Alphabetical by last name:

Michelle Allen, Office Associate
Michelle migrated west from New England and traded her snow shovel for an umbrella.  Michelle started at IAE as a bookkeeper but is quickly sharing her co workers passion for the outdoors. 

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.

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.

Geoff Gardner, Biological Technician, Habitat Restoration
Geoff started with IAE as an intern in the Conservation Research Program in 2010 and now works with the Habitat Restoration Program.  He  graduated with a B.S. in Botany from the University of Arkansas in 2006.

Jenny Getty, Native Plant Materials Coordinator, Habitat Restoration
Jenny splits her time at IAE leading a Regional Plant Materials Cooperative and managing IAE's Plant Materials Program.  The goal of the Regional Plant Materials Cooperative is to increase the availability of diverse native plant materials by coordinating the needs and interests of restoration partners.

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.

Erin Gray, Ecologist, Conservation Research
Erin received her M.S. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University in 2011.  Her research interests include invasive species ecology and plant community ecology.

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

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.

Stacy Moore, Program Director, Ecological Education
Stacy is a voracious networker and enthusiastic educator and will be critical in the implementation of the statewide service-learning connections between schools and restoration agencies and organizations. 

Rachel Schwindt, Ecologist/GIS analyst, Habitat Restoration
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, Restoration Biologist, Habitat Restoration
Ian received his M.S. in botany from Oregon  State University.  He currently  monitors populations of threatened and endangered plants across the Willamette Valley.

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.