Connections, Diversity, Legacy: A Peer Mentor Perspective on NPS Academy

Caris Hill

In her home state of North Carolina, Caris earned a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from UNC Asheville. After graduating, she served a year with AmeriCorps NCCC on the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) team to give back to communities and continue growing and learning about conservation. During her service, she developed an appreciation for the hard work required to cultivate and care for public lands.

Caris joined ACE as a member in 2021, working with the BLM in California. Since then, she has expanded her experience with a season with the U.S. Forest Service in Montana, before returning to ACE to help guide youth on their own conservation journeys. Caris finds fulfillment in facilitating opportunities for others to discover their passion for preserving natural resources and fostering community impact.

Outside of work, Caris enjoys traveling, reading, crafting, and spending time with her cat, Bear.

Allison Finch

Born and raised in the midwest/northeast and now residing in the mountain west, Allison Finch has been deep diving into nature wherever she could since she was young, with plenty of bug bite scars and stories to prove it. Fueled by a curiosity of natural spaces and wildlife, Allison studied and received a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from the State University of New York at Cobleskill and now has a satisfying background in biology, education, and conservation. While working within the zoological field for many years, she unearthed her love and drive for advocacy for the outdoors and its inhabitants. She also discovered her passion for working with younger generations attempting to break into the conservation field as an internship coordinator. She’s remarked that since working at ACE, her position has provided her with seemingly limitless opportunities to support young professionals and assist them through the door into the world of natural resources and on their way to finding their own calling. When she’s off the clock, you’ll usually find Allison outside recreating within her region (hiking, fishing, kayaking) or volunteering to support her community’s conservation efforts. Yet when the seasons turn chilly, she stays indoors and covers the kitchen table in a sea of watercolors, painting the landscapes of her past adventures.

Sheana Ward

Growing up on the banks of the Indian River Lagoon in South Florida, Sheana found a love for the outdoors and the space it holds for human connection. While earning degrees in History and Political Science from the University of Florida, she followed this passion and learned how to lead others through the outdoors as a Lead Guide at UF’s Center for Outdoor Recreation and Education. After graduating, she wanted to give back to the same public lands that had taught her so much. She immersed herself into the world of conservation with a 6-month CREW term with ACE Pacific West. Her term propelled her into a wide array of experiences in the field of conservation, from working on prescribed burns in South Florida to restoration projects in California. She returned to ACE as a Member Manager in the EPIC Division and is excited to continue connecting emerging professionals to the world of conservation.

Karen Vaughn

Karen grew up in the Atlanta area and got her first taste of hiking and camping in the Smokies and the mountains of north Georgia. She has a BS in Environmental Science from Berry College, and an MS is Forest Resources from Clemson University. Among other things, her career has included work in invasive species and vegetation management with The Nature Conservancy and with the National Park Service at Jewel Cave NM, Great Smoky Mountains NP, and Yosemite NP. It was as a Park Service seasonal that she happened upon a little upstart conservation corps called ACE in 2006 and worked out of Flagstaff for a few winters. She rejoined ACE 14 years later in 2020 as a Project Manager then an Associate Director in the Eastern Crew Division. She moved into her current role in the EPIC FWS Division in fall of 2022. She is grateful to now be in a place to provide opportunities for the next generation of conservationists to get out there and have adventures!

Yunielis Clemente Ortiz (she/her) discovered her passion for conservation during her first-ever job at a rainforest. After graduating high school, she attended the University of Puerto Rico to complete her bachelor’s degree in environmental science.

Throughout the years, she has focused on creating and collaborating with different groups, organizations, and communities around Puerto Rico to create more awareness about climate change and all the other environmental problems they face. She continued working for over 6 years as a Park Ranger with USDA-FS at El Yunque NF until she transitioned into the non-profit sector to continue assisting with conservation and communities. In her spare time, she travels the World and creates good memories with her friends.

Emily Davis

Emily is the Senior Manager of Program Administration at ACE, bringing over 10 years of experience in the recreation and conservation fields. Throughout her career, she has worked in a range of settings, including the National Park Service, municipal and state parks, and higher education, where she has developed a diverse skill set and a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and community engagement. Emily is passionate about creating impactful outdoor recreation experiences that promote both environmental conservation and personal growth. Outside of work, Emily enjoys all things outdoors and competing in the Punkin Chunkin’ World Championships, where her team currently holds the world record for launching a pumpkin 4,091 feet using a catapult.

Joel Baker

Joel is a seasoned conservation leader and the National Director of EPIC Programs at American Conservation Experience. With a Master’s degree in Geography and Environmental Systems, Joel is dedicated to fostering environmental stewardship and empowering young adults. In his current role, he oversees the strategic direction and operational management of ACE’s EPIC program, connecting young people with impactful conservation projects across the nation. Joel’s extensive experience in wilderness management, program development, community and volunteer engagement, and team leadership has enabled him to build strong partnerships with federal agencies and non-profit organizations, ensuring the success of ACE’s mission.

Carolyn Getschow

Carolyn Getschow joined ACE in July 2013 as a Management, Development, and Logistical Support Intern, and stepped into the role of AmeriCorps Program Manager in February 2014. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where she earned degrees in Biological Sciences and Mathematics and spent a semester studying at the Wrigley Institute on Catalina Island. Carolyn is a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts, and her favorite habitat is underwater, in the kelp forests of California. She lives in Santa Cruz and enjoys cross stitch, baking, and volunteering as a roller derby official.

Caroline Canter

Caroline joined the ACE in 2019, coming with a background of environmental and conservation nonprofits. Originally an East Coaster, she grew up paddling canoes down rivers and there gained a deep love and respect for public lands and waterways. She received a degree in Environmental Management and Policy from UNC- Asheville and promptly headed west to serve a few AmeriCorps terms, putting her in the field of wildfire restoration, trail work and environmental education up and down the Pacific coast. She has worked on environmental policy and outdoor recreation advocacy. She resides in Salt Lake City, UT, where you’ll find her climbing her way through the canyons, enjoying long runs into the backcountry rowing boats down desert rivers.

Emma Hartlaub

Emma has always been passionate about the conservation of natural and cultural resources and connecting people to public lands. Prior to ACE, she has utilized her multimedia and communications skills to support the missions of other organizations including the National Park Service, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Sierra Club. Emma has a B.A. in Communications and a minor in Non-Profit Administration from Cleveland State University. When she isn’t exploring outdoors, Emma resides in Maryland with her husband and cuddly calico cat, and can often be found reading, writing, gaming, or enjoying an iced coffee.

Cait Dunne

Cait was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, and found herself out west after college. She served two terms as a CREW member in Flagstaff, AZ and one as an EPIC member in Southern California. After living in California for a few years and working in ecological restoration, she moved back east with her now-husband and pup to be closer to family. Her experience with ACE helped her to explore her passion for nature and establish her career, and she loves being able to help others do the same. In her free time, Cait likes to hike, run, play music, bake, paint, and be lazy with her dog.

Leanne Fisher

Leanne Fisher (she/her) brings over 20 years of marketing expertise to her position as ACE’s Marketing and Communications Director. She has a proven track record of career progression by using strategic approaches to build brand awareness, increase stakeholder engagement, and drive mission-focused results in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. Her current role combines her love of marketing with her love of nature and she enjoys the opportunity amplify ACE’s impact and positive influence. She enjoys spending time outside near her family’s home in the Boulder County foothills, exploring new marketing AI tools, and being a lifelong learner.

George Grygar

George Grygar joined ACE in 2017, where he has been the National US Forest Service Division Director, Sr Director of Program Operations, and is now Chief of Staff. George holds a BS in Business Management and an MS in Natural Resource Management, as well as a Non-Profit Management Certificate. Prior to joining ACE, George worked in finance, youth development, homeless resources and education fields and was most recently the Director of Programs & Operations at the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation, a trails, restoration and environmental education focused non-profit in the Salt Lake City area. George is passionate about working collaboratively to solve problems and streamline operations so that staff and organizations can reach their full potential. Outside of ACE, George serves as Board Chair for Tree Utah, and as a member (former Chair) with the Utah Trails Forum, as well as being an avid explorer of outdoor spaces.

Kate’s professional background is in management consulting, with a specialization in state government. Her expertise spans adult learning and education, workforce development, and project management. She has also worked for a regional land trust, where she collaborated across the public, private, and academic sectors to build conservation coalitions and to support forest landowners in achieving their ecological goals. She has conducted independent research on the relationship between thru-hikers and social media and written publications to support community conservation efforts.

Outside of work, Kate is interested in urban reforestation, roller blading, teaching personal finance courses for AmeriCorps members, and loves reading good books in beautiful places. She is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

AL Richert

Al grew up on Oregon’s south coast working on her family’s cranberry farm. This close connection with the land flourished into a love of the outdoors and an appreciation of hard work. Since graduating from the University of Oregon with a degree in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship, she has worked with several nonprofits managing youth programs in the fields of education and diversity, and moved into the conservation world in 2021 by working as a program coordinator with Northwest Youth Corps. When she’s not hiking, she enjoys playing softball, painting, and hanging out with her cat, Andy.

Nicholas Jackson is an Urban Farmer from Poughkeepsie New York and has joined ACE to help in their mission of Conservation. Land is very important, preserving its history and its story and he wants to keep that integrity alive. Nick Jackson has been a self taught Hip Hop and animation Dancer for 20 years. His style of dance is a combination of Pop-locking, Gliding, and Body Waving with African inspired Movements/Rhythms. He’s also well known as Farmer Nick, where he grows fresh food for his community, educating folks on growing their own food and becoming self-sufficient. He worked for Scenic Hudson for 2 years at Pershing Ave Farm and Gardens where he was the land steward for 3 years earning him the name the Prince of Pershing. He continues to grow food and educate through his organization PK Organics and uses his love for community and passion for agriculture as tools to improve mental stability and health of everyone he meets.

Nikki was raised playing in nature and has never quit. She has a BA in History from UNC Asheville which fueled her love of environmental history and people-place connections. She has worked in conservation, environmental education, ecotourism, agroforestry, formal education, and parks. Nikki is thrilled to return to direct conservation work and public lands with the ACE team.

Rodolfo was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. With a background as a mechanic, he transitioned to a career focused on land and environmental stewardship, driven by a passion to share the love of nature and exploring outdoor spaces with others. He began his work with trail management at El Yunque National Rainforest, where he served as a Crew Leader. Currently, he leads the trails and visitor services teams at SAJU National Park and coordinates operations with crews in St. Croix, USVI. On the field, he likes to instill in the local crews a sense of belonging, responsibility and environmental stewardship. He enjoys biking, hiking, swimming in Caribbean waters and spending quality time with his dogs and cats.

Bio coming soon

Sydney grew up half in the prairie lands of Illinois and half in the bustling cities of North Texas. She always had a deep love for animals of all kinds and began volunteering at rescues and wildlife rehabilitation centers in her early teens. After earning a B.S. in Biology from Iowa State University, she went on to discover a love of conservation work and education while breeding and releasing eastern indigo snakes and striped newts in Central Florida. Sydney moved to Asheville in 2023 and is so glad to now be helping others discover the importance of conservation, land management, and habitat restoration here at ACE! During her free time she can often be found at the movie theater, out thrifting and antiquing, or hiking local trails with shelter dogs.

Joe grew up in Pittsburgh, PA and received his undergraduate business degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2022; spending his subsequent years doing tax work in public accounting. A lifelong runner, training for marathons during college sparked a passion for the outdoors and natural spaces. Since then, Joe has spent seasons working as a Lift Operator at Copper Mountain, CO and summers teaching surf lessons at the Jersey Shore. Outside of work, he enjoys playing music, reading, and hiking in Cleveland National Forest.

Katie’s journey with ACE began following her graduation from the Indigenous Peoples Law program at the University of Oklahoma. Thanks to the Cultural Resources Diversity Internship Program, Katie was able to pursue her dreams of promoting cultural understanding of Tribal Nations in the National Park System. Her experience with Redwood National Park and Office of Native American Affairs (IR-1) would not have been possible without CRDIP; and is what led her to her current role in the National Parks Conservation Association today. Katie’s passion for connection and community is the root of all her endeavors and is what she looks forward to most in serving ACE as a proud alumna.

Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Alaina graduated from Baldwin Wallace University with a BA in Communication Studies. After completing her undergraduate degree, she served with Americorps NCCC working with communities in Bluff, UT, San Diego, CA, and Red Lodge, MT. During this time Alaina discovered her love for conservation having completed this work alongside her team at all three of their deployment locations. She then served a term with AmeriCorps Ohio at her alma mater where she helped make socio-economic resources and food security more accessible to students. She is excited to be working with ACE so that she can support members and help others discover their passions through service. In her free time, Alaina enjoys hiking, kayaking, and curling up with a good book.

Laura Craig

Laura Craig joined ACE in January 2022 as the Chief Financial Officer, and has continued to expand her footprint within the organization. In August 2023, Laura was promoted to Chief Operating Officer and took on the role of overseeing finance, compliance, information technology, human resources, risk management, facilities, and operational activities.

In addition to her role of Chief Operating Officer, in May 2024 Laura was appointed President of ACE, and she eagerly accepts and looks forward to utilizing her knowledge and expertise to help guide ACE with future challenges and growth.

Laura brings over 20 years of nonprofit financial management and executive leadership experience to ACE, with a Master of Science degree in Community Economic Development, a Master of Science degree in Accountancy, a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (Finance concentration) and an Associate of Applied Science degree in Accounting.

In addition to Laura’s accomplishments in the office, she also served as an adjunct professor of business and accounting at Great Falls College-Montana State University for seven years.

While not at work, Laura enjoys traveling nationally and internationally to explore beautiful natural areas and National Parks with her family. Laura is an avid swimmer, enjoys a scenic hike, and she especially loves any natural area with water, maybe that explains her fondness for those leisurely morning walks on the beach.

