Ventura Network's Monthly Meeting

This month's speaker will be Carla Mena. She will share insight into Los Padres Forest Watch's work to safeguard wildlife, wilderness, water and sustainable access throughout the Los Padres National Forest and Carrizo Plain National Monument. She will address recent threats, including the Trump administration's resurrection of the BLM oil and gas leasing plan, the proposed rescission of the Roadless Rule, and highlight supportive bipartisan legislation like the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act and the Roadless Area Conservation Act.

Bio:
Carla Mena is the Director of Policy & Legislative Affairs at Los Padres ForestWatch, where she champions protections of the Los Padres National Forest, Carrizo Plain National Monument, and surrounding public lands. With over a decade of experience forging connections across local, state, and federal levels, Carla drives advocacy on key issues like habitat, connectivity, oil and gas accountability, and equitable access to outdoor spaces. Prior to her role at ForestWatch, she served as District Representative for Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26), managing constituent services, community outreach, and environmental policy. A fierce advocate at the intersection of politics and environment, she holds a Master's in Public Policy from Pepperdine University (specializing in American Policy and Politics, and State and Local Policy) and a BA in Political Science with a minor in Communication from CSU Channel Islands. During her undergraduate years, she served as Director of External Affairs, laying the foundation for her impactful career in environmental policy. --
Jonathan Ullman, Director Sierra Club Santa Barbara-Ventura Chapter