Alexis Ollar

Executive Director

Alexis Ollar has served as the Executive Director for Mountain Area Preservation since late 2011. Alexis has lived and worked in the Truckee-Tahoe area since 2005. She brings 19 years of experience working in the environmental, government, and nonprofit sectors to MAP. Alexis is also serving as the Vice President of the Martis Fund. This partner conservation organization fosters environmental stewardship in the Truckee Tahoe region through grant support dedicated to open space, forest and habitat restoration, and workforce housing.

Over the past decade and on-going Alexis has served in many capacities in the Truckee Tahoe region for land use planning, climate action planning, community engagement, governance, and nonprofit leadership by playing a role in the following committees and partnerships: Tahoe Truckee Airport District Master Plan Committee, Town of Truckee Housing Authority Working Group, Town of Truckee Traffic Impact Fee Committee, Truckee Trails & Bikeway Master Plan Committee, Truckee 2040 General Plan Advisory Committee, NorthStar Habitat Management Plan Oversight Committee, Martis Valley Groundwater Working Group Member, Mountain Housing Council Partner, Truckee Fire Department Community Wildfire Protection Plan Stakeholder, Town of Truckee River Revitalization Steering Committee Member, Take Care Campaign Partner, and one of the Founding Board Members of the Tahoe Food Hub.

Alexis completed her Master of Science from Humboldt State University, focusing on Geospatial Science and the Environment & Community Master’s program. While in school, Alexis worked for the University as a Graduate Research Assistant conducting community GIS research and applications for local conservation initiatives. She also worked for the California Center for Rural Policy (CCRP) as a Research Assistant focusing on agriculture mapping for the Humboldt County Community Food Assessment and the Humboldt County Food Policy Council. Before graduate school, Alexis was a Traveling Trainer for the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, based in Boulder, Colorado. She taught environmental ethics and education programs focused on land stewardship and science in the United States lower 48 states for two years with her husband, Topher.

Alexis was also the Director of Trail Use at the Tahoe Rim Trail Association for four years. She managed environmental education programs, restoration, recreation, and trail-building programs, wrote and administered grants, managed AmeriCorps members, and led volunteer work and community training on and off the trail. Her passion for natural resource conservation and environmental stewardship began in Hawaii, where she finished her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Hawaii Pacific University.

After college, Alexis worked in Hawaii State Parks, focusing on local watershed restoration projects, water quality monitoring, youth education, and restoration programs. When not advocating for the environment and community, she enjoys rock climbing, hiking, backpacking, snowboarding, camping, traveling, making jewelry, and gardening with her husband and daughter, Finley Sage, in her spare time.

Sophia Heidrich

Advocacy Director

Sophia grew up in Reno and spent much of her youth exploring the endless trails of the Sierra Nevada. In her twenties, she felt the allure of new lands and cultures, alternating between working to save as much as possible and traveling around the world for as long as possible. Her dual desires to travel and protect natural places led her to secure a Master of Arts in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. While in graduate school, she worked for several environmental non-profit organizations and completed her capstone project in Washington D.C., focusing on watershed management for Conservation International. 

Somehow, the farther she got from the Sierra, the more she was drawn to it and has been inching her way back ever since. After graduate school, she moved to Colorado where she developed education and outreach programs for a small non-profit. Then, she entered the policy and government sector, first as a coastal planner in California and most recently, as a park planner in Nevada. There she reviewed land development proposals, drafted recommendations to mitigate impacts, developed park and trail master plans, and worked to connect communities through shared outdoor spaces. She is thrilled to bring this experience and passion for the Truckee Tahoe area to the MAP team. In her free time, you can find Sophia on the trails in the sun and snow with her husband Hunter, June the pup, and baby Hudson.

Nikki Price

Event Director

Native to Lake Tahoe, Nikki is passionate about preserving open space and mountain character. As a local business owner and mother, Nikki recognizes the importance of protecting Tahoe's treasured resources while role-modeling how to give back to the community.

Nikki is thrilled to be a part of Mountain Area Preservation. She recognizes how tirelessly MAP works in the name of environmental advocacy. She hopes to contribute her skills and passion to MAP's mission using her event planning skills, while showing her two daughters that cultivating change requires passion, persistence, and participation.

As the owner of Mountain Thyme Events, Nikki loves sharing the magic of Lake Tahoe with her clients while planning memorable events in one of the most beautiful places on earth. You can find Nikki on the trails with her family or straight-lining runs off Siberia Express when she's not planning stunning events.

Marissa Rudder

Membership & Outreach Director

Marissa grew up in a family of farmers and food entrepreneurs in rural Vermont. From a young age, she learned the value of healthy soils, good food, and a vibrant community. Her upbringing instilled a deep appreciation for advocacy in small communities and a love for open spaces. Marissa is excited to bring her nonprofit experience to MAP and serve as the first Membership & Outreach Director.

Marissa holds a degree in Agricultural Resource Economics from Colorado State University, with a concentration in Agribusiness and Rural Food Systems Development. Over the past eight years, she has been deeply immersed in the local food movement, advocating for climate action by building a more resilient food economy wherever she’s lived, from Vermont to California. Marissa has worked in all aspects of the food system, including production farming, wholesale aggregation and distribution, technical assistance, and hunger relief.

In 2019, she relocated to Truckee to work for Tahoe Food Hub, where she honed her skills in nonprofit management, starting as a part-time employee and advancing to Executive Director. During her tenure, Marissa launched two critical programs that strengthened the food economy in Truckee: the Giving Box, a hunger relief initiative that prioritizes providing high-quality, nutrient-dense produce to families in need while ensuring farmers receive fair market rates, and Harvest to Order, an online farmers market.

Marissa’s passion for community led her to the Truckee Chamber of Commerce in the fall of 2023. While working with the Chamber, she focused on growing membership and developing programs to meet the needs of the Chamber’s business members. This role provided a unique opportunity to learn more about civic engagement and the inner workings of our community.

Marissa loves to garden and looks forward to beginning her journey of growing food in Plumas County with her husband, Tyler, and their two dogs, Lucy and Stu. When she’s not dreaming about owning goats and growing flowers, you can find her running, gravel biking, or skiing—both nordic and touring across California’s Sierra Nevada and beyond.

Alexa McPherson

Environmental Policy Intern

Alexa was born and raised in the Tahoe Truckee area and has experienced its beauty firsthand. A graduate of North Tahoe High School, Alexa is now pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Political Science with a focus in Environmental Science at Clark University in Massachusetts. Realizing how important protecting the natural beauty and diversity of the Tahoe area is, Alexa has come back to Truckee to continue her interest in environmental protection. She is excited to join the MAP team to contribute to environmental advocacy in the Tahoe Truckee area.