STAFF & BOARD
AMELIA PETERS
Amelia joined the Sierra Institute in the Summer of 2024. She brings with her an excitement to be involved in the organization’s work and a personal love for helping others. Amelia grew up in Sunny San Diego where she was inspired to pursue living her best life bringing her to the Westwood area. Her interest in community-based work and helping from behind the scenes guided her toward the non-profit work she is doing today. In her free time Amelia likes to take her dog with her to the lake, enjoys reading a good book, and painting.
AMY HAFSRUD
For the past 30 years, Amy has led outdoor education and leadership training trips throughout the U.S., including the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada, Southwest, Pacific Northwest, and Alaska. At the Sierra Institute, she co-coordinates the summer P-CREW internship program and was instrumental in the development of the Greenville Outdoor Adventure Learning and Friday Night for Teens programs. In addition to the diverse experience in outdoor leadership programming Amy brings to our youth programs, she has also served as the financial manager for the organization since 1998. In her spare time, you can find Amy hiking with her dogs, working diligently in her garden, and serving as the community mom to the youth of Indian Valley.
ANDREA WILSON
Andrea joined the Sierra Institute as the Office Manager & Executive Assistant in the Spring of 2021. Andrea is deeply committed to our community and the unique opportunities living in the mountains offer. She has spent most of her life in Plumas County and grew up in the Quincy area. Her work has been community-based, including working as Branch Librarian for the Greenville Library, and General Manager of the local food cooperatives in Quincy and Portola. Andrea enjoys spending her free time with her family and their two dogs, reading a good book, or getting out to enjoy all the beauty of our area.
ANGELA BOLTON-TOUT
Angela is excited to be a part of Sierra Institute Workforce team. She has a strong passion in developing Tribal Workforces to put the people back on the land being the original stewards of the land. Angela is a tribal member of Berry Creek Rancheria, Tyme Maidu Indians. She is a Certified Tribal Naturalist. She studies the life cycle of plants, Restoration, Culture Burn, TEK, Reforestation, Land Management post Wild Fires and Medicinal purposes of the plants. She has been a full-time volunteer at local TEK restoration area for 2 years. Angela's main goal is to be a part of building a Forestry Department for her tribe. In her free time, Angela loves to be in the mountains, hiking, camping, swimming, fishing. Just time with the plants is a fulfilling day for her. Angela is a mother of 3 young men and 3 beautiful grandchildren that are her world. Everything she does is for her family and 7 generations ahead. Angela is grateful today to be in this space with everyone here at Sierra Institute.
ARIANA BERNSTEIN
BELLA BLEDSOE
Bella Bledsoe joined Sierra Institute as the Watershed Coordinator in May 2021. Bella grew up in the San Juan Islands of Washington state, and as a child, she searched for newts along forest trails and boated in the Salish Sea. Bella graduated with a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She recently finished her master's degree in Environmental Justice and Geospatial Data Sciences at the University of Michigan. In her free time, Bella enjoys walking, swimming, and painting. She is excited to explore the local mountains and forests and to get to know the surrounding community.
CECILY SANCHEZ
Cecily joined the Sierra Institute as a Forest Ecologist in the summer of 2023. She grew up on the central coast of California and graduated from Humboldt State University with a B.S. in Environmental Science and Management. She has a professional background in rare plant botany, wildlife biology, and ecological restoration. She traveled throughout the western states working in the private timber industry, on wildlife projects, and for the state before moving to Plumas County. An avid botanist and gardener, she has a passion for native plants and their communities. In her free time you can find her swimming at the lake with her dog, tinkering around the yard, or reading with her cat.
CHELSEA AGUILERA
As a Native Californian, Chelsea Aguilera has lived and worked throughout the country–from the Pacific Northwest to New York City and throughout the midwest and midsouth. In 2018 she moved to Grass Valley, CA to set down roots and raise her small family in her home state. Chelsea has a degree in English and Creative Writing from Portland State University. For the past 8 years she has been working to facilitate personal narratives as a means of encouraging human connection. Chelsea will be helping tell the story of the impact of the work of the Sierra Institute as a Communications Project Coordinator.