Jackie spent her early career as a wildlife biologist, tracking bats, bears, and big cats across the US, Central America, and East Africa. After years of studying human-wildlife interactions and training field crews, Jackie’s professional interests evolved into the realm of conservation social science. She pursued graduate school at Michigan State University, conducting research on a variety of complex topics including the impacts of diversity on environmental research teams and the application of reflexive methods in classroom and field settings. After completing her PhD in 2021, Jackie served as Academic Programs Manager for the University of California where she facilitated education and training programs for multiple off-campus environmental research sites, developed novel partnerships, and led a student grant program to break down barriers of entry to field science. Now as a Division Director with ACE’s EPIC program, Jackie continues to pursue her long-term goal of ensuring that the future of conservation is more inclusive, supportive, and collaborative. Outside of work, Jackie finds creative ways to connect people to nature as a certified yoga instructor. She can usually be found reading, crafting, and trying to keep her plants alive.

Carlee Koritkowski

I started my conservation journey during my time in undergrad where I studied ecology in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. After graduating, I spent a few seasons working as a corps crew member on various conservation projects throughout Idaho and California. Post corps I worked as a Forestry Technician for the U.S. Forest Service in Idaho focusing on trails and wildland firefighting, with specializations in chainsaw operations and wilderness medicine. I am excited to be the Program Manager for our Sacramento branch of the Pacific West Division! I am passionate about helping others along their journey to finding a career in conservation.

Perri Meldon is the national coordinator for the second cohort of the NPS Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. Prior to joining the NPS Mellon program, she held an ACE fellowship with the NPS Park History Program. Perri is also working toward her PhD in American Studies at Boston University, where she studies the Great Dismal Swamp of Virginia and North Carolina. Perri lives in central Virginia. In her free time, she enjoys reading, eating pie, and learning how to flyfish.

Meghan comes to ACE with a background in Education and Human Resources. With her roots in Maine, she moved to Idaho in 2013 to enjoy the great outdoors with her family. She is excited to work with passionate members of ACE to better our environment through education and real experience.

Karen grew up in Minnesota and was fortunate to have opportunities to travel and live around the world as a young person. She joined ACE in 2024 bringing years of experience as senior program director at YMCA Camp Widjiwagan in Ely, Minnesota. Her work there included directing their residential outdoor education program and helping support and oversee the summer wilderness tripping program. Karen is excited to bring her skills and background in risk management and safety to her work as ACE’s Program Safety Manager. Away from work, Karen’s favorite pastimes are spending time with her husband, two boys and dog, adventuring, running, paddling, reading, and cooking.

Thembie has strong ties to nature, conservation, and youth development. ACE’s mission and values resonate with her and she is super excited to join our team and contribute to the advancement of our mission and values. Thembie has over 20 years experience leading finance, accounting, compliance, and administration functions in various complex and matrix-managed international nonprofit organizations. Her responsibilities included ensuring that organizations maintained sound stewardship of resources, transparency and accountability to donors, compliance with donor rules and regulations, organizational policies and procedures, audit requirements as well as GAAP. She has experience leading and managing large USAID, multilateral, and private donor funding, ensuring clean audits through compliance with donor rules and regulations, internal policies and procedures, country office statutory regulations, audit requirements as well as GAAP. Thembie has experience in ensuring organizations have sound internal control systems, processes and procedures, and providing guidance to program implementers and senior managers on policies and guidelines to ensure effective program delivery, compliance with federal rules and guidelines, organizational policies and procedures and mitigate potential risks. She has ensured the safeguarding of resources, accurate and timely financial reporting internally and externally, organization-wide financial planning and budgeting, budget monitoring and control, management and accounting of Investments, external audits, insurance providers, engagement with sub-grantees and supporting them and building capacity in their financial management and reporting processes, procurement, management of contracts and awards with vendors, consultants, service providers, donors and other business partners. Thembie has an MBA from Bellarmine University and a BSc (Accounting) degree.

Deep in the fall of 99’ Hailee was born in Tacoma, WA. Living in the lush, green landscape of the PNW, Hailee spent most of her time as a kid playing outside. After graduating high school she set her sights on college in Seattle with a focus on international studies. Realizing school wasn’t right at the time and maybe international travel wasn’t the focus, Hailee spent her next few years living and traveling throughout the PNW. This allowed her to reconnect with nature in a deep way and she decided to join ACE Southwest. She spent two terms as a corps member and ATL then moving on to become a crew lead. After a stint as a pizza slinger, Hailee is beyond thrilled to become a Member Support Coordinator so she can connect with people and help guide them through the life of conservation.

Vanessa started her career in the outdoor industry as a crew member with ACE based in Hurricane, Utah in 2017. Since then, she graduated from Southern Utah University with a degrees in psychology, biology, and outdoor recreation. Her foundation at ACE and education led her to being a ranger in Zion National Park and as an urban ranger with Salt Lake City. She loves building positive relations and contributing to community which she is looking forward to bringing to ACE! Outside of work, you can find her on adventures with her dog, Toast. They have a broad range of hobbies from climbing to biking and camping.

Victoria is a dedicated Human Resources professional with over 5 years of experience specializing in HR and payroll management. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace environment by receiving her certification in DEI. Conservation is extremely important to her and she is excited to join our team at ACE. Beyond her professional achievements, Victoria is passionate about animal conservation, traveling/learning about different cultures, cooking authentic cuisines and powerlifting.

Born and raised in a pecan orchard in the Texas countryside, Bee has had a love and appreciation for nature and wildlife from a young age. Since then, Bee received a BS in Integrative Studies with focuses in Biology, Philosophy, and International Studies. This is a fancy way to say her degree was customized to work in conservation on a board spectrum. Bee prides herself on having a variety of work experience, having held positions such as a park ranger, naturalist, zookeeper, and a child educator. Most recently she completed a term with ACE at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge where she was inspired to work more closely with individuals interested in the conservation field and navigate their early careers. On her free time you’ll find her helping with nature homeschool programs, relaxing with her dog, or exploring the Colorado Mountains with her husband.

Hi, my name is Kate and I am an AmeriCorps alumni who has previously served with the Maine Conservation Corps as a Field Crew Member. Since then, I have dabbled in many different fields, but I am most passionate about volunteer work and land stewardship and I look forward to pursuing a fulfilling career in conservation. In my spare time I enjoy cooking (and eating), listening to music, studying kanji, exercising and enjoying the outdoors.

Barbara Lundquist joined ACE in 2024, bringing years of experience with AmeriCorps program support, service learning, youth development, and STEM education. Barbara grew up in rural Texas and graduated from Southwestern University before beginning a career in nonprofits in 2010 as an AmeriCorps member teaching science after school. Outside of work, Barbara enjoys spending time playing games, reading, watching documentaries, hiking, and stargazing.

Meet Matt, a nature aficionado who’s danced with the National Park Service and twirled through the US Forest Service. When not busy championing conservation, you’ll catch them casting lines for trout, trekking through the wild with a backpack, or sprucing up trails for others.

Katherine grew up in the Colorado foothills and started exploring the US after graduating from Colorado State University. She has since lived in Minnesota, Wyoming, and Washington. Katherine studied business finance and has worked for many years in credit underwriting. After transitioning to a compliance role for a post-secondary trade school, she found great enjoyment in compliance and regulatory work. Joining the ACE team in May 2024 put her diverse skillset to work and brings her passion for the outdoors into her career. When not working, she loves exploring new places with her husband and two dogs, hiking, skiing, and cooking.

Erin grew up in the swamps, springs, and coastal pine forests of Florida’s panhandle. She earned a BS in Environmental Science and an MS in Biological Oceanography, with an interlude between degrees to serve in the US Peace Corps in Cameroon, West Africa as an Environmental Education Volunteer. Erin left academic science to lead trail crews for youth and adults in the Western United States. She moved back to the biodiverse Southeast in 2019 to continue to foster connections between people and place through hands on experiences in science and exploration in Southern Appalachia. Erin is excited to return to the Conservation Crew world with ACE.

I have lived in the desert my whole life and have developed a huge appreciation for it. I knew at an early age that I wanted to work outdoors, learning about wildlife. I find joy in connecting people to nature and building relationships. For the past few years, I have been working with a conservation corps. from Indio, California working on projects like trail maintenance, habitat restoration, and educational outreach events. I am excited to be a part of the ACE team because I get to make connections with people while making a positive in my community and our wildland areas.

Jay was raised in the city of champions, Pittsburgh PA. They grew up with a deep admiration for nature from recreating in the surrounding Laurel Highlands and the Wild and Wonderful West Virginia Applachian mountains. With no prior experience Jay departed the great Steel City for Asheville in fall of 2022 to begin as a member with ACE SEN. After working in some of the Mid Atlantic’s and Southeast’s most stunning public land as both a member and crew leader, they decided to begin dedicating themselves to ACE’s mission and to helping people begin their public service just as they had, with ACE SEN as a Member Support Coordinator. In their off time you can find them climbing, hiking, or enjoying a lazy day by the river.

Hallie Kellerman

Hallie grew up in North Carolina and began her love for all things outdoors by hosting backyard picnics for her toys and fishing in small ponds with her dad. She graduated with a degree in Sustainable Development from Appalachian State University and continued to pursue her passion for the outdoors and youth development through an AmeriCorps term in Colorado. She entered the corps world in 2019 while living in Montana and loves the opportunities that corps provide young people. She has worked with the Eastern Crew Division since 2021 as a Member Support Coordinator and then Associate Director of Member Programs. In transitioning to the HR Generalist position she is excited to use her experience to continue fostering positive relationships and experiences for staff and members.

Hallie enjoys hiking and camping, visiting and obtaining stamps from new National Parks, water activities, reading, and spending time “front porch sitting” with her cat, Chai.

Emily Oostveen

Emily (She/Her) grew up exploring the wetlands of Florida. She relocated to Asheville, North Carolina to attend Warren Wilson College where she earned a BA in Environmental Policy. Since graduating, she has worked as a recreation technician and interpretive park ranger for the National Park Service, in the Great Smoky Mountains and on the Blue Ridge Parkway. She was a member support coordinator for the Eastern Crew division of ACE, and is excited to now help connect folks to opportunities within ACE’s EPIC division. In her free time you can find her hiking, fishing, or reading a good book.

Bio coming soon

Abby grew up running around the woods of New Jersey. She moved to Salt Lake and later found ACE in 2016. Her time as a crew member in Flagstaff fostered her love for the desert and inspired her to go back to school, earning a BS in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from the University of Utah. From there, she served as an Invasive Species Monitoring EPIC Intern, surveying trails all throughout the Gros Ventre Wilderness. After nearly a decade of teaching skiing and some brief compliance work, Abby is thrilled to be back to begin her full time journey with ACE.

During her free time, you can find Abby in the garden, on her sewing machine, mountain biking, skiing, or trying to chase her dog Lefty up and down trails along the Wasatch.

Saige Ruleau

Saige grew up in Wisconsin where she earned her degree from UW Madison in zoology and environmental studies. Her diversity of experience, ranging from leading a conservation crew in the desert, teaching English as a second language in Peru, guiding backpacking trips in Glacier National Park, climbing endangered pine trees for the National Park Service, and coordinating youth conservation programming, has led her to ACE! She is passionate about helping others find their passion for outdoor work. Saige enjoys fly-fishing, backpacking, and trying to keep up with her dog.

Amy has a deep love and commitment to preserving and protecting public lands. She holds a Master of Arts in Nonprofit Management and over 15 years of nonprofit experience. Before joining ACE, she dedicated four years to working seasonally in renowned national parks, including Yellowstone, Olympic, Death Valley, Grand Canyon, and Big Bend. Amy lives full-time in her truck camper, is an avid hiker, fermentation enthusiast, and amateur forager.

Laura Herrin

Laura Herrin joined ACE in 2018 as President and CEO. In the time since joining, ACE has grown in size and stature and is recognized as one of the nation’s premiere conservation corps. Laura has introduced three pillars to ACE as the organization strives to be the Program, Partner and Workplace of Choice. Celebrating its 20th year, ACE has developed signature programs and worked on a variety of projects in all 50 states and several US Territories.

Laura has a long tenure working in the conservation corps arena. Prior to her role at ACE she served fifteen years with the Student Conservation Association, ultimately as its Senior Vice president for Program. During her time at SCA Laura wore many hats including program and partnership development and implementation, risk management and safety, innovation and organizational growth.

Additionally, Laura has a strong connection with The Corps Network. As a board and member, Laura was part of the CEO hiring team. Laura has served as the chair of the Corps Council and currently serves on the council in ‘round 2’. Additionally Laura worked directly with The Corps Network supporting fund development and partnerships.

Laura holds a bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College (MA) and a Master’s degree in Organizational Management and Leadership. She is a certified black belt in Innovation Engineering.

Brenda has over 25 years of extensive human resources experience, including 15+ years of HR Leadership, a bachelor’s degree in human resources management, an advanced mediation & conflict resolution certification, a human resources management certification, a PHR (Professional in Human Resources) certification, a SHRM-CP (SHRM Certified Professional), and a COMP TIA Project+ (Project Management) certification. Additionally, she is completing her Master of Arts, Conflict Management & Resolution (Organizational Track) degree at Abilene Christian University, and is graduating in May. In her spare time, Brenda volunteers as a Court Mediator at the Neighborhood Mediation Center in Reno, NV, and is serving on the Board of Directors as the Secretary at the Nevada Dispute Resolution Coalition.

Brenda resides in the Lake Tahoe, NV area with her family, and is very excited to join our team at ACE. She enjoys the outdoors, especially hiking and skiing, and makes sure that she leaves the area in better shape than she arrived, such as picking up trash.

Bio coming soon!

Andrew Garcia

Andrew grew up in Los Angeles, moved up north to San Francisco for college, and then moved east to Delaware for graduate school. There, he studied neuroscience and organized an outreach group to connect marginalized communities with the world of S.T.E.M. Following that chapter of his life, he moved back west to be closer to big mountains and shift his focus to wildlife. After moving to Utah, he worked on a few projects at the USDA National Wildlife Research Center’s Predator Research Facility. Now with ACE and the EPIC-NPS Division, he is thrilled to focus on building bridges between underrepresented and underserved communities and natural resources, cultural resources, and historic preservation. Outside of work, he enjoys moving in the mountains, learning about space, and pottery.

Watson

Watson was born in October 2022 in Washington State. After working as a family dog for 1.5 years Watson came to ACE Eastern division as a the Senior Vibes Enhancer. He puts in long days of receiving pets and attention from staff and crews. While it may seem like Watson spends a lot of time sleeping on the job, he is a very good boy and adds to our organizational culture. Watson’s life goal is to receive more pets and attention and to chase the ball. He hopes to one day serve as ACE’s Chief Bark-eting Officer.

