REBECCA C. LAWTON

P.O. Box 654, Vineburg, CA  95487-0654

becca@beccalawton.com • www.beccalawton.com

SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE

Rebecca Lawton is an author and natural scientist whose work explores our relation to nature.  Her literary honors include the Ellen Meloy Fund Award for Desert Writers and two Pushcart Prize nominations, in poetry and prose.  Her memoir, Reading Water: Lessons from the River, was a San Francisco Chronicle Bay Area Bestseller and ForeWord Nature Book of the Year finalist.  She is co-author of three additional works of nonfiction on creativity and the outdoors. 

Rebecca’s work as a scientist has focused on the movement of sediment and water.  Her first technical study, published by the University of Wyoming in 1977, was among early efforts that considered dinosaur bones as transportable particles in Jurassic rivers in Utah; her recent work, including the study of sediment in tributaries to San Pablo Bay, is helping to inform state guidelines on loads of silt and sand in California streams.

EDUCATION

M.F.A., Creative Writing.  Mills College, Oakland, CA.  May 1993.

B.S., Earth Sciences.  University of California, Santa Cruz.  December 1976.  Honors in thesis.

AWARDS AND HONORS

• Writer in Residence, Hedgebrook Retreat for Women Writers.  Langley, WA.  2009.
• First Place, Poetry Competition, Redwood Writers Branch of California Writers Club.  Santa Rosa, CA.  2009.  For “Journal.”  Judged by Terry Ehret and Mike Tuggle.
• Finalist, David Nathan Meyerson Fiction Prize.  Southwest Review, Southern Methodist University.  Dallas, TX.  2009.  For “The Road to Bonanza.”  Judged by Alice Hoffman.
• Finalist, Chautauqua Fiction Prize.  2009.  For “The Wish.” Judged by David Crouse.
• Desert Writer Award.   Ellen Meloy Fund.  Bluff, UT.  2006.
• Residency Awarded, Mesa Refuge.  Oakland, CA.  2006.
• Finalist, Nature Book of the Year Award.  ForeWord Magazine.  Traverse City, MI.  2003.  For Reading Water: Lessons from the River.
• Personal Essay Award.  Tiny Lights Publications.  Petaluma, CA.  2001.  For “Scalping the Games.”  Judged by Susan Bono.
• “You Are Here,” Sonoma County Writing Award.  Sebastopol Center for the Arts.  Sebastopol, CA.  2000.  Judged by Elizabeth Carothers Herron.  For “Questions for the Creek.”
• Poetry Award.   Utah Wilderness Association Review.  Salt Lake City, UT. May 1993.  For “Ghost of a River.”
• William Warner Henry Writing Award.  Mills College, CA.  April 1993. For “On the Whiteness of the Whale.”

PUBLICATIONS

Books

• Write Free: Attracting the Creative Life, with Jordan E. Rosenfeld.  Glen Ellen, CA: BeijaFlor Books.  2008.
• Reading Water: Lessons from the River.  Sterling, VA: Capital Books.  2002.  Released in paperback in 2004. San Francisco Chronicle Bay Area Bestseller in 2008; ForeWord Nature Book of the Year finalist in 2003. 
• On Foot in Sonoma: Twelve Walks in the Valley of the Moon, with Arthur Dawson.  Glen Ellen, CA: Kulupi Press.  2004.
• Discover Nature in the Rocks, with Diana Lawton, Susan Panttaja, and Irene Guidici Ehret.  Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books.  1997.

Fiction and Poetry

• "Change of Heart" and "On Hearing About Ted," the Acorn: a journal of the Western Sierra.  El Dorado, CA: El Dorado Writers' Guild.  1995.  ("Ted" nominated for 1995 Pushcart Prize.)
• "Cougars and Mr. Redford," Sonoma Poets Collection II.  Sonoma, CA: Hilltop Publishing.  1995.
• "Ghost of a River," Review.  Salt Lake City, UT: Utah Wilderness Association.  1993.
• “Journal,” Sonoma Valley Sun.  Vol. VI, Issue 27.  Sonoma, CA.  October 9, 2009.
• "Night Noise," Community Poetry Anthology, Festival Edition.  Sonoma, CA: da Rosa Events and Readers Books.  1996.
• "Sandstone," THEMA.  Metairie, LA: THEMA Literary Society.  1995.  Also in Walking the Twilight II.  Flagstaff, AZ: Northland Publishing.  1996.
• “The Middle of a River in Flood” and “Seen Near Loma,” Standing Wave.  Prescott, AZ.  1997.
• “The Wish,” Perigree: Publication for the Arts.  Vol. 7, Issue 3.  www.perigree-art.com.  Guest fiction editor: Lawrence Lawson.  April 2010.
• "What I Never Told You," Walking the Twilight.  Flagstaff, AZ: Northland Publishing.  1994.
• “What’s So Feminine about a Mandolin?” in Traditional Music Issue of Shenandoah: The Washington and Lee University Review.  Lexington, VA: Washington and Lee University.  2006.

