Our Staff

Peter Woodruff brings nearly a decade’s leadership with ACE (American Conservation Experience), overseeing a thriving nationwide staff and hundreds of federal agency partnerships while facilitating conservation across the U.S. and territories. Peter’s signature workforce development programs at ACE included the Cultural Resources Diversity Internship Program (CRDIP), National Park Service Academy (NPS/A), Traditional Trade Advancement Program (TTAP), and most recently the NPS Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. Peter hails from the corn & bean fields of rural Indiana, and with his wonderful wife Fiona, has newly relocated from Santa Cruz, CA to Reno, NV. Peter earned an interdisciplinary Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies at Hamilton College, focused on field ecology and land-use issues, and undertook cultural immersion and resource management studies in Botswana, before turning to an AmeriCorps year, seasonal agency work, and wilderness therapy programming. His work in wildlife biology, backcountry patrol, environmental education, land trust services, and citizen science found him serving across the Sierras, to interior Alaska, all over Cape Cod, MA and Utah. In addition to his passion for working with amazing staff, agency partners, and inspiring emerging conservation professionals, Peter enjoys backcountry skiing, running, and widely exploring our public lands.

Gabe Donaldson, originally from Fort Collins, Colorado, developed a deep connection to the outdoors while growing up in the picturesque foothills near the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest and various municipal mountain parks. His passion lies at the intersection of wildland fire, business, and conservation. Gabe spent 17 years as a Hotshot Superintendent and Smokejumper for the Bureau of Land Management in Elko and Boise, where he gained fundamental and critical experience in risk management and leadership.

 

In 2016, Gabe embraced another leadership role as the Colorado and Arizona Fire Program Manager for The Nature Conservancy. Recognizing the importance of supporting underserved communities, he went on to establish several non-profit businesses and initiatives, aiming to create more job opportunities in the realm of conservation. Gabe’s academic journey spans institutions such as St. John’s College in Santa Fe, the National Outdoor Leadership School in Chile, the University of Northern Colorado, Colorado State University, Truckee Meadows Community College, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he attained a licentiate degree in Biological Sciences (BS) for Wildland Fire Personnel.

 

Gabe joins GBI with his wife, son, and two beloved pit-bull pups, Mari and Daisy. While he currently immerses himself in the XPRIZE competition as part of his team, The Fibonacci Fire Project, Gabe remains dedicated to his other passions outside of work, which includes trail running, reading, and writing short stories.

Jerry Keir is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Institute. For the past twenty two years, Keir has taught and directed interdisciplinary research and field studies throughout the Intermountain West, Central Pacific Mexico, and Costa Rica. Keir has extensive experience managing diverse research and monitoring initiatives, as well as leading collaborative conservation projects at a landscape scale. As a skilled fundraiser and project lead, Keir has overseen $100 million in grants and contracts for the Institute. When not running programs or dreaming up new ones, Jerry roams his backyard forest and desert with his spouse of 25 years, Maria, and their daughter Amaya and son Alejandro.

Kevin Dose is the Deputy Director at the GBI. After graduating with a B.S. in Environmental Health from Purdue University (2002), Kevin traveled west to join GBI’s Nevada Conservation Corps program as a Trail Crew Leader stationed at Great Basin National Park. His experience at GBNP had such a profound impact on his life that Kevin continued serving with the NCC as a Crew Leader for the following year, before taking on the role as NCC Crew Coordinator, a position he held for two years.

In the spring of 2010, Kevin returned to serve as Program Director for the NCC, a position he held for the following three years. As Program Director for the NCC, Kevin enjoyed the opportunity to lead and continue developing the program that provided him so much joy and opportunity to make a positive impact on Nevada’s public lands. As GBI’s Deputy Director, Kevin supports all programming at the institute with an emphasis on continuous improvement. Kevin enjoys spending time with his wife Dana and daughter Reya hiking and skiing, but no matter the season, you will more than likely find him outdoors enjoying the Lake Tahoe Basin where he calls home.

