Projects Coordinator

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) 522-7845

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) 522-7256

kschmidt@rcaa.org

Projects Coordinator

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) 522-7572

mdrummond@rcaa.org

Projects Coordinator

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) 522-7641

abixler@rcaa.org

Projects Coordinator

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) 522-7571

jsantangelo@rcaa.org

Field Crew Supervisor

Ryan joined RCAA as the Field Crew Supervisor in the spring of 2026 with 8 years of forestry field work experience based in Northern California. The bulk of his career has been spent doing forest inventory on private, public, and tribal lands. Notably, Ryan spent several seasons cruising the 47,000-acre Blue Creek Project, the largest single "land back" conservation deal in California. Prior to this, he spent 3 years coordinating collaborative efforts on joint research initiatives with organizations across Humboldt and Del Norte Counties including BLM, Redwood State and National Parks, and CAL FIRE. Ryan has co-authored and contributed to several publications focusing on forest pathology and ecology, specializing in the effects of Sudden Oak Death. Ryan has enjoyed getting to explore some of the most isolated communities on the North Coast while improving the health of their ecosystems. He has a BS in Forestry with an emphasis in Resource Conservation and a minor in Geospatial Analysis from Humboldt State University.

(707)-522-7616

rmaberry@rcaa.org