Peninsula Open Space Trust Appoints Jane Machin as Chief Financial Officer

Peninsula Open Space Trust Appoints Jane Machin as Chief Financial Officer

PALO ALTO, Calif. (December 9, 2025)—Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) today announced that Jane Machin has been named the new chief financial officer of POST. Machin brings over two decades of experience leading finance and operations teams at for-profit and nonprofit organizations to the role. She succeeds Mark Stevens, who joined POST in 2018 and oversaw the significant evolution and growth of the finance, administrative and human resources teams during his seven-year tenure; Stevens retires this month.

Born in the United Kingdom, Machin was educated in the U.K. and Belgium, beginning her career in London with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and later transitioning into the biotechnology sector. She and her husband moved to the United States in 1999. 

“The chief financial officer position at POST is highly strategic. We are excited to have Jane take over this important role from Mark,” said Gordon Clark, president of POST. “I am grateful to Mark for evolving our finance and operational capacity to meet the increasing needs of our business and very much look forward to leveraging Jane’s extensive skill set in support of the growing financial complexities of our conservation mission.”

Raised in Palo Alto and Menlo Park, McDermit has lived in several Bay Area cities and spent much of her life exploring the local natural landscapes, fostering a deep appreciation for the lands POST protects.

Before joining POST, Machin worked extensively in finance, operations and administrative functions across a breadth of consulting and biotechnology companies. Machin spent more than 13 years with Genentech in the San Francisco Bay Area during an exceptionally high-growth period for the company. There, she held various finance leadership roles and served as chief financial officer for the Genentech Access to Care Foundation

She transitioned into the nonprofit sector following her work with that foundation, which paved the way for more mission-driven work. Most recently, Machin was with First Place for Youth, a nonprofit organization that provides programs for transition-age foster youth while influencing the laws, ideas and policies that impact them.

“After working in the social services sector for several years, I have seen the direct impact that nonprofits can have on people and communities,” said Machin. “Moving into the environmental conservation space expands on my motivation to have a positive impact on our collective social good, as the benefits of POST’s work positively impact all of our surrounding communities.”

Machin attended the University of Aston in the United Kingdom, earning a degree in international business and modern languages. She speaks both French and conversational German. An active hiker, biker and skier, she lives with her family in Los Gatos, where they make ample use of the surrounding open spaces, parks and preserves. 

***  

ABOUT THE PENINSULA OPEN SPACE TRUST

POST protects open space on the Peninsula and in the South Bay for the benefit of all. As a private nonprofit land trust, POST has been responsible for saving more than 93,000 acres since its founding in 1977. POST works with private landowners and public agencies to create a network of protected lands so that present and future generations may benefit from the careful balance of rural and urban landscapes that makes our region extraordinary. Visit openspacetrust.org for more information.