George Watland named Angeles Chapter Senior Director

George Watland steps up as senior director of the Angeles Chapter Sierra Club. Watland, who has been with the Chapter for three and a half years, develops and implements all programs, policies, and  initiatives for the chapter.  He performs long range planning, makes appropriate recommendations to the Executive Committee regarding short and long term priorities and strategies to develop and strengthen the effectiveness of the chapter. 

Watland also is responsible for Chapte- wide fundraising initiatives including major gifts, Cars4Causes, the Hike Donation Program, the 1000 at $100 campaign, the March and August Membership Appeals, the Cheers or Tears Tribute Card Program and partnerships with outside organizations and companies such as Warner Bros. He also handles all bequest, annuity and planned giving inquiries.

Watland, who's from North Dakota, has Master's degrees in computer science and natural resources management. His accomplishments at the Chapter include:

• Organizing volunteer conservation campaigns advocating improved policies for water conservation, zero waste, energy efficiency, public transportation, protecting open space and threaten native habitats. 
• Guiding the planning, outreach, and team-building activities of volunteer conservation campaign leaders.
• Expanding use of a conservation scorecard campaign model used to report and compare policies and practices of municipalities to conserve water and divert recyclable waste. The Water Conservation Scorecard received the Chapter Conservation Campaign Award in 2011. The Organics Project continues to survey waste management policies and practices regarding yard trimmings and food scraps of local cities.
• Deploying online communications innovations to members and supporters for general outreach, fundraising, and conservation campaigns. 
• Meeting regularly with public officials and administrators, environmental groups, organized labor, university faculty and researchers, and media to advocate conservation policies supported by the local chapter.
• Organizing public outreach at community events sponsored by public and private organizations including water districts, cities, universities, and professional associations that advocate environmental issues.

A lifelong love of the outdoors gave Watland the incentive to take the career path of protecting the environment. "Watching man-made policies lead to the extreme destruction of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit, I began viewing my love of the outdoors and protecting the environment not as something to do after work hours, but to become my primary work," said Watland, who started as a Chapter volunteer.

Watland replaces Ron Silverman who left earlier this year.

Contact George at george.watland@sierraclub.org or come meet him at the Chapter office at 3250 Wilshire Blvd. #1106 in Los Angeles.