Lisa James has been appointed the new executive director of the Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. Lisa says,

Lisa James, Executive Director, Friends of CSNM

“I am thrilled to join the Friends of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument (CSNM) as Executive Director at this significant 20th Anniversary. Despite challenging restrictions on activities for everyone, I will be working closely with the dedicated Board of Directors and other non-profits to promote the protection, restoration, and conservation of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument (CSNM).

I bring more than thirty years of experience in executive nonprofit management. I recently served as Executive Director of the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland, a botanical marvel, and three years with the Portland Japanese Garden orchestrating their $30 million expansion campaign.

I’ve consulted with the Crater Lake National Park Trust, Jefferson Nature Center, Coyote Trails School of Nature, ScienceWorks Museum, Ashland Art Center, Ashland Schools Foundation, and the KSC Buddhist Center. I also spent 6 years with my alma mater SOU as the VP for Institutional Advancement and E.D. of the SOU Foundation where I completed their campaign to build the Center for the Arts.

My husband Sam and I live on the Rogue River. We enjoy rafting the wild and scenic Rogue, Klamath and Deschutes Rivers, hiking the nearby Tablerock Mountains, and fishing in our regional lakes and Pacific Ocean. I look forward to learning more about the vast biodiversity of the CSNM and working with our community supporters on educational and research projects, recreational hikes, special events, and more.”