Jackie Tauberman

Jackie spent her childhood in the eastern US where she developed a vast appreciation for the outdoors. She channeled this enthusiasm for nature into her studies at the University of Vermont, where she received her BS in Animal Science with a focus in wildlife biology. She got her first taste of conservation and land management field work as a member with ACE. That six month term launched her career traveling the country, working seasonally on public lands with wildlife species for state and federal agencies such as the National Park Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Now, as a member of the ACE staff, she looks forward to supporting others in growing and pursuing their passions through the experience of working with the National Park Service. In her spare time, Jackie can be found outdoors, cooking/baking new recipes, or reading.

Christian Savage

Christian graduated in 2015 from the University of Wyoming with a double major in Wildlife Biology and Environment & Natural Resources and a minor in Spanish. When not in school, Christian enjoyed summers with the Wyoming Conservation Corps leading crews, tracking lions in Kenya for his thesis, and wildland firefighting throughout the West. Luckily for Christian he was never eaten by any lions and he can now enjoy passing on his skills to future conservation superheroes who are pursuing their passions with ACE.

After earning her BA in Anthropology from the University of Central Florida, Shawniece Reeder embarked on a transformative journey with AmeriCorps NCCC. Initially joining to explore her love for travel she rose through the ranks from corps member to Support Team Leader then eventually Field Team Leader when she led two teams throughout the AmeriCorps NCCC Pacific Region. She honed her skills in teamwork, leadership, and recruitment through these roles. This experience exposed her to a diverse array of projects, from historical restoration at Golden Spike National Historic Site to conservation efforts in Silver Falls State Park and much more. Furthermore, as a reaction to observing and experiencing issues related to diversity and inclusion as a POC traveling to various communities with the U.S. with NCCC, Shawniece co-founded “The Forum” with fellow Team Leaders of Color with varying identities. This was a safe space for POC, LGBTQ+, and those identifying with other marginalized groups and well as allies to have and create open dialogue within the organization. The Forum was the first of its kind in the program and moved the company toward better understanding, collaboration with and consideration for diversity and inclusion. Following her years of service with AmeriCorps NCCC, Shawniece chose to adventure overseas to South Korea to teach English to elementary school students, broadening her skills and commitment to youth development. Upon returning to the U.S., she transitioned to online teaching while continuing her volunteer efforts internationally, notably in the Bahamas. Now Shawniece is thrilled to transition back into the non-profit sector leveraging her passion for youth development and conservation with ACE. In her free time, Shawniece can be found enjoying travel, food, crafting, being an auntie to her two rambunctious nephews, and enthusiastically embracing anything that involves water, i.e. swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, visiting natural springs, rivers, lakes, and beaches.

I started doing conservation work in 2009 with a conservation corps in Alaska and then New Hampshire Conservation Corps in 2010. Since then, I have worked for the National Park Service on trail crews all over the country, from 2016 to 2018; helped launch the Trans-Caucasian trail construction in Armenia and Georgia, Conservation VIP in Chile, and worked for multiple trail contractors throughout the US as a machine operator. I’m an avid mountain biker and pretty much enjoy anything bike-related. When not out riding trails you can find me cooking, reading, strumming a guitar, or hiking.

For the past few years, I’ve worked with the U.S. Forest Service doing expanded dispatch for wildland fire. I loved the experience of working with the community, being involved in outdoor projects, and making a direct positive impact on people’s lives. I received most of my training with the Caldor Fire on Eldorado National Forest/Lake Tahoe Basin. After a couple years, I began to supervise expanded dispatch and traveled across the west helping different areas of the country with their incidents. Prior to dispatch, I worked in an environmental toxicology lab, a wastewater plant, and agricultural crop research. I love going to music shows and taking film photos when I can.

Ron Bethea

Born and raised in Durham, NC. I earned my bachelor’s in Environmental Studies from North Carolina State University. After graduating I served and completed a 6 month term with ACE Southeast in Asheville, NC. I then became a crew leader for a couple of years and eventually a project manager. I temporarily left ACE to pursue a seasonal position with the US Fish & Wildlife Service, and now I’m back. Hobbies include fishing, cooking, city exploration, environmental education and board games.

Matt grew up in Massachusetts and graduated from Wesleyan University in 2018 with a degree in Earth & Environmental Science. After college, he moved to Denver, CO, where he worked in education and hospitality while taking advantage of every opportunity he found to explore the West in his free time. This included trips to Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, and a road trip to California and back. After returning home to the East Coast in 2020, Matt completed an internship with the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, assisting the organization with various coastal ecology and environmental monitoring projects in southern Maine. After this experience, Matt switched gears a bit to follow his interests in land conservation and GIS by working as a Stewardship Assistant at the Piscataquog Land Conservancy. He thoroughly enjoyed the combination of field work and report writing and discovered his passion for working with private landowners and other individuals interested in conserving New Hampshire’s natural resources. Matt is super excited to continue this type of work with ACE and NH NRCS. In his free time Matt enjoys mountain biking, skiing, cooking, and spending time outside with his dog Banjo. Additionally, he is working towards a graduate certificate in Geo-Information Science from Salem State University and is excited to apply these skills towards conservation work at ACE.

Bio Coming Soon

Lolly Martinek

Bio Coming Soon

Kelcey Brown-Meacham

Bio Coming Soon

Garrett has joined ACE as the National Operations Manager. He grew up on a farm in northern New York state, and graduated with an Environmental Management and Policy degree from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Prior to joining ACE, Garrett spent many years managing transportation and fleet programs in university, healthcare and local government settings, having served most recently as the Parking Services Manager for the City of Asheville, NC. When not working at ACE, Garrett enjoys reading a good book, spending time with family and friends, and exploring new places to handcycle – most often in western North Carolina and east Tennessee.

Brandon is an outdoors enthusiast who enjoys going to the beach and playing sports. Brandon graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Business Management Degree.

Ariannah’s love for environmentalism has been fostered since she was in high school. However, her passion for sustainability began during her time in college. Throughout her educational career, Ariannah took advantage of the internship world working at nature centers, botanical gardens, and other various non-profits that focused on community-based conservation. While gaining a Masters in Biology in a hybrid program called Project Dragonfly through Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, she realized working with an organization like ACE would help her achieve her personal and professional life goals. Ariannah find’s ways to connect people with nature on and off the clock. During her free time, you can normally find her out exploring on a trail with a camera in hand or in the gym attempting to lift heavy weights. However, on the days she needs down time she is playing video games or finding a new anime series to watch.

Jasmine Wynn

As a Southern California native, I am keen on natural spaces with geographical diversity. I am fascinated by the nature surrounding me and how I play a part in sustaining the planet Earth, otherwise known as our home. My college career started in community college where I explored these concepts in a class that I fell in love with titled Natural Resources. I was so inspired by this class that I changed my lifestyle and my diet to take into account environmental justice, becoming a plant-based eater and a gardener. I graduated with my AA in English at College of the Desert, and two years later I graduated with my BA in Literature and Writing. I became an assistant teacher at the college level while completing my undergraduate studies at the University of California, San Diego. At UC San Diego I integrated my knowledge of environmental justice, social justice, and sustainability into an interpersonal and collaborative approach to teaching. What I learned along the way is that environmental sustainability is social just as much as personal, and it relies on our collaborative efforts to be maintained appropriately. In my free time, I love to write, thrift, practice yoga, and hike along the beautiful San Jacinto mountainside. I am proud to be a staff member at ACE because this organization aligns with my values and beliefs. As we welcome people of diverse backgrounds to help in these environmental efforts, we take agency in sustaining this planet for many generations to come.

Mac Utter

Mac grew up in Southern Appalachia, rooting herself in natural lands and storytelling. This led her to acquire a Bachelor of Arts in English with a Minor in Outdoor Experiential Education. Upon graduating, she spent several years doing seasonal work around the country. From serving with ACE’s EPIC program to leading conservation projects across Colorado, she is devoted to paving ways for future stewards and empowering existing efforts in encompassing inclusivity in the outdoors.

Kevin McNamara

Hi! Kevin here. I’m from the DC suburbs of Maryland. I served as a crew member with the Maryland Conservation Corps in Southern MD as a member starting in 2015. I worked as a Crew Lead with MCC at Deep Creek Lake State Park before moving to Utah in 2019 and Crew Leading with ACE MtW. I spent two seasons as a Wildland Firefighter on a Type 5 Engine with the Washington Dept. of Natural Resources. In May 2023 I came back to ACE as a Crew Lead for the summer before becoming MSC in September. In my off time I enjoy all things musical in addition to spending time outdoors camping, hiking, biking and birding. Members are the strength of any conservation corps, and I look forward to using my field experience and dedication to this work to ensure every member has a fun, productive and memorable experience here at ACE.

Corinna Mokotoff

Born and raised in Potomac, Maryland, Corinna is an Appalachian State University grad with a hunger for conservation. Having studied Sustainable Development and having professional experience in conservation corps, stewardship centers, and land trusts, Corinna is passionate about direct and actionable ways to protect and steward land for the foreseeable future. Her conservation journey began as a Corps Member on a Women’s+ affinity crew with Southwest Conservation Corps, and she later took on the role of Crew Lead with Heart of Oregon Corps. When she’s not immersed in conservation work, you can find Corinna enjoying live music, biking, rock climbing, and eating Asian food.

Claire Bolejack

My name is Claire and I’m so excited to be re-joining the ACE team as Project Manager! I graduated from Christopher Newport University in Virginia and got a double major in Environmental studies and Biology, as well as a minor in Anthropology. Shortly after graduating I joined ACE Flagstaff as a corps member and worked my way up to crew leader. Some hobbies of mine include kayaking, hiking, and drawing.

Dan McLendon

Dan started working with ACE in 2017, where he opened the doors and served as the Division Director to the former ACE-Gulf Coast Division, headquartered in Corpus Christi, Texas. Following the departure of a long-time colleague, Ian Torrence, Dan took the job as the National Restoration & GIS Specialist in the summer of 2021. Dan spends much of his time with ACE working with Project Managers and senior staff providing technical support within the restoration discipline. Dan’s career in conservation and land management started in 2010 with the National Park Service, where he worked for 7-years in Resource Management and Wildland Fire. Between his time with the NPS and ACE, Dan has had the opportunity to collaborate with numerous land management agencies, and over 60 parks, refuges and preserves across the United States. His passion for progressive land management practices is driven by over a decade of experience in invasive plant ecology, monitoring, wildland fire, forest management and leveraging the power of collaboration. Dan spends his weekends with his wife, Kristy fly fishing and exploring the unknown in Southwest Montana.

Kim McCaffrey

Kim grew up in New Hampshire and earned a degree in Business at Champlain College in Burlington, VT. She has more than 20 years of experience in Accounting, including publicly traded and privately held companies. Most recently, she spent three years as a Staff Accountant at The Student Conservation Association. Kim is excited to continue her career with an organization dedicated to such an amazing mission. In her spare time, she enjoys outdoor cooking, photography and camping, at lakes and State Parks, with her husband, daughter and dog.

Rami Stucky

Rami Toubia Stucky studies jazz and American popular music and is currently writing a book titled Bossa, Beats, and the Paths of Rhythm: How Brazilian Music Changed the Sound of 1960s America. He is excited to bring his expertise to ACE as he helps the National Parks Service document its role in the spread of punk and gogo in Washington D.C. He has a passion for digital humanities, multimedia forms of publication, podcasting, and map making and other forms of spatial analysis and presentation. Sometimes he plays the drums.

Joshua Strayhorn

Joshua is a History Ph.D. candidate at Duke University and a proud graduate of North Carolina Central University. His research interests include 19th century African American history, specifically Emancipation, Reconstruction, and their intersections with migration. His dissertation asks what political, economic, social, religious factors contributed to black migration patterns in North Carolina following the Civil War. He also enjoys public history and scholarship with extensive experience in digital humanities and curriculum development. When he is not working, Josh enjoys playing music and spending time with family and friends.

Brittany Romanello

I’m Brittany Romanello, but almost everyone calls me Bri. I earned my Ph.D. in Sociocultural Anthropology from Arizona State University. I conducted years of ethnographic research in the Southwest and borderland areas to understand better how the intersections of race, ethnicity, legal status, and religion shape Latinx immigrants’ lives, social networks, family structures, parenting, and identity. Off the clock, I enjoy existing outdoors, buying too many books, cooking pasta, thrifting, cumbias, movies, and hanging out with my cats: Butter and Oona.

Sarah Pawlicki

Sarah earned a PhD in History (with minors in Heritage Studies and Public History and American Indian and Indigenous Studies) at the University of Minnesota. She is a white settler scholar currently living on Meskwaki and Peoria homelands. Sarah uses she or they pronouns. Sarah appreciates and enjoys interdisciplinary public history, and has worked on projects ranging from place-based digital exhibits of sites significant in disability history to Critical Ethnic Studies lesson plans for K-12 students in Minnesota (in collaboration with the University of Minnesota’s Center for Race, Indigeneity, Disability, Gender & Sexuality Studies). Sarah’s particular research interests include women’s histories, labor and religious histories, LGBT+ histories, Indigenous histories, and disability histories, and adding new subjects to her list of “particular research interests” is her passion.

Michelle Night Pipe

Michelle earned her PhD in Anthropology at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey after completing her Masters degree in Anthropology at the University of Nebraska. Her research focuses on the potential to reduce stereotyping and prejudice against contemporary Indigenous communities in the US by shining light on atrocities committed against Native American people in the past. For her dissertation research, Michelle conducted ethnographic research with the Sacred Horse Society, an intertribal Oceti Sakowin group based in South Dakota that organizes horseback rides to commemorate the experiences of their grandmothers and grandfathers and to promote healing from intergenerational trauma. Her additional research interests include intergroup bias, social justice, and the boarding school era. Michelle lives in Lincoln, Nebraska with her husband Wayne, their daughters Emma and Livia, and their grandson Emelio. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, playing golf, and walking her dog Coco

Sarah Montoya

Sarah Montoya is a queer Mexican-American settler working at the intersection of Settler Colonial Studies, Critical Geographies, Feminist Technology Studies, and Critical Information Studies. She earned a Ph.D. in Gender Studies at UCLA in 2023. Her research interests include histories of scientific racism, critical legal studies, queer and trans of color studies, and abolitionist discourse and activism. She is excited to utilize her experience as a curator, researcher, site designer, and programmer on public humanities projects in her new position. In her free time, she enjoys her dog, Eevee, and horror and sci-fi movies and books.

