WSP Mentors
WSP Staff
Zia Schatz
Mentor since 2014
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
Corpsmembers who are clarifying their personal and professional life path bring a passion to the workplace that is refreshing and regenerating each new term. Team Leaders are in a unique role, supporting Corpsmembers in the field and taking the time to help each one connect to the overarching WSP mission. Watching Team Leaders engage with students and the public through outreach events, classroom lessons, and field trips is very rewarding. Their diligence and bravery in approaching teaching are amazing to witness.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
WSP is a special program of the California Conservation Corps and AmeriCorps which is a uniquely run organization with plenty of opportunity for collaboration with staff and professional development. Watching Team Leaders grow in this unique environment gives me endless appreciation for their service and heart. Team Leaders contribute diverse and fresh perspectives on program goals, as well as provide a model of willingness and positive action for our environment.
Program Manager
Jason Lopiccolo
Mentor since 2021
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I’ve had the tremendous fortune to mentor young professionals in the Natural Resources field both as an educator and teaching college lab courses in the biological sciences. Now I oversee WSP as the Program Coordinator for Region I and Mentor to the two WSP Eureka Team Leaders. The most rewarding part of this is helping mentees find out what they’re passionate about and connecting them to the resources they need to realize their professional goals in a meaningful and fulfilling way.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
As a professional development program for Corpsmembers are at the “core” of what we do. WSP staff can offer a wide breadth of organizational and institutional support for Corpsmembers, but they’re the ones who are out there doing the important, boots-on-the-ground work that makes WSP such a success. The Team Leaders placed at WSP offices act as important liaisons for WSP staff and other Corpsmembers and help to make WSP run smoothly.
Region 1 Program Coordinator
Jody Weseman
Mentor since 2011
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I enjoy helping young leaders develop their professional voices and increase their capacity as resourceful community activists. I have the honor to work with driven, passionate, and articulate individuals who inspire me to grow further each year. I embrace my opportunity to provide WSP Corpsmembers with a platform to educate Californians about our fragile ecosystems and provide meaningful outlets to truly address climate change.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
As a WSP staff member/Mentor since 2011, I can say with certainty that WSP Corpsmembers drive WSP, and Team Leaders assist staff in steering! It is reinvigorating to onboard new Corpsmembers each year and feed off the optimistic/motivated energy of our younger generations. Together we create a wonderful community of environmental stewards.
Region 2 Program Coordinator
Madeleine Roberts
What do you find most rewarding about being a WSP staff?
It’s an incredibly impactful program for both Corpsmembers and the communities we engage with. There is a diverse array of opportunities to choose from, catering to the unique interests and needs of young adults from all backgrounds. As part of the team, I take pride in contributing to this larger mission by supporting the various programs and opportunities available to our Corpsmembers. While my role may not involve direct mentoring, I get to witness the positive outcomes of our collective efforts. Knowing that our work contributes to a more vibrant and resilient California that enhances the quality of life for surrounding communities, is truly gratifying!
Office Manager
Alison Carr
Materials Manager for the Watershed Stewards Program
What do you find most rewarding about being a WSP staff?
As the Materials Manager for WSP, it feels tremendously rewarding to support our Corpsmembers as they serve in their local communities and emerge into environmental professionals. When I first started with WSP, I was most excited about being able to contribute to the restoration of our local watersheds and fisheries. However, the more I interact with the Corpsmembers, Team Leaders, Mentors, and other environmental professionals, it has become even more rewarding getting to know each individual and building a sense of community with like-minded people. At the end of the day, I know that our program is having a positive impact that lasts decades.
Alison Carr
Materials Manager
WSP Mentors
Region 1
Josh Cahill (he/him/his)
WSP mentor since 2022
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resources professionals?
While it is rewarding to see the excitement and astonishment on new Corpsmembers’ faces when taking them into seldom-trodden work sites, the most fulfilling aspect of being a Mentor is exposing enthusiastic, budding professionals to the cultural significance and community impact of natural resource management. It is also gratifying to share my knowledge and experience with someone building their career path.
Share a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
Having WSP has allowed us to split into more crews and complete more fieldwork. Training new WSP corpsmembers has also reinforced Yurok Environmental staff in our individual areas of professional expertise.
