Serena Barton, President

Serena was born and raised at the base of the Siskiyou Mountains along the banks of the Illinois River in southwestern Oregon, where her love and connection to the Siskiyous was also born. After completing her BS from Southern Oregon University in 2010 in Environmental Studies: Social Science and Policy, with a Minor and Certificate in Native American Studies, she returned to her roots in the Illinois Valley to start a family and give back to her community. Serena’s background and interest in forest management and sustainable alternatives to conventional forestry led her in 2010 to “Ecostry,” an innovative solution developed and implemented by Orville Camp. Serena joined the DCA Board in 2016 and has been instrumental in DCA’s public land protection campaigns since then. Serena has been engaged in environmental education for youth and adults in varying capacities over the years, as well as coaching youth sports programs in her community. She is a teacher, writer, nature photographer, creative entrepreneur, homesteader, homeschooling mother of two daughters, and devoted ecosystem protector.

Mary Camp, Vice-President

Mary has been active in DCA since 1996, serving on DCA’s board as President for 17 years, continuing now as Vice-President. Mary has over 37 years of experience with community “forest” related organizations, including Josephine County Forest Farm and Small Woodland Associations, Rogue Sustainable Forest Products and Rogue Sustainable Forestry, and was instrumental in launching the Ecoforestry Institute in the early ‘90s. Since the late 80s, Mary has been a partner at Camp Ecostery with her husband, Orville Camp, in implementing and educating about “Ecostry” concepts that Orville began developing and applying to his land in the late ‘60s. A retired small business owner of 14 years with a BA in Sociology, Mary’s diverse life experiences and extraordinary dedication to protecting the natural world have been invaluable to the Deer Creek community’s successful public lands protection campaigns over the decades.

Chelsea Hamblin, Secretary

Chelsea Hamblin was born and raised in the Illinois Valley and is grateful to still call this beautiful place home. She holds a B.S. in Early Childhood Development from Southern Oregon University and has spent the past 15+ years working as an early childhood educator in Josephine County. Chelsea currently works as an adjunct instructor in the Early Childhood Education department at Rogue Community College and facilitates other professional development opportunities for fellow preschool teachers throughout the state of Oregon. She is also the Children's Program Coordinator at a local non-profit called Healthy U, and a parenting educator through The Family Connection using an evidence-based curriculum called Conscious Discipline. When she’s not wearing her teacher hat, Chelsea is also a musician, a homesteader, an amateur herbalist, and an avid nature-lover. She and her wife live in an intentional community in Takilma, OR. Chelsea has served as secretary of DCA’s board since 2020.

Diana Davis, Treasurer

Diana was born in Oregon and moved and lived many places around the country before eventually being drawn back to Oregon in 2019. Diana is currently retired after 21 years as a special education teacher in Colorado. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Rutgers University and Master’s Degree in Education from New Mexico State University. Diana is skilled in organic gardening, construction, all-natural foods cooking and preservation, as well as raising animals to become more sustainable and food independent. She enjoys reading, the practice of meditation, and brings a calm, peaceful energy everywhere she goes. Diana became DCA’s Treasurer in 2020.

Jan Walker

Jan grew up near Portland, Oregon and moved to San Francisco when she was 20 years old, and got married and started a family there. While raising her son, Jan was active in many outdoor activities, including taking kids on nature trips. She was a member of the Channel 5 Conservation Club, and worked on Mt. Tamaulipas hiking trails. She also belonged to the Marin Audubon Society. Jan and her husband retired to the Illinois Valley in 2000 and Jan has been serving on DCA’s board since 2006. She is a Naturalist and co-author of “Field Guide to Shrubs of Southwestern Oregon.” Jan has a long history as a community volunteer, serving on the boards of Rusk Ranch Nature Center, Illinois Valley Soil and Water, Illinois Valley Sierra Club, Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs, and Illinois Valley Community Development Organization. Jan has been a strong supporter and organizational anchor for DCA, taking on many tasks, hosting many meetings in her home, supplying goodies and refreshments, and providing sound advice and a voice of reason when needed. 

Rhonda Hampton

Rhonda was born and raised in New York in the 60s and 70s. She moved to North Carolina in 1978 to study pottery at a craft school. She then moved back to New York for some years, becoming active in raising public awareness about important ballot issues. In 1983 Rhonda moved to the Deer Creek watershed in Selma where she lives today. Rhonda has been a member of DCA since 1984, and a board member since 2012. She is a long-time community activist, also serving on the board of Headwaters in Ashland, OR in the ‘90’s before it became GEOS Institute. From 2013-2016, Rhonda worked with a local organization called Precious Dirt on an important ballot ordinance to ban pesticide use in Josephine County. Rhonda is a skilled artisan and dedicated gardener, providing fresh organic produce to neighbors in need, as well as providing much delicious food for DCA’s community potluck meetings and events over the years. Rhonda’s generosity and care for her neighbors, friends, and community are complemented well by her ability to problem solve, make quick, wise decisions, and get things done.

Terry Davis

Terry was born near the coast of Oregon and grew up exploring, and connecting with, the natural world around him. Terry has lived in the Illinois Valley in southwestern Oregon since 2001 and has worked in various forms of ecosystem defense and grassroots organizing for over 2 decades. Terry began working with DCA and learning about Ecostry concepts shortly after moving to the IV. A talented artist and musician, Terry enjoys connecting with the community, building bridges and mutual understanding, and finding creative ways to inspire positive change. Terry was formerly the President of Rusk Ranch Nature Center, an art teacher at the Dome School, and is currently serving on the Board of Directors at the Southern Oregon Guild of Artists and Artisans and an active member of the Illinois Valley Sierra Club.