Chris Warner has been professionally involved with the national service movement and environmental stewardship for more than two decades. After graduating from Villanova University with a BA in Sociology (1998), Chris coordinated environmental education activities for EPA’s Mid-Atlantic Region for two years when he served as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer. As an Environmental Management Fellow with EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program, Chris supported several multi-jurisdictional committees whose mandate is to establish policies that aim to improve the water quality of Chesapeake Bay and to manage the Program’s congressionally appropriated annual budget. After relocating to the mountain west in 2002, Chris received his MA in Political Science (Environmental Policy) from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2005. Since graduating from UNR, Chris has spent the entirety of his career at Great Basin Institute, collaborating with colleagues to develop and enhance resource management direct service programs. Chris served as the Institute’s first Research Associates Program Director and presently serves as Director of Development. In his current role, Chris is primarily focused on developing federal and state grants and agreements, and conducting government relations and policy development at the national level on behalf of GBI. In July 2011 Chris moved back to the mid-Atlantic with his family. When he isn’t playing with his two daughters, Chris enjoys cooking, gardening and bird-watching with his wife, as well as exploring the mixed conifer and hardwood forests and rolling hillsides of the surrounding farm country that south central Pennsylvania offers.

Associate Director, Terry Christopher, is proud to be from the great state of Texas, just ask him! He was born in Wichita Falls and spent most of his childhood in north Texas. His love of animals and wildlife was ingrained early on, and some of his fondest memories are of running around catching ornate box turtles and horned lizards (horny toads) on the farm. Living in El Paso, Texas for four years and spending three years in northern Alberta, Canada only strengthened his love of the outdoors and vast open spaces. (Those who know Terry find it hard to believe he lived in Canada; he’s way too much like the ectotherms he works with.) Terry attended Texas A&M University and, while at the campus on Galveston Island, he became involved with the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, a non-profit recovery organization, and the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Head Start program. For four years, he coordinated volunteers to recover whales and dolphins stranded along the Texas coast. Although he loved these programs, his first love was tortoises, and he continues to strive for their conservation.

 

In 1994, Terry migrated westward to run the Smithsonian Institution’s Desert Tortoise Nutrition program. Over the next 11 years, Terry conducted nutritional research on desert tortoises in Nevada, California, Utah and Arizona. He said he never planned on being a botanist but studying a desert herbivore quickly changed his mind. After a brief stint running a turtle and tortoise conservation center in California, Terry came to GBI as a Research Associate helping to run the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center and coordinating the USFWS Desert Tortoise Line Distance Sampling project. In fall 2008, he stepped into the role of Associate Director, overseeing GBI operations in southern NV. He brought his knowledge of the southwest and strong relationships with project partners in the south to GBI. He continues to run the desert tortoise monitoring program, refusing to give up that which brought him to the west. While in Nevada, he fell in love with his future wife (not only the desert), had three kids, and has made southern Nevada his home.

Dr. Lynn Zimmerman is the Director of Research at GBI and specializes in physiological ecology and conservation biology, particularly including habitat requirements, environmental resources, and ecophysiological consequences of environmental modifications. Her formative years were spent observing local habitats from tree height and roaming the fields and forests of western New York, wanderings that eventually led to the Mojave Desert and studies of the thermal and nutritional ecology of herbivorous reptiles for a Ph.D. in Biology. Lynn’s first experience with hypothermia was on the summit of Long’s Peak in the Colorado Rockies, and brushes with hyperthermia have accompanied reptile sampling in the deserts of southern California and Nevada. She enjoys testing her thermal tolerance limits while backpacking, hiking, snow shoeing, running and biking. Lynn has an abiding fondness and respect for animals, and is happiest when among them in their natural habitats. Dr. Zimmerman taught and conducted research on animal physiological ecology for 25 years before joining GBI in 2007. In the Research Associate program, Lynn is principally involved in oversight and implementation of projects involving wildlife monitoring and habitat assessment. She has served as Principle Investigator on a rangeland studies related to fire disturbance in the Great Basin and the Desert Southwest that improves understanding of adaptive management practices. She has been involved with AIM since its inception at GBI in 2011 to support aspects including design, training, data management, and reporting.

Kelly Barrett joined GBI in 2023, bringing with her over 10 years of experience in the nonprofit and environmental programming sector.