Yurok Tribe Environmental Department
Maddie Urquhart (she/her)
Water Program Coordinator
Mentor since 2026
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resources professionals?
It’s incredible to have the opportunity to be learning alongside Corpsmembers and welcome their new perspectives. Providing the opportunity to work in a community-based and culturally significant placement site will deem equally as fulfilling.
Share a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
With the addition of WSP Corpsmembers to our team, our field crew has significantly increased its bandwidth and capacity to stay on track with our demanding field schedule. We’re able to split into multiple crews and tackle more projects in a given week. Our staff has been able to increase our own areas of professional expertise through training Corpsmembers on various duties, tasks, and projects.
Maddie Urquhart
Yurok Tribe Environmental Department
Colin Anderson
Environmental Scientist
WSP Alumnus, Years 3 & 4
Mentor since 2015 (Working with Corpsmembers since 2000)
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
Seeing the growth in Corpsmembers is very rewarding. They come in wide-eyed and open to experience, then learn about working with fish and working as a team. We have a really amazing team here – really they are all Mentors.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
Having Corpsmembers at our site helps us stay fresh – by training someone who has never done this work before, Corpsmembers bring something new to the team and help us keep it real. I am constantly learning from them, and they help keep it exciting and fun. They also help remind us of our connection to the community, through the Watershed Awareness Volunteer Event. Without WSP, sometimes that connection gets lost, because we are so focused on the work we are doing here.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Arcata
John Deibner-Hanson
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resources professionals?
It is very difficult to choose just one thing. The most rewarding components of mentorship inevitably come down to a tie between contributing to ecological serial reciprocities by taking what my mentors (WSP and otherwise) of the past gave me, molding and adapting it into something new and useful, passing it on to new members, and watching them take it, change it and keep pushing forward—and all of the leftover ice cream after WAVE events.
Share a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
Without Watershed Stewards gracing us with their efforts each year, I’m afraid we—as an office, an agency, and as fellow stewards of our watersheds—would become what I fear most: Slowly aging humans growing further out of touch with the generations that will inevitably fill our shoes, and thus, with the best paths towards recoveries of many marvelous fish species. WSP Corpsmembers add an indispensable fresh and youthful perspective to our work as fish biologists and ecologists.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Arcata
Seth Ricker
Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist)
Site Supervisor since 2000
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
The best, most satisfying Corpsmembers are the ones who make the most growth during their time with us. They come in unprepared – for the job, the responsibilities – and they come out the other end being prepared for the real world. Our Site has a pretty good record – most of our Members have stayed in the industry.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
I appreciate WSP for a totally pragmatic reason: WSP Corpsmembers vastly increase the capacity for us to do the science we do here and look at it with fresh eyes.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Arcata
Zane Ruddy
Fish Biologist
Mentor since 2015
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I enjoy helping them build the bridge towards a long-term career, and helping them build skills that will make them successful.
What is a significant impact that WSP Members have had on your organization?
We are an office of individual specialists – we don’t have a “crew”. By having a WSP Member, it is an automatic way for us to double the effort we are putting toward a project. All of a sudden, twice as much can get done!
Bureau of Land Management, Arcata
Sam Flanagan
Geologist
Mentor since 2015
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
Sharing time with people who are enthusiastic, motivated, and open to bring new ideas and fresh perspectives.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
Members improve the quality of work the Site does and are a positive presence.
Bureau of Land Management, Arcata
Gabe Rossi
Research Scientist
Mentor since 2026
Gabe Rossi
California Trout
Robe George (he/him)
Project Manager
Mentor since 2026
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals? What I find most rewarding is the opportunity to pass down knowledge to a new generation and provide support to someone who is early in their career.
What is a significant impact that WSP Members have had on your organization?
Even though this is CalTrout’s first year hosting Corpsmembers, we have worked with WSP members through our project partners. Corpsmembers have helped us with estuary monitoring at our project sites, which always need more hands. In addition, Corpsmembers have been vital in our volunteer events through the WAVE program, which puts on a fantastic volunteer event that brings the community together for a great cause.
Rob George
California Trout
Matthew Metheny
Senior North Coast Project Manager
Mentor since 2026
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I enjoy sharing my knowledge and skills. I remember and appreciate the people who mentored me, and I want to continue the cycle!