Radio and Stage

• “American Art,” “Moon River,” and “A Reluctant Geologist Writes about Rocks,” Word by Word.  Rohnert Park, CA: KRCB Radio 91.1 fm.  2005.
• “Only Water,” Page on Stage.  Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park, CA: Glaser Center and KRCB Radio 91.1 fm.  2006.

Articles, Essays, and Chapters

• “The Art of Starting Over,” More.  NY: Meredith Publishing.  July/August 2006.
• “Book Case,” “War Zone,” and “Wingin’ It,” in “Open Mic,” Northern California Bohemian.  Santa Rosa, CA: Metrosa, Inc.  2000 and 2001.
• “The Company of Rocks,” Orion.  Great Barrington, MA: The Orion Society.  November/December 2005.
• "Down to Earth," "Dynamic Duo," "Growing with Expert Systems," "Heavy Metals," "Out of the Woods," additional articles.  Penn State Agriculture.  University Park, PA: Penn State College of Agriculture.  1988.
• "Early History of the Tuolumne River Canyon," Interpretive Guide to the American, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne Rivers.  Berkeley, CA: Pacific Rivers Outfitters Association.  1975.
• “Estimating Sediment Production for the Sonoma Creek TMDL” (with L. Collins and A. Dawson).  Oakland, CA: State of the Estuary Conference. 2007.
• “Faith in the Dry Season,” Tiny Lights.  Petaluma, CA: Tiny Lights Publications.  2001.  (Nominated for 2001 Pushcart Prize.)  Also in Reading Water: Lessons from the River.  Sterling, VA: Capital Books.  2002.  Reprinted in There’s this River: Grand Canyon Boatman Stories.  Second Edition.  Flagstaff, AZ: This Earth Press.  2006.
• "Fear and Loathing on the Upper Yampa," Wasatch Sports Guide.  Salt Lake City: Mills Publishing.  1984.
• “Felling the Trees,” San Francisco Chronicle.  San Francisco: Hearst Corporation.  July 22, 2006.
• “Headwaters,” The Gift of Rivers: True Stories of Life on the Water.  San Francisco: Travelers’ Tales.  2000.
• “Imbrication,” Word Tastings.  Summerland, CA: Santa Barbara Review Publications.  1998.  Excerpted in A Woman’s Passion for Travel.  San Francisco: Travelers’ Tales.  1999.
• “In the Oasis,” Tiny Lights.  Petaluma, CA: Tiny Lights Publications.  2005.
• “A Look at Watershed Health: Developing the Sonoma Creek Scorecard,”
  with Caitlin Cornwall, Deanne DiPietro, Mark Newhouser, and Alex Young.  In Proceedings 28th Annual Salmonid Restoration Conference and the 44th Annual American Fisheries Society Cal-Neva Conference, Fisheries Restoration and Science in a Changing Climate.  www.calsalmon.org.
• “Measuring Sediment in Jack London’s Streams, Sonoma Creek Watershed, Sonoma County” (with K. Camacho).  Oakland, CA: State of the Estuary Conference. 2005. 
• Media Lounge Reviews of The Earth Knows My Name, a book by Patricia Klindienst, and The Fragile Edge, a book by Julia Whitty.  Sierra.  San Francisco: Sierra Club.  May/June and July/August 2007.
• “Monitoring Suspended Sediment Concentration and Turbidity, Sonoma Creek Watershed, Sonoma County” (with J. Tribo).  Oakland, CA: State of the Estuary Conference. 2003.
• “On the Colorado River,” 365 Travel.  San Francisco: Travelers’ Tales.  2001.
• “Possession,” San Francisco Chronicle Magazine.  San Francisco: Hearst Corporation.  2006.
• “Scalping the Games,” Tiny Lights.  Petaluma, CA: Tiny Lights Publications.  2003.
• “Some of My Best Friends,” Sonoma Woman insert in The Press Democrat.  Santa Rosa, CA: The Press Democrat, part of The New York Times Company.  September/October 2006.
• “Take the ‘C’ Train,” Sonoma County Women’s Voices.  Sebastopol, CA: Women’s Voices.  May 2004.  Also in Reading Water: Lessons from the River.  Sterling, VA: Capital Books.  2002.  Reprinted in A Mile in Her Boots: Women Who Work in the Wild.  Palo Alto, CA: Solas House.  2006.  Also reprinted in Art, Literature, and Place: An Ecopoetics Reader.  Toronto: Canadian Journal of Environmental Education.  Volume 13 (2).  2008.
• "Taphonomy of the Dinosaur Quarry, Dinosaur National Monument," Contributions to Geology, volume 15.  Laramie, WY: University of Wyoming.  1977.
• “The Tongue,” The Best Women’s Travel Writing, 2006: True Stories from Around the World.  Lucy McCauley, editor.  Palo Alto, CA: Travelers’ Tales.  2006.
• “Volunteer Monitoring of Suspended Sediment Concentration and Turbidity, Sonoma Creek Watershed, Sonoma County, CA” (with R. Hunter and J. Menze).  Advances in Science and Restoration in the Bay, Delta, and Watershed.  CALFED Science Conference.  January 14-16.  Sacramento, CA.  2003. 

