Field Staff

  • Elizabeth Towle

    Elizabeth Towle and J. Bradley Materick will be co-leading the Montpelier Community Crew. Elizabeth brings lifelong experience with backcountry trips and summer camps in which she personally and professionally has been planning and leading wilderness trips for over 20 years. She has also received her Masters of Divinity from the Harvard Divinity School, her Special Education Certification in New Hampshire and Vermont, and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science from the University of California. Elizabeth was most recently a Backcountry Caretaker with the Appalachian Mountain Club in New Hampshire.  She has undergone training in Leave No Trace ethics and practices as well as in Wilderness First Aid.

    1. Community Crews

  • J. Bradley Materick

    Bradley is coming to us with a strong academic background from both Stanford University and the University of Vermont; he also brings much trip-leading experience. He was a Chief Instructor for expeditions with the Pacific Crest Outward Bound School for five years, as well as current Executive Director of Pacific Coast Trail for Pets. Bradley has been on a multitude of personal explorations including trips to Minnesota, the Sierra Nevadas, Arizona, British Columbia, New Zealand, Ecuador, and Mexico.

    1. Community Crews

  • Elizabeth Fox

    The Burlington Community Crew will be co-lead by Elizabeth Fox and Jennifer Trombley. Elizabeth has been a VYCC Roving Corps Member for two sessions, and a Silver Lake State Park Corps Member for one summer. She also had a chance to expand her skills internationally when she volunteered for the Rainforest Conservation Corps in Costa Rica for two weeks and the Nicaragua Bridges to Community Program where she focused on issues such as sustainable agriculture and deforestation. Elizabeth is currently completing her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Development and Social Change with a specialization in Resource Management at Clark University.

    1. Community Crews

  • Jennifer Trombley

    Jennifer is originally from Bellows Falls, Vermont. She graduated from Sterling College in Craftsbury, Vermont, with an Associates of Art in Resource Management.  Her interest in anatomy and physiology led her to take a NOL'S Wilderness EMT course in California as well as to recently become an American Red Cross CPR/First Aid Instructor.  Jennifer has also worked as an Instructor for Homeward Bound, the wilderness therapy program, in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Vermont calls to her, however, and Jen began working for the VYCC in 2006 as a Community Crew Leader. She has been working for the VYCC as a part of the Year-Round Program Staff. She has supervised Disaster Recovery Crews, helped manage fall and winter crew projects, and assisted with the overall design and implementation of the VYCC AmeriCorps Leadership Program.

    1. Community Crews

  • Heather Durkel

    Heather Durkel will be co-leading the Marsh-Billings Rockefeller Community Crew with Kate MacDonald. A Montanan, Heather has been studying Environmental Studies in the School of Natural Resources at the University of Vermont while acting as an environmental educator at Shelburne Farms.  Heather brings experience from her participation in a NOLS semester and Outward Bound courses as well as from doing conservation education with the USFS in the Glacier Ranger District in Alaska. She has been a ski instructor, a gardener, a baker of bread, and a snowshoe guide, and now looks to expand her breadth of experiences this summer in Woodstock.

    1. Community Crews

  • Kate MacDonald

    Kate grew up in the wilds of New Hampshire where she gained outdoor experience as a Program Director and Activity Leader with the Tall Pines Summer Program. She rounded out her backcountry adventures as a Senior Trail Staff with Outback Therapeutic Expeditions in Utah where she guided at-risk teens in the desert for two years. Kate has her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art and Design Education with a minor in ceramics from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. She has worked as a teacher in various classroom settings and spent 5 months hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2002.

    1. Community Crews

  • Cara Butterly

    The Richmond Agriculture and Natural Resource Community Crew will be co-lead by Cara Butterly and Sara Armstrong. Cara holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Unity College in Maine focusing on Ecology and Environmental Writing. For the last four summers she has worked for the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department as a natural resources instructor at the Green Mountain Conservation Camp Kehoe on Lake Bomoseen. Cara grew up in Vermont and worked on three VYCC crews before becoming a Youth in Agriculture AmeriCorps VISTA Member where she has been working to develop and implement a year-round agriculturally focused program based at the VYCC's West Monitor Barn property.

    1. Community Crews

  • Matt Dragon

    Matt Dragon will be co-leading the Center for Technology in Essex (CTE) Community Crew with Michala Peabody.  Matt originally comes from Eastern Pennsylvania and earned a degree in Outdoor Education from Northland College in Northern Wisconsin. Matt has worked for the U.S. Forest Service as a Wilderness Ranger and Wildland Fire Fighter and led crews for the Student Conservation Association throughout the United States. In Matt's position as the Technical Development AmeriCorps VISTA, he co-led two Wilderness Crews in 2006 and was responsible for designing and presenting workshops and trainings in traditional workskills. As the Technical Skills Coordinator, Matt is carrying forward with these projects and works within the Operations Department.