What is a significant impact that WSP Members have had on your organization?
Although we haven’t yet supervised our own WSP folks, we’ve worked with numerous WSP Corpsmembers through partner organizations and collaborative projects, and many professionals that we work closely with today started off in the WSP program.
Matthew Metheny
California Trout
James Ray
Senior Environmental Science Specialist
Mentor since 2025
James Ray
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Eureka
Rachael Aguirre (she/they)
Fish Habitat Assistant
Mentor since 2025
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
One of the things I find most rewarding about being a Mentor is being able to witness firsthand the passion and curiosity that the WSP Corpsmembers bring with them every day. This program allows folks from all sorts of backgrounds and experiences to work together to achieve our shared goals and values: restoring our local watersheds and fish populations. It is always a joy to see young adults pushing themselves to grow physically and mentally all for the sake of the selfless journey towards restoration.
What is a significant impact that WSP Members have had on your organization?
WSP Corpsmembers have such a huge impact on not only our restoration work, but also on the lives of the Corpsmembers within the traditional CCC program. They serve as an inspiration and an example of one of the many professional pathways the CCC can lead you down. WSP Corpsmembers also bring their unique perspectives to our work, providing us with fresh ideas, unique innovations, and their specific knowledge of the world of natural resources. A healthy variety of perspectives is needed to build a strong and cohesive team, and we certainly couldn’t achieve that without the presence of our Corpsmembers!
Rachael Aguirre
Eel River Watershed Improvement Group, and California Conservation Corps (ECC)
Wren Kaiser (They/Them)
Project Manager
WSP Alumni
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
It’s great to see their enthusiasm for the work they do, professional development, and positive influence on other Corpsmembers.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
Significant support to salmon restoration project implementation including technical proficiency and ecological/natural resource knowledge that enhances crews’ experiences.
Eel River Watershed Improvement Group, and California Conservation Corps (ECC)
Isaac Mikus
Executive Director of the Eel River Watershed Improvement Group
WSP Mentor since 2017
WSP Alumni Year 11 and 12
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I feel I have a wonderful opportunity to impart the knowledge that I have accumulated over the last two decades about watershed restoration to an incredible, emerging, young workforce of natural resource professionals. Watching them get excited about restoration invigorates my passion for my job.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
The WSP Corpsmembers who have worked with us have enhanced our restoration impact in enumerable ways. Their overall knowledge and ability to quickly learn technical skills, associated with conducting the groundwork for multiple projects, is priceless in allowing us to complete bigger and better restoration projects. WSP Corpsmembers have also planned and executed our “Creek Days” annual event, which inspires future generations with the love of the natural environment and the science of watershed ecology. We couldn’t do it without them.
Eel River Watershed Improvement Group, and California Conservation Corps (ECC)
Brian Starks (He/Him)
Fish Habitat Specialist
WSP Alumni
Mentor since 2017
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
The injection of fresh enthusiasm that new Corpsmembers bring every year is invigorating and keeps me on my game. Getting to answer questions about what we do and why we do it always keeps me thinking and helps me learn more about the techniques we use in fisheries restoration. The best ways to learn are to do and to teach, and everyone gets to do both with WSP Corpsmembers at our site!
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
At the Fortuna CCC, we get the pleasure of having our WSP Corpsmembers put on the Creek Days Environmental Education Fair, which would certainly not happen without WSP. This is a great outreach event that reaches hundreds of elementary school students. The CCC doesn’t often get to educate people at such a young age, so to have that opportunity bodes well for the future of conservation. It is also wonderful to have the Corpsmembers working around traditional CCC Corpsmembers. The presence of WSP raises a great deal of interest in the program and gives our CCC Corpsmembers another very tangible career path to aspire to.
Eel River Watershed Improvement Group, and California Conservation Corps (ECC)
David Kajtaniak
Environmental Scientist
WSP Alumni
Mentor since 2009
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I certainly enjoy their excitement and enthusiasm for their field of interest. I also enjoy being able to share and pass along my knowledge and skill set to help further advance their careers.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
Our WSP Corpsmembers have greatly helped spread a positive message and image of our Department to members of the public and other resource agencies and non-profits. Through our field surveys, they also provide a significant portion of the data sets that go into the monitoring and research for our programs.