DANIELLE BERRY
Danielle began working for the Sierra Institute in 2019 as the Stewardship Project Coordinator and is involved in both the collaborative forest stewardship and wood utilization initiatives. Prior to this, she served as the Sierra Institutes' Collaborative Landscape Stewardship Apprentice. She recieved a B.S. in Biology from CSU Bakersfield and an M.S. in Environmental Policy and Management from UC Davis. Born and raised in the southern San Joaquin Valley, she spent her free time in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks where she revered the studies of John Muir and developed a passion for the outdoors. Throughout her time working within private, public, and NGOs sectors, Danielle has acquired a range of experiences and has come to recognize the importance of interdisciplinary communication in the implementation and effectiveness of environmental stewardship. As an advocate for the conservation of natural resources, she is interested in the application of environmental science to real-world environmental policy and management issues. When Danielle is not working you will likely find her partaking in the many adventures the Sierras have to offer.
DANNY MANNING
I am a California Native (Maidu) and Diné wildland fire professional. I began on a hand crew and worked up to crew boss, engine boss, and leadership in fire prevention and fire education. I joined Greenville Rancheria staff in 2010, started a fire and fuels crew, and have helped other tribes start and train their fire and fuels crews. I work locally, regionally, and nationally with tribal fire education, investigation, and prevention. I have worked in all aspects of tribal fire, including monitoring, prescription, contracting, developing MOUs and other agreements, and writing traditional ecological management plans.
HANNAH POTTS
Hannah is excited to be a member of the Sierra team after joining in the Spring of 2025 as a GIS Specialist. Hannah grew up all across Nevada, and hiking, working, and travelling throughout the West has fostered a deep love of these places and the communities that inhabit them. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2023 with a B.S. in Geography and Environmental Policy and Management, and is currently working on her Master's in Geography at UNR studying the Mohave Ground Squirrel. She is passionate about the power of collaboration and good data, and has previously worked for UNR, UC Davis, and the Nevada Division of Minerals, studying everything from active volcanoes to forage kochia with GIS and UAS. In her free time, you can find Hannah out exploring in the Sierras, working on a craft project, or deep in a science fiction novel.
HEATHER REINEKING
I am the Hydrology Project Specialist at Sierra Institute, working on large scale watershed restoration projects. I was born and raised in Wisconsin with access to beautiful lakes and abundant forests. I moved to Gunnison, Colorado in 2017 to pursue a BA in Environment in Sustainability and MEM (Masters in Environmental Management) with an emphasis in Integrative Public Lands Management. I received my MEM in May of 2022 while presenting on the benefits of beaver dam analogs (BDA) to watershed management, especially in the arid west. I hope to bring all the experience I gained in watershed management and restoration from Gunnison to this beautiful part of the country. When I’m not working, you can find me hiking, hammocking, paddle boarding, mountain biking, climbing, snowboarding, at the gym, and searching for the perfect adventure buddy in dog form.
JACQUELINE DALTON
Jacqui joined the Sierra Institute in Spring 2022 as the Workforce Development Coordinator.
Her professional background includes supporting outdoor community programs within the Truckee Meadows, enhancing access to outdoor spaces, and ecological restoration efforts within the Walker Basin. She takes pride in investing in the connection between community and environmental health and looks forward to doing just that with the Sierra Institute. Jacqui earned a B.S. from the University of Nevada, Reno, in Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Planning and an M.S. at the University of Denver in Environmental Policy and Management. Jacqui has become passionate about environmental justice issues throughout her studies and professional career and aims to make a true difference within her community. Growing up in Vermont and moving to the Sierras in 2009, Jacqui has always loved the outdoors. You can catch her biking, hiking, snowboarding, and gardening in her free time.