    1. Community Crews

  • Michala Peabody

    Michala has been working as a Staff Geologist and Brownfields Quality Assurance Officer for the past year in Williston, Vermont. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Geology from the University of Vermont (UVM) in 2005. While completing her studies, Michala worked in the UVM Geology Lab as well as presented her senior research on Landscape Change at a national Geological Society of America conference. Michala also experienced ‘New Year’s at the End of the World’ during a Geological Society of America student Geoventures Trip to Patagonia for 3 weeks with a group of 20 peers.

    1. Community Crews

  • Jodi Anderson, Allis State Park

    The VYCC would like to welcome Jodi back for the 2007 season. Jodi spent her first season with the VYCC running North Hero State Park and is returning to the challenge of running a new park at Allis. Jodi spent the winter working and traveling in Australia. She brings to the VYCC her educational background in Wildlife Management with a bachelors degree from the University of New Hampshire. She also taught outdoor environmental education and facilitated ropes courses at YMCA Camp Thunderbird in South Carolina. Originally from Massachusetts, Jodi has held many different positions including, Fish and Wildlife Service Public Use Intern at Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Environmental Educator at Broadmoor Audubon Society Day Camp and Whale Watch Intern at the New England Aquarium in Boston, MA.

    1. Park Crew Leader

  • Scott Renker, Lowell Lake State Park

    It is great to have Scott Renker returning for his third year with the VYCC to lead the crew at Lowell Lake State Park. He started with the VYCC in the summer of 2005 as a Roving Crew Leader and led three Disaster Relief Crews in Louisiana. In his second year Scott served as a leader at Lowell Lake State Park, on fall conservation projects, and as a house leader for the Americorps Program. Originally from New York, Scott earned his Master of Education in Health and Physical Education from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania. Scott has spent three years in the Peace Corps in Thailand.

    1. Park Crew Leader

  • Josh Carter, Elmore State Park

    This year Elmore State Park will be led by Josh Carter and Dana Bishop. We are excited to welcome Josh to the VYCC for the 2007 season. Josh received his bachelors degree in environmental conservation in 2001 from the University of New Hampshire and completed a masters degree in Environmental studies at the University of Montana-Missoula in 2006. Josh has spent time as an intern at Rocky Mountain and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Parks and at Curecanti National Recreation Area. He comes to us most recently from the Madrona Valley Farm and originates from New Hampshire.

    1. Park Crew Leader

  • Dana Bishop, Elmore State Park

    The VYCC is excited to welcome Dana to Elmore State Park for the 2007 season. Dana received a bachelors degree in Geology, Environmental Studies, and Spanish from Cornell College and a masters degree in Rangeland Ecosystem Science from Colorado State University in 2005. She brings a background in organic farming, environmental education, and crew leading to the VYCC through experiences with SCA, the National Parks Service, and the Madrona Valley Farm.

    1. Park Crew Leader

  • Jacob Biron, Elmore State Park

    We are excited to welcome Jake Biron to the VYCC field staff team. Jake will be working as an assistant manager at Elmore State Park this summer. Jake originates from upstate New York where he grew up an avid outdoors person and spent time teaching and coaching wrestling. Jake brings his education in Environmental Sciences and experience in customer service experience to the park management team this summer.

    1. Park Crew Leader

  • Rick Heine, Elmore State Park

    Rick Heine will be a member of the Elmore State Park Leadership team this year as an assistant manager. Rick originates from Buffalo, New York and went to college at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, where he received a degree in Parks and Recreation Management. He has since worked for the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone, Montana and brings his past experience in maintenance and public contact to Elmore this season.

    1. Park Crew Leader

  • Ken Brown, North Hero State Park

    Ken got his start with the VYCC as a Roving Crew Member in 2000. He went on to achieve a bachelors degree in geosciences with a concentration in environmental studies at Williams College where he also served as the president of the Outing Club. Ken has spent time as a island based ranger with the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area, a member of the SCA New Hampshire Parks Corps, and a Crew Leader for the Southwest Conservation Corps. Ken brings his experiences over the last seven years back to the VYCC and his home state of Vermont.

    1. Park Crew Leader

  • Kendra Stedman, North Hero State Park

    This year North Hero State Park will be managed by Kendra Stedman and Ken Brown. Kendra originally from Rhode Island received a dual degree in Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies in 2001 from the University of Rhode Island. Kendra spent five years working in the Mental Health field and running adventure and experiential based trips for youth 12-18 years of age. In the summer of 2006 Kendra moved away from the mental health field and spent the summer hiking the Long Trail. The VYCC is excited to welcome Kendra to the 2007 field staff team.