Department of Fish and Wildlife, Coastal Watershed Planning and Assessment Program
Darren Ward
Professor of Fisheries Biology
Mentor since 2026
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I love to see all the amazing things that people go on to do with their careers.
What is a significant impact that WSP Members have had on your organization?
Cal Poly Humboldt has not hosted WSP in recent years, but Corpsmembers from other local organizations have always been willing to pitch in on projects that we are working on. Seeing the contributions of these Corpsmembers is why we decided to apply as a host site.
Darren Ward
Cal Poly Humboldt Fisheries
Kate Stonecypher (she//her)
Senior Fisheries Research Assistant
Mentor since 2026
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I enjoy watching them continue growing in their careers using skills they were able to develop while working with us.
What is a significant impact that WSP Members have had on your organization?
WSP members tend to come from diverse backgrounds and bring fresh perspectives, as well as having a high level of enthusiasm for doing the work. WSPs help connect the community to the landscape through their outreach activities, which can be especially important in small rural communities.
Katherine Stonecypher
Cal Poly Humboldt Fisheries
Michael Reichmuth
Fishery Biologist
Site Supervisor since 2012 (Working with AmeriCorps Members since 2006)
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I enjoy providing a unique learning experience for young professionals. The biggest challenge for young professionals entering into the field of fisheries management is acquiring relevant field experience. Through this experience, WSP Corpsmembers also learn if they truly have the passion to dedicate their career to natural resource management. However, the biggest reward is seeing previous Corpsmembers become successful managers of their own program and knowing that you helped them to get where they are today.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
WSP Corpsmembers have increased the capacity of our program to both collect data on critically endangered Coho salmon and expand the message to the surrounding community.
Point Reyes National Seashore
Brently McNeill
PRNSA Fisheries Crew Leader
Mentor since 2017
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
One of the most rewarding aspects of working with WSP Members is the challenge it provides, the challenge of becoming a better Mentor, colleague, and steward. I hope the Corpsmembers are challenged in a similar way. It’s also rewarding to see our Corpsmembers grow into their positions and become more comfortable and confident as the year progresses. Working alongside Corpsmembers who share an appreciation and respect for the natural world leaves me feeling optimistic about the future of resource conservation.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
WSP Corpsmembers are always eager to jump in head first, sometimes literally. Their energy and passion really helped our team hit the ground running and sets a tone for the entire season. Without the Corpsmembers, we could not meet certain monitoring objectives, and the resulting data gaps would limit our ability to assess coho and steelhead populations in Marin County. WSP Corpsmembers also help foster a healthy relationship between the Seashore and local communities through outreach efforts. In addition to WOW! and Watershed Awareness Volunteer Events, Corpsmembers manage Stream Team which provides volunteers another opportunity to improve fish habitat through streamside restoration. Needless to say, our program’s scope of work has increased significantly thanks to WSP Corpsmembers.
Point Reyes National Seashore
Eric Ettlinger
Aquatic Ecologist
Mentor since 2010
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
The most rewarding part of being a Mentor is exchanging knowledge with bright, dedicated conservationists. I get to share my experiences in salmon conservation, and they share the latest science that interests them, what’s new in undergraduate and graduate education, the job and housing market situation, etc. Corpsmembers also bring fresh perspectives and insights into my work, which I’m extremely grateful for.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
WSP Corpsmembers continuously inject their optimism, perceptions, and energy into our work. Without their contributions, we could run the risk of becoming complacent and set in our ways. Simply by being asked insightful questions, I’m often prompted to examine my assumptions, which can lead to improved ways of doing this work.
Marin Municipal Water District Fisheries Program
Suzanne Whelan
Ecologist; Watershed Volunteer Coordinator
Mentor since 2010
Since 2009 Suzanne has been working on Mt Tamalpais as the Watershed Volunteer Coordinator for Marin Water. Outdoor volunteer programs are so valuable now more than ever, offering experiences for folks where they can perhaps get dirty, smell the earth, uncover unexpected organisms, flex their muscles while moving under the sun or the rain, and reconsider their connection to place and to each other. She finds joy in mentoring emerging environmental professionals and supporting their priorities for a better world. Exposing youth to nature- and science-based jobs empowers them with critical thinking, observation, and leadership skills! We humans must accept responsibility for the societal and environmental systems that we are a part of. The environment is not “out there” – it is here, wherever you are – be it the top of Tam or in the parking lot at Safeway. All elements are intertwined. Each of us has a role to play in solving the environmental crises. We must dream big, demand big, and help each other do our part every day even if the individual action seems small.