 

Prior to joining GBI, Kelly served as the Division Director with American Conservation Experience, collaborating with partners such as BLM, USFS, USBR, and state/nonprofit organizations to manage and support programming for the individual placement program, as well as the Assessment, Inventory and Monitoring (AIM) Program and the Direct Hire Authority (DHA) Program. Kelly also served in the AmeriCorps NCCC program, supporting crew-based projects in the north central and then the pacific regions. Additionally, she gained valuable experience as part of a conservation crew in Southeast Alaska. In 2021, she earned her Masters of Environmental Management (Integrative Public Land Management) from Western Colorado University, combining her professional and educational backgrounds. Most recently, her academic pursuits drove her to broaden her professional experience, focusing on sustainability and clean air initiatives while serving as a co-Director/Sr. Manager for Utah Clean Cities, where she actively contributed to adaptive management and resiliency building throughout Utah and the Intermountain West.

 

Outside the office, Kelly can be found hiking and exploring our public lands with her husband, dogs, and their trusty Jeep.

Ahmad comes from our neighboring state of California with life experiences across the state, from San Diego to San Francisco. He earned a degree in Accounting and Finance from California State University at East Bay in 2000. He has extensive experience managing funds for midsize companies and offers GBI a unique perspective in assessing fiscal strategies and optimizing accounting operations. Ahmad enjoys time with his two daughters, Ariel and Ava, while exploring the vast natural and cultural learning opportunities in our region. He is new to Reno, and eagerly pursues his passions for healthy living, active sports, and his love for the outdoors here in the Great Basin.

Zoe Greig grew up in the California foothills, often traveling throughout the Great Basin and enjoying its immense beauty. She moved to Reno in 2016 to study at UNR and graduated in May of 2020 with a BS in Finance. She worked a few corporate accounting jobs before landing at GBI, and she loves giving back to the area she’s loved her whole life. In her free time, she enjoys camping, kayaking, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Marc Oxoby was born and raised in Northern California. He labored extensively over books to acquire a PhD in English from the University of Nevada Reno, where he currently teaches in the Core Humanities Program. Marc provides analytical overview of programmatic scope while also supporting document deliverables. His hobbies include music, comics, craft beer, and rare film, and he (and he alone) considers himself a connoisseur of fine joke telling. Marc is happily married with three kids and a pile of dogs.

Antonio was born and mostly raised in Southern Nevada. He moved up north in 2007 when he began his studies at the University of Nevada, Reno and simultaneously joined the Wolf Pack Marching Band. Antonio received a B.S. in both International Business and Economics from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2011. Antonio has worked in the HR/Recruiting space for over a decade, supporting many industries; from Accounting and finance, DoD to gaming. When Antonio is not working as a recruiting professional, you can find him playing the tuba and classical piano, albeit not at the same time, we think!

Richard comes to GBI by way of Texas, completing his Bachelor’s from Texas State University, and his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2018.  Richard has worked extensively in the private sector supporting industry management, most recently with Verizon in the greater Reno area.  He is an avid traveler, having explored all 50 US states, 10 different countries, and has lived and explored in the Sierra foothills for the past 8 years. His combined passion for conservation and outdoor sports keeps him engaged in the organizational management at the Institute. When not working to support GBI administration, you can find Richard hiking, camping, or skiing with his spouse, Kristen, of 8 years.

Taylor Champion is an Alabama native that received her B.S. in Organismal Biology from Auburn University. Prior to moving to Nevada and starting with GBI in 2018, Taylor worked with injured birds of prey at the Southeastern Raptor Center and compiled ArcGIS projects and assisted with field data collection with The Westervelt Company. Taylor is currently residing in Reno, NV and assisting with GBI’s Ecological Monitoring Program. She has worked with this program since 2018 starting as a technician in Ely, NV and then moving into a Crew Lead position out of Price, UT. At this point in time, she works directly with BLM Project Partners to ensure that AIM data are collected up to standard and in a timely manner. In her spare time, Taylor enjoys camping, hiking, and paddle boarding.