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Presenter, Redwood Branch of California Writer’s Club 2010 Series, Petaluma, CA.
• Literary Judge, Annual Personal Essay Contest.  Tiny Lights Magazine.  Petaluma, CA.  2005 to present.
• Member, Technical Advisory Committee, Sonoma Ecology Center.  1998 to present.
• Literary Judge, Annual Sonoma Valley Writing Faire.  Sonoma, CA.  1998 to present.
• Presenter, Redwood Branch of California Writer’s Club, First Annual Conference.  Santa Rosa, CA.  2009.
• Presenter, Literature Readings on “Control,” SOMArts Cultural Center.  San Francisco.  2009
• Presenter, Creativity and Education Series.  Copperfield’s Books.  Petaluma, CA.  2009.
• Presenter, Mendocino LitFest.  Mendocino Community College.  Ukiah, CA.  2009.
• Presenter, Writer’s Sampler Series.  Sebastopol Center for the Arts.  Sebastopol, CA.  2005 and 2009.
• Literary Judge, Sense of Place Poetry Competition.  Kulupi Press.  Glen Ellen, CA.  2005 to 2008.
• Presenter, Sonoma County Book Fair.  Santa Rosa, CA.  2003, 2006, and 2008.
• Presenter, Deep Storytelling and Nonfiction, Mendocino Coast Writers Conference.  Mendocino, CA.  2007.
• Member, Technical Advisory Committee, Laguna de Santa Rosa.  Santa Rosa, CA.  2007.
• Presenter, Writing with Nature.  Writers Forum.  Petaluma, CA.  2006.
• Literary Judge, Bay Area Middle School Poetry Out Loud Contest.  Berkeley, CA.  2006.
• Facilitator, Writer’s Retreat, Wellspring Renewal Center.  Philo, CA.  2002 to 2006.
• Presenter, Women on Writing Conference, Skyline College.  San Bruno, CA.  2005.
• Lecturer, Self-Discipline Series, Pleasanton Public Library.  Pleasanton, CA.  2004.
• Presenter, Science and the Environment Series, Rocky Mountain College.  Billings, MT.  2003.
• Member, Earth Stewards Committee, Sonoma First Congregational Church.  Sonoma, CA.  2002 to 2003.
• Presenter, Sonoma County Literary Salon.  Petaluma, CA.  2002.
• Poet-Teacher, California Poets in the Schools.  Sonoma, CA.  1996 to 2002.
• Literary Judge, On Water Contest, Sebastopol Center for the Arts.  Sebastopol, CA.  1999.
• Presenter, Sonoma Writer’s Circle, Sonoma Community Center.  Sonoma, CA.  1998.
• Leader, Poetry and Spirituality Workshops.  Sonoma First Congregational Church.  Sonoma, CA. 1994 to 1997.
• Presenter, Women in Grand Canyon, Friends of the River Conference.  San Francisco.  1995. 

