Alphabetical by last name:

Matt Blakeley-Smith, Restoration Biologist, Habitat Restoration
Matt specializes in wetland restoration, plant propagation, and weed control. He received his M.S. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University.

Jen Cramer, Program Director, Ecological Education
Jen's enthusiasm for exploring the world of botany and for working with local students and volunteers to inspire stewardship and connection with nature lead her to the field of ecological education. 

Corinne M. Duncan, Ecologist
Corinne holds an M.S. in Rangeland Ecology and Management from Oregon State University. At IAE her time is divided between Conservation Research and Habitat Restoration where she carries out special projects and is assistant project coordinator for the Nelson's checkermallow Recovery Project.

Jody Einerson, Curriculum Development Specialist
Jody shares her time between IAE and working in natural resource education with Oregon State University Extension Service.  She is currently working on a Natural Resource degree with a specialty in Interpretive Education through the ecampus program at Oregon State University.

Rob Fiegener, Program Director, Native Seed Network
Rob holds an M.S. in Ecology from the University of California, Davis. He has experience with common garden studies, conducting plant surveys, habitat restoration, and fire history research in Yosemite National Park and other parts of the Sierra Nevada.

Denise Giles, Naturalist, Conservation Research
Denise started with IAE as an intern with the Conservation Research Program in 2008. She has a B.A. in Earth Sciences and Spanish from Western Oregon University and an an M.S. in Geology from Oregon State University.

Melanie Gisler, Botanist, Habitat Restoration
Melanie has an M.S. in Botany from the University of British Columbia.  Her specialties include seed procurement, plant breeding systems, habitat restoration, plant conservation biology, and botanical databases.

John Grotefend, Office Assistant
John holds a dual degree in Chemical Engineering and Business from Oregon State University.  John was born and raised in western Oregon and Washington and has always been drawn to the ambiance of the mountains, forest, rivers, and coastline of the Pacific Northwest.

Oliver Grah, Program Director, Habitat Restoration
Oliver holds an M.S. in Watershed Science from Utah State University and is a certified professional wetland scientist.  He specializes in restoration and monitoring plans for multi-scale projects.

Tom Kaye, Ph.D., Executive Director
Tom holds a Ph.D. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University.  He specializes in endangered species propagation and restoration, the population dynamics of rare plants, population viability analysis, and monitoring

Dominic Maze, Botanist/Seed Program Manager, Habitat Restoration   Dominic holds an M.S. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University.  Dominic’s past research has focused on the interactions between invertebrates and native plants, the factors that contribute to the invasibility of ecosystems, and terrestrial mollusc ecology.

Carolyn Menke, Project Director, Habitat Conservation Plan
Carolyn received M.S. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University. Carolyn's research interests include plant conservation biology, fire ecology and plant community invasibility.

Michelle Michaud, Habitat Conservation Plan
Michelle received her M.S. in planning from the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and her J.D. from the University of Colorado, Boulder.   She has over 15 years experience in the natural resource field.  Her interests include endangered species conservation. In addition to working on the Benton County Habitat Conservation Plan she also worked on the HCP for the Western Snowy Plover.  Currently, Michelle lives and works in Homer, Alaska.

Rachel Newton, Botanist, Conservation Research

Rachel Schwindt, Ecologist/GIS analyst
Rachel received her M.S. in geosciences and B.S. in botany from Oregon State University.  She specializes in plant biogeography and GIS.  Rachel works on estuarine assessments and habitat management plans.

Ian Silvernail, Program Coordinator, Ecological Education
Ian currently works for IAE as Project Leader for the RARE
Partnership, guiding plant propagation and rare species reintroduction
projects with students from local schools.  He received an
M.S. in Botany from Oregon State University in 2008, where he focused
on rare plant ecology and recovery.

Amanda Stanley, Ph.D., Project Director, Prairie Restoration Research
Amanda holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Washington.  Her interests include conservation biology, mathematical ecology, and invasion ecology, focusing on the interactions between exotic and native species in grassland ecosystems.

Sarah Stevens, Restoration Education and Outreach Coordinator
Sarah graduated May 2009 from Colby College in Waterville, Maine.  She is excited to be exploring the Pacific Northwest and learning about the Willamette Valley as she works with local school children to restore rare and endangered plants.

Andrea Thorpe, Ph.D., Program Director, Conservation Research
Andrea received her Ph.D. in Organismal Biology and Ecology from the University of Montana (2006).  Her research interests include rare plant restoration and conservation, feedbacks between plants and the soil ecosystem, and invasion ecology.

Shell Whittington, Office Manager
Shell holds an M.E. in chemical engineering from the University of Detroit (Michigan). After 21 years with Hewlett-Packard she ‘reinvented’ herself and is now applying her affinity for details, making arrangements for other people and playing with spreadsheets to the business office environment at IAE. 

Barbara Wilson, Ph.D., Geneticist
Barb holds a Ph.D. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University.  Her research interests: taxonomy and conservation genetics, especially grasses and sedges.