Evann was born and raised in Northwest Indiana. She headed out east to attend the University of Vermont, graduating with a B.S. in Environmental Studies and a Minor in Geospatial Technologies. Passionate about enacting change at a local level, Evann worked for land trusts and river conservancies throughout college. After graduating, Evann was an outdoor guide in Wyoming before starting with GBI’s AIM program in 2021. In her free time, Evann enjoys climbing, backpacking, and exploring with her dog Watson.

Misty Brown is the Finance Manager for Great Basin Institute. She has worked in finance for over twenty years, and looks forward to bringing her skills to a company that values them. Misty and her son are very outdoorsy people and spend all our free time in nature. She is very excited to work close to a non-profit cause such as the Great Basin Institute with the focus being our natural environments and the animals within.

Cassandra Hughes was born and raised in Reno Nevada. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a Bachelor’s of Science in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation in 2015. Since graduating, she has worked for a few state agencies doing various kinds of seasonal field work. Her journey with GBI started in 2017 as a Nevada Conservation Corps restoration crew member, and shortly after that season ended, she continued with the Great Basin Institute in the Ecological Monitoring Program, one season as a technician and one season as a Crew Lead. After some time as the Recruitment Coordinator for the NCC she moved into her current position as one of the Ecological Monitoring Project Managers in 2021. In her free time, Cassandra enjoys hiking, camping, swimming, going on adventures and seeing new things, Latin dancing particularly salsa, and spending time with friends and family. She enjoys working for the Great Basin Institute because she believes the institute’s mission, enjoys the culture, and knows she is making a difference.

Tara graduated from Appalachian State University with a BS in Cell/Molecular Biology and Chemistry. Then after college she realized she did not want to be stuck in a lab all day and wanted to explore other options. She then proceeded to join the Peace Corps and served as high school science teacher in Tanzania, Africa. Finally, after yet another career move she landed in the conservation world. She served a 1700 hour AC term with Heart of Oregon Corps in Bend Oregon as a Land Stewardship Trainer. This encompassed her passions of mentorship and natural resources management. After her term was up she came on staff as program coordinator in order to support the next waves of AC members coming into the program. Which then brings her to this position as Forestry program coordinator with GBI where she is excited to continue to provide member support and help get proposed projects up and running. Outside of work, Tara loves anything that gets her outdoors and allows her to explore this beautiful new landscape such as trail running, snowboarding, hiking/backpacking, climbing, and reading a good book in a hammock.

Lauren is a Hoosier by birth and received her B.S. in Public Affairs from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University, Bloomington. She first came to Reno in 2018 as an AmeriCorps VISTA serving the Northern Nevada International Center’s Refugee Resettlement program and joined the staff at the International Center to lead international exchange programs, including the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. She fell in love with the Sierras and is excited to use her program management skills to further GBI’s work in the area. Lauren enjoys spending her free time outdoors with her friends, especially bouldering, skiing, soaking in hot springs, and swimming in cold alpine lakes.

Vince LaPlante is an established trail builder having constructed some of the most complex multi-use trail systems in the intermountain west. Before joining GBI in 2013, he worked over two decades with the U.S. Forest Service and four years with the National Park Service, inventorying, designing, and constructing some of the most scenic trails in the Western United States. As Trails Coordinator for the Nevada Conservation Corps he finds satisfaction in teaching the next generation of trail builders how to construct recreational trails in a sustainable and durable manner. When not at work, you can find Vince enjoying the remote backcountry of the Sierra Nevadas.

Bri is a Las Vegas native who grew up outside, basically, hiking, camping, mudding, and fishing. Originally on a completely different career path, Bri ran away and joined NCC as a crew member in 2017, and realized that all she cared about was how humans are impacting the environment. Bri went through the Leadership Development Program (LDP) and became a crew leader in 2018, falling in love with trail work, especially tread construction and dry masonry. Bri became a Project Manager in 2020, helping with more logistically complex projects, became more involved with project development and running LDP, and is now heading up Southern Ops as of January 2022. Bri’s favorite tool is a Cobra Combi (gas powered jackhammer) and/or pulaski. When not moving rocks you can find her moving rocks. Or shredding the gnar gnar on her bike. Or dirtbagging it in some other type of way.