Shelby Landmark

Bio coming soon!

Beth Kruse

Beth grew up in central Illinois and spent over a decade crisscrossing North America driving semis. Her hobbies included learning about American History. She chose to return to college as an adult learner, earning a Ph.D. in American History from the University of Mississippi. She is eager to share her passion for public history with ACE partners.

Lisa Fink

Lisa Fink holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences, Studies, and Policy and a Masters in English from the University of Oregon. Bridging Indigenous studies, Asian American studies, and environmental humanities, her research and teaching explore human-nature and human-animal interaction at the nexus of US racial formation, settler colonialism, and environmental change. Her current book project investigates racial and colonial discourses of invasion applied at once to species and human immigrants; counter-narratives in Asian American, Arab American, and Indigenous literatures; and Indigenous knowledges and practices concerning species considered invasive. Dr. Fink’s public humanities work with the group Just Language for Ecology Education brings this research to community environmental educators and practitioners of restoration ecology. Author of the poetry chapbook Her Disco (dancing girl press, 2013), she also holds an MFA in Creative Writing (Poetry) from the University of Virginia, and her poetry has been published widely in journals such as Boston Review, Ecotone, and [PANK]. When not working, she can often be found tree-gazing, hiking, reading, or relaxing with family and friends.

Laura Dominguez

Laura Dominguez is a historian of race, heritage, and placemaking in the American West. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and joins the New Perspectives in Transcontinental Railroad History Team as its postdoctoral fellow. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and a master’s degree in historic preservation from USC. She previously held positions in education and advocacy at San Francisco Heritage and the Los Angeles Conservancy and serves on the boards of Latinos in Heritage Conservation and the California Preservation Foundation. From 2019-2021, she served on the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office Civic Memory Working Group. Laura lives in Los Angeles (the ancestral and unceded territory of the Tongva people) with her husband, toddler, and kelpie. She enjoys hiking, yoga, slow cooking, and dancing with her son.

Jennifer Craig

Jennifer is an NPS Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellow with the American Conservation Experience. Jennifer works with Rangers and CHamoru on Mariana Islands Wartime Experiences through Oral Histories, which is placed with War in the Pacific National Historical Park in Guam and American Memorial Park on Saipan. These World War II focused parks work to share the stories of the conflict in the Pacific as told by those who experienced it on these islands. These islands oral histories share sensory experiences of immersion in place, and when engaged in these stories Jennifer evokes heart-centered practices. These practices involve work with community-based archaeology to expand the stories in the webs of relations of past experiences to include the animals, the spirits, and the other-than-human beings with traditional scientific rigor. Jennifer’s background is in underwater cultural heritage of the Asia Pacific Region. Jennifer used archaeology/museology methodologies to organize data and note patterns (esp. spatial and particular locations), linguistic methodologies to study cultural concepts and a human worldview; and all in tandem with her specialization in Maritime Archaeology, which aims to understand and interpret the past relationships between humans and WATER.

Sarah Buchmeier

Dr. Sarah Buchmeier earned her PhD in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2021 and has since worked in the National Park Service as the education and interpretation lead at Pullman National Historical Park. Her research interests include nineteenth-century American literature, religion and secularism, labor history, and theories of public interpretation, and she has taught courses on American and British literatures, women and literature, and monuments and historic spaces. In her time at Pullman NHP, she has developed educational resource materials and field trip programs, a youth program focused on environmental justice, and co-designed an interpretation training program for park rangers and volunteers. She has published in both academic and public outlets, including Religion & Literature, Legacy: A Journal of American Women Writers, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and JSTOR Daily. She is currently working on a book manuscript that examines the linked emergence of literary realism and secularism in the latter half of the nineteenth century.

Shelly Biesel

Bio coming soon!

Kelli Barnes

Kelli Barnes is a scholar whose interests include 18th and 19th-century United States history, Black American girlhood, transatlantic material culture, interpretive planning, and exhibit design. She earned her Ph.D. in History and a graduate certificate in Museum Studies from the University of Delaware, where she was an African American Public Humanities Fellow. Her dissertation, “Quotidian Resistance: Black Girls, Their Girlhood Embroideries, and the History of Education in the Northeastern United States, 1789 – 1852,” is an interdisciplinary examination of the lived experiences of Black girls during the early formation of the nation. During her time at the University of Delaware, Kelli honed her digital humanities skills by working with the award-winning Colored Conventions Project and completing the digital exhibit “Segregated Sands: Delaware’s Segregated Beaches During the Jim Crow Era” featured on the Delaware Historical and Cultural Affairs website. Prior to returning to school, Kelli worked in architecture, design, and preservation for over ten years. She previously earned a graduate degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania and an undergraduate degree in Interior Design from Drexel University.

Hazim Abdullah-Smith

Hazim Abdullah-Smith is a scholar specializing in Black and queer geographies. He is interested in using community ethnography, archival research and digital tools to amplify complex stories about Black communities in and beyond the United States. He earned his Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park. His dissertation, “Paradise Remixed: The Queer Politics of Tourism in Jamaica,” was a multidisciplinary ethnography that investigated the intersection of tourism and queer life in Jamaica. With a commitment to interdisciplinary thinking, he earned graduate certificates in Digital Studies in the Arts and Humanities and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. He earned his undergraduate degree in African American Studies from Northwestern University. His professional and academic trajectory has been generously supported by a Fulbright grant for research in Kingston, Jamaica, the African American Digital Humanities (AADHUM) fellowship, the Wylie Dissertation Fellowship, the Social Science Research Council / MMGIP and the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship.

Trevor Pearson

Trevor brings good experience to the board having worked on the Hill doing environmental policy work. Trevor hails from Williams, AZ and currently lives in Raleigh NC. Trevor is looking forward to supporting our legislative work and even more, is looking to get out into the field to meet staff and members.

Experienced Senior Policy and Communications Advisor for U.S. Senate and House members specializing in Energy, Natural Resources, Water, Clean Energy, Forestry, Minerals, Public Lands, Native American policy and more.

Managed legislative strategy to expedite passage of the Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan which ensured water security for 40 million Americans in the West.

Organized bipartisan stakeholder coalition to identify and advocate for critical Tribal COVID relief needs in CARES Act, securing the largest federal funding package to Native American communities in U.S. history.

Tony Lopez

Tony grew up in a small town and has always loved the outdoors. He was blessed to participate in many activities in the community until going off to college. He graduated from Utah State University with a bachelors degree in Accounting. After graduating from Utah State he started his career at Enterprise Rent-A-Car while continuing his education to get a MBA from Westminsters College. While growing in his career, he also worked for Cargill Inc., Squire and Associates CPA’s, and recently Recyclops, a recycling start up. He enjoys mentoring others and also spending time with his family.

Jennifer Craig

Jennifer is an NPS Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellow with the American Conservation Experience. Jennifer works with Rangers and Chamoru on Mariana Islands Wartime Experiences through Oral Histories, which is placed with War in the Pacific National Historical Park in Guam and American Memorial Park on Saipan. These World War II focused parks work to share the stories of the conflict in the Pacific as told by those who experienced it on these islands. These islands’ oral histories share sensory experiences of immersion in place, and when engaged in these stories Jennifer evokes heart-centered practices. These practices involve work with community-based archaeology to expand the stories in the webs of relations of past experiences to include the animals, the spirits, and the other-than-human beings with traditional scientific rigor. Jennifer’s background is in underwater cultural heritage of the Asia Pacific Region. Jennifer used archaeology/museology methodologies to organize data and note patterns (esp. spatial and particular locations), linguistic methodologies to study cultural concepts and a human worldview; and all in tandem with her specialization in Maritime Archaeology, which aims to understand and interpret the past relationships between humans and WATER.

Tyler Yeomans

Tyler was born and raised on the coast of northern California, where he discovered his love for all things outdoors. He decided during college that he wanted to make conservation his career, where he earned his B.S. in Biological Anthropology at the University of Oregon. He has spent the last three years working and volunteering around Seattle, Washington doing environmental conservation and restoration, one of those years he spent as an Americorps volunteer. He is excited to join ACE where he will support others in their conservation journey, while continuing his own. In his free time, he can be found traveling, reading sci-fi and fantasy, and playing basketball.

Jessica Kervin

Jess was born and raised in TX. She started with ACE as a corps member in 2019, and later served with another corps as a member, leader, and Coordinator before moving into the Logistics Coordinator position with MTW. From there, Jess moved into the Associate Director role and is excited to be a part of the ACE community again in such an important role. In her free time, you can find her participating in creative outlets of all kinds, including writing, baking, craft-making, and anything outdoors.

Nich Jackosky

Nich is a globally-minded humanitarian with a wide array of teaching and leadership experiences. He graduated from Iowa State University in 2017 with a B.S. in Global Resource Systems and Environmental Science. Leading outdoor trips in the back and front country, collecting vegetative data for the US Forest Service in support of their conservation efforts of the Greater Sage Grouse and working on an organic and biodynamic farm with over 450 heirloom tomato varieties (and almost as many goats) are snapshots of the projects he has been involved in over the past few seasons. He continues to pursue a career that allows him to bring together and support young people for the achievement of an imperative, overarching mission- especially when it comes to restoring public lands!

Megan Springate

Megan (she/they) is an historical archaeologist by training. She has worked in museums, commercial archaeology and cultural resource management, federal agencies, academia, and non-profits. Facilitating the sharing of undertold and excluded histories is what gets her out of bed in the morning. When she isn’t working, Megan is transforming her backyard into a pollinator-friendly garden, doing crosswords, and enjoying reality tv. She holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Maryland.

Nathan Baeth

My name is Nathan Baeth, and I am excited to help promote land access through property easements and to work outside. I spent 9 years fighting fire around the U.S as part of the Forest Service as well as doing lots of projects in my home forest the Wallowa Whitman. Outside of work I love skiing and fishing as well as a litany of sports. Paddleboarding to waterfalls around Idaho has become a newfound passion of mine. When not outside I enjoy books about historical events.

Chandler Schoch

Chandler started her natural resources career working for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Arizona, Oregon, and Nevada. Having graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Geography, she worked as a GIS Technician 5/22 with the BLM in eastern Arizona, where she developed her interest in rangeland management. She continued on to be a Range Technician with the BLM in southern Arizona, followed by two Natural Resource Specialist positions in eastern Oregon and northern Nevada where she was focused on vegetation and riparian area monitoring and assessments as well as post-wildfire rehabilitation. Chandler’s interests are a marriage of riparian ecology and rangeland management. She is currently pursuing a Master’s of Natural Resource Stewardship with a specialization in Rangeland Ecology and Management from Colorado State University with the desire to pivot her career toward riparian area conservation on semi-arid rangelands. She is excited to be joining the NRCS Idaho Wetland Reserve Easement program as an Easement Technician. When she’s not working or studying, Chandler can be found either traveling the west to rock climb or enjoying local trails and coffee shops in Boise, her favorite city and home base of several years.

Emily Gerberding

Emily spent her early years in Colorado before setting out and traveling all over the West. She began her conservation career with ACE Mountain West in Spring 2019. After serving as a crew member she was promoted to Assistant Crew Leader and eventually worked her way up to Crew Leader. In 2021 she went to the Pacific Northwest and spent two seasons as a Wildland Firefighter with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources on an Engine Crew in the Northwest Region. In 2023 she returned to Mountain West as a Project Manager. Emily loves the outdoors, dogs, music and fantasy novels. Her goal is to provide crews with the same level of fun and professional development she experienced in ACE, giving everyone an opportunity to learn and grow, making a positive impact on the world along the way!

Jason Martz

I’m originally from Omaha, Nebraska where I graduated with a major in Environmental Studies and a minor in Fisheries and Wildlife from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. My career has been one of public service and environmental-related work. I have done two Peace Corps services in Zambia where I worked with rural farmers on Aquaculture and gardening projects and the Philippines doing Coastal Resource Management work in coastal communities with the help of local government agencies and NGO’S. I also served as a corps member with ACE in California working in the San Diego and Santa Cruz area from 2017-2019. My most recent job was teaching English at a private Academy in South Korea from 2021-2022. I’m excited to be back with ACE this time as a staff member and help train youth development corps to address the urgent environmental issues facing us today, learning professional skills to be used later in life, and appreciate the outdoors!

Rachel Motley

Hi, my name is Rachel M. Motley and the nickname that I usually go by is Rae for short or some people say Rach as well but I personally like Rae better. I’m a 90s child so I love all types of music. I have a strong drive when it comes to my work ethic and I always try to find a new way to go above and beyond to solve a problem or help out a team member. I am a wife and a mom to three kids: my son Jacob, my daughter Kylie (Kiya), and son Bryson. I love animals and have three fur babes of my own. Ask me anything I’m an open book.

Dave Bastian

Dave Bastian has spent the past decade plus working in the world of youth conservation corps programs. Ten of those were at the Utah Conservation Corps before coming to the Canyon Country Youth Corps. Prior to his time in the Corps world, Dave was Director of Operations at Save Our Canyons and the Membership and Outreach Coordinator at the Utah Rivers Council. Dave was a founding member of the Utah Youth Corps Collaborative and has served on many steering committees such as the Western Collaborative Conservation Network and the Utah Trails Forum. He studied graphic design at the University of Utah. In his spare time, he skies, rides bikes, plays guitar and chases his young daughter around the Public Lands of the Four Corners region.

Sabrina Caruso

Born and raised in New Jersey, Sabrina has found a love of nature and conservation work in her 8 months serving as a Corps member for ACE Southwest. Sabrina graduated from Rutgers University with a double major in Communications with a PR Specialization and Human Resource Management, and a double minor in Theatre and Psychology. She has worked in various leadership roles in the arts, entertainment, and undergraduate development. She is looking forward to combining her experience in youth mentorship and leadership development to support members throughout their time in ACE. Sabrina is passionate about connecting young adults to their passions and goals. She believes in the power of experiential learning and the transformations made possible by stepping outside of your comfort zone and learning new skills!

