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Who We Are

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About

Patagonia Area Resource Alliance (PARA) is a grassroots, community-driven nonprofit dedicated to the preservation and protection of local mountains, wildlife, and watersheds in and around Patagonia, AZ. Founded in 2011 by six Patagonia locals, we are a citizen watchdog organization and monitor the activities of mining companies and local government agencies to ensure any actions taken in Patagonia ultimately benefit our public lands, our water, our wildlife, and our town.

Outside of protecting our water and wildlife, PARA also engages with many local businesses, organizations, and nonprofits. We support the Town of Patagonia’s events and visitors! Those joining us from out of town are encouraged to check out the Patagonia Visitor’s Center for up-to-date information about Patagonia’s rich history, ecosystems, nature, and people.

Thinking about visiting us? Explore our guide to Patagonia.

Our Board of Directors

Joni Clark Stellar, PARA Board Chair, completed her BA in Environmental Studies and earned a teacher’s certificate in Colorado. Through parallel careers in education and advocacy, her strong relationship with the living earth and deep desire to protect and restore the web of life have guided her creative and collaborative approach to both teaching young people and protecting the resilience and integrity of wild places. She’s delighted to have discovered Patagonia in recent years and is proud to call this unique and precious community home.

Laurie Cantillo, PARA Vice-chair, is a journalist, author, and communications strategist. Growing up in Colorado, she fell in love with the outdoors and is an avid hiker, naturalist, and birdwatcher. Majoring in broadcast journalism at CU-Boulder, Laurie was a reporter and program director for legendary radio stations such as WABC in New York, WTOP in Washington, D.C., and Oprah’s satellite radio channel, Oprah & Friends. A mother of four, Laurie also is the co-author of Simon & Schuster’s “Right-Brained Children in a Left-Brained World.” In 2015, she joined NASA, where she led communications for the Pluto flyby and was first to spot Pluto’s iconic “heart.” Today she lives in Tucson and works as a digital strategist for NASA JPL. Laurie fell in love with Patagonia in 1998, and is inspired to volunteer for PARA to protect the beauty and biodiversity of the region.
Valerie Neale, PARA Secretary-Treasurer, is an Art History and English Literature graduate of University College, London. In 1990, Valerie became a CPA and then earned a master’s degree in Tax at Golden Gate University. The primary focus of her private practice was tax planning and estate planning for individuals and for-profit businesses. Valerie wants to contribute to maintaining, restoring, and conserving the unique biodiverse nature of this particular geographical area.
Chris Gardner, PARA Board Member, has practiced hydrogeology as a consultant in Arizona since 1998. He retired from consulting and purchased land in the Patagonia area. In this time, he learned of industrial mining and the historic work done by PARA and others to address the issues. Chris quickly realized his expertise as a citizen scientist would be helpful to protect groundwater in the area for the most beneficial uses, to support people and biodiversity. Chris is also a member of the Town of Patagonia Flood and Flow Committee and volunteers for the Friends of Sonoita Creek and Borderlands Nursery while maintaining beds in the community garden.
Eric Herman and Loren Mason-Gere, PARA Members-at-large
Contact the Board of Directors

Board Support Team

Carolyn Shafer, Mission Coordinator, has been part of the PARA board since 2012. Carolyn earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Florida Atlantic University and has worked in a variety of industries (e.g., law firms, power line construction, public charter school, art gallery). Her advocacy commitment is based on a strong & deep belief that “Water Matters More.”
Cynie Murray, Bookkeeper & Board support

Stay Informed

We formed Patagonia Area Resource Alliance (PARA) in 2011 as a response to renewed mining interest in the Patagonia Mountains. Since then, we’ve made it our mission to:

1) educate and engage the community of Patagonia about the risks and realities of mining;

2) better understand local imperiled resources such as our water and wildlife; and 4) actively advocate for the protection of those resources, including Patagonia’s distinct and serene rural way of life.

To stay current on our activities, we encourage you to sign up for our newsletter (see below). PARA’s newsletters are sent by email once or twice a month.

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