Projects Coordinator I

Denise has been planning, developing and implementing natural resource interpretation and environmental education projects since 2002. Her interpretive signage projects include Humboldt County's Hammond Coastal Trail, BLM's Falk Headwaters Trail, City of Eureka's Hikshari' Trail, PALCO Marsh Trail and Sequoia Park Zoo Watershed Heroes Exhibit, Northcoast Regional Land Trust's Freshwater Farms Nature Trail and the most recent sections of the City of Eureka's Waterfront Trail. As an environmental educator, she develops grant-funded projects to bring watershed education into K-12 classrooms; from stormwater-focused 'Adopt a Storm Drain' cleanups to sea level rise climate science. She is currently working as an Environmental Literacy coach with the Humboldt County Office of Education and leading interpretive waterfront bike tours with youth groups through her 'Bikes on the Bay' project. Denise has a M.S. in Natural Resources Interpretation and Planning from Humboldt State University and works extensively with educators, environmental scientists, biologists and historians to deliver the most relevant and accurate natural and cultural stories of our area.

(707) 269-2060

dnewman@rcaa.org

Projects Coordinator

Kristin joined the Watershed Management staff at RCAA in spring of 2022. She has worked as a professional wildlife biologist her entire career, first with the US Forest Service and later the National Park Service. She has a background in endangered species management and compliance and wildlife management and has actively participated in interdisciplinary work in watershed rehabilitation, forest restoration, fish habitat restoration and invasive plant management. Kristin has spent many seasons working and recreating in our local mountains and coastal areas and is interested in projects that improve fish and wildlife habitats. She has a B.A. in Zoology from Humboldt State University and a M.S. in Environmental Biology.

(707) 269-3057

kschmidt@rcaa.org

Projects Coordinator I

Carol has more than 25 years of experience working in natural resource conservation, environmental education, community outreach and nonprofit management. She served as the Executive Director of Friends of the Dunes from 1996-2015, where she helped develop the Bay to Dunes School Education Program and the Humboldt Coastal Nature Center. As a consultant, Carol taught Introduction to Grant Writing, facilitated strategic planning for several local nonprofits and played a lead role in developing the Humboldt Bay Trail Fund. Carol has B.A. and M.S in Biology and is a graduate of the Cascadia Leadership Training program.

(707) 269-2068

cvandermeer@rcaa.org

Projects Coordinator I

Matt joined RCAA as a Community Garden Planner in the spring of 2019. He has transformed RCAA’s Abuelita’s Demonstration Garden (539 T Street, Eureka) into a thriving food forest and started a community farm at Freshwater Farms Reserve in the spring of 2023. The farm offers u-pick flowers, berries, herbs, and a community compost drop-off site. He has helped coordinate community events like the Seed and Plant Exchange and the Spring Garden Giveaway, which provide free garden supplies to thousands of Humboldt County residents each year. Matt has supervised Cal Poly College Corps Fellows at several garden sites, providing over 5,000 hours of labor in Humboldt Gardens. Matt’s garden sites provide produce each year for local food banks, campus food pantries, volunteers, and RCAA programs. Matt has a B.S. in Fisheries Biology from Cal Poly Humboldt. He can be found at local markets, beaches, rivers, and biking around town.

(707) 269-2071

mdrummond@rcaa.org

Projects Coordinator I

Alysia grew up on the Central Coast of California, where she developed a deep connection with the land and coastal communities. She has worked on multiple organic vegetable farms from Briceland in Southern Humboldt to Long Island, New York. Alysia co-owned and managed Green Oaks Creek Farm in the Santa Cruz mountains until the 2020 CZU Lightening Complex fires. After spending a year working on the Restoration Field Crew at RCAA, she joined the NRS Active Living team in the Summer of 2022. She graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a B. A in Environmental Studies holds an M.S. in Conservation and Land Management from Bangor University in Wales and a Master of Forestry from the University of British Columbia.

(707) 269-3055

abixler@rcaa.org

Natural Resources Specialist I

Mason works at the intersection of environmental planning, active transportation, outdoor education, and habitat restoration. He manages the Eureka Bike Kitchen, promoting sustainable transportation and bike repair education. His experience includes multimodal transportation projects, beautification efforts, and outdoor programs to boost environmental literacy. Mason’s project portfolio spans wind energy, low-income housing, road safety, and community engagement. He has also worked on various environmental restoration and invasive species removal projects. He has collaborated with local agencies, local government, landowners, and nonprofits like Save the Redwoods League. He holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and is pursuing a law degree in environmental law, bringing a flexible, interdisciplinary approach to balancing community and ecological goals.

(707) 269 2059

mrewerts@rcaa.org

Field Crew Supervisor

Morgan graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Since then, she has been working in the field, in the varying worlds of restoration. Frequently traversing through the rough terrain and inclement weather of California's diverse ecosystems. Morgan is driven by her passion for restoring the earth.  Over the last 5 years, she has been working in California native habitat with a majority focus on invasive species management. Some of the projects Morgan has been a part of are restoring oaks forests and coastal sage scrub land for the Santa Monica Mountains Fund and maintaining the backcountry trails of Yosemite National Park through the California Conservation Corps. She has also treated invasive plant species and eradicated Argentine Ants on the Channel Islands for the California Institute of Environmental Studies. Now, she gets the fortunate opportunity to work in the marshes and dunes of Humboldt County with Redwood Community Action Agency.

(707) 269-2063

moviedo@rcaa.org

Natural Resources Specialist I

Erin started her career with a focus on small scale organic agriculture in Humboldt County where she engaged in food sovereignty practices with local tribes. During this time, she became interested in ecological restoration and joined the NRS restoration field crew. She learned about the importance of invasive species removal and planting native species as a method of creating climate resilience for communities in coastal areas. Recently, Erin transitioned to an administrative role supporting the field crew by implementing dynamic schedules to complete tasks for various projects and communicating with project partners about specific needs. She works closely with the Field Crew Supervisor to facilitate communication between the numerous crew members, administrators and project partners. Erin graduated from Cal Poly Humboldt with a B.A. in Environmental Studies, with an emphasis on ecosystems and cultures.

(707) 269-2070

eclear@rcaa.org

Natural Resource Specialist II

Jenna is an interdisciplinary creative who began with RCAA in 2023 as a member of the Restoration Field Crew. In this role, she gained extensive hands-on, boots-in-the-mud experience with invasive plant management techniques. She has worked on restoring sensitive ecosystems including coastal dunes, salt marshes, riparian areas, and other coastal and inland habitats. She moved into the office as a Natural Resources Specialist I at the end of 2023 and worked with the Field Crew Supervisor to coordinate Field Crew schedules, supported project coordination and administrative tasks. She went on to step into the Natural Resources Specialist II role in 2024, where she currently provides the division support in spatial analysis and GIS, rare plant surveys, wetland delineation, administration, and collaboration with project partners. She holds a B.S. in General Biology with a minor in Studio Art from Cal Poly Humboldt and is currently pursuing College of the Redwoods’ Geomatics Certification. She also teaches ceramics classes on weekends.

(707) 269-2065

jsantangelo@rcaa.org