Dear TreePeople Community,
As we welcome a new year, I am deeply grateful to be writing to you for the first time as TreePeople’s CEO. It is an honor to join this remarkable organization and the extraordinary community that has sustained its mission for more than half a century.
Stepping into this role, I am mindful of the journey – both mine and TreePeople’s – that led to this moment. My path has been guided by a belief I know many of you share: people and nature are not separate stories, but one connected narrative. I’ve long been drawn to the monarch butterfly, whose epic, multi-generational migration reflects the delicate yet powerful interdependence that sustains life.
In 2021, as part of an Ecosystem Health assessment for Los Angeles, I wrote a “dedication” to the monarch butterfly, honoring their vulnerability, endurance, and deep cultural significance as symbols of connection, transformation, and hope. Monarchs have always helped ground me – so much so that I named my firstborn Mariposa, the Spanish word for butterfly. I return to that reflection often, especially during times of change.
As I step into this new chapter, I do so with great respect for the leadership that has shaped TreePeople. Monarchs were also beloved by our former CEO, Cindy Montañez, whose legacy lives vibrantly throughout our Coldwater Canyon Park and the communities she championed. The pollinator garden built in her honor reflects her commitment to environmental justice, native habitat, and the interconnectedness of all things. I also carry forward the founding vision of Andy Lipkis, who believes that healing the environment begins with healing our relationship with nature. His regenerative vision of restoring landscapes, empowering communities, and engaging youth remains the heartbeat of TreePeople.
My training as a biologist has shaped how I see the world through systems, relationships, and the intricate ties between our biological, social, and cultural ecosystems. It is why I believe so deeply in healing landscapes and communities together, and why I feel so aligned with TreePeople’s mission.
I also acknowledge the challenges that lay before us. Southern California continues to experience intensifying climate pressures – from extreme heat and wildfire to drought and inequitable access to green space and shade. And yet, through it all, you – our volunteers, partners, supporters, students, and community members – have shown unbreakable dedication. You have planted trees in scorching heat, restored habitats after wildfire, transformed schoolyards into places of refuge, and stood up for a more just and resilient future.
Like the monarchs, we are navigating uncertainty together. Their story reminds us that survival and regeneration are communal acts, strengthened by the land that sustains us and the people who care for them. In the years ahead, we will expand our work across the landscapes we steward by restoring wildlands, greening urban neighborhoods, supporting wildfire recovery and resiliency, and investing in community-led climate solutions.
My hope is that 2026 is marked by stability, clarity, and renewed momentum. A year where, like the monarchs, we move forward together, carried by the many wings that came before us and strengthened by the ones beside us now.
Thank you for being part of this extraordinary community. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for caring about our trees, our neighborhoods, our children, and our shared future.
I am humbled and honored to embark on this new chapter with you.
Wishing you hope, joy, and renewal in the year ahead.
With gratitude,
Cassie Rauser, PhD
CEO