JADE ELHARDT
Jade Elhardt, our Communications Specialist, joined the Sierra Institute in the fall of 2023. A seasoned professional storyteller and community liaison, Jade's decade-long immersion in the wild landscapes and rural communities of Montana and Northern California, coupled with a background in conservation photography give her a unique skill set in her work for the Sierra Institute. Specializing in wildfire mitigation, restoration, and documenting people in wildland urban interface areas, Jade has also lived and worked across diverse terrains in Nevada, Utah, and Oregon, fostering a deep understanding of the environmental and cultural intricacies of the American West. With a passion for advocating indigenous reclamation of land stewarding practices and food sovereignty for greater economic empowerment, Jade aims to visually breathe life into these crucial initiatives aligned with the Sierra Institute's mission. Beyond her photography and drone work, Jade enjoys mountain biking, backcountry skiing, climbing, birding, and navigating the humbling whitewater of the Feather River.
JONATHAN KUSEL
Jonathan founded the Sierra Institute in 1993 and has directed the organization ever since. He received a Ph.D. in Natural Resource Sociology and Policy from U.C. Berkeley, where he was an instructor before launching Sierra Institute. His dissertation focused on how rural northern Sierra communities changed following the departure of their wood products anchor businesses. This work, at the intersection of community and forest and watershed health formed the basis for the Sierra Institute’s mission and approach. He also holds a Masters in Forest Science from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. Jonathan lives in Indian Valley with his wife, Amy, and two dogs, Dobby and Sadie. In the rare occasion that he’s not working to promote rural well-being or advance opportunities for his organization, you can find him hiking around the valley or coaching the varsity boys basketball team at Greenville High School.
JUSTINE CORNWALL
Justine joined the Sierra Institute in August 2023 as a Stewardship Specialist. Justine grew up in southwestern Idaho, and looked forward to spending weekends up North in the mountains around Cascade, McCall, and Stanley. She went on to earn her Bachelor’s of Science in Conservation and Restoration Ecology at Utah State University. After college, she moved to Plumas County to work on fuels reduction, meadow restoration, and reforestation projects throughout Plumas National Forest for the Feather River Resource Conservation District. She then went on to work on a fuels reduction crew in Wyoming, then later guided kayak tours in Southeastern Alaska. In her free time, you can find Justine hiking, lounging creekside, or staying in and making food.
KEARA AMBLE
Keara Amble joined Sierra Institute in Spring 2025 as a Natural Resource Specialist, bringing a background in environmental planning, watershed science, and public land management. She holds a degree in Environmental Management and Protection with a minor in Sustainable Environments from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Before joining the team, Keara worked on NEPA projects with Jacobs Engineering Group and spent two field seasons as a Stream Technician with Portland State University, supporting watershed monitoring and federal land management efforts. Originally from Santa Barbara, she’s always loved the outdoors and enjoys surfing, backpacking, trail running, swimming in any and all bodies of water, collaging, and live music in her free time.
KELLY MAKELA
Kelly Makela joined the Sierra Institute as a Natural Resource Specialist in March of 2025. After spending her childhood and young adult life moving throughout the beautiful landscape of the Northwest, Kelly is working to finish her Master’s in Environmental Management from Boise State University. She holds a passion for collaborative conservation work in rural communities and is excited to get to know the communities of Plumas County. In her free time she enjoys crafting, finding new swimming holes, and relaxing with her dog, Goose.
KIERSTEN DOLECKI
Kiersten Dolecki joined the Sierra Institute in 2024 as a Rural Community Outreach Specialist. She grew up in Northern Virginia and spent a majority of her childhood outdoors, fueling her passion for conservation. During her undergraduate studies, she focused on communication and collaboration in the natural resources field. She has a particular fondness and aptitude for plant identification and sustainability practices, and is currently working towards her M.S. in Natural Resource Policy and Administration. In her free time, she likes to hike, read, and go for runs.
