Who We Are
The people that work and learn at at UCSC Fort Ord Natural Reserve represent communities from across the state, and around the world. We serve students from K-12 schools, community colleges, multiple universities, as well as researchers and graduate students. We also have the pleasure of serving dozens of interns and volunteers each year. These students work alongside staff in land stewardship, biological monitoring, education, and research projects.
With support from generous donors; UCSC FONR is very fortunate to hire many short term, seasonal, and special project staff. These opportunities provide valuable experience and income to students, recent graduates, and other members of the research community. The list below represents our main staff, former employees, and the real VIP's of our special place, our growing list of volunteers and interns! Please visit our giving page for more information about how you can help.
We thank you all for your help in making UCSC FONR an exceptional resource for research, teaching, and public service in the Monterey Bay area!
Please, if you would like to be added to the followong list of alumni, contact the Reserve Director!
UCSC Fort Ord Natural Reserve Staff
Joe Miller
Reserve Director
Manages all day to day activities and programs at the reserve.
Administration
Gage Dayton
Administrative Director UCSC Natural Reserves
Gage oversees all UC Santa Cruz Natural Reserves.
Former Staff
Judith Rutherford
Assistant Steward
Kimiya Ghadiri
Assistant Steward
Rachel Perpignani
Bird Banding
Dani Davis
Student Stewardship Employee
Jazmin Rios
Restoration Assistant
Maya Talpai-Vasinthascha
Student Stewardship Employee
Brandon Cluff
Assistant Steward
Alexandra Ahmad
Restoration Assistant
Kyra Petrilli
Restoration Assistant
Brett Bell
Restoration Steward
Annie Allenbaugh
Restoration Steward
Interns and Volunteers
Maya Talpai-Vasinthascha
2018-2019
Reserve Stewardship
Bird Banding
Alex Bevan
2016-2017
Reserve Stewardship
Research Support
Thomy Tran
2019-2020
California Tiger Salamander Researh, Small Mammal Personality Research, Plant Disease Ecology Internship
Tara Johnson-Kelly
2017
Camera Trap Wildlife Study
Isabella Gargano
2019
Sand Gila and Bird’s Beak Restoration Project
Jamie Becher
2019
Small Mammal Trapping
Cody Pang
2020
Rare Plant Restoration project
Brett Bell
2018
Science Illustration
Tatjana Beck
2020
Herpetology Monitoring
Dani Davis
2017-2020
Horned Lizard Population Monitoring, Land Stewardship, Plant Survey and Restoration, Bird Banding, Field Trip Docent
Samantha Gatreaux
2018-2019
Small Mammal Monitoring
Sara Morgan
2018-2019
Wildlife Camera Monitoring
Shawn Kehrmeyer
2018
Rare Plant Monitoring, Reserve Stewardship
Sara Mojica
2018
Bird Banding, Small Mammal Monitoring
Mark Pena
2018
Research Support, Reserve Stewardship
Yvonne Bantum
2018-2019
Research Support, Reserve Stewardship, k-12 Education, Media Projects
Eilise McKenna
2020
Plant Disease Research
Giselle Wendt
2020
Rare Plant Restoration
Brandon Munoz
2020
Rare Plant Restoration
Sanam Noorani
2020
Rare Plant Restoration
Duncan Gwynne
2020
Rare Plant Restoration
Hector Borjas
2020
Rare Plant Restoration
Amelia Breedlove
2020
Rare Plant Restoration
James Earles
2020
Rare Plant Restoration
Andrea Vega
2020
Wildlife Camera Monitoring
Jackie Redinger
2020
Wildlife Camera Monitoring
Nathan Morrison
2020
Rare Plant Restoration
Michael Gennaro
2020
Rare Plant Restoration
Ivie Foster-Byrd
2020
Rare Plant Restoration, Reserve Drone Mapping and GIS
Erin Elm
2020
Plant Disease Research
Liliana Lee
2020
Herpetology Monitoring, Reserve Public Outreach
Meghan Sherrier
2020
Herpetology Monitoring
Alicia Long
2019-2020
Bird Banding, K-12 Education
Nathan Calapine
2019-2020
Rare Plant Restoration
Annie Allenbaugh
2019
Rare Plant Restoration
Summer Driscoll
2019
Rare Plant Restoration
Reed Hammock
2019
Rare Plant Restoration
Yusen Cao
2019
Rare Plant Restoration
Victoria Lebegue
2019
Rare Plant Restoration
Lauren Williams
2019
Rare Plant Restoration
Alma Sierra
2019
Rare Plant Restoration
Weijie Zhao
2019
Rare Plant Restoration
Nick Bergeron
2019
Reserve Stewardship
Citalli Gonzales
2019
Wildlife Travel Corridor Research
Iris Garcia
2019
Wildlife Travel Corridor Research
Kat Nickel
2019
Drone Mapping and Research Support
Zina Lor
2018
Vegetation Mapping
Rachael Greenfield
2017
Wildlife Camera Monitoring
Jim Green
2017
Vegetation Mapping
Joseph Bercerra
2017
Vegetation Mapping
Edeli Reyes
2017
Vegetation Mapping
Nathalie Martin
2017
Vegetation Mapping
Mary Billington
2018
Bird Banding
Yucheol Shin
2018-2019
Herpetology Monitoring
Nancy Vielmas
2019
Stewardship and Research Support
Christie Lara
2019
Bird Banding
Alyssa Shaer
2019
Bird Banding
Robert Horn
2018-2019
Bird Banding
Shaylea Stark
2019
Bird Banding
Anthony Cruz
2019
Herpetology Monitoring