Marin Municipal Water District Fisheries Program
Jonathan Koehler
Fishery Program Manager
Mentor since 2020
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I really enjoy helping young professionals develop their understanding of science, conservation, and our relationships with the natural world. It gives me hope for the future to see the next generation of environmental professionals eager to embark on this career path and hopefully make the world a better place.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
The Watershed Stewards Program has been an essential part of Marin Water’s monitoring, education, and stewardship efforts for more than a decade. WSP Corpsmembers help us collect high-quality fish population data, engage the public in conservation and restoration efforts, conduct hands-on habitat restoration, and assist with data analysis and reporting.
Marin Municipal Water District Fisheries Program
Braden Herman
Southern Humboldt and Mendocino Counties District Watershed Biologist
Mentor since 2024
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals? I find the opportunity to mentor and support the next generation of natural resource professionals to be extremely rewarding and fulfilling. For me, WSP Corpsmembers and their minds are the future. Despite the future seeming dark and gloomy in the current global climate, I believe there is hope to be found in the future of our field, and that hope comes in seeing WSP Corpsmembers grow into young professionals with fresh new ideas and a lust for knowledge and conservation. I specifically enjoy watching the Corpsmembers at my site grow in their knowledge of fisheries techniques and of Eel River fishes. Few things bring more joy than seeing a person observe their first spawning pair of salmon in the SF Eel, excitement at catching a starry flounder in the estuary at Ocean Ranch, or the stoke from a novel observation of unique life histories during juvenile snorkel dives. The joy and excitement from young professionals in my field are a stark reminder of how important and impactful the work that we do is!
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
WSP and CDFW have had a long partnership working together to better the fisheries resources for Californians. Specifically at my site, I do not think we could do all that we do without them! Corpsmembers are a critical part of our team during SF Eel Spawning Ground Surveys, sonar camera installations on the Main Stem Eel and Van Duzen Rivers, our new RST site on the SF Eel, Estuary Monitoring in the Eel, SF Eel Juvenile Snorkel Dives, and every other fisheries investigation that come along! For me specifically, the energy they bring to the office further fuels the stoke for what we have going on at CDFW Fortuna.
Braden Herman
Department of Fish and Wildlife, Coastal Watershed Planning and Assessment Program
Region 2
Ariella Chelsky
Senior Scientist
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I enjoy helping young scientists grow their skills and expertise through exposure to a diverse range of projects. It’s also exciting to work with Corpsmembers to develop professional goals and identify a career path.
What is a significant impact that WSP Members have had on your organization?
SFEI Corpsmembers have been excellent additions to our lab and fieldwork. Their assistance has allowed us to expand our monitoring program to new sites throughout San Francisco Bay. Plus, two of them were so great that we hired them and they now work on our team!
San Francisco Estuary Institute
Katie Noland
Associate Environmental Scientist
Mentor since 2026
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I really like witnessing the ‘Aha’ moments when a Corpsmember identifies a new interest. My favorite part is integrating and developing those interests with unique projects. Corpsmembers bring refreshing excitement and curiosity into the Natural Resources field.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
Corpsmembers have provided perspectives from their previous experiences that everyone in our program has learned from. They also come with an eagerness to learn and optimism that’s contagious. We are appreciative of their can-do attitudes and dedication. By having Corpsmembers here at SFEI, the quality and quantity of San Francisco Bay high-frequency water quality data have greatly increased.