Levi grew up in New York State but fell in love with the Western US after his first conservation corps in Nevada. Despite working for local government, private organizations, and academic institutions, Levi has always been pulled back in by the conservation field. He obtained a Bachelor’s of Arts in Environmental Planning with an Economics Minor, as well as a Master’s in Public Administration, both from Binghamton University. In his free time you can find him hiking mountains or playing funk music.

Kaitlin Webb is the Program Manager for the Research Associate Program at the Great Basin Institute. With a background in both experiential education and biological research, she’s excited to be a new part of the GBI team going into 2023. Kaitlin earned her undergraduate degree in biology at Colorado Mesa University, where she also worked for their Outdoor Program planning and leading adventures and promoting environmental literacy. Kaitlin then coordinated professional development and training for Fulbright and State Department grant programming through Montana State University for several years, with an emphasis on leadership and civic engagement. There, she focused on the development, implementation, evaluation and reporting of programs. From her background in biology, Kaitlin has also worked in the field on a variety of projects including; ecological research in Ecuador’s cloud forest, ecological monitoring in Yellowstone National Park, supporting a Hawaiian lowland restoration project, and arboreal research in Oregon. She is most excited when working with others on their goals and passions, especially in the field of outdoor science where her career began. Like many of her colleagues, when she isn’t at the office you can find her exploring the outdoors. Kaitlin likes trail running, climbing and snowboarding, and values slowing down to enjoy hobbies like watercolor painting and attempting new cooking recipes.

Kaelyn holds a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation with a minor in Rangeland Management (2020) from the University of Nevada, Reno. Kaelyn started her career with GBI back in 2018 when she served with NCC, following with a Research Associate position in 2020 as a Bat Monitoring Technician. Born and raised in Las Vegas, Kaelyn moved up to Reno in 2013. Since then, she has explored the many joys of being outside and growing her family. She enjoys hanging out with her husband and watching their baby grow crazy fast, as well going on hikes, backpacking trips, and spending time with their friends and family.

In 2010, Erin earned a B.A. in journalism from Penn State University. After graduating, she decided to explore and moved to Mexico, where she lived for a year teaching English. Erin then began a career in adventure travel, working as a North and Central American tour guide for eight seasons. During that time, she was also a freelance writer, English teacher and wildlife educator, and chose Reno as her homebase in 2015. In 2019 she moved to New Jersey to oversee the east coast operations for a destination management company. Two years later, she returned to Reno-Tahoe and worked for the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center and Tallac Historic Site in South Lake Tahoe. In 2022, she joined GBI as visitor services administrator of those sites. Erin also completed her M.S. in park and resource management in 2022, and is hopefully done moving back and forth across the country.

Gabriel, originally from the Pacific Northwest, fell in love with Nevada in 2008, when she moved to Boulder City, NV. After graduating from Southern Oregon University, her outdoor career started as an Oregon State Park Ranger and grew when she became a seasonal National Park Ranger at Lake Mead NRA. In 2013, she worked with a nonprofit organization – partnering with the National Park Service – as an Operations Manager, overseeing retail and visitor center operations in 10 National Parks, covering California and Nevada. Then, she worked with Clark County Wetlands Park, in Las Vegas, to open a Nature Center with a retail store.

 

Joining GBI in 2021 as the Visitor Center Administrator, completes the circle; she worked with GBI in 2013 as a Research Associate and looks forward to helping GBI expand their outreach. Gabriel, her husband, and their dog enjoy exploring nature and enjoy cheering on their favorite team, the Las Vegas Raiders.

Kate Walker, a graduate of the University of Nevada Reno, started her career in the Great Basin and Sierras with the Forest Service in 2001. Her experience working with multiple land management agencies over her career ranges from writing environmental planning documents, to surveying for and managing rare and invasive plant populations in support of projects such as forest health, hazardous fuels reduction, and developed recreation. She has experience collaborating with interagency teams on ecological restoration projects, and writing rapid habitat assessment protocols for state-wide management planning. Kate is excited to be working with the Great Basin Institute in supporting their mission to protect the natural and cultural resources essential to sustaining our health and quality of life.