    1. Park Crew Leader

  • Sarah Hays

    Sarah Hays and Glen Stollberger will be leading Roving 1 and 8, based in the Moosalamoo region of the Green Mountain National Forest. Sarah hails originally from the big state of Texas, but relocated to the University of Vermont where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies in 2005. Her experience spans the gamut from mud fights to finger-painting with kindergarteners to completing the Rocky Mountain NOLS semester course. Sarah co-led the Montpelier Community Crew in 2006 and, this spring also lead the Center for Technology in Essex (CTE) crew that is based at the West Monitor Barn.

    1. Roving Crews

  • Glen Stollberger

    Glen received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cinema and Cultural Studies from State University of New York at Stony Brook in 2004. He brings a diverse background with accomplishments such as obtaining his Eagle Scout Ranking as well as performing stand-up comedy in New York City.  Glen was most recently an AmeriCorps member with the Montana Conservation Corps where he worked in remote wilderness areas to perform trail maintenance and construction.

    1. Roving Crews

  • Megan Schaeffer

    Megan Schaeffer will be joining us from Pennsylvania on Roving 2 and 9 with Don Niebyl. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Saint Francis University.  Megan has a strong biological research background, including studies on Yellowfin Tuna, White Tailed Deer and a laboratory assistantship. She also had the opportunity to travel to Australia and Bonaire where she preformed additional field work.  Megan has been an integral part of the Saint Francis Varsity Women’s Golf Team and a Student Athlete Mentor while at the University.

    1. Roving Crews

  • Don Niebyl

    Don joins the VYCC from a strong background of work in the wilderness.  Don spent his academic years at Virginia Tech where he majored in Forestry and minored in Biology. Consequently, Don studied invasive insects of the Massachusetts forest ecosystem at the Harvard Forest Research Station for two summers. After graduating, Don spent a year with the Nevada Conservation Corps before heading to the Basin and Range Forestry program where he was trained in wildland forest fire protection. Most recently, Don has been a Crew Leader for the Southwest Conservation Corps in Arizona. This fall, he is starting graduate school work in forestry at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

    1. Roving Crews

  • Marc Musgrove

    Marc Musgrove and Eliza Kenigsberg will be leading Roving 3 & 10. Marc comes to us from Maryland, where he has been serving in the Frederick City Police Department since 2002 and was awarded a ‘Lifesaving Commendation’.  Marc brings an Associates Degree in Applied Science and Political Science from Frederick Community College. He has a background in construction, farming, masonry, and landscaping and is eager to put his prior backcountry knowledge to use as he makes a career shift this summer.

    1. Roving Crews

  • Eliza Kenigsberg

    Eliza is originally from Shaftsbury, Vermont, and it is here that she developed an interest for being in nature as she worked on Clearbrook Organic Farm.  Eliza was a VYCC Roving Crew Corps Member in 2003. Eliza has since begun pursuing a Bachelor of Science in History and Environmental Science from New York University.  She has actively participated in Habitat for Humanity in New York City as well as on the Gulf Coast.  Eliza is also a member of the Green Arch NYU Sustainability Effort.

    1. Roving Crews

  • Carlyn Perovich

    Carlyn Perovich will be co-leading Roving 4 & 11 with Andy Moss. She grew up in the woods of New Hampshire and is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science and Sociology at Tulane University in New Orleans.  Carlyn brings past youth corps experience from the Southwest Conservation Corps and the Youth Corps of Southern Arizona. She has also developed many interpersonal skills from tutoring an SAT prep-course as well as participating in a multitude of community service projects.

    1. Roving Crews

  • Andy Moss

    Andy will be coming to us from his most recent adventure in Mexico, where he was working to perform GIS/GPS analysis. He was also teaching English as a second language. Andy has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tennessee in Environmental Science and Policy. Andy has worked in a state park in Tennessee as a seasonal interpretive ranger doing trail work and educational outreach programs. He also brings watershed analysis and restoration experience from the Tennessee Valley Authority.

    1. Roving Crews

  • Matt Plot

    Roving 5 & 12 will be co-lead by Matt Polt and Rebecca Francisco. Matt will be re-locating to Vermont this summer from Nebraska. He has been attending the University of Nebraska Lincoln where he has been pursuing an Agricultural Leadership major with an Environmental Studies minor.  Matt has worked as a teen center supervisor at a middle school in Lincoln. He has also organized and led a disaster relief trip to the Gulf Coast.  Matt has completed many service and trail maintenance projects at various summer camps that he’s worked at. He brings enthusiasm for a wilderness experience in the northeast.