Katie Noland
San Francisco Estuary Institute
Lucy Montgomery
Environmental Analyst
Mentor since 2026
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I’m excited to continue my involvement in a program that has been so impactful in developing my interests and starting my career. I was a recent Corpsmember, and having the support of a great Mentor made a huge difference for me. I would love to play that role for someone else. Getting hands-on experience at an environmental organization while I was a Corpsmember was significant for understanding a range of jobs in the environmental field, and where my own interests fit. I’m excited to work with other young environmentalists, getting to do fieldwork, interpreting datasets, or even just doing the important sensor maintenance work that goes into generating high quality data.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
Hosting WSP Corpsmembers has expanded our team’s capacity, allowing us to expand our sensor network and take on more fieldwork. This has helped the Nutrient Management Strategy address monitoring blind spots in a significant way. In addition to the functionality of having more hands on deck, the varied backgrounds and interests of the young professionals coming through the program have provided a fresh perspective on many important aspects of the program like station design, field and lab protocols, and potential collaborators.
Lucy Montgomery
San Francisco Estuary Institute
Siena Watson
Project Lead
Mentor since 2025
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
What I find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals is being able to provide guidance in the field and support Corpsmembers’ personal growth, and see them build confidence in their knowledge and leadership.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
WSP Corpsmembers bring fresh energy and new perspectives to our organization. I really enjoy seeing their excitement to explore new places, meet new plant friends in the field, and connect with the community during volunteer events. Their perspectives and feedback challenge us to reflect on and improve our programming for the community and future WSP Corpsmembers.
Siena Watson
Grassroots Ecology
Tyler Feld (He/Him)
Project Lead for Grassroots Ecology
Mentor since 2021
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I feel so grateful to support their learning, help them discover long-term career goals, and provide support, resources, and tools to achieve those goals. Watching them grow even over the short period of time we have had them on our team has been such a joy!
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
WSP Corpsmembers have allowed our team’s sites to flourish by having more ideas for projects, curriculum, and more hands to complete our restoration work. Our Corpsmembers have created new signage to teach the public about our local ecology, created resources for our organization and partners, and have been wonderful working with our staff and volunteers.
Grassroots Ecology
Alex Von Feldt
Executive Director
Mentor since 2013
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
It is rewarding to be able to offer a supportive and fun environment for WSP Corpsmembers to engage with the community to improve the health of our watersheds.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
WSP Corpsmembers bring technical expertise, new ideas, and enthusiasm to our programs, and make the experience so much better for our volunteers and students.
Grassroots Ecology
Maxwell Lyons (he/him)
Lab Assistant
Mentor since 2026
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
The most rewarding part of being a mentor for me has been engaging in discussions with Corpsmembers about what our ideal career trajectories look like and sharing ideas about how we can achieve our goals. These conversations have helped our Corpsmembers figure out for themselves what they enjoy and what they want in their work, and they’ve also helped me understand what I want for my own future!
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
WSP Corpsmembers are a major component of our field monitoring and research program, we would not be able to accomplish nearly as much field work without them and our data would be far less complete. From assisting with daily trap operation at the Scott Creek Salmonid Lifecycle Monitoring Station to taking over our entire spawner ground survey regimen by the second half their term, WSP members provide critical support toward making our ambitious data collection goals a reality.
Maxwell Lyons
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Southwest Fisheries Science Center
Cynthia Kern
Associate Project Scientist UCSC
WSP Mentor since 2016
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resources professionals?
I run a student intern program in addition to the WSP mentoring. I find it very rewarding to work with individuals striving to learn more about our environment and the challenges we face as stewards of our natural resources.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
Our site provides an opportunity to experience many techniques related to salmonid conservation which includes electrofishing, aquatic bioassessment, adult and smolt tagging and trapping, spawner ground surveys, snorkel surveys, and hatchery releases. A solid crew of responsible, dedicated, and committed individuals is necessary to make our projects successful. The WSP Corpsmembers are an important addition to our field research crews and contribute both integrity and enthusiasm which ultimately enhances our data collection.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Southwest Fisheries Science Center
Joseph Kiernan
Research Ecologist
Mentor since 2013
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
The most rewarding aspect of being a WSP Mentor is watching each Corpsmember develop professional skills and competencies, and an understanding of how salmon monitoring and research directly aid conservation efforts.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
Hosting and working with WSP Corpsmembers has significantly improved our capacity to engage in activities critical to NOAA’s mission, particularly research and monitoring to identify factors limiting salmonid recovery in California. Moreover, WSP Corpsmembers greatly enhance our ability to perform outreach and engagement and convey the importance of salmon conservation to broad and diverse audiences
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Southwest Fisheries Science Center
Kevin O'Connor
Program Manager at the Central Coast Wetlands Group
Mentor since 2015
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
Exposing them to all of the work we do at CCWG and the organizations we interact with gives the mentors a good idea of the possibilities for having a job in this field of work.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
The WSP Corpsmembers have done extensive testing of new wetland and riparian assessment methods. They have also contributed significantly to our wetland restoration and water quality enhancement efforts. New ideas and fresh faces every year have a positive impact on CCWG.
