The Environmental Defense Center (EDC), a nonprofit environmental law firm working to protect the Central Coast and the Earth’s climate, has named its 2026 Board of Directors officers.
They are Lauren Trujillo, president; Gerardo Ayala, vice president; David Powdrell, treasurer; and Toni Cordero, secretary.
EDC said it extends gratitude to outgoing president Rob Tadlock, who led the board for the past 3½ years.
The organization is preparing for its 50th anniversary year in 2027, marking five decades of environmental advocacy.
“Since its founding in 1977, EDC’s Board of Directors has played a key role in fulfilling the organization’s mission to defend nature and advance environmental justice on California’s Central Coast through advocacy and legal action,” EDC officials said.
“As we look ahead to EDC’s 50th anniversary, we are excited to have such strong leadership helping guide the organization into its next chapter,” said Alex Katz, executive director.
Trujillo, the director of the Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation, brings experience in nonprofit fundraising and community engagement.
Her background includes managing large-scale membership and donor programs at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), and leading fundraising efforts for a multi-million-dollar capital campaign.
Locally, she has worked with such organizations as the Isla Vista Memorial Project, Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation, and Santa Barbara Historical Museum.
Trujillo said she is committed to expanding community engagement and advancing equity in nonprofit work.
“I’m honored to serve as president of the board at a critical time for our region,” she said. “As EDC builds on decades of protecting our coast and communities, we remain deeply committed to that — taking on projects like Sable, while preparing for the next chapter of environmental advocacy and impact.”
Ayala is a longtime Santa Barbara resident with experience in nonprofit leadership, community outreach, and advocacy.
Ayala works with the Santa Barbara County Education Office as a liaison to homeless families and served as development director for People United for Economic Justice Building Leadership Through Organizing (PUEBLO), a predecessor to Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE).
Ayala has held leadership roles on nonprofit boards, including the Fund for Santa Barbara, Marjorie Luke Theatre, and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and has served on the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission.
He brings experience in fundraising, governance, and advancing equity and inclusion, along with a longstanding commitment to environmental protection.
Powdrell is a Certified Public Accountant with nonprofit leadership and community involvement. He serves as the president of the Carpinteria Rotary Club; is the former chair for the Carpinteria Arts Center. He was named Carpinterian of the Year in 2014.
With experience in financial management and oversight, he provides support to EDC’s fiscal stewardship. Powdrell also has a longstanding passion for environmental preservation, including documenting the Gaviota Coast through photography.
Cordero is a tribal advocate, retired environmental and civil rights attorney, and member of the Chumash community with ancestral ties to the Santa Barbara area.
She practiced environmental, civil rights, and cultural resources protection law in California for more than 30 years, including serving in senior leadership in the California Attorney General’s Office.
Her work has included protecting natural resources and tribal cultural sites, enforcing environmental laws, and advocating on issues affecting tribal communities.
Cordero, who has served on the boards of the Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples, the Surfrider Foundation, and the ACLU of Southern California, brings a commitment to environmental justice and Indigenous perspectives in environmental decision-making.
The EDC’s Board of Directors includes Jen Cole, Van Do-Reynoso, Daniel Emmett, Richard Francis, Vijaya Jammalamadaka, Linda Parks, Jim Salzman, and Rob Tadlock.