Nita Vail

Nita's passion for connecting people and land stems from her upbringing as a fourth-generation rancher on Santa Rosa Island. There, her father ran Vail & Vickers Ranch and taught her cattle ranching, land management, marine operations, and piloting planes—along with the values of integrity and compassion that guide her work today.

As founding member and CEO of California Rangeland Trust for 20 years, she led over 350,000 acres of conservation-related ranch transactions. Previously, she served as Assistant Secretary of Agriculture & Environmental Policy for California under Governor Pete Wilson. With degrees from Cal Poly and Santa Clara, plus extensive training in public sector negotiation and ranch management, Nita brings deep expertise to complex land transactions.

A licensed broker, she specializes in working land deals, exploring opportunities in recreation, conservation, renewable energy, and emerging markets.