After 15 Years of Transformative Leadership, Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority General Manager Announces Departure

SAN JOSÈ, Calif.—July 23, 2026— The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (Authority) today announced that General Manager Andrea Mackenzie has informed the Board of Directors of her plans to step down at the end of 2026. This will conclude 15 years of distinguished service to the agency and to the natural and working lands of Santa Clara Valley.

Mackenzie joined the Authority as General Manager in 2011, bringing more than 25 years of experience in urban and regional planning, open space preservation, farmland protection and public conservation finance to the role. Mackenzie has been widely recognized for her leadership in the field, including being named one of the Silicon Valley Business Journal’s 2020 “Women of Influence.” She is a past fellow of the National Conservation Leadership Institute and she serves on the Board of Directors for TOGETHER Bay Area and as an advisor to Santa Clara County’s Climate Collaborative.

Notable among Mackenzie’s myriad accomplishments are precedent-setting policy initiatives that view nature as climate-smart infrastructure and paved the way for new approaches to land conservation and conservation finance. These include the Santa Clara Valley Agricultural Plan and Healthy Lands, Healthy Economies, the first ever valuation of nature’s services across Santa Clara County.

Under her leadership, the Authority has doubled its conservation footprint across Santa Clara Valley, growing from approximately 12,000 protected acres of natural and working lands, watersheds, and wildlife habitat to almost 30,000 acres today.

Among the most significant achievements of her tenure is the protection of Coyote Valley, an area now recognized by the State of California through AB 948 (Kalra) as a landscape of statewide significance. There, under Andrea's leadership, the Authority worked with key partners including the Peninsula Open Space Trust and the State of California to permanently protect more than 1,600 acres of natural and working lands, leveraging over $160 million to safeguard this vital wildlife corridor and agricultural and open space landscape for generations to come. This work was guided in part by the Coyote Valley Landscape Linkage, a science-backed planning framework developed under Mackenzie's leadership to identify and prioritize one of the region's most critical wildlife corridors.

Central to Andrea's tenure has been a commitment to equitably connecting constituents to nature. Total trail miles open to the public have doubled to over 30 and annual preserve visitation has more than tripled from 150,000 to 500,000 visitors, reflecting both the Authority's expanded preserve network and its deepened commitment to making nature a welcoming experience for all.

Mackenzie also helped lay the groundwork for the agency’s passage of multiple funding measures, including Measure Q in 2014, Measure T in 2020, and the June 2026 passage of Measure D, a progressive parcel tax based on square footage of commercial and residential development that will generate approximately $17 million annually in perpetuity to fund the Authority's next chapter of conservation and stewardship.

"Fifteen years ago, I set out to help the Authority develop a conservation and finance strategy that could increase the pace and scale of protecting the unique natural and working lands of the Santa Clara Valley. Today, with almost 30,000 acres protected, 1,600 acres of Coyote Valley secured for future generations, and voters expressing their support for open space preservation time and time again, I know that this agency will stay in momentum and continue its critical mission-driven work for nature and people. Leading the Authority has been the privilege of my career, and I'm deeply grateful to my extraordinary staff, Board of Directors, Citizens’ Advisory Committee, volunteers and the community that made it all possible," said Mackenzie.

Under her direction, the Authority expanded its Urban Grant Program, which has awarded $14.7 million to 94 community projects since 2016, bringing nature-based education and open space access to underserved communities across the region.

She also led the development of the Santa Clara Valley Greenprint, a landmark science-backed planning tool that prioritizes the conservation landscapes of the Santa Clara Valley and that has been recognized by the American Planning Association with an Award of Excellence in Sustainability.

Additionally, Mackenzie oversaw the opening of multiple agency open space preserves, Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve, Máyyan ‘Ooyákma-Coyote Ridge Open Space Preserve, the agency's newest and most ecologically sensitive public preserve, and the expansion of Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve, providing new open space access opportunities to underserved communities in East San José.

“Andrea took an agency with untapped potential and big ambitions and turned it into one of the most respected open space districts in the state,” said Board Chair Kathy Sutherland. “Under her leadership, the Authority has grown into a mature, financially strong organization with the clear support of the Santa Clara Valley voters who just passed Measure D. She has built a culture rooted in science, equity and community connection that will carry us forward long after she's gone. On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Andrea for her vision, her tenacity and the extraordinary legacy she leaves for the people and wildlife of this valley.”

The Board of Directors has begun the process of recruiting the Authority's next General Manager and will share more details on the search in the coming weeks. Mackenzie will remain in her role through the end of 2026, working closely with the Board and senior leadership to ensure a smooth transition.

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