Our Team
The Nevada Conservation League (NCL) is the independent political voice of Nevada’s conservation community. We work to maintain and enhance the natural character of Nevada, and the quality of life for Nevadans through effective advocacy, the election of pro-conservation candidates, and building collaboration.
Since its founding, the organization has always prioritized climate change, clean energy, public lands, and the protection of public spaces.
We strive to do all of our work in a way that recognizes and builds a deeper understanding of issues of racial and social justice and in a way that builds a more inclusive organization.
Kristee Watson
Executive Director (she/her)
Kristee Watson has lived in southern Nevada for over 30 years and brings a plethora of professional experience to Nevada Conservation League. Kristee has a background in finance, small business management, non-profit programming, and federal grant processes as the Grants Coordinator for Congresswoman Susie Lee.
As Executive Director at Nevada Conservation League, and previously Deputy Director, Kristee recognizes that environmental policy protects underserved communities, improves overall health, and supports a thriving economy. Since Nevada is home to two of the fastest-warming cities in the country, it’s imperative that we educate, organize, and pass meaningful legislation to combat the climate crisis.
Kristee loves hiking and the outdoors, so she appreciates the year-round recreational activities Clark County has to offer her and her family.
Christi Cabrera-Georgeson
Deputy Director (she/her)
Christi Cabrera-Georgeson is a native of Reno, Nevada and the daughter of a Cuban immigrant. She earned dual degrees in Environmental Science and Political Science with a minor in Renewable Energy from the University of Nevada, which fueled her passion for environmental issues and policy. Christi’s interest in civic engagement started at age 12, when she first began volunteering on political campaigns.
Prior to working at the Nevada Conservation League, Christi worked in the City of Reno’s Sustainability and Climate Department and helped put together the City’s first Sustainability Report. She has also worked at several local law firms.
Christi started off her career at the Nevada Conservation League in 2018 as the Regional Lead in Northern Nevada for the organization’s ballot measure campaign for Question 5 (Automatic Voter Registration) and Question 6 (Renewable Portfolio Standard). In 2019, she became NCL’s Policy and Advocacy Director, where she worked to advance practical and political solutions to address the climate crisis and other environmental issues. Now, Christi is proud to serve as the Co-Deputy Director for the Nevada Conservation League.
Yazmyn Pelaez
Communications Director (she/her)
Yazmyn grew up in Las Vegas, and has grown close to Nevada’s outdoor wonders and the resilient community of organizers, educators, and story-tellers. She was proudly raised by a Chihuahuan and Poblano family who value conservation and the beautiful outdoors. Her appreciation for her Mexican culture, community, and the environment motivates her to center environmental justice in all of the work she does.
Yazmyn received her Associates Degree in May 2021 and is currently working towards her B.S. in Project Management. Previous to working with NCL, she spent 5 years working on issue-based campaigns with non-profits in the state of Nevada. Most recently, she worked with Chispa Nevada on the successful Clean Buses for Healthy Niños Campaign and the passing of Assembly Bill 349, which will work to reduce transportation pollution across Nevada. Prior to that, she was a Program Coordinator with Get Outdoors Nevada, and an organizer with Advocates for Youth.
In an effort to build a healthier Nevada, Yazmyn has worked closely with environmental leaders, managing digital campaigns, and building partnerships. She is a proud member of the Latino Youth Leadership Foundation and the Las Vegas Climate Reality Chapter. These experiences have equipped her with the necessary skills to coordinate successful communication strategies in the climate movement.
Dillon Livae
Media Manager (he/him)
“He aliʻi ka ʻāina, he kauwā ke kanaka.” The land is chief, man is her servant. Dillon was born in Waiʻanae, Hawaiʻi, as the youngest of four kids to a Native Hawaiian and Samoan mother and a Micronesian father. Growing up, he gained wisdom from his grandparents and teachers at Kamehameha Schools, who instilled in him the essence of what it means to be a servant-leader. In line with his Native and Pacific Island heritage, Dillon believes that the greatest responsibility one can hold is to serve the land, and in return, the land will care for, feed, and provide for the needs of its people.
After moving to Las Vegas five years ago, Dillon began working as a Field Organizer for Nevada Democratic Victory, helping to elect Democrats up and down the ballot for the 2022 Midterm Elections. He has worked in partnership with a variety of progressive non-profits and consulting firms, including The Outreach Team and Relentless, to strengthen the relationship between disenfranchised communities and their political representatives. But to Dillon, the most important work to be done is right here in Nevada.
As the organization’s Media Manager, he brings a renewed sense of love and appreciation for conservation. Knowing that communities like the ones he grew up in are most affected by environmental degradation, Dillon brings a breadth of experience in organizing and environmental advocacy that he hopes will affect change for generations of Nevadans to come.
Hector Arreola
Community Organizer (he/him)
Hector Arreola is a native-born Nevadan and the son of Mexican immigrants from Ameca, Jaliso. Most of his childhood summers were spent in Mexico with his grandparents, where they taught him the importance of sustainable agriculture. Those same values carried on when he returned to Nevada and witnessed declining water levels at Lake Mead.
His past experience consisted of interning for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 Presidential campaign and working with the U.S. Census Bureau in conducting the 2020 count, all while being a full time student at UNLV. Most recently he was an organizer with Nevada Democratic Victory, the coordinated campaign to get democrats reelected in Nevada.
As the community organizer for NCL, he’s most excited about teaching Nevadans about the benefits of conservation. In his free time you can find him wandering out in the desert. But no need to worry! He’s not lost, he’s hiking.
Trystin St. Denis
Community Organizer (she/her)
Trystin St. Denis was born in San Jose, California, and lived there for most of her life. She moved to Reno, Nevada to attend the University of Nevada – Reno, and fell in love with all that Nevada offers. Being outdoors and embracing nature was one way she could connect with Nevada after moving, and could not be more excited to work to protect that environment with the NCL.
After graduating from UNR in December of 2021, Trystin began her work as a community organizer for the Nevada Coalition Against the Death Penalty. She works in multiple sectors of Nevada policy and is proud to be an organizer for both organizations. To continue investing in her career and the betterment of her community, she has begun working towards a Master of Science in Humanitarian Action through the University of London.
Advocating for her community in Nevada has become incredibly important to Trystin. After moving to Nevada and seeing the climate injustices faced by her community, she is proud to work towards healing those inequities. As the new Community Organizer for NCL, she is most excited about working with Nevadans on the issues that mean the most to them. Trystin uses what she’s learned in previous experiences to contribute to successful organizing strategies for our environment and communities.
Brigitte Yanez Trobaugh
Operations & Administrative Manager (she/her)
Brigitte loves calling Nevada home! She was only two when her father moved their family out of Costa Rica to settle in Las Vegas where he had once been stationed during his career in the U.S. Air Force. Brigitte prides herself in being a true Las Vegan, but also attributes a lot of her identity to her Costa Rican roots. The raw nature of her birthplace has led her to understand the importance of conservation and protecting the environment to maintain healthy ecosystems and a healthy planet.
Brigitte has an extensive past in administrative and accounting work. Most recently she worked at a law firm, starting as an office manager before being promoted to their corporate office in San Diego to work in the accounting department.
As a nature lover and an avid hiker Brigitte spends a lot of her free time outdoors, which made her realize the corporate world was not for her, and she wanted to dedicate her time to working somewhere that made a positive impact on the environment. She moved back home to Las Vegas where she eventually found a job with Nevada Conservation League as the Administrative Assistant. At NCL Brigitte is able to combine her administrative background with her passion for conservation, and is excited to be doing the work in the state she loves.