Elijah is a Reno native, graduating in 2019 from the University of Nevada, Reno with a bachelor’s in Ecohydrology. They began their career with GBI shortly afterwards as a Nevada Conservation Corps crew member. In the years since, they’ve held a variety of positions with GBI, from replanting native species throughout the Mojave, to serving on the Off Highway Vehicles Mapping Collaborative, to assisting with logistics for the Northern Nevada office. They took on the role of AmeriCorps Compliance Coordinator in 2022.

Brittany was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. She graduated from the University of San Diego with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and a minor in Business Admin. After graduating Brittany travelled the country and ventured abroad, working seasonal jobs and backpacking new countries. For three years Brittany worked as a Wildland Firefighter out of the Willamette National Forest, in Oregon, as well as the Browns Park Wildlife Refuge, in Western Colorado. She most recently spent time working as an EMT in Orange County, CA, prior to joining GBI as an Ecological Monitoring Crew Lead for our USGS Desert Tortoise Habitat Quality crew. Brittany is passionate about conservation and is endlessly intrigued by Nevada’s wildlife. In her free time, you can find Brittany hiking, camping, fishing, and exploring off-road trails with her partner David and her fuzzy fruit bat (dog) Ember.

James is a lifelong Las Vegas resident and native Nevadan. James grew up in North Las Vegas and attended Rancho High School. James attended UNLV, studying Business Management and Anthropology. James worked as a Retail Purchasing Buyer after college for a local furniture store and then eventually worked as a Museum Curator for many years before coming to GBI.

Karen Supak is the Cultural Resource Program Manager at GBI. Raised in southern Mississippi, Karen completed her A.A. in Cultural Anthropology with Departmental Honors in Archaeology at Merced College before transferring to the University of California, Berkeley, to complete her B.A. in Anthropology. Her field school was completed through Harvard University and the National Museums of Kenya at Koobi Fora, on the shores of Lake Turkana. While in college, Karen developed a strong interest in archaeology, which she pursued professionally immediately following graduation.

 

Over the course of the next 30 years, Karen has participated in all aspects of cultural resource management in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and Basin and Range regions of the United States. She has participated extensively in all aspects of archaeological fieldwork from project planning to agency reporting in academic, museum, government, and private corporate settings. Karen has developed skills in prehistoric and historic archaeology, including critical issues analysis, site survey, NRHP evaluation and mitigation, human and faunal osteological recovery and analysis, archaeobotanical recovery and analysis, and analysis of site taphonomy. She has also successfully completed training in archaeological damage assessment analysis, reporting, and testimony. Her experience in human osteological analysis has led to her participation in NAGPRA projects at several academic institutions and federal agencies. In addition to her specific project efforts, Karen served as a member of both the Committee on Ethics (2011-2015) and the Public Education Committee (2013 -2015) for the Society for American Archaeology (SAA), and has presented research results at state, regional, and national levels. She is also active in local and statewide volunteer activities that focus on public education and awareness of archaeological and other cultural resources.

 

When she isn’t at work, Karen can be found spending time outdoors as often as possible, hiking, taking photographs, and spending time with her grown children and new grandson in the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains as often as she can.

Tyler Allen graduated from West Virginia State University receiving a BA degree in History with a focus on Industrial History in the Appalachian Region. He then received his Masters of Science for Industrial Archaeology from Michigan Technological University. There he studied and wrote his thesis on logging camps and mining operations. Additionally, Tyler has continued his education at West Virginia University to receive a GIS certificate given his interest in remote sensing, GIS applications, and spatial science. Since graduate school, Tyler has worked as a Park Service Historian with the Historical American Engineering Report (HAER), but has spent most of his professional career working for the Forest Service as an Archaeologist.  Tyler started his Forest Service career working on the Daniel Boone National Forest and then went out west to the Lassen National Forest. Most recently, he was the Assistant District Archaeologist out of Eagle Lake. Additionally, he has worked extensively as a Fire Archaeologist and Resource Advisor throughout Northern California. Outside of work Tyler enjoys spending time outdoors with his partner Megan, mushroom hunting, hiking, and traveling.

