Ken Ferschweiler has 30 years of experience in computer science, and in 2010 he jumped at the opportunity to join CBI’s climate change research group and use that experience in addressing ecological modeling problems. Ken has worked in the US and in Europe in areas ranging from artificial intelligence to massively parallel computing, but has been happiest when using computers to help scientists solve scientific problems.
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.
Tim joined the Conservation Biology Institute in 2008. He has an M.S. in Geology from the University of Missouri – Columbia and an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Colorado – Boulder. His experience includes porting and tuning climate modeling software on massively parallel supercomputers as well as developing high data flow applications in networked realtime environments. He is interested in developing, expanding, and linking ecological models to further the understanding of current ecosystems and to examine alternative futures in the face of climate change and human activity. In 2012, he completed an M.S. in Biology at the University of Oregon – Eugene, his research concentrated on modeling fire and its effects in the Willamette Valley.
Tim and his wife Kim share their Eugene, Oregon home with several furred and/or feathered companions of various sizes. In his spare time he occasionally paddles a sea kayak or works on building one.
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.
Jessie is a biologist/botanist with 22 years’ professional experience in field biology, botany and land management throughout California with a strong background in coastal and desert ecology, botany, and natural resource management and restoration. She is particularly knowledgeable of the central and southern California coast and coastal ranges, western and central Mojave Desert, and central and southern Sierra Nevada Mountains where she has surveyed for and located more than 120 threatened, endangered, or sensitive plant species. Additional experience includes coastal California gnatcatcher surveys, least Bell’s vireo nest monitoring, sensitive plant and animal monitoring and management, threats assessments and trend analyses, botanical research, vegetation mapping, wetland and upland habitat restoration, and preserve management. Jessie prepares habitat management plans, work plans and budgets, and annual reports, and has created public outreach literature and organized and led outreach events and volunteer workdays. Jessie communicates regularly with the conservation community through workshops and presentations, and is a member of the San Diego rare plant oversight committee and the San Diego County Weed Management Area steering committee.
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.
Nancy has been working at the Conservation Biology Institute since August 1998. She received her M.S. in Conservation Biology at the University of Minnesota in 1997 for research focusing on the threatened West Indian Whistling-duck (Dendrocygna arborea) in the Bahamas.
Her current research interests include the use of geographic information systems as a tool for conservation planning, incorporating GIS into science education, and avian conservation issues. In 2012, she completed her Ph.D. in Science Education at Oregon State University.