KYLE RODGERS
At Sierra Institute, Kyle manages our work with a growing network of collaborative groups working on forest management issues across California, and rural development efforts focused on rebuilding capacity in forest communities across California. Kyle brings a diverse background to this work that includes surveying hemlock trees and monitoring bog turtles on the Blue Ridge Parkway, studying human dimensions of endangered species conservation planning across the Southeast, and prior work at the Sierra Institute on a range of projects from watershed coordination to youth programming. When he isn’t at the office, you might find him coaching youth soccer or hiking with his wife and dog. Kyle holds a BS in Conservation Biology from Clemson University and a MS in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from the University of Tennessee.
LISA CRUME
Lisa joined the Sierra Institute in the Fall of 2024, bringing decades of experience in commercial real estate and finance. Raised in the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area, she spent 30 years building expertise in financial management and strategic planning. In 2020, Lisa followed her passion for the outdoors and moved to the mountains, seeking a closer connection to nature and a simpler, more intentional lifestyle. At the Sierra Institute, she applies her skills to the finance team, supporting the organization's mission and the preservation of the area's natural beauty. In her free time, Lisa enjoys kayaking, swimming, and hiking, embracing the stunning environment she now calls home.
LIZ WOLFIN
Liz Wolfin is a part of the Tribal Workforce Team. Liz supports Indigenous communities in building capacity for land stewardship and ecological restoration. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Ethnic Studies from California State University, East Bay. Liz is deeply committed to collaborative, community-driven approaches that honor tribal sovereignty and traditional ecological knowledge. Her work focuses on strengthening partnerships with tribes to support cultural and environmental resilience across Northern California.
“Liz respectfully acknowledges the ancestral and unceded lands of the 11 autonomous bands of the Pit River Nation. The Pit River Tribes stewardship of this land spans countless generations. Liz honors their deep connection to the rivers, mountains, and valleys of what is now northern California, and she is committed to preserving and respecting their cultural heritage and rights as the original caretakers within the 100 mile square, this includes the Pit River watersheds, restoration projects, economic development projects, food sovereignty project, & the Medicine Lake highlands that extend across parts of Modoc, Lassen, Shasta, and Siskiyou Counties.”
MAIA KAJE
Maia joined the Sierra Institute as Forestry Specialist in spring of 2025. They grew up in the Seattle area, where they developed a strong passion for ecology and the outdoors by spending time around the Puget Sound and Northern Cascades and worked their first job in the environmental field, for the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks. Maia graduated from UC Berkeley in 2024 with an Ecosystem Management and Forestry B.S. and a Society and Environment B.S. After graduating, Maia worked for the US Forest Service as a forestry technician doing timber sale preparation on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. In their spare time, Maia can be found reading, hiking, or occasionally volunteering on a prescribed burn.
MARTHA MCALISTER
Martha joined the Sierra Institute in 2025 as an Environmental Remediation Specialist and Rural Brownfields coordinator. In 2024, she completed her Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida. Martha’s research was focused on the application of systems approaches to promote sustainability in rural environmental health interventions, and she is interested more broadly in the utility of systems thinking toward simplifying complex socio-environmental dynamics for any audience. She collaborated on research in Uganda and the Kyrgyz Republic with governmental and nongovernmental organizations, such as the United States Agency for International Development, Médecins Sans Frontières, and TerraGraphics International Foundation. Previously, Martha worked as a consulting engineer and served as a water and sanitation specialist and community health facilitator with the United States Peace Corps in Vanuatu. Martha enjoys playing music, trying new food, paddling, and in general, being outside.
MEGAN FLETCHER
Megan Fletcher grew up locally in Westwood. She started out as a member in the P-CREW program in 2018. After that, she knew conservation was something she wanted to do as a career. In 2020 she was a AAA for P-CREW, during this time she found her passion for youth stewardship. In the spring of 2021, she graduated from Feather River College with an A.S in Environmental Studies. The following summer, she returned to Sierra Institute as a part of the Wilderness Trails crew. In 2022, she worked part time as a P-CREW Coordination Assistant until the P-CREW program began, where she was a P-CREW leader for the summer of 2022. She returned in 2023 as the Assistant P-CREW Coordinator and is excited to continue in the position. Megan enjoys her time by hiking, exploring the beauty of the Lassen and Plumas county area, spending time with her cats and reading a good book.