Central Coast Wetlands Group
Jenny Balmagia
CCWG Watershed Coordinator
WSP Alumna 2015 & 2016
Mentor since 2020
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resources professionals?
I am most looking forward to helping others have a similarly influential WSP experience as I did as a Corpsmember with CCWG in 2015/16. By exposing Corpsmembers to the breadth of work we do and always contextualizing tasks in the bigger picture I hope to help them get the most out of their service term and define their ideal career path.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
Added capacity! We are a very small organization and wouldn’t be able to accomplish everything we do without them. Also, as a completely grant-funded organization, it’s great to have WSP Corpsmembers to work on projects we’re interested in doing but for which we don’t have specific funding.
Central Coast Wetlands Group
Sarah Stoner Duncan
CCWG Project Coordinator
Mentor since 2017
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I enjoy introducing Corpsmembers to the diverse projects at the Central Coast Wetland Group and seeing what inspires them. It’s rewarding to watch them discover their interests and grow professionally as they find their place in the field. I also learn from them, as they bring fresh ideas and perspectives.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
The Corpsmembers bring much-needed capacity and enthusiasm to our small organization. They have been instrumental in helping our staff successfully implement projects ranging from restoration and monitoring to education and outreach. Additionally, they often bring unique skills that enhance our capabilities.
Central Coast Wetlands Group
Brooke Fulkerson Norall
Wetland Project Data Manager
Mentor since 2025
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I enjoy seeing the Corpsmembers grow into their position and discover new things that they enjoy. It’s great to see their transformation throughout their service time, become more confident in their abilities, and hone in on where they want to be in the workforce.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
Having the Corpsmembers join us each year adds fresh faces and ideas to our group, as well as much needed extra hands! As a small organization we are incredibly thankful that the Corpsmembers are so eager to help with the many different projects we have, they are instrumental to our restoration and monitoring efforts on the Central Coast.
Brooke Fulkerson
Central Coast Wetlands Group
Sara Gault
Restoration Hydrologist for Creek Lands Conservation
Mentor since 2026
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
Their curiosity and eagerness to learn helps provide a fresh perspective on my job and the field.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
Integral data collection for long-term projects and critical support for events.
Sara Gault
San Luis Obispo Steelhead Initiative
Freddy Otte
Biologist with the City of San Luis Obispo
Mentor since 2013
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I find being able “to pay it forward” is extremely rewarding since this is the opportunity that was given to me as I was coming up in the restoration field. Being able to teach my skills to the next generation allows me to provide the fish and resources we are protecting, more support and protection for the next generation.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
The biggest impact that WSP Corpsmembers have brought to our organization is capacity. Here at the City, there is not a team of biologists to help monitor fish and habitat, so having the Corpsmembers here has allowed us to gather the needed baseline data to better communicate our story of protecting our local Steelhead. I don’t want to think where our fish would be if WSP was not an integral part of our restoration team.
San Luis Obispo Steelhead Initiative
Meredith Hardy
Fish Habitat Specialist at the California Conservation Corps Los Padres Center
Mentor since 2009
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I am very passionate about the work we do to restore steelhead habitat and find opportunities to make our watersheds more resilient to climate change. Working with the CCC and WSP enables us to get things done on the ground that make a difference. WSP Corpsmembers are an amazing resource to gather baseline data to enable us to develop projects for implementation. Beyond the work that is performed by our Corpsmembers, mentoring is the most rewarding that makes coming to work such a delight. The Corpsmembers bring so much to the table and being able to share our passion and knowledge is incredibly fulfilling.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
Having WSP Corpsmembers working alongside CCC traditional Corpsmembers has been amazing. They learn so much from each other. I often hear our WSP Corpsmembers remark that working with the CCC crews is one of their favorite things they do. We have also seen so many of our WSP Corpsmembers go off to graduate school and/or become professionals in the restoration field. It is immensely reassuring that our fight to recover salmonids will continue long after we move on to sitting on the river bank watching the river flow and salmon grow!