Maya Opara Nadi

Maya found her passion for the outdoors and all things found in nature during her time as a biology major at Valdosta State University. After graduating, she served a term with ACE as an AmeriCorps Habitat Restoration Crew Member in Asheville, North Carolina. That experience furthered her love for protecting public lands and native plant species. She has spent her career gaining experience in various conservation and environmental related professions. Maya is also an ambassador and advocate that empowers marginalized communities to explore the outdoors. She is beyond excited to return to ACE and share her passion with others on their conservation professional development journey. You can find her hiking, gardening, paddle boarding, sunbathing, spending time with her friends and family, but most likely crouched down on a trail taking pictures of her favorite southeast native species.

Michael Knapp

Michael first developed a love for the natural world when his parents took him to Rocky Mountain National Park each summer as a kid. This led him to pursue a degree in Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism from Colorado State University – which is essentially a long title for a degree that means he wanted to be a park ranger and work outside. He was fortunate enough to live his dream and has either worked or interned at 7 National Parks. He’s now excited to help other people fulfill their dreams to work in their public lands.

Ian McGufficke

Ian McGufficke grew up in WNC, where lush natural resources are abundant. This certainly influenced his love for the outdoors, which helped him earn an undergraduate degree in Recreation Management from Appalachian State University. He worked for years as an outdoor educator helping to teach courses at Appalachian, as well as guiding climbing trips in and around the Boone area. Conservation and stewardship have always been at the forefront of the work Ian has done, by planting the seeds of conservation in the minds of the youth! Ian is excited to have recently accepted a position with ACE, where he can work with members on a much larger scale to promote conservation and complete projects all over!

Linda Garcia

Hi, I am Linda. Born and raised in Southern California and currently living in the small mountain town of Big Bear, CA. I love being in close proximity to nature, so much so that it inspired a career shift from HR and marketing to conservation / ecological restoration. I was part of an ACE Crew in 2021 doing ecological restoration and trail work. I am a proud NPS Academy alum having done Native Plant work at Rocky Mountain NP summer of 2022. Aside from work and career aspirations, I love spending time outside hiking and biking, camping, looking for hot springs, all while identifying plants and spring flowers along the way. At home, I maintain my indoor / outdoor garden and am starting to venture into the world of composting and growing my own food. I love a good DIY project and am currently building garden beds. I tend to be on the prowl for good coffee and pastries. Speaking of pastries, I love to bake and am always looking for fun new recipes. My current favorite baked goods are Mexican Wedding Cookies and Almond Butter Cups (it’s like a Reeses but better!). I also enjoy cooking and looking for creative ways to reduce food waste (did you know carrot tops make a great pesto?). I’m always down for group board games and my favorites are Catan, Codenames and The Mind. I look forward to joining ACE to help other aspiring conservationists gain valuable work experience and career pathways into conservation.

Kaitlyn Delehanty

Kaitlyn grew up in southeastern Pennsylvania, and went to Unity College in Maine where she studied Wildlife Biology and Earth & Environmental Science. After graduating she traveled from Maine to California and back doing seasonal wildlife work, mostly studying shorebirds. She then moved to Virginia where she worked as a soil conservation technician for the NRCS for a year and learned about their Farm Bill programs. After that she moved to New Mexico where she worked for the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies as a Private Lands Wildlife Biologist with the NRCS and Colorado Parks & Wildlife. After working to conserve shortgrass prairie habitat for two years she then transferred to Colorado where she worked to restore forested habitat. She is excited to be returning to New England where she will be closer to family in Maine and Massachusetts. When not at work she can often be found hiking, camping, birding, fishing, or kayaking with her husband and their lab mix Maggie.

Bob Coates

Bob is currently the assistant director at the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Public Policy at Dartmouth College. His career passion has been imagining and creating youth and young adult national and community service programs in the out-of-doors. Following two years of service in the United States Peace Corps, Bob completed a master’s in public administration degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University where he was involved in hosting the first AmeriCorps national service conference. He joined the Student Conservation Association in 1994 as the Director of the New Hampshire Conservation Corps.

Over the next 20 years he played leadership roles in SCA’s Northeast, California-Southwest, and Midwest regions. As Senior Vice President for Programs, he helped to lead SCA’s national program growth and revenue. He is proudest of having created six residential SCA AmeriCorps programs that have provided hundreds of young people with an opportunity to serve on public lands. Bob joined the Vermont Conservation Corps in 2015 where he served as chief Operations Officer strengthening program quality, risk management and developing educational outcomes.

He served six years as a board member of National Association of Service and Conservation Corps now the Corps Network. Bob has a degree in Political Science from the University of New Hampshire after which he worked for United States Senator Warren Rudman (R-New Hampshire) on Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC. He served in the United States National Guard and Reserve. Bob lives in South Pomfret, Vermont with his wife Philippa Richards and their three children, Claire, Will and Ian plus a barn yard of animals.

Jimmy Gregson

Jimmy first joined ACE as a volunteer in 2011. After catching the Conservation bug, Jimmy went back to School and graduated with an MSc in Applied Ecology and Conservation. Jimmy worked on numerous conservation projects in the UK, Indonesia and Australia as well as leading ACE crews in 2014-15 developing a passion for Trail work and dry-stone masonry, before moving into the role of Conservation Trainer & Coordinator in 2016. In 2021, Jimmy joined the ACE Solutions Trail team and is currently the National Trails Program Manager. In his spare time, Jimmy enjoys exploring the Southwest with his wife and dogs, hiking, golfing and trying not to fall off his mountain bike.

Anna Louise Calliham

Anna first became involved with ACE in graduate school when she worked with ACE EPIC NPS at Fort Pulaski National Monument for two summers as an Interpretation intern. After graduating with her MA in history Anna became a museum director and then taught US History and World History at a technical college. She has returned to ACE with a passion for helping others see the opportunity and reward that can be found in the American Conservation Experience. Anna has the unique perspective of having seen ACE as a prospective intern, an intern, post-internship, and now as an employee. She believes that this experience will only help in her endeavors to find the prospective interns with a bright passion for helping our partners grow their mission. Outside of work Anna likes to play tennis and hike with her husband and mini schnauzer, Sherlock. She loves exploring new places — especially those with mountains and waterfalls. She loves spending time hanging out with her family who share the same excitement for ACE’s mission and values.

Danielle Ramsden

Danielle grew up in Portland, Oregon and after graduating from Oregon State University with a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Science, has contributed to environmental conservation projects in Alaska, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Oregon, and Idaho. Her work on avian populations, vegetation monitoring, and ecological health with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited, University of Idaho, and other groups led her to ACE where she facilitates meaningful career experiences for future conservationists. Danielle lives in Boise, ID with her partner and cat, where she enjoys snowshoeing, biking, live music, and decent happy hour nachos.

Andrew Jackson

Originally from the Mammoth Cave region of Kentucky, Andrew has always felt at home within a forest. Falling into natural resource work was bound to happen, and he loves the diversity that comes along with the job. He has worked on the federal and private sides of the industry, and is thrilled to become part of the ACE community. He has experience in building/maintaining trails, invasive species mitigation, timber stand improvements, habitat restoration, and arboriculture. He’s been fortunate to have lived all across the country during his career, and has gotten to lead some really awesome crews along the way. It’s always a good day to share some skills, learn some new ones, and get a little dirt under our nails while doing it. Andrew loves trail running, climbing trees, growing microgreens, and finding the best swim holes with his partner.

Lilly Haley

Lilly began her conservation career in her home state of Massachusetts with the Student Conservation Association. From there she moved out west to lead crews in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho on a variety of projects from fuels reduction to beaver dam construction. She most recently worked on the Pro Forest Projects crew with the Vermont Conservation Corps. Lilly is excited to further advancer in the field of conservation. In her free time she likes to hike, bike, and climb as well as enjoy a good book.

Scott Vlasak

This is Scott, he likes being outside, hiking, and snuggling his cats (Joaquin and Marinara). Scott started his corps career as a member at ACE MTW. Since being a member, he has worked for Colorado Corps (RMYC and CFI) while also working his way up the ACE ladders as an ATL, Crew Leader, Project Manager and now Senior Project Manager. Scott is originally from PA and previously worked as a high school social studies teacher in and around Philly. On the weekends, Scott loves watching PL soccer while snuggling with his cats.

Patrick Sutherin

Orginally from Maryland, Patrick studied Environmental Science at UMBC, and spent his first ACE term with mountain west in 2017. He’s stuck with MTW ever since, serving as ATL, Crew Leader and now Project Manager with the branch. He loves working in the field of conservation, as well as helping other people learn and grow in the field as well.

Sarah Wolfram

Growing up in the Sonoran Desert, Sarah learned early on to appreciate the outdoors. Her passion for the environment led her to study at Northern Arizona University and earn her degree in Environmental Studies and Parks and Recreation Management. In the past, Sarah has worked as a field biologist, archaeologist, kayaking and backpacking guide. In her free time, you can find her embarking on long backpacking trips, rafting down one of the west’s rugged rivers, throwing ceramics, or tending to her garden.

Shinya Burck

Shinya grew up in Southern New Mexico where she would camp and explore the mountains with her family. She took her curiosity for the outdoors and completed a Bachelor of Science and GIS Certificate at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. Shinya has worked in various fields, from wildlife studies with the University of Wyoming, and water equality in Myanmar, Asia to forestry and fire mitigation in Northern Colorado. Throughout her career, she has focused on ecosystem functions, fire, and water quality. Now she works as a data analyst for the Bureau of Land Management supporting the AIM program. When not working you can find her wandering through mountains, meandering a river, or soaking up the sunshine on a beach.

Tyler Lau

Tyler discovered his love of outdoors at a young age from the backyards to visit to National Parks. After studying both Urban Studies and Planning and Environmental Science at UC San Diego he ventured abroad to New Zealand to lead conservation and environmental education volunteer groups. From there he began on the path to more natural resource management positions with various conservation corps, government agencies and private contractors. Soon his passion for the outdoors led to long distance hiking, becoming the first Asian-American and Person of Color to hike a Calendar Year Triple Crown in 2018. He continues to pursue outdoor passions such as rock climbing and is currently learning more about the rivers and lakes that the Pacific West has to offer.

Jeanne Wade Evans

Jeanne Wade Evans is a leadership advisor who draws on over four decades of environmental resource management in the U.S. Forest Service. Her background in conservation and organizational leadership includes experience at local, regional, national, and global levels. She has directed State and Private Forestry Programs in California, Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific Islands and strategically led Fire, Aviation, Safety and Acquisition programs affecting 18 National Forests, 20 million acres, 8000 employees with annual budgets of over $500 million. Her experience at the national headquarters in Washington DC focused on solving many complex natural resource issues affecting the entire organization across the country. Some of her most satisfying accomplishments involve working with partners to leverage resources and reach mutual outcomes, mentoring new leaders, diversifying organizational talent, and connecting the American people with their public land legacy.

Her focus on justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion resulted in the creation of an Urban Conservation Corps in Southern California and increased women’s participation in Wildland Fire. Her collaborative leadership approach resulted in broad ecological restoration efforts involving private businesses and federal partners in several states. As the agency representative with the White House Council on Environmental Quality, she fostered cooperative conservation efforts across the country.

Jeanne received her B.S. in Environmental Resources from Arizona State University, completed graduate work at University of Arizona, and is a graduate of the Senior Executive Fellows Program at Harvard. Jeanne has been on the Board of American Conservation Experience since 2019 and is excited about her role as Chair of the Board.

Jeanne has been connected to the outdoors since she was a young girl camping and fishing in the Rocky Mountains with her family. She currently resides in Tucson, Arizona with her family and enjoys exploring the Sonoran Desert with the next generation.

Nick Sparling

Nick joins ACE with a B.A. in Energy Policy & Management from the Institute for Energy Studies at
Western Washington University. Prior to joining ACE, Nick served as a Conservation Fellow in the Frank
Church – River of No Return Wilderness before moving back East to join Southern Appalachian
Wilderness Stewards (SAWS) as a crew leader. He is excited to join ACE to work alongside USFWS and
develop a national energy audit program to meet federal reporting requirements outlined in section 432
of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, fly-
fishing and golfing.

Jennifer Munson

Hailing from the cornfields of Illinois, Jennifer started the path to ACE after accepting a position as Corps Member in Flagstaff, AZ. She had graduated with B.S. for wildlife biology in Indiana before she headed west in 2017. From 2017-2020, Jennifer spent her time as Corps Member on and off in Flagstaff and in Asheville, NC, before accepting a position as Crew Leader for the Asheville branch of ACE. She enjoyed all her time in the field both in Flagstaff and in Asheville before accepting a new role as a Logistics Coordinator. She enjoys animals, playing most Pokemon games, causal hikes, and crosscutting.

Amanda Gardner

Amanda joined ACE as a crew member in March 2021 after finishing up her undergrad in chemistry and environmental studies. She quickly realized that she enjoys the hands-on restoration process much more than research in a lab, and decided to stay with ACE and learn more about conservation by working as an ACE Crew Leader. She is originally from Michigan, but has fallen in love with the mountains since joining the ACE Eastern branch, probably in part because she likes to spend her free time hiking and rock climbing.

Nick Sparling

Bio coming soon.

Sarah Miggins

Sarah Miggins is the Deputy Director for the California State Parks’ Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division (OHMVRD). The OHMVR Division works to ensure quality recreational opportunities remain available for future generations by providing education, conservation, and enforcement efforts that balance OHV recreation impacts with programs that conserve and protect cultural and natural resources.

Miggins has been on a steady career path from volunteer service to executive level leadership positions over the last 30 years. Before her current position, she served as Chief of Staff for American Conservation Experience (ACE). Prior to ACE, she held numerous positions based in California; including Audubon California, Southern California Mountains Foundation, LA Conservation Corps and the Inland Empire Economic Partnership. Miggins holds a Master of Management from the University of Redlands and a Baccalaureate of Science in Geography and Environmental Studies from Ohio University.

