Mary Elliott-Kemm – Board Member  

After showing great resolve and resilience—and success—in Sierra Forward’s voter registration efforts in 2018, Mary Elliott-Klemm was persuaded to become the organization’s El Dorado County Coordinator, where she worked with various local groups to Get Out the Vote. That, in turn, led to her becoming a member of the Sierra Forward Leadership Team.

       Leadership

Mary is a native Northern Californian, whose father grew up in San Francisco, married and bought a home in Marin County. She grew up in the Bay Area at a time when citizens felt empowered to create Open Spaces and preserve the historical nature of their small towns. The purchase of land on the Point Reyes Peninsula for its transition to National Seashore status again demonstrated what a few people with a vision can achieve.

All of that left a mark on Mary, as she realized what grassroots activism might accomplish.

Mary moved to El Dorado County in 1975, taught at a local elementary school for 38 years, raised a family, and engaged in local politics. Involved in everything from Recreation Advisory committees to Area Plans, her proudest achievement has been the organization of Trails Now, a citizen group that worked with El Dorado County and the City of Placerville to create The El Dorado Trail, a hiking, biking and equestrian path that stretches thirty-five miles, from the old gold rush and timber town of Camino westward to the Sacramento County line.

When Donald Trump was elected president in 2016, Mary was drawn back into the political world, knowing that, if our democracy is to survive, it will take all of us working together to be a force for good. Mary decided that Sierra Forward, with its unique approach and strong Team, was a natural place for her energies.