STEVE WILENSKY
Coming Soon...
TATE SUTTER
Growing up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Tate Sutter developed a deep appreciate that caring for land and caring for people are intrinsically linked. He is excited to work with P-CREW members and staff in a place he holds dear. Tate is looking forward to bring his experiences working with young people and in environmental stewardship to the Assistant Field Coordinator role. He recently graduated from Middlebury College with a degree in Geography and Spanish minor. Tate has worked for the Forest Service, NOAA, and as an outdoor guide. He loves washing a day’s dust away in a Northern Sierra stream and a good map.
TONY CHARBONNIER
Tony joined Sierra Institute in September 2022 as a Collaborative Prep Forester. In this role, he collaborates with a variety of partners to plan and prepare both large-scale forest health restoration projects on public lands and community wildfire protection projects on private lands within local communities. He deeply appreciates the opportunity to advance forest restoration efforts that will have meaningful impacts for generations to come. Tony was raised in Indian Valley and grew to love the tight-knit character of rural community, clean air and water, and being surrounded by forests, streams and lakes. He then went on to study Physical Geography and GIS at California State Chico while spending summers working for the US Forest Service as a wildland firefighter. He joined the Lassen National Forest-Almanor Ranger District Timber program in 2010 where he worked for 6 seasons and discovered his passion for forestry work. Outside of work, Tony enjoys exploring the rural Sierra, fishing, hunting, foraging, wood cutting, rock hounding, skiing, and at times finding a few old growth trees along the way!
VINCENT VITALE
Vincent joined Sierra Institute as the Rural Community Outreach Coordinator in late 2023. His work promotes engagement and collaboration with community members, private landowners and tribal organizations within natural resource management projects. Vincent came to the Sierras after leading environmental education programs in the southeast for seven years. He holds a BS in environmental studies from Virginia Commonwealth University, a MS in geography from the University of Florida and is an alumnus of Florida’s Natural Resources Leadership Institute. In his spare time, Vincent enjoys the outdoors, live music and all things soccer.
ZACH BROWNING
Zach joined the Sierra Institute in 2023 as the Shared Stewardship Advisor. Professionally, Zach has previously worked with the innovative home heating project Wood for Life in Northern Arizona, on forest restoration projects in Oak Creek Canyon in Arizona, and worked alongside disadvantaged communities towards community empowerment in both rural and urban settings. He has received a masters in forestry as well as art therapy, giving him a holistic approach to land stewardship, practices, and the people who are part of it. In his free time you can find him rambling and meandering through the outdoors via backpacking, running, biking, or paddling with a pen and brush in hand.
ZOE WATSON
Zoe joined the Sierra Institute in the Spring of 2020 as the Rural Community Development Program Manager. At the Sierra Institute, she works to improve rural water systems, secure rural forestry jobs, and support rural businesses. Zoe earned a BA in Political Science at UC Santa Barbara and an MS in Community Health at Montana State in Bozeman. Zoe enjoys gardening, skiing, mountain biking, and kayaking in her free time.
Board of Directors
Robert Doty
PresidentPartner at Cox, Castle & Nicholson, LLP
San Francisco, CA
Mary Davidge
Vice PresidentFormer Google Director of Global Design in REWS (Real Estate and Workplace Services)
Los Gatos, CA
Sheri Elliott
TreasurerRetired Budget Director for the US Forest Service, Washington Office.
Nevada City, CA
Beth Rose Middleton
SecretaryAssociate Professor, University of California, Davis
Davis, CA
Mac Cloyes
Board MemberPolicy Director, Blue Forest Conservation
Burlington, VT
Jeff Glover
Board MemberOwner, Glover Construction Company
Taylorsville, CA
Shelby Leung
Board MemberCultural Resource Specialist, Greenville Rancheria
Greenville, CA
Jonathan Kusel
Executive DirectorExecutive Director
Taylorsville, CA