NRS Staff

Our natural resources staff members have over one hundred and fifty combined years of experience, covering all aspects of natural resource planning and restoration. Our reputation with regulatory agency staff has created an atmosphere of cooperation and trust that is very valuable in securing permits and approvals in a timely fashion. We also maintain good working relationships with a variety of funding sources, enabling us to maintain diversity in the types of projects we develop and implement. Click on any of the staff members below to view his or her resume.

Resumes are in Adobe PDF format. Click to download Adobe Acrobat Reader:

Don Allan - Co-Director
Co-Director Don Allan holds NRS’ California landscape contractor license and has worked in watershed restoration since the late 70’s.  He joined NRS in 1983 and is currently responsible for overseeing staff focused on watershed projects at NRS while keeping active in estuary enhancement planning and implementation as well as sediment source assessment.
Phone: (707) 269-2063
Email: don@nrsrcaa.org

Jennifer Rice - Co-Director
Co-Director Jennifer Rice has been involved with a variety of trails, active transportation, planning, outreach, and watershed projects at NRS for the last 12 years. Jen loves working with the NRS team and community partners to help divergent groups work together, provide places where everyone is encouraged to get around by their own means, and encourage community stewardship of natural resources.
Phone: (707) 269-2060
Email: jen@nrsrcaa.org

Craig Benson - Watershed Program Manager
Watershed Program Manager Craig Benson has 23 years of global experience in resource management and is currently leading the Mad River Watershed Assessment and Management Plan, Fay Slough Estuary Restoration, McDaniel Slough Estuary Restoration, and facilitation of the Humboldt Bay Ecosystem-Based Management planning project. Craig is also taking the principal role in landowner outreach in the Elk River and Freshwater Creek watersheds for the Humboldt Bay Watershed Sediment Reduction project.
Phone: (707) 269-2065
Email: craig@nrsrcaa.org

Jan Friedrichsen - Office Supervisor
Office Supervisor Jan Friedrichsen plays a supporting role in most NRS projects, assisting with office and financial logistics. Jan oversees the general ebb and flow of the in-house needs and staff requests. She has 10 years of experience as a contract manager and administrative assistant in the natural resources field.
Phone: (707) 269-2066
Email: jan@nrsrcaa.org

Christopher Turner - Projects Coordinator
Projects Coordinator Chris Turner has been working to plan and build wildland and multiple-use trail and public access projects for nearly 25 years – 13 of those with NRS. Chris enjoys interacting with the landowners, the public, and land management agencies to help everyone get projects done.
Phone: (707) 269-2068
Email: chris@nrsrcaa.org

Tyler Ledwith - Projects Coordinator
Projects Coordinator Tyler Ledwith works with the Watershed Projects Team on sediment source assessment, erosion control, SWPPP, land owner outreach, and stream restoration projects. Tyler has a M.S. in Natural Resources and 20 years experience in this field.
Phone: (707) 269-2058
Email: tyler@nrsrcaa.org

Denise Newman - Senior Planner
Senior Planner Denise Newman has been focused on both interpretation sign design and environmental education programming and outreach for the past six years with NRS. Most recently, she has been working on unified signage for the Hammond Coastal Trail - from kiosk map panels to thematic educational panels.
Phone: (707) 269-2062
Email: dmn10@humboldt.edu

Natalie Arroyo - Planning Specialist
Planning Specialist Natalie Arroyo is enjoying her first year at NRS, especially her role conducting outreach for multiple projects, coordinating watershed project components, and collaborating with local cities and other partners involved with the North Coast Stormwater Coalition's work.
Phone: (707) 269-2059
Email: natalie@nrsrcaa.org

Georgia Trehey - GIS Planner
GIS Planner Georgia Trehey has 25 years experience in the commercial printing field including a partnership in a printing business. After pursuing a degree in natural resources and GIS, Georgia is now involved in her second career in GIS Planning and also provides IT and office support to the crew.
Phone: (707) 269-2070
Email: georgia@nrsrcaa.org

Chris Lohoefener - Projects Coordinator
Projects Coordinator Chris Lohoefener has been with NRS for five years in two different periods since 2001 and is currently also juggling graduate school in his schedule. Chris is helping BLM develop new informational and interpretive signage for the CA Coastal National Monument, leading a plan for ‘water trails’ around Humboldt Bay, facilitating a street tree planting project in Eureka, and will look at ways to improve coordination of transportation services in the Healthy Rural Roads II project.
Phone: (707) 269-2064
Email: lohoefener@nrsrcaa.org

Brooke Sayre - Planning Specialist
Planning Specialist Brooke Sayre came to NRS with a field-oriented background in natural resource and trail work and an education in planning. She’s currently focused on the functions of supporting the Humboldt Partnership for Active Living and wants to realize the vision of a regional trail system for all!
Phone: (707) 269-2054
Email: brooke@nrsrcaa.org

Morguine Sefcik - Senior Planner
Senior Planner Morguine Sefcik has worked on a variety of watershed projects during her five years at NRS.  Most recently, Morguine has taken the leading role in developing and implementing NRS’ first stormwater project, the North Coast Stormwater Coalition’s NPS Pollution Prevention Program.
Phone: (707) 269-2057
Email: morguine@nrsrcaa.org

Melanie Williams - Senior Planner
Senior Planner Melanie Williams brings to NRS eighteen years of university teaching experience in Government and Politics with an emphasis in environmental politics, appropriate technology and international relations and more than twenty five years of grassroots organizing.  Over the last ten years she’s worked extensively on issues of non-motorized transportation promoting the construction of local trails, bicycle commuting and improving community health through Active Living by Design.
Phone: (707) 269-2055
Email: jen@nrsrcaa.org

Nicole Nada - Projects Coordinator
Project Consultant Nicole Nada recently transitioned to an ‘on-call’ support role after six years at NRS.  Nicole worked on a variety of watershed and active living projects and developed and lead the North Coast Stormwater Coalition’s NPS Pollution Prevention Program during her years at NRS.
Phone: (707) 269-2060
Email: nicole@nrsrcaa.org

Noelle Melchizedek - Planner
Planner Noelle Melchizedek is working three projects at NRS: addressing transportation coordination issues in Humboldt County; providing support for signage work on the Hammond Coastal Trail; and working with the Humboldt Partnership for Active Living. She considers herself fortunate to work for an organization that seeks to positively address and impact her two passions, environmental and social justice.
Phone: (707) 269-2056
Email: noelle@nrsrcaa.org

Jeff Bue - Projects Supervisor
Projects Supervisor Jeff Bue has been the man on the ground in countless NRS restoration and trail projects for eighteen years. Jeff is working in an ‘on-call’ basis with us these days.
Phone: (707) 269-2061
Email: jeff@nrsrcaa.org

Steffen Allan - Field Assistant
Field Assistant Steffen Allan has been helping NRS make things happen on the ground for eight years. After having a seasonal focus for most of that time, he’s recently been on a roll working on the Hammond Trail, native revegetation and kiosk construction.
Phone: (707) 269-2061
Email: spacemasterspiff@yahoo.com

Suzy Bibona and Dennis Breedlove - Field Assistants
Field Assistants Suzy Bibona and Dennis Breedlove helped us build the ‘Hole’ in the Hammond Trail last year and are now functioning on an on-call basis.

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