John was raised on a 630 acre cattle ranch outside Yosemite, and has spent most of his life living and working on the foothills of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. He attended Arizona State University, studying biochemistry, and subsequently worked with the Greater Valley Conservation Corps based out Sonora, CA, supporting fuels reduction and forest stewardship projects. During the off season, John spent four winters working at Bear Valley, Dodge Ridge, and Boreal mountain resorts on ski patrol. Last year John fought fire while serving with Bald Mountain Helitack on the Stanislaus NF. On his off days, John enjoys backcountry skiing, backpacking, and X country motocross. With such rich local outdoor experience, John brings genuine enthusiasm and commitment to improving forest resilience in the central Sierra.

Joining GBI in May 2021, Mark supports GBI NEPA project coordination across Region 5 of the US Forest Service. Mark has over 33 years of experience providing environmental consulting, documentation, and training to geotechnical, civil engineering, and archaeological firms in both the public and private sectors. Since 1987, Mark has conducted numerous environmental compliance projects in the areas of exploration, drilling, mine development, water exploration, and preconstruction and construction of infrastructure for clients throughout the western United States. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Kent State University, a Master in Education from Vanderbilt University, and separate Master of Science degrees in Environmental & Natural Resource Science and Land Use Planning from the University of Nevada, Reno, where he is now a member of the adjunct faculty. At the university, Mark teaches Environmental Policy and Law creating an upper-division course on NEPA that he has been teaching since 2006.

Emily holds a Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning with a minor in both Sociology and Sustainable Systems from Utah State University. She started her career in conservation working as a trail crew member with the Nevada Conservation Corps. After graduation she worked as a Landscape Designer in Salt Lake City, Utah but eventually found her way back to GBI working as a Research Associate Program Coordinator for their Northern Region. Outside of work she enjoys being active, spending time outdoors, and exploring new hobbies. She is passionate about protecting and studying landscapes in the West and is excited about the opportunity to help others advance their careers in the field of environmental conservation.

Libby Wilson joined GBI in early 2023. She was born and raised in Northern California, making the move to Northern Nevada in 2002. Her journey into the world of conservation began over a decade ago at an energy conservation organization, delivering innovative energy management resources for clients throughout the nation. In her role as Director of Program Services she established a dynamic history in professional development, strategic implementation, improving technical user experience, and company collaboration. Her hands-on approach in leading the programs support and implementation teams allowed for the promotion and administration of educational programs in energy and water efficiency to schools and households throughout the county.

In the workplace, Libby uses her positive attitude and energy to encourage others to work tirelessly towards their success knowing, from her own experiences, that it always seems impossible until it’s done. When she has free time, she likes to read, travel, and spend her time outdoors with her husband, daughter and quirky fur-baby Apollo who will skillfully take you on a guilt trip until his next outing.

Jenn joined GBI in January 2023 after a decade of managing recruitment in the tech and start-up field. She grew up in a military family, spending almost all of her childhood living overseas. She attended California State University – Sacramento, where she majored in History and was an athlete on their All-Girl Cheer Team. At home she enjoys spending time with her husband, 2 young boys, and 2 male yellow labs. In her free time, she loves swimming, camping, and watching horrible reality TV.

Preston Alden has worked on wildlife research and conservation projects for over 15 years. He has also served as Program Director at Gateway Mountain Center, a nonprofit that integrates the natural sciences with outdoor adventure experiences. Preston earned a M.S. in Ecology from U.C. Davis in 2017 and his B.S. in Ecology and Wildlife at Western State Colorado University in 2009. In the intervening years between his degrees he worked on, and managed, a number of remote wildlife research projects including Channel Island Fox biology with CSU Fort Collins and Humboldt State University, as well as the Sierra Nevada Red Fox project with UC Davis and the CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife. Preston brings both his technical expertise and passion for public lands conservation to his work with the Basin and Range Forestry and NEPA Services Programs at the Great Basin Institute. He is currently focused on post-fire restoration projects throughout the Sierra Nevada with a particular interest in Pacific Fisher and Sierra Nevada Red Fox.