She enjoys spending time with her two hunting dogs (that don’t hunt!), Ruger and Reese, exploring the trails of Northern California and has recently discovered that she really enjoys painting dog portraits.

Eleanor Mahoney

Eleanor holds a PhD in U.S. History from the University of Washington and a Masters in Public History from Loyola University Chicago. Her research and writing examine the intersections of public lands policy and economic change in post-World War II America. She has fifteen years of experience working in conservation, historic preservation, and public history, and has taught courses on U.S. environmental history and the development of the National Park System. When she isn’t working, Eleanor spends time with her family visiting nature centers, libraries, local parks, and playgrounds.

Olivia Newell-Bauer

Olivia was born and raised in Arizona, graduating from Northern Arizona University in 2018. She is joining ACE and returning to Flagstaff after spending the last 4 years in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she served as an AmeriCorps VISTA! Since her AmeriCorps year, she has worked primarily for education non-profits and in Human Resources.

Olivia is excited to be working with ACE because she is passionate about conservation and direct service. She hopes to open more opportunities to diverse populations interested in conservation and exploration.

Outside of work, Olivia enjoys bike rides, eating food, traveling, and spending time with her cat, Dwayne.

Elyse Cogburn

Elyse comes to ACE with a background in environmental science, outdoor education, and community organizing. With a passion for people and the outdoors, Elyse joined ACE excited to connect with ACE members while encouraging them to pursue their passions. Outside of work (pun intended) you can find Elyse swimming, climbing, and spending time with community.

Joost Besijn

Joost was born and raised in the Netherlands. He has a M.Sc. in Conservation Biology from the U.K and a B.Sc. in Wildlife Management from The Netherlands. In the past 15 years, Joost has worked in conservation in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Western USA. He now looks forward to working with ACE to work in a beautiful region to help preserve our natural resources.

Jake Travis

Jake was born in Maryland and after graduating from Salisbury University with a BA in Psychology was drawn to ACE in California for a change in pace and scenery. After 2 terms as a Corps member in California, Jake moved on to his first staff position as a local housing manager in Central California. After a year helping to oversee the different properties in the Pacific West division, Jake moved onto a national role helping with all of ACE’s facilities. Jake is now located in Flagstaff, AZ where he is an avid snowboarder and hiker.

Johnny Wilke

Johnny has served as a Project Manager with the Southwest division since May 2021, after working as a Crew Leader with SWA from October 2020 to May 2021! He is happiest when he is in the field with his teammates or hiking during the off days. He fell in love with conservation work as a corps member doing ACE Flagstaff in 2017, after obtaining his bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of Central Florida. Since then, he has worked with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy doing boundary maintenance in New England, as well as ACE Pacific West on the 2020 Pacific Crest Trail crew. Johnny’s passion for the outdoor s has led him back to Flagstaff, where it began, to serve as a mentor for the next generation of conservationists.

Dawn Cramer

Dawn is so excited to be a part of the ACE community. She brings a heart for helping others achieve goals and grow and a desire to feel connected with nature. She lives in Inyokern, CA with her partner and 4-legged kiddos Greta Mae and Rowdee. Dawn looks forward to supporting members and helping ensure they have an amazing experience at ACE!

Becca Rosenblum

Freshly graduated from Northern Arizona Universities Social Work program, Becca is beyond excited to begin their work at ACE as the new member support coordinator. Combining Becca’s love for nature and preservation with their passion for helping others has created their own personal heaven on earth. The next closest thing to a personal heaven on earth for Becca would be a day spent outside, hiking with friends. Becca was born and partially raised in Manalapan, New Jersey, where their love of the woods and spending time outdoors flourished. Going to college at NAU solidified that the forest and the woods are exactly where Becca needed to be. Fast forward to graduating with a Degree in Social Work while double minoring in Psychology and Sociology, Becca found their passion in the field of people. Understanding the societal, internal, and biological factors that impact every person each day is the foundation of Becca’s compassion and something they try and help others to understand in efforts to build more empathy is those around them.

Michael Bee

Michael Bee is very much looking forward to becoming part of the ACE team. He has an educational background in environmental and forestry sciences from both the University of Louisiana and Louisiana Technical College. Although most of his career has been focused on forest management, he is excited to explore and broaden my professional scope, and as such, learning to contribute to the ACE team as an NRCS Louisiana Easement Technician.

Emanuel Aragon Cruz

Emanuel graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in Environmental Science and soon thereafter accepted a Diversity Equity and Inclusion fellowship position with the National Outdoor leadership School focusing on DEI work in the outdoor industry as well as training to become an outdoor recreation instructor in backpacking and rock climbing. His love for conservation and outdoor education was nurtured there and further expanded upon during their time with their County’s Park and Recreation system where they were a Program Manager. Emanuel is excited to start this new chapter with the American Conservation Experience where they will go from working in their local park system to the national park system. When not working you can find them rock climbing, practicing their social dancing (salsa, contra swing dancing), binging media in all its forms, or napping.

Kyle Ellison

Kyle grew up in Western North Carolina admiring the beauty and life in the Appalachian Mountains. He received a BA in Hispanic Literatures and Cultures and a BS in Information Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He fell in love with conservation work while serving an AmeriCorps term with Montana Conservation Corps. He later worked as an arborist and with Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards. When not working, he can be found hiking in the Wasatch Mountains, reading, or watching Carolina basketball.

Kerri Ryan

Kerri Ryan began her conservation career as a corps member for ACE Southwest in early 2014 after earning a degree in Environmental Geoscience. After serving as an ACE corps member for about 9 months, Kerri became a Crew Leader for the ACE Southwest division. Kerri led ACE crews on various field projects focusing on Restoration projects, but also leading trail, forestry, and other projects throughout the Southwest. After ACE Kerri worked for the Forest Service seasonally, and then accepted a more permanent job with NYC Parks Natural Resources Group. In NY Kerri helped with Forest Restoration projects throughout the 5 boroughs of NYC, and helped plant thousands of native trees and shrubs each spring and fall throughout the natural areas of NYC. Kerri is very excited for the opportunity to return to ACE as a project manager for the Southeast division.

Shannon Borowy

Shannon grew up in Maryland and found a love of adventure and travel which has taken her all over the world. She has always held a passion for environmental conservation ever since she can remember. Her experience leading up to ACE includes sea turtle nest monitoring through AmeriCorps and working for the Volunteer Office in Yosemite National Park. Through ACE Shannon aims to help individuals grow their passions through the adventure of conservation work. In her spare time, Shannon can be found rock climbing, hiking, skiing, looking for salamanders, or crocheting.

Brad Roberts

Originally from Tennessee, I am now planted in Bloomington, Indiana working with the Wetland Reserve Easement program in the southern half of the state. After completing my Bachelor’s degree in Fish and Wildlife Science, I began working with game birds in New Mexico and South Carolina as a research technician. I then went on to study at the University of Georgia where I worked with translocation of Northern bobwhite in the Sandhills of North Carolina. After completing my Master’s degree at Georgia, I took a bit of a sabbatical from the professional world to enjoy the mountains and rivers of southwestern Colorado. In my free time, I like to find myself exploring a river with a fly rod or looking for game birds with my dog Maggie.

Hunter Schuyler

Hunter grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, before he made a move out west. A week after he graduated high school in 2015 he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He has been enlisted as a basic engineer/ Bulk Fuel Specialist since then and was quickly promoted to the rank of Sergeant at the age of 22. His military experience has given him a multitude of experiences to include, bulk logistics, leading / planning operations, and working with different branches of service such as the US Army and US Navy. Hunter started his conservation experience as an ATL for ACE in Pacific West, spending most of his term doing rock work on Mount San Jacinto. Hunter later moved into the Logistics Coordinator position to continue supporting conservation projects. Hunter found a new way to love the outdoors by doing conservation work. He also found some new hobbies in backcountry camping and rock climbing.

Jake Groth

As a Wisconsin native, Jake grew up surrounded by exceptional natural beauty and diversity, and has been working to advocate for the protection and sustainable use of natural areas worldwide ever since. He joined ACE as a corpsmember in 2016, eventually becoming a Crew Lead and Project Manager before leaving ACE to continue his career in conservation and trail work elsewhere. In 2022 Jake returned to Flagstaff to continue working as a Project Manager. When not in the office or field Jake pursues a wide variety of ever changing hobbies and is always looking to learn something new.

Victor Gervacio

Victor is an avid outdoors person who enjoys hiking, skiing and any outdoor recreation. Victor started the journey as a software developer back in 2020 through a boot camp at the University of Utah. Victor always enjoys the performing arts and loves helping others through a non-profit based in Utah.

Robert Suseland

Robert joined ACE in March 2022 as an ACE Partner Conservationist with NRCS Indiana where he assists with the restoration and management of Wetland Reserve Easements. Robert has a wildlife degree from Purdue University. Prior to joining ACE, he spent 6 years as the Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist in the northwest quarter of Indiana. Robert is a native plant enthusiast and believes there is a native solution to every conservation challenge. Originally from Plymouth, Indiana, Robert now lives near West Lafayette with his wife Cindy and their three children. In their free time, Robert and Cindy enjoy dragging their children along as they search for wildlife and antiques.

Jenn Layman

Jenn comes to ACE after spending 8+ years in multiple partnership-focused roles at the Student Conservation Association, most recently as a Regional Vice President for Partnership. Prior to joining SCA, Jenn worked in government relations and higher education management at Carnegie Mellon University. She holds a Black Belt in Innovation Engineering, enjoys hiking and kayaking with her family, and is president of the board of Allegheny GoatScape, a Pittsburgh-based invasive plant management organization that utilizes herds of friendly goats for browsing.

Caroline MacKenzie

Caroline graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Maine and since has traveled and worked both nationally and internationally in the field of ecology. Recently she has received a graduate certificate in Conservation Actions: People, Land and Animals through Colorado State with a focus on communications. Throughout her career she has focused on small mammal ecology and habitat relationships in large scale landscape studies. Recently her career has shifted to focus on the ways conservation careers impact its workers and how to create more inclusive spaces in the environment through recruiting efforts. Outside of her career she is an avid hiker, kayaker, backpacking and reader!

Jamie LeTellier

Growing up in Florida, Jamie developed a love for the outdoors while camping and hiking through upland pine forests and hardwood hammocks. It wasn’t until college, though, that she discovered a passion for conservation and land management as a volunteer with The Nature Conservancy and decided to pursue a career in the outdoors. After college, Jamie joined ACE Flagstaff as a Corps Member and got to work on trail maintenance in the Grand Canyon and fencing construction in the Petrified Forest. She loved her term with ACE but found herself missing the verdant east coast. After a five day mountain biking trip through Pisgah National Forest, she was convinced that she needed to move to Asheville to be in the mountains and spent her first year there interning and volunteering at a wildlife rehabilitation clinic. Eventually, she found her way back to ACE as a crew lead and is thrilled to be involved in restoration work in the Southeast.

Matt Bullard

Matt grew up in Hendersonville, NC. Matt took what would end up being 10 years off from undergrad at UNCA, during which time he served 2 full terms with AmeriCorps, as well as serving as a Staff member for 7 offices of 5 conservation corps, and has now wound up at ACE. Matt has loved working in the Conservation Corps community and is super happy to be back at it! He enjoys piano, martial arts, time with dogs, and is currently trying to get decent at woodworking.

Johannah McCollum

Johannah grew up in Tennessee and graduated from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies. She volunteered in Costa Rica with sea turtles and studied plant community ecology in the Colorado Rockies while an undergraduate. Johannah developed her research and mentor skills while working with undergraduate interns at the University of California Irvine’s Center for Environmental Biology conducting plant community restoration research. Johannah completed a Master’s degree in Wildlife at Mississippi State University and then joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in North Dakota. Johannah worked for USFWS for 3.5 years, where she primarily facilitated the conservation easement program, managed FWS lands, and completed a variety of GIS and data management tasks. Johannah was introduced to ACE during her time with the service, as she had the pleasure of supervising ACE GIS interns. Johannah especially enjoys interacting with and mentoring young people, so she is excited to connect young professionals with conservation opportunities as an ACE Division Support Specialist. She is also excited to maintain her connection with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and looks forward to developing new partnerships. In her spare time, Johannah enjoys hiking, traveling, crocheting, and spending time with her husband, daughter, and cat.

Jake Causey

Jake’s love of nature was instilled in him from an early age. His summers as a child were spent camping and fishing on the rivers, bays, and swamps near his home in rural northwest Florida. This eventually led him to obtain a degree in wildlife ecology & conservation from the University of Florida, where he participated in research projects which ranged from turtles and manatees in the natural spring runs of central Florida, to ecological biodiversity on the savannahs of South Africa and Eswatini. Post-graduation, Jake worked for the University of Tennessee monitoring box turtles on the Cumberland Plateau, worked for USGS on marine turtle research in northwest Florida, and eventually served as an ACE EPIC member for a vegetation research project in southern Appalachia. He steps into this permanent position with ACE EPIC FWS after 2 years of administrative experience with another nonprofit.In his free time, Jake is an education and outreach volunteer with Great Smoky Mountains National Park and an avid Dungeons & Dragons player. You can also find him in the mountains photographing wildlife and hiking with his fiance and his dog.

Matthew Daniels

A Maine native, Matt is excited to be a part of ACE and help connect others with the world of conservation and volunteerism. Graduating in 2014 from the University of Maine with a BS in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, Matt has spent time working in natural spaces over the last nine years. He has held such positions as a backcountry ranger in Kentucky, a trail crew leader and Field Coordinator with the Maine Conservation Corps, and has over four years experience working with the Forest Service. Most recently, he worked as a contractor with the Forest Service on the Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team as a Recreation Specialist for the Caldor Fire in California. Outside of work Matt enjoys hiking, camping, cooking, catching up on shows, playing board games, and exploring nearby areas.

Devin Williams

Born and raised in California, Devin has worked in the conservation world for 12 years. Before joining ACE in 2013, Devin worked with California State Parks and the California Conservation Corps. Over the years, they worked on many different types of projects, but their passions lie in trail construction and working with our fuels reduction crews. In their free time, you can find them mountain biking on the coast or tinkering with something in a shop somewhere.