San Luis Obispo Steelhead Initiative
Mackenzie O'Connor
Morro Bay NEP Monitoring Projects Manager
Mentor since 2021; WSP Alum
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resources professionals?
The excitement, drive, and genuine interest of our CMs! It’s always refreshing to have new, excitable young professionals in this field.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
A huge impact. The Estuary Program has had WSP Corpsmembers for almost 10 years, and they’ve helped us in a variety of capacities including restoration projects, GIS work, monitoring projects, and outreach. Many of our paid staff have also been WSP alumni (including myself)!
San Luis Obispo Steelhead Initiative
Jordan Besson (he/him)
Supervisory Fish Biologist
Mentor since 2026
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I enjoy maximizing and helping direct Corpsmember’s passion to help them drive their careers forward via their experiences at their current site and from site sharing. It’s gratifying to have Corpsmembers get so jazzed up and put their thoughts and effort into products they care deeply about. While there is always a struggle to complete large, difficult tasks, it is great to see them finish with a sense of achievement.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
Corpsmembers continue to bring in diversity into our office via their thoughts, experiences, and general background. Each individual is ready to soak up experiences and knowledge like a sponge. They keep our work fresh and provide feedback and discussion points that make me think about how I can improve myself and what I do.
Jordan Besson
US Fish & Wildlife Service Lodi
Carissa Long
Fish Biologist
Mentor since 2024
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
I enjoy working with young natural resource professionals as they gain confidence and discover where they want to go in their careers. Our Corpsmembers always have a great work ethic and a positive attitude, and I love seeing their excitement about our work.
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
WSP Corpsmembers bring a positive attitude and a new perspective to our crew. They are always eager to learn and contribute to our sampling and monitoring goals. Their WAVE outreach events provide a valuable opportunity for our employees to interact with the community and participate in more hands-on restoration.
Carissa Long
US Fish & Wildlife Service Lodi
Casey Horgan (He/Him)
Environmental Scientist
Mentor since 2022
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resources professionals?
So far I have enjoyed getting to know WSP Corpsmembers and playing a role in helping them gain an increased awareness and understanding of the unique aspects of the local ecosystems we work within and helping them recognize how their efforts are playing an important role in the monitoring, sustainment, and hopeful recovery of endangered southern California steelhead. Ultimately, I hope my mentorship helps to guide Corpsmembers in their future career path endeavors.
Share a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
During the summer of 2022, the two WSP Corpsmembers assigned to our office led an effort to assess and report on the habitat conditions within approximately 6.4 miles of Mission Creek in Santa Barbara County, which has been designated a Core 1 priority for southern California steelhead recovery efforts by the National Marine Fisheries Commission. The collected data, analysis, and reporting completed by the Corpsmembers are being utilized to help plan and direct habitat restoration efforts in Mission Creek in response to the significant environmental impacts caused by the road grading project carried out in 2019 by Southern California Edison that generated over 100,000 cubic feet of sediment debris into the Mission Creek Watershed.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife Coastal Monitoring Program, Santa Barbara
Vivon Crawford
Restoration Program Director, Ojai Valley Land Conservancy
Mentor since 2022
What do you find most rewarding about being a Mentor for emerging natural resource professionals?
It is incredibly rewarding to see young environmental professionals make connections across disciplines – seeing the interconnectedness of their Steelhead surveys, OVLC’s mitigation projects
What is a significant impact that WSP Corpsmembers have had on your organization?
WSP Corpsmembers have been incredibly helpful with a wide range of OVLC’s projects – oak woodland and riparian restoration projects, vegetation surveys, river cleanups, and social trail closures. But the most exciting project they’ve helped with was conducting a plant survey for a trail reroute to ensure we documented plant populations to inform the restoration plantings we planned to do the following fall.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife Coastal Monitoring Program, Santa Barbara