    1. Roving Crews

  • Rebecca Francisco

    Rebecca hails from Ithaca, New York, where she began studies at Ithaca College, and ultimately obtained her Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from Cornell University in 2005. Since graduating, Rebecca has worked as a Research Assistant, and as a Landscape Architect and Designer. While at Cornell, she was a member of the Ithaca College Environmental Society, the Society for Natural Resources, and the American Society of Landscape Architects. Rebecca brings a personal passion for hiking, photography and knitting.

    1. Roving Crews

  • Bobbie Traverso-Estes

    Bobbie Traverso-Estes and Carl Ciarcia will lead Roving 6 & 13.  A native Vermonter, Bobbie is coming to us from New York City where she has been an intern for the Natural Resources Defense Council. Bobbie has a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science from Scripps College, and completed a semester with the School for Field Studies in the British West Indies. She brings teaching, farming, and wilderness trip-leading experience. Bobbie is also a VYCC Corps Member alumn from 2001 and 2003.

    1. Roving Crews

  • Carl Ciarcia

    Carl joins us as a proud recent graduate from the School of Environmental Studies at Eckerd College in Saint Petersburg, Florida. Carl spent the summer of 2006 as a Student Conservation Association Volunteer Forest Technician in the Moduc National Forest in California. He has served as an Emergency Medical Technician as well as a staff member of the Eckerd College Wallace Boathouse. He was a member of diverse clubs such as the scuba diving and skydiving clubs.

    1. Roving Crews

  • Laura Reimer

    Roving 7 & 14 will be co-lead by Laura Reimer and Lucas Somers. Laura comes to us from Winnipeg, Canada, where she is studying Ecology with an emphasis on Wildlife and Forest ecosystems at the University of Manitoba. Laura brings a diverse and strong background in carpentry, landscaping, and watershed restoration. She also has medical experience working in Mexico, Haiti, the United States, and Canada as a Certified Nurse Aide and Health Care Aide.  Most recently, Laura has been working as a laboratory technician performing microbiological testing.

    1. Roving Crews

  • Lucas Somers

    Lucas hails from Rutland, Vermont where he has most recently worked as a Ski Patroller at Killington Mountain. He brings conservation education and field work with him from the Poultney-Mettowee NRCD and the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, North Carolina. Lucas was a member of the 2006 VYCC Fall Leadership Crew at Thundering Falls, as well as a Wilderness Corps Member in 2001. Lucas has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Adventure Recreation from Green Mountain College.

    1. Roving Crews

  • Jessica Rubin

    Wilderness 1 and 3 will be lead by Jessica Rubin and Joel Jukosky.  Jessica brings a wealth of outdoor knowledge and experience to her position this summer.  Jessica has worked as a Primitive Skills Instructor for girls at ‘Her Feet on the Earth’ and ‘Deep Wild’ in Southern Vermont. She also has been an outdoor educator, landscaper, gardener, organic farm co-manager,  flat and white water canoe instructor, Nordic ski instructor, and sports and nature specialist at various outdoor centers in the Northeast.  Last summer, she was a caretaker at Griffith Lake for the Green Mountain Club.

    1. Wilderness Crews

  • Joel Jukosky

    Joel brings a plethora of conservation corps experience to his position as a Crew Leader. Joel was a VYCC Corps Member in 2005 and also participated in a 20- week backcountry hitch with the Montana Conservation Corps in 2006.  There, he gained unique skills such as sawyer certification and training in spur and harness tree climbing.  In addition, Joel has a strong background in theater camp supervision and performance.  He is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in English and Theatre at the University of Vermont.

    1. Wilderness Crews

  • Jessica Rudolph

    Jessica Rudolph and Sam Maron will be co-leading Wilderness 2 and 4. Jessica will travel to join us from the great state of Minnesota where she is obtaining her Masters of Science in Experiential Education. Jessica received a Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education from Slippery Rock University. She brings seven months of substitute teaching experience with her from Pennsylvania where she also worked for Pennsylvania General Energy in a seasonal maintenance position. Jessica has also worked as a Resource Teacher and a Youth Counselor for Eckerd Youth Alternatives at Camp E-Tik-Etu in North Carolina.

    1. Wilderness Crews

  • Sam Maron

    Sam is currently studying Community and International Development at the University of Vermont.  His studies have been enhanced by his experience as a Corps Member with the VYCC in 2005 and as a Crew Mentor with the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps in 2006.   Sam has an extensive travel history under his belt in the transportation forms of both cycling and backpacking.  Sam is the President of Students for a Free Tibet and Co-President of Students for Peace and Global Justice at UVM.  This fall he will be studying abroad in India and Tibet.

    1. Wilderness Crews

Crew Leader Profiles