Green Foothills staff and board recently celebrated the longtime service of Brian Schmidt. Brian has filled a number of different roles at Green Foothills over the past 20 years — as a Santa Clara County Legislative Advocate (2003-2011), as a Board Member (2015-2020), and as a Policy and Advocacy Director from 2021 until April 2023. He shared the Policy and Advocacy Director position with Alice Kaufman, who will continue to fill that role. Brian has moved on to explore other career opportunities and has promised that Green Foothills has not seen the last of him.

Brian tells us that one of the highlights of his career at Green Foothills was the campaign that occupied his time throughout his entire tenure: saving the bulk of the 7,400 acre Coyote Valley, south of San Jose. The big victory finally came in 2021 when the San Jose City Council voted to rezone North Coyote Valley for open space and agriculture, and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted to designate Mid and South Coyote Valley a Climate Resilience District. As a result of those actions, Coyote Valley is now protected from urban-scale development. Brian dedicated two decades of hard work to help make this victory possible.

Other highlights from the past few years include Brian’s work to shut down the polluting Lehigh Quarry and cement plant in Cupertino, and helping to defeat the Strada Verde ballot measure (Measure N) in San Benito County.

I owe a debt of gratitude to Brian as his direct advocacy for Coyote Valley was my introduction to Green Foothills. In 2007, I attended a city council meeting as a student activist for Coyote Valley and was immediately impressed with and inspired by his compelling public comments. I’m so thankful that Brian rejoined Green Foothills as a board member in 2015 and then as a staff member in 2020. He is a wonderful person and colleague. Among so many qualities Brian holds, our team has most valued his knowledge and expertise, his kindness and positive attitude, and his passion for our mission.

Brian, we are so thankful for your service. You’ve made a sizable difference in our region that will benefit generations to come. We wish you all the best on your next adventure and are glad that this isn’t goodbye!