When Preston is not working he can be found exploring the mountains climbing, splitboarding, and backpacking with his girlfriend and dog. He also continues to read widely on natural sciences topics.

Growing up in Nevada, Allie has always loved the desert landscape and exploring wild places. After earning a B.S. in Environmental Science, she started with GBI in 2018 as an Ecological Monitoring Tech and continued in 2019 as a Lead. In 2020, Allie moved into her current position as the Ecological Monitoring Program Manager in partnership with Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW). Outside of botanizing at work, Allie can be found growing, cooking, and eating plants.

Shannon Murphy grew up on the coast of North Carolina. Her journey with the Great Basin Institute started in 2020 as an Ecological Monitoring Technician in the Richfield, UT field office. During the winter season, she worked in Oregon doing Salmon habitat restoration, invasive plant removal, and bare root planting of native species. She returned to GBI for two following seasons as a Crew Lead implementing AIM protocols. She gained experience working in an office setting in her time as a Recruitment Coordinator during winter of 2022 and moved into her current role as an Ecological Monitoring Project Manager in January of 2023. Shannon is excited for the growth opportunities this position will offer her.

Shikha Acharya is originally from Nepal. She received her master’s degree in Natural Resources Conservation from the University of Missouri and has a B.S. in Forestry from Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal. She has four years of professional experience working within the non-profit conservation sector both in Nepal and the United States with a focus on research, program management, GIS mapping, and community engagement for the conservation of endangered species. She brings these experiences to her role as a Forestry Stewardship Coordinator with the GBI. Outside of work, she loves reading books, yoga, photography, exploring vegan foods, and traveling.

After working as a teacher for several years and serving in the Peace Corps in the Kingdom of Tonga, Jason Schlafmann returned to school to earn a B.S. in Forest Resources from the University of Idaho. He spent four years working in the Black Hills of South Dakota before returning west to the Sierra Nevadas. For the past two years he has split time between Sequoia National Forest and Lake Atitlan in the Guatemalan highlands with his wife and two children. In his spare time, Jason enjoys hiking, backpacking, camping and mountain biking.

Jane Ponomarev was born in Russia but mostly raised in San Antonio, TX. She went to Texas State University where she graduated in 2018 with a B.S in Physical Geography, a minor in International Studies, a GIS certification. Her conservation journey began when she interned at a conservation sanctuary called Westcave Preserve.

 

From there, she found herself working a season as a Range Tech with AmeriCorps/GBI in Nevada. She fell in love with the mountains and forests of Nevada and California, so she decided to return the next year as a Forestry Tech in Tahoe NF with ACE. From there she worked another season in Eldorado NF as a TSI Crew Lead. She also spent 2 years working as a contractor for utility companies where she addressed their various forestry needs and conducted quality audits on other contractors. Currently, her home is Grass Valley, CA, where she spends most of her time recreating, reading in her favorite coffee shops and spending time with her partner and her cat Willow.

Amy Jirka grew up in Angels Camp, CA, a small town in the Central Sierra Nevadas. She spent most of her summers camping and hiking in National Parks with her family all over the US, developing a love for the great outdoors. She graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a degree in Forestry and Natural Resources Management. Her research in Sudden Oak Death and Pine Pitch Canker at the University shaped her passion for forest health, fire science, and ecology. After spending a few years conducting research at Cal Poly, she switched gears and moved to the Pacific Northwest, where she worked for the University of Washington and USFS Fire and Environmental Research Applications (FERA) fire lab collecting data for the development of Fuels Pile Calculator, Photo Series, and the Tripod Fire Fuels Treatment Effectiveness Monitoring study.

 

After the Angora Fire in 2007, Amy and her husband moved to Lake Tahoe. She spent four years leading the R5 Fuels Treatment Effectiveness Monitoring team and two years conducting R5 Aerial Detection Surveys. In 2018, she joined GBI as the Forest Stewardship Coordinator for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, by implementing mechanical fuels reduction projects to protect the land and surrounding communities from catastrophic wildland fires. In 2020, Amy and her husband welcomed a daughter, Piper, who is an amazing and curious mountain girl taking after her parents’ love for the great outdoors!