WORK EXPERIENCE

Geologist & Director of Programs, Nonprofit Watershed Group, 2000 to present

SONOMA ECOLOGY CENTER, Sonoma, CA.

Oversees all Research, Education, and Restoration program activities at community-supported environmental nonprofit organization organized to sustain ecological health in Sonoma Valley.  Heads staff of twenty geographers, ecologists, planners, and educators, with direct responsibilities to Executive Director.  Organizes grant-writing and fund-raising activities to support Center programs, which include a community garden, road-to-trail projects, stream habitat improvement work days, and water conservation research and implementation.  Serves as geologist and manager of technical projects, e.g., road remediation in State Parks to prevent erosion and surface water contamination.

Previously as Research Program Manager for the SONOMA ECOLOGY CENTER supervised teams of scientists, university interns, technical consultants, and community volunteers in watershed research and monitoring program.  Designed and implemented studies to measure changes in environmental markers.  Led teams in documenting erosion from roads and trails in headwaters areas, performing water-quality sampling, and collecting data for inclusion in geographic information system (GIS) models and regional watershed plans.  Managed large staff and multiple partners for five-year U.S. EPA funded sediment source analysis for federally mandated Sonoma Creek TMDL.

Project Geologist, Geological Consulting, 1996 to 1999

HARDING LAWSON ASSOCIATES, Novato, CA.

Worked on all stages of geotechnical projects, from fieldwork to document preparation.  Coordinated stormwater reporting at numerous statewide facilities.

Technical Editor and Writer, Geological Consulting, 1989 to 1996

HARDING LAWSON ASSOCIATES and RESNA, Novato and Fremont, CA.

Reviewed documents, advised authors, and led workshops to improve presentation of technical documents.  Supervised contract editors, coordinated review schedules, and trained editorial staff as needed.

Science Writer and Editor, Education and Research, 1986 to 1988

PENN STATE UNIVERSITY, University Park, PA.

Wrote by-lined features and short articles for award-winning research magazine for diverse alumnae audience.  Consulted as freelance editor of technical manuscripts by university authors.

Park Ranger and Technician, Research and Recreation, 1984 to 1986

U.S. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, Grand Canyon, AZ, and Dinosaur, UT

Served as oarsman and ranger on whitewater park patrols.  Interpreted natural history and park policy in formal and informal public presentations.  Conducted field research for source material for interpretive programs. 

Wilderness Leader (Seasonal), Guiding and Interpretation, 1973 to 1983

AMERICAN RIVER TOURING ASSOCIATION, Oakland, CA

Led teams of boatmen for tour groups of up to 35 people on isolated rivers in seven western states.  Served as oarsman, natural history interpreter, and guide.  Supervised up to ten employees on river tours; served as area manager in 1976. 

Staff Geologist (Seasonal), Geological Research, 1979 to 1983

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY and R&M CONSULTANTS, CA and UT

Field-tested and sampled soil and bedrock; supervised drilling crew.  Completed field logs, interpreted aerial photographs, wrote technical reports, coordinated subcontractors.  Completed geological maps from original field research.

SPECIAL TRAINING

• Full Spectrum Foundational Coaching and New Leadership Training.  Joan Oakden-Parsons.  Napa, CA.
• Construction Site Planning and Management for Water Quality Protection.  Friends of the San Francisco Estuary.  Sonoma, CA.
• Stream Restoration Professional Course.  Wildland Hydrology.  Santa Rosa, CA.
• Application of Basic California Hydrology.  University of California, Berkeley, Extension.  San Francisco. 
• Natural Channel Design Principles and Applications.  International Erosion Control Association.  Reno, NV.
• Standard First Aid.  Life Medical Training.  Novato, CA.
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.  American Heart Association. Novato, CA and Sonoma, CA.
  40-Hour HAZWOPER (29CFR1910.120(e) Training.  Richmond, CA.
• Wilderness First Aid.  Sixteen-hour course.  Foster Calm.  Sonoma, CA.

ASSOCIATIONS

Member, Author’s Guild
California Certified Small Business
California Poet in the Schools