Gail Adams

Gail Adams is the Vice President of Communications and External Affairs at the EnerGeo Alliance, an international upstream energy trade association. She has more than 20 years of experience in the environment and natural resources public policy arena and working with states and local government. She has more than 30 years’ experience in public affairs, non-profit organizations, and governmental affairs.

She is a former Presidential Appointee as Director of the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs (OIEA) for the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), Immediate Office of the Secretary where she managed relationships between the DOI and Governors, state and local elected officials and the more than 6000 stakeholders and organizations that represent interests related to DOI. She also had a key role on the President’s Task Force on Travel & Competitiveness and helped to craft the nation’s National Travel and Tourism Strategy which brought the United States from 10th in the world back to first in market share for world tourism.

Adams is a former television news anchor, public affairs show host, and radio personality. She is also a certified grants writer. Adams is a graduate of Louisiana State University.

Joellyn Stack

Prior to joining ACE, Joellyn spent the last nine years with the Student Conservation Association. During her time with SCA, as a public grants officer she oversaw the planning, development, and submission of federal, state, and local municipal grant proposals at the six and seven figure level. She was responsible for managing a complex grant development process, incorporating knowledge of relevant content areas, organization priorities, and proposal requirements, to ensure that the proposed strategies and submission content comply with grant guidelines. Additionally, she managed all aspects of the grants once awarded including compliance, achievement of deliverables, budget management, programmatic and financial reporting, and communication with awarding agency staff. Before joining SCA, Joellyn spent 20 years in health care. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Health. While not at work Joellyn enjoys taking walks, kayaking, and most recently has taken up golf. She most enjoys spending time with her dogs and two grandchildren.

Brynn Strain

I am originally from Bountiful, Utah and made my way down to Southern Utah for college at Southern Utah University. This institution helped me fall in love with being outdoors and all the amazing sports that it has to offer. I graduated with a BS in outdoor recreation and leadership with a minor in psychology. After school I worked right next to Zion National Park for 2 years. A couple of odd jobs later, I found my way to ACE. It is an exciting opportunity to be part of an organization that creates equity in the outdoors so everyone can enjoy nature the way that they prefer and are comfortable with. In my down time you can catch me on my mountain bike riding resorts or jumping at the local bike park. When I’m not on my bike I am teaching yoga, skiing, climbing, canyoneering, or doing whatever gets me into the fresh air with a little boost of adrenaline.

Kaitlin Krause

Kaitlin started her career with ACE as a crew member in 2021, after graduating in 2020 from University of Wisconsin with a B.S. in Geosciences. While serving as a crew member, she got the chance to experience many different forms of conservation all across the western states–from planting native species near Death Valley National Park to vacuuming caves at Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota. At the end of Kaitlin’s 3-month term as a crew member, she took a seasonal position as a Hydrology Technician with the Forest Service based in the Sierra Nevadas. Upon completion of that position, Kaitlin returned to ACE-Mountain West as the Logistics Coordinator. Kaitlin is excited to continue a career in environmental conservation and further explore Southern Utah! In her free time, you can find Kaitlin running, hiking, and climbing around!

Trevor George

Trevor works to protect and enhance wetlands on NRCS conservation easements. With a B.S. in Geology, he began his career in consulting where he specialized in stopping anthropogenic erosion from polluting sensitive fisheries. He continued to grow his passion for conservation while managing diverse open space preserves and conservation easements with a nonprofit in California. More recently, Trevor worked for a state agency in Idaho managing thousands of acres of working lands and regulating navigable waters. As a member of ACE, Trevor enjoys using his skillset to support public conservation agencies and private conservation landowners while protecting and enhancing natural resources. When not working, Trevor can be found camping, fishing, cycling, and spending time with his family.

Claire Barnwell

Claire was born in China, but grew up in upstate New York. She graduated with a B.A. in Environmental Sociology and Spanish from Albright College (Reading, PA). She got her first hands-on conservation experience right after college with the Student Conservation Association. She worked on restoring canons in Puerto Rico, monitoring deer in Maryland and teaching about mission life in Arizona. After these varied experiences, she went on to complete graduate work at Teton Science Schools and the University of Wyoming, majoring in Natural Science Education and Natural Resources. Her meandering path continued to lead her into a 10-month long ACE-EPIC internship at the Long Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex. She loves helping people find their own way to connect to the environment and is excited to continue doing that as an ACE Division Support Specialist. In her spare time, you can find her rallying on the tennis courts or playing spikeball on the beach.

Erik Johnson

Erik was born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico where he developed a love of the outdoors. After graduating from high school, he moved to Flagstaff, Arizona to attend Northern Arizona University. There he earned a B.A. in English and a certificate in creative writing. After college, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua. Since then, he has worked primarily in education. In 2021, he joined ACE as a corps member because he wanted to transition to the environmental sector. Halfway through his term, he was hired as Provisions and Supplies Coordinator. He is excited to do food and tool logistics and thereby continue to contribute to the work of environmental conservation. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, mountain biking, and making art.

Cassie Bongiorno

Cassie joined ACE in the summer of 2017 after completing her B.S. in Biology at The University of North Carolina Wilmington. After completing three AmeriCorps terms in North Carolina and California, she wanted to continue her career in conservation, and has since worked as a Crew Leader and Project Manager. Cassie is most passionate about backcountry trails and rigging projects, as well as habitat restoration. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, cooking, gardening, and reading outdoors.

Kody Crawford

Kody grew up in Bullhead City, Arizona, alongside the rushing Colorado River. As a child, Kody enjoyed outdoor adventure and always influenced his family to take him out on the water, for hikes in the Black and Pyramid mountains or just up the hill by his house. In 2013, Kody began his conservation journey where he served as a conservation corpsmember in the Verde Valley of Arizona cutting down tamarisk and removing other invasive species along the Verde River riparian corridor. After serving as an Americorps member, Kody Crawford went on to lead a mapping crew, which mapped invasive and rare species along the Verde River and in the Kaibab, Coconino and Tonto National Forests. After completing the mapping project, Kody became a trail crew leader for the Island Trail project within Walnut Canyon National Monument. Since 2015, Kody has spent his time developing public access for blueways and greenways in West Virginia as an Americorps Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) and in South Carolina as a private contractor for conservation organizations. Outside of ACE, Kody Crawford can be found hanging out with his cat, biking around town or trying to find a good swimming hole.

Grady Morris

Grady has been doing seasonal natural resource management since 2015 or so. His travels have sent him everywhere from Ohio to Alaska…twice. He is a self-proclaimed highlands river pirate who specializes in invasive plant management as well as a variety of tree work categories. His experiences have seen him go from backpacking herbicide to flying a 55’ bucket truck trimming palm trees to canyoneering with a chainsaw clearing trees off the sides of cliffs in Alaska. Whenever he isn’t hanging precariously off cliffs wielding chainsaws, he enjoys studying pirate history, cooking delicious meals, and woodworking. If you come across him in his natural habitat, he can be positively identified by his fantastic facial hair, brightly colored clothing, and generally cheerful demeanor. Some sightings have noted his fashionable kilt attire, but this has yet to be professionally verified.

Carl Nelson

Carl joined ACE as the National Forestry Specialist in November of 2017. As a 15-year career wildland firefighter for both federal and local fire agencies and an active US Forest Service C Faller, Carl has an extensive background in wildfire suppression, prescribed fire operations, hazardous fuels mitigation, firewise assessments, hazard tree mitigation, chainsaw training and sawyer evaluations.
The great outdoors has always been an important part of Carl’s life having started camping and hiking from an early age at many of our National Forests and Parks. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, camping and listening to live music with his wife and son. Carl is excited to be a part of ACE and to be able to pass on his knowledge and excitement of forestry and the outdoors to the younger generations.

Jack Hall

Jack became involved with ACE in 2020 as a member of an Ecological Site Inventory team for the Bureau of Land Management in the western deserts of Utah. Originally from the coastal state of Rhode Island, Jack attended Appalachian State University in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountainswhere he studied Geography, focusing on GIS. He is thrilled to help get passionate people involved in conservation and land management. Prior to joining the ACE team, Jack had worked in the outdoor recreation industry as a rock climbing instructor and kayaking guide and is often torn between the ocean and the mountains. In his free time you might find Jack trying to figure out how to make his guitar sound good, climbing in the Wasatch range,or fantasizing about adopting a dog.

Chris Binder

Chris’ passion for long-distance hiking and cycling led him to pursue a career in conservation. Since 2008 he has served as a volunteer, crew leader, trail manager, operations director, and deputy director for a number of non-profit conservation and trail organizations around the country. Chris holds undergraduate degrees from Boston College and advanced degrees in landscape architecture and natural resource management from Utah State University. He lives at Lake Tahoe and is an active member on his local Search and Rescue team.

Scott Springer

Scott Springer currently serves as a Supervisory Natural Resource Specialist and Regional Realty Officer with the US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, at the California-Great Basin Region, in Sacramento, CA. The disciplines under his supervision include realty, land and water uses, outdoor recreation, wildland fire and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) since 2015. Scott has also served 7 years as the Regional Outdoor Recreation Planner at the California-Great Basin Regional Office of Reclamation, where he provided advice and assistance to the Area Offices regarding recreation issues, policy guidance and partnership development beginning in 2008.

Scott is a born and raised Washingtonian. He lived in western Washington state as a child growing up in a small town in Grays Harbor County. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildland Recreation Management, from Washington State University, Pullman, WA in 1990.

Scott has a broad spectrum of educational and experience opportunities in various urban, rural, and backcountry recreation settings. Beginning in 1986, Scott has held recreation positions with the Washington State Parks and Recreation as well as the Department of Natural Resources. He began is federal career with the Bureau of Land Management on the Rogue River in Grants Pass, Oregon in 1990. His experiences then shifted to 18 years of recreation and land management experience with the U.S. Forest Service in the Congressionally designated Hells Canyon National Recreation Area of Idaho and Oregon and Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

Scott enjoys being in the great outdoors with his dog. Backpacking, fishing, golfing, biking and completing five marathons in the past 15 years. He visits the great Pacific Northwest often, spending a majority of that time in northeastern Washington at a family farm outside the small town of Chewelah.

Mark Comer

Mark Comer was born in Bisbee, Arizona. With ten years of experience in the automotive industry under his belt, he moved north and joined ACE SWA as an AmeriCorps member in 2018. He was able to end his term early and join SWA as Fleet and Facilities Manager in 2019. He is our repairman of engines small and large, driving instructor, and handsaw-sharpening aficionado. When he is not managing the fleet, he enjoys attempting to tame his dog Flynn, dirt biking, and generally adventuring around this state he loves.

Mary Aland

Born on a small island in Maryland, Mary enjoyed spending all her free time playing on the water and in the marshes. Determined to see more of what nature had to offer, she decided to attend college in the Shenandoah Valley of VA. She graduated from James Madison University in 2017 with a B.S. in Biology. Promptly after graduation and with another jump in ecosystems, she landed in Flagstaff, AZ where she completed two terms as a corps member with ACE. She left the sunny, dry deserts to explore the foggy forests of the northwest spending a year in Oregon leading youth crews and teaching environmental education. Again, she packed her bags, bound for the Colorado Rockies where she continued doing trail work and environmental education but this time at 14,000 feet. Now she’s back in Flagstaff and excited to help foster a passion for land stewardship in all the ACE corps members she gets to interact with!

Jack McMullin

Jack first joined ACE as an international member back in 2011, his first project took him to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and after that he knew this was a place he wanted to work. Jack worked as a Crew leader in 2011 and 2012 and loved every moment of it developed a love for trails and the South West area. That love of the South West brought Jack back in 2016 and he has been with ACE ever since. In Jack’s down time he loves spending time hiking and exploring the great outdoors with his Wife Sarah and Daughter Maggie.

Keean Ruane

Keean began as Corps member with ACE in 2010 after moving out west from Pennsylvania. After only 4 months he was hooked and has never looked back. During his time with ACE he has worked as a Crew Leader, Project Manager, Associate Director and moved in the SWA Division Director role in 2020. Keean also instructs Crosscut Saw use and relishes the opportunity to get out into the field and teach traditional skills whenever possible. Outside of ACE Keean enjoys playing music, mountain biking and taking his dirtbike out whenever possible.

Dennis Frenier

Dennis started with ACE Pacific West in early 2014 as a Conservation Volunteer before moving into an Americorps member, Crew Leader, California Restoration Coordinator, and most recently the Associate Director of Partnerships. Dennis has spent much of his time on the road supporting restoration and forestry projects over the years, but has moved into a more remote administrative role here in ACE PW with the main focus of setting up new and existing projects all around the West Coast. He hopes to see you in an upcoming training or a fuel reduction on the beach soon!

Nick McGuire

Nick is an ACE Partner Conservationist with NRCS Idaho. Prior to joining ACE, Nick held positions with varying capacities in conservation – he has worked in education, as a naturalist, a forester, and with several conservation nonprofits. When he joined ACE in 2018, he was the NRCS Division’s first partner conservationist. He has a bachelor’s degree from Montana State University and master’s degree in environmental conservation from New York University (NYU). At NYU, he published research on environmental decision making and served as a referee for several academic environmental psychology journals. He also co-wrote a middle school textbook on climate change in conjunction with Earth Day Network. When not working to improve and expand conservation easements, he can often be found chasing birds in the hills of Idaho with his pointer, Pete.

Hayley Smith

Hayley has led NRCS monitoring programs at ACE since June 2019. She carries out nationwide easement monitoring projects and leads the development of an ecological questionnaire. Her exploration and education of the natural world began along the shores of Lake Superior while studying Environmental Science at Northern Michigan University. Her interest in wetlands, restoration ecology, and natural resource monitoring and management was set in motion during her work with NRCS-Tennessee supporting the wetland easement programs. She completed her graduate degree from Montana State University in Environmental Science and Land Resources. She is thrilled to be working with ACE, stomping around in wetland projects. In her free time, Hayley enjoys hiking, biking, camping, writing bios about herself in the third person, reading, and slacklining.

