Barry received a Ph.D. from Colorado State University in 1991 where his research focused on the effects of climate change on grassland/livestock ecosystems. Since then, he has worked in Argentina, China, Mongolia, and the US for the United Nations’ Development and Environmental Programmes, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Country Studies Program, and more recently The Nature Conservancy. His research interests include bioclimatology, biogeography, and the influence of climatic variability on the distribution and conservation of plants and animals in grassland and alpine ecosystems.
Dustin Pearce joined the Conservation Biology Institute in December of 2015. His background in geospatial sciences has focused on the interplay of working agricultural lands, natural lands, and renewable energy development in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Growing up in the San Joaquin Valley, his connection with agricultural and working lands initiated his interest in biology. Watching the seasonal shifts in crops and the wildlife that surrounded the valley all developed his curiosity for the natural world that still drives him today. Finding just as much comfort in plowed fields as the backcountry of the Sierra Nevada, his upbringing has helped him understand the truly complex nature of humans’ interaction with different landscapes.
Dustin holds a M.E.S.M. in Economics and Politics of the Environment from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, and a B.S. in Conservation Biology from Arizona State University. His work with the Conservation Biology Institute is focused on stakeholder engagement and smart planning for renewable energy development throughout California.
Dustin lives and works remotely in Santa Barbara, California. He enjoys getting outside as much as possible, woodworking, metalworking, and exploring paved roads on his motorcycle.
Melanie Brown joined the Conservation Biology Institute in July of 2015. She has a B.S. in Natural Resource Management with a focus on science and research from Oregon State University (OSU), and an A.A.S. in Water Conservation from Lane Community College (LCC). Melanie is originally from Rhode Island and moved to Oregon in 2008. She has a broad interest in conservation issues including how climate change and invasive species effect land management, and how sustainability and urban ecology affect natural resources. Her background includes a diverse mix of conservation, horticulture, and marketing. As an undergraduate she conducted research alongside her mentor Dr. Dominqiue Bachelet about how Oregon and Idaho Bureau of Land Management (BLM) managers perceive the usefulness of web-based climate tools for sagebrush management. Prior to attending OSU Melanie worked for ten years in various horticulture and vegetation management positions that include assisting in silviculture field studies; a horticulture internship focused on integrated pest management (IPM); manager of marketing and merchandising for an Oregon plant nursery where she integrated native plant species into nursery stock and gave numerous workshops on incorporating wildlife, IPM and xeriscaping into home gardens; and as an entrepreneur who started and managed a landscape design company focused on the incorporation of native and non-invasive species to New England home landscapes. Other experience includes an internship in conservation marketing and development for an Oregon non-profit where she created a neighborhood conservation marketing plan and conducted grant research; an internship in zoology where she cared for a diversity of animal species including threatened and endangered species and worked on animal enrichment and habitat displays; and work with the American Burying Beetle Species Survival Plan where she cared for and tracked American Burying Beetle populations and assisted in their catch and release on Martha’s Vineyard. In her free time Melanie enjoys hiking and exploring the Northwest, photography and spending time with her two young children.
Bill Pfeil is passionately committed to the defense of our natural environments and the preservation of all species. He has a strong interest in data visualization tools and techniques for solving scientific problems and communicating results. Bill has more than 20 years experience developing desktop, mobile, and enterprise applications. He has created solutions for many types of industries including environmental, scientific and optical, radio, law enforcement, banking, and logistics and transportation. Bill has worked with many different languages and technologies including c, c++, .net, objective-c, java, javascript, ruby, rails, unity, android studio and more.
Kathy joined CBI in August, 2008 as an accounting assistant. Kathy has A.S. Degrees in Accounting Technology and Business Management, over 25 years of accounting experience, and a strong personal commitment to protecting and preserving the environment. Kathy grew up on a small 10 acre farm outside of Sodaville, Oregon and still enjoys a rural farming lifestyle with her husband. Kathy and her husband completed their six month Oregon State University Master Woodland Manager Program and a two-year LBCC A.S. Agriculture Degree in June 2007. They focused on living sustainably and making a positive influence on the environment. For example, they installed a smaller irrigation pump, heat pump, solar panel, and focus on reusing or recycling.
When she is not clearing blackberries or preparing garden plots, Kathy enjoys digital photography and traveling both locally and abroad, including trips to Bali, Israel, and Egypt. She also spends time learning more about plant types, pest control, propagation, and composting. With her strong background and experience in business, and her personal commitment to conservation, Kathy is an excellent fit at CBI and is delighted to contribut towards CBI’s mission of protecting and preserving the environment.
Patricia Gordon-Reedy is a Botanist/Senior Vegetation Ecologist with 30 years of experience in endangered species research and conservation planning for private, government, and non-profit sectors throughout the western U.S. and in Europe. She has been involved in all phases of Natural Community Conservation Planning programs in multiple ecosystem types throughout California—preserve design for endangered species, developing protocols and conducting rare plant surveys, large-scale vegetation mapping and classification, research and risk assessments for invasive plants, and writing prescriptive habitat management and monitoring plans. She is effective in working with scientists and land managers to synthesize and apply the latest scientific research to practical land management and conservation issues. Ms. Gordon-Reedy developed an adaptive management framework plan for the federally threatened and state endangered plant, Acanthomintha ilicifolia, and worked with the California Invasive Plant Council and other partners to map invasive species and develop a regional strategy for prioritizing treatments of invasive plants in San Diego County, CA. She serves on several regional subcommittees and working groups in San Diego, including subcommittees on Vegetation Mapping and Rare Plant Survey Protocols and an Acanthomintha working group.
Patrick joined CBI in October 2010. He brings thirty years of accounting and management experience working for various non-profits. Patrick earned his BBA degree from the University of Michigan in 1980.
Henri is an advocate for being outside as much as humanly possible. Henri is a Pacific North Westerner by birth and heart. Henri’s love of the outdoors inspired the study of horticulture and then geology. Obtaining a B.S. in geology from Oregon State University, followed by a graduate certificate in GIS, Henri inspires to save the world one rock, and one tree, at a time. Henri volunteers time with local schools to teach others about the planet we inhabit. Henri enjoys daily walks with her dogs, camping, hiking and pondering geology with her partner, Shereena.
Tom Atiyeh, joined CBI’s team in January 2012 and has a long history of conservation engagement. Tom is a native Oregonian and grew up around Opal Creek where years later he played an instrumental role in converting family mining claims to the now 35,000 acre Opal Creek Wilderness and Scenic Recreation Area. Tom is a former Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center Board Member and Executive Director.
Tom recently moved his attention from the ancient forest to the urban forest and guided Oregon-based, Friends of Trees as their Chief Development Officer. You may also know the name Atiyeh because of the 112 year-old family-owned business. His wife Leslie is now the President of Atiyeh International, Ltd. allowing Tom to spend time in the non-profit world. Tom’s father, Victor served for two terms as Oregon’s Governor from 1979 – 1987. Tom’s daughter, Meagan works for the Oregon Arts Commission as the Visual Arts/Public Art Coordinator.
Katie focuses on promoting enhanced data collection, collaboration, and policy decisions for land managers and citizen science. Katie brings over a decade of experience serving in technical science positions and a proven track record of successful partnership coordination and communication; along with the collection, analysis, and visualization of many types of geospatial data and other information. Project partners have ranged from federal agencies to local Friends groups, with equally successful outcomes. Specialized training and experience has included qualitative data collection and analysis, facilitation, mediation, and community-based social marketing. Katie’s strengths include communicating technical information in an engaging and approachable way, maintaining diplomacy and poise under any circumstance, attention to detail, and successfully working with diverse people.