was passionate about literacy and empowering her students to be critical thinkers and affect change. After her retirement, Jan became a community activist in South Pasadena appearing frequently at city council meetings and organizing residents to preserve a local historic theatre as well as an open green space for public use. Jan looks forward to bringing her skills and passion for communication and community to serve LCLT.

Mark Eames, joined the Board in March, 2022.  He has been full time on Lopez since April 2020, after retiring from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 2016.  While working in Seattle over 30 years, Mark and his family, Karen and two sons, frequently visited the San Juans and were part owners of a cabin on Lopez for eight years.  After a stint as a city attorney, at NOAA Mark was an attorney working with natural resource issues including pesticide harm to marine life, endangered salmon and Orcas, marine mammals and federal projects such as hydropower facilities and forestry.  Mark is particularly committed to working on the climate crisis.

Quaniqua Williams, is a former employee of LCLT who is now a homeowner in the Salish Way cooperative. Quaniqua knows all too well the importance of stable, affordable housing on Lopez. She gained knowledge about fundraising, grant writing, and the importance of sustainability during her employment at LCLT. Quaniqua has been employed at various restaurants on Lopez. Quaniqua echoes the sentiment of others on the board who have been moved by the extraordinary sense of community that she felt on Lopez. Quaniqua continues to be compassionate about serving the Lopez Community. She worked as the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Manager at the Lopez Island Family Resource Center.

Carl Petterson and his wife Sarah moved to Lopez Island in 2020, quickly found that they wanted to be a part of the community, were lucky enough to find and purchase a piece of land, and are currently in the process of building their future home. Carl grew up in Ohio, moved west to study engineering and sustainable environments at Cal Poly SLO, and is now a carpenter and superintendent with JAS Design Build. He has a passion for the details that create affordable, sustainable, and high-performance homes. And his closet full of alpine and ice climbing gear is jealous that he is learning to sail.

Jonathan Cargill has been a full time resident on Lopez Island since 2020. He has been involved in the music and film industry as the co-founder and co-CEO of several record labels, artist management and distribution companies. Cargill has been a professional musician and has also produced several feature films, albums, books and television shows. He is interested in preserving the beauty and resilience of Lopez Island through sustainability and affordability while maintaining a keen sense of aesthetics and integrity.

Hannah Rose was born and raised on Lopez Island. Her first memory of low income housing activism was as a very young child, when, in the Fourth of July Parade, she was pulled in a red wagon while holding signs for owner builder laws to be passed in San Juan County. As a single mother she raised three children on the island. She runs a successful massage therapy practice and delights in dance. Hannah first joined LCLT in 2010 as a leaseholder in Common Ground and then was afforded the opportunity to build with the Tierra Verde Association where she has lived for the last 12 years.

Eli Derzay has been a Lopez Island resident for 35 years, and a homeowner for 10. He has been a local carpenter for 20 years, enthusiastic gardener, traveler and builder. Eli is interested in working to empower people to build their own homes and produce their own food. He is interested in developing and expanding low/middle income housing models in San Juan County, and in working towards more equity and accessibility to land / housing.