Crystal Simons

Crystal leads the NRCS Division and its related conservation service programs. Trained as an environmental planner and practiced as a collaborative leader, she has managed stewardship programs and legal defense for over 7,000 acres of private lands protected by conservation easements. Crystal has led strategic visioning; developed regional advocacy and conservation policies; provided technical assistance to landowners; monitored the environmental efficiency of conservation practices on private lands; and has directed multi-year and multi-stakeholder programming. She did her graduate work in environmental planning and engineering at UC Berkeley. Crystal lives in the mountains with her husband Zack, their daughters Wren and Ivy, and lab Marlowe.

Ellen Bley

Ellen has been with ACE since her graduation from Vanderbilt University in 2017. She grew up in Ohio, but fell in love with the west after her first position as an ACE-Americorp intern, doing resource inventory for the BLM in northern California. Her term with the BLM only strengthened her passion for conservation and public lands, and she pursued another position with ACE as the logistics coordinator for the USFWS National Visitor Survey project, based in Colorado. She has since come on as the Agreements and Project Manager for the USFWS division, and loves helping others on their conservation career path. In her free time, Ellen can be found outdoors – she is an avid hiker and backpacker, and a geologist by hobby.

Josh Langdon

Josh has spent his life chasing outdoor adventures and now focuses on sharing these experiences with his daughter, Cody Ann. Josh is a passionate and accomplished backcountry skier, mountain biker and trail builder. “I believe trails aren’t just about getting from point A to point B. Good trails are like those bumper stickers that say that life is about the journey, not the destination. A great trail IS the destination as they provide an adventurous experience that highlights the landscape and hugs the natural contours, takes the user to beautiful viewsheds, rock outcroppings and other points of interest. Trail design and construction isn’t just a job for me, it’s an artform.”

Molly Wasik

Agreements & Compliance Specialist: Molly began her work with ACE as a volunteer in the Salt Lake City office in sugarhouse. She has developed into her current role where she performs all state and federal background for each member in the EPIC Program. Her dedication to her duties ensure a safe work environment. Molly got her B.S. in Environmental Studies from Westminster College and grew up working for an environmental restoration company in both New Jersey and Tennessee. As an avid Snowboarder, Molly loves hitting the slopes during the winter and in the off seasons you can find her near the water as she tries to find any excuse to go surfing.

Colby Page

Colby joined the ACE team after five years of working with nonprofits serving refugees in Boise, ID and Salt Lake City, UT. He monitored compliance for several federal grants, conducted data analysis, and administered a cash assistance program for newly resettled refugees. Colby also has a background in Archaeology, volunteer development, museums, and GIS, and is excited to return to these roots in contributing to the mission of ACE.

A.J. Conrad

A.J.’s career in the non-profit conservation field began in 2013 as an AmeriCorps member with the Student Conservation Association in western Massachusetts. There he learned invaluable skills regarding hands-on conservation projects and environmental education for future land managers. He began working for ACE in 2014, starting out as an Outreach Coordinator for the Southwest Arizona division in Flagstaff. He has since been fortunate enough to assume various roles throughout the organization such as AmeriCorps program management, agreement management, compliance, and administration. Having lived in states ranging from Arizona to Maryland he currently lives in his home state of Wisconsin. In his spare time he enjoys golfing, landscape photography, and spending time with his Golden Retriever, Macy.

Katie Lyon

Katie Lyon joined the USFWS Division as the National Trail Inventory Project/Data Manager in 2020. She previously worked with ACE and USFWS on the national visitor survey project and is excited to join the ACE team. Katie holds a bachelor’s in Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism and a master’s in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources from Colorado State University. She currently lives in Lander, WY, with her partner Chris and Aussie dog Alta, and enjoys gardening, climbing, hunting, and paddleboarding.

Alassane Niang

Alassane Naing joined the ACE team in 2019 as part of the ACEglobal division. Alassane works with all staff on basic administration, human resources, and program development. He is originally from Mali, Bamako, Africa but moved to the United States when he was seven years old. His first languages are French and Bamara, but he learned to also speak, read and write English upon arriving in Utah. Alassane is a black belt in Shotokan Karate and recently completed his final year of eligibility as a cornerback at the University of Utah Pac12 Football team. He is currently living in Salt Lake City, Utah and about to graduate from the University of Utah with a BS in Economics and a minor in Computer Literacy.

Jim Kuhn

Jim has been with ACE for over 10 years and oversees the maintenance and construction needs of all ACE properties in the Western ACE Divisions, including office spaces and member housing. When not at work, you may find him coaching the local high school cycling team or even out for a race himself. With over 20 years of cycling experience, Jim is constantly lending his expertise to help reconstruct and re-purpose bikes around the office.

Not only does Jim bring a lifetime of prestigious accomplishments and skills to his position but also invaluable kindness and dedication. Without him and the help of his team, we might quite literally fall apart at the studs!

Travis Reid

Travis joined the ACE team in the spring of 2017 to serve as project manager for the Sinkyone Wilderness trail building project. Travis joined ACE with a diverse background in conservation ranging from trails work with the Forest Service and volunteer work with Colorado’s Division of Parks and Wildlife, to managing fuels reduction, fire mitigation, and beetle kill forestry projects across the southwest. Hoping to turn his passion for conservation into a career, Travis recently returned to school and received a Master’s in Conservation Leadership from Colorado State University. He looks forward to continue working with ACE as a project manager and is excited to work alongside others who share his passion for the natural world.

Nathan Schwarting

Nathan was born and lived in Massachusetts. He graduated cum laude from SUNY: College of Environmental Science and Forestry with a B.S. in Environmental Biology. He has worked as a backcountry steward with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, a Leader of the Youth Conservation Corps at Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, and part of an exotic plant management team at Lake Mead National Recreation Area before joining ACE Pacific West South as a crew leader in 2018. He was promoted to Project Manager in September 2019. He has led and managed a variety of projects with a focus on restoration projects throughout the Southern California area. Nathan enjoys cooking and baking, kayaking, hiking, and camping during his free time.

Joshua Burt

Joshua Burt began his conservation career in 2002 working as a conservation intern with the Student Conservation Association. Following that experience, he taught outdoor education in his home state of Ohio and continued leading trail crews for SCA in the summer. In 2005, Josh moved to China and taught English in Shandong province, but continued to return in the summer to lead trail crews. In 2007, he returned to the states more permanently and began working in various staff positions for Southwest Conservation corps. In 2011, he became the trail crew leader in Deep Creek District of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and there learned about ACE. He joined ACE as the Operations Manager of the North Carolina office in 2014.

Adam Scherm

Adam Scherm graduated with a Degree in Zoology and a minor in Spanish at Oklahoma State University. After college, Adam served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Panama focusing on environmental conservation from 2006-2008. That experience led him to apply for a job as an Assistant Crew Leader with ACE. After several months, he began leading crews on public lands all over the Southwest. In 2013, He assumed the role of Trails Trainer and Coordinator for the Arizona office. He managed the trails projects as well as trained crew leaders and corps members in technical rock work, rigging, trail maintenance, and layout. Adam is currently the Director of ACE’s Southeastern branch in Asheville, North Carolina which supports and manages 40 youth in conservation activities and is working with 6 different Land Management Agencies and non-profits.

Amanda McGarry

Amanda is from Northeast Ohio but has spent the last 10 years calling Utah home. She graduated from the University of Utah in Environmental and Sustainability Studies as well as Geography. Her studies gave her opportunities to explore her new state and fall in love with the outdoors even more. She has spent multiple field seasons with the Vertebrate Zoology team of the Natural History Museum of Utah in areas across the state which has provided her knowledge in field research work and species population studies. Amanda has worked in multiple industries from restaurants to nonprofits and her unique experience brings passion to her work. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her dog, practicing yoga, painting, hiking and camping.

Joshua Haussler

After years of bouncing around the west in various ecology and conservation positions, Josh returned to his native Utah as a BLM Recruitment specialist here at ACE. Josh began his career in academic research in ecology with a passion for plant-soil interactions and the mechanisms governing ecosystem fluxes. However, he continually found himself being pulled toward outreach and conservation. He enjoys learning about the various ways people interact with their environment and helping them expand their experience. Josh most recently led a youth conservation crew in the northern Sierra Nevadas, teaching them conservation work as well as camping and life skills. He’s excited to continue facilitating access to conservation opportunities. On his own time, Josh can be found travelling, playing the brazilian martial art Capoeira, hiking, camping, or just sitting around. He has recently decided to take up baking.

Celia Demers

Celia began her conservation journey back in 2005 with the Western Colorado Conservation Corps on a saw crew and never looked back. Over the years she has worked for Acadia National Park, Appalachian Mountain Club, Amargosa Conservancy, Student Conservation Association and the Southeast Conservation Corps to build and maintain trails all over the U.S. while leading and managing youth and young adults in service to the land and surrounding communities. She enjoys reading and exploring all the nooks and crannies nature has to offer in her free time, no matter the urban or wild landscape!

Shayne Miller

Shayne has been a member of ACE’s Board of Directors since the spring of 2013. He has served as the chair of the board’s finance committee and served on the special committee charged with selecting ACE’s current CEO and President. Shayne brings experience in accounting, real estate transactions, finance and banking. He is currently the Chief Financial Officer of Youth Health Associates, Inc. located in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has held previous positions as a controller and analyst for small companies in real estate and construction and in business banking with US Bank. Shayne lives with his family in Sandy, Utah and enjoys Utah’s variety of outdoor recreation opportunities, especially the world-class fly fishing.

Mark Loseth

Mark came to ACE in 2011 as the winner of a nationwide search for a trainer with multipe years of technical trails experience with land management agencies. Mark spent 4 years learning dry stone manonry and trail construction technique with the US Forest Service in Lake Tahoe, 4 more years leading Youth Conservation Corps crews and refining rock working skills as a member of the trail crews at Grand Tetons National Park and Saguaro National Park, and participated in a trail crew exchange with the Argentina Park Service.

Chris Jackson

Chris has an extensive background in conservation and resource management, most recently spending the past six years with the Student Conservation Association in a variety of roles. As Vice President of Partnership, his responsibilities included program and partnership development, government relations, and staff management.

Originally from England, Chris took the opportunity after university to come to the United States and work for the US Forest Service in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Oregon. Subsequently, Chris moved to Arizona and spent 8 years working for the City of Phoenix operating outdoor recreation programming for youth and people with disabilities, before moving back to

Oregon taking the position of Recreation Manager for Oregon State University, College Forests, in Corvallis Oregon, Chris holds degrees from Writtle College, England in Rural Resource Management, and Arizona State University in Recreation Management.

Randy Rupp

Before joining ACE, Randy spent the last fourteen years with the Student Conservation Association in various management and operations roles. During his time with SCA, he oversaw program development, financial management, compliance, and risk management for upwards of ten regional urban conservation programs. This included development and management of a state-wide workforce development program with the State of Pennsylvania. He also emerged as member and leader trainer on topics such as member experience, risk management, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Before the glow of the conservation world drew him in, Randy spent time with Job Corps recruiting and placing participants. Prior to that he spent three years as a Child Life Specialist providing psychosocial care to children at a teaching hospital. With close to twenty years of experience with youth and young adults through non-profits, he is thrilled to continue his career with an organization dedicated to conservation service. When away from his desk, you can find Randy coaching high school and youth sports and spending time outdoors with his wife and two daughters..

James Lynn

James joined the American Conservation Experience EPIC team in November 2014 as an Administrative and Office Assistant where he is great asset to the team with his conservation and technology background. He now supports the office as the Tech Support Specialist. James began his tenure with ACE as a OHV Trail Technician Intern with BLM where he designed and implemented strategies to maintain OHV trails. He then worked as a Backcountry Wilderness Trail team member in the high sierras building and maintaining wilderness trails.

Tony Anderson

Outdoor pursuits have always been central to my experience – from hiking trips through the National Parks as a child, to living off the grid in a yurt in Washington state, I’ve always been very close to the land. The opportunity to work with ACE and promote the values of land stewardship I believe in is an opportunity I am very excited to pursue. I have a wonderful family – my wife Kaitlin is an extremely qualified sea kayaker, and my daughter, Emmy, is in training for all these activities. If you want to catch me when I’m not at work chances are I’ll be hitting the slopes in the cottonwood canyons, or looking for waves somewhere exotic, if I’m lucky.

Heather Hill

Heather grew up in the deep south – Memphis, TN – with cotton fields surrounding her high school. After graduating, she moved to Flagstaff to pursue a degree in Mathematics. In college she ended up switching her major about 5 times, so like any early twenty something year old, she moved to Portland, OR to find what she was passionate about career-wise. Life led her back to Flagstaff, college goals changed to Accounting, her beautiful daughter Rosalie arrived and work took a turn to the dental industry. Still feeling that accounting/mathematics nudge, she joined the ACE finance team. Heather manages our Accounts Payables and all things credit card. Her work with ACE will help hone her Accounting skills so that she can finish her degree, once her daughter starts Kindergarten.

ACE is lucky to have recruited such a smart, organized and amazing finance-minded addition to our staff.

Greg Benson

After spending 20 years in various roles with ADP in Seattle, I spent a couple years living on Maui working for the Pacific Whale Foundation running AP and Payroll. I relocated back to Arizona in 2016 and spent a year and a half running payroll for a commercial sign and lighting company in Tucson, and also spent some time working for the city of Tucson. I have always been an advocate for the environment, and an avid outdoorsman. I am pleased to bring my many years of accounting and payroll knowledge to ACE, and my goal is to bring an easier and more user friendly payroll process to all staff and interns.

When not at work I enjoy hiking, camping, skiing, snowshoeing and photography. I enjoy traveling and exploring our national parks.

Colin Geigrich

Colin moved to Flagstaff from Northern New Jersey in 2006 to continue his education and enjoy the abundant opportunities to play in the outdoors. After graduating from Northern Arizona University in the winter of 2008 Colin began working with ACE as a crew leader the following summer. Following several successful seasons of leading trail crews throughout Arizona and Utah he moved into the newly developed Safety Coordinator position where he now performs risk management and training duties for all of ACE’s programs. In addition to his regular duties, Colin is a Wilderness Medicine instructor and licensed contractor for ACE. When not at work Colin is an active climber, mountain biker, boater, and disc golfer.

Connections, Diversity, Legacy: A Peer Mentor Perspective on NPS Academy

Connections, Diversity, Legacy: A Peer Mentor Perspective on NPS Academy

Written by: Linda Garcia (2023 Peer Mentor)

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