Meet the Team

Zander was the Guild’s research director for 11 years prior to his current role. His research supports on-the-ground implementation of ecological forestry. He has a PhD from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and worked as a cartographer and spatial analyst with the US Geological Survey.

“In college, I became obsessed with environmental threats and thought the only way to make a difference was through international policy. In contrast, I learned there were opportunities to make a positive impact in forests right where I grew up in southern New England. With just a Master of Forestry and some blue paint, I could change the course of a woodlot for a generation. As the Guild’s executive director, it is incredibly rewarding to see the positive impact Guild members have in the forests they manage and how, collectively, we can tackle the environmental challenges that first motivated me."

The Southwest program continues the legacy started by the Forest Trust in 1984 to practice and promote excellence in stewardship by building a sustainable forest-based economy, developing future forestry leaders, practicing ecological forest restoration, and training and educating fire and forest workers and landowners. Eytan develops, funds, and implements projects to support these goals. The Southwest program currently works on landscape-scale restoration, youth education and training, wildland firefighter training, and effectiveness monitoring. Eytan is involved in several local collaborative efforts to improve forest management and serves on a wildland-urban interface risk reduction grant review panel. He received his master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania after working as a field archaeologist in the Northeast and a fire effects monitor and wildland firefighter with the National Park Service.

Esmé manages Collaborative Forest Restoration Program (CFRP) projects. Her work addresses wildfire on a fireshed scale, with a pro-active and collaborative approach to improve the health and long-term resilience of our forests and communities. Esmé also communicates science to the public through project outreach materials, website design, verbal communication and photography, helping a range of audiences understand and engage in their natural world. Esmé holds an M.S. in Ecohydrological Science and Management from the University of Idaho in Moscow, and a B.S. in Environmental Biology from Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. Her work has emphasized the mixed use of watershed and fireshed landscapes and the coupling between human and natural systems to manage forest and water resources at the landscape to regional scale. Esmé’s past research examines the interface between hydrologic and riparian systems and the ecological role of fire in forested watersheds for maintaining forest health and ecological resilience in a changing world. 

Fallon focuses on operations and employee interests. Her background is in the New Mexico timber industry. She worked for several years at a family-owned sawmill started by her father that specializes in using local timber. Her experience is in operations management, accounting, project management, customer service and collaboration. She is originally from Santa Fe, NM and earned her undergraduate degree from The University of Texas at Austin and MBA from the University of New Mexico. Fallon became interested in forest management and sustainable resource management while working in the timber industry. Working at the guild has inspired her to expand her knowledge. At home, Fallon finds happiness in spending time with her husband, two daughters and a large extended family. She also loves sewing, learning new mountain biking skills, and running.

Michael focuses on regional research needs, collaboration opportunities, and natural resource planning at a landscape-scale. Michael has specialized experience developing integrated solutions to balance the multifaceted ecological, economic, and social needs of the Lake State’s forest resources. Michael holds a BA from Gustavus Adolphus College with majors in Biology and Environmental Studies and an MS in Biological Integration from the University of Minnesota. Prior to working for the Forest Stewards Guild, Michael worked with the Wisconsin DNR, Minnesota Forest Resources Council/Minnesota DNR, Sugarloaf: The North Shore Stewardship Association, and USDA Forest Service. Michael also operates a southern Minnesota corn and soybean farm that pairs land and water conservation practices with production agriculture. He spends his time away from Guild and farming activities engaging in a variety of outdoor adventures with his wife and kids. Michael's office is located in Mankato, MN.

Matt’s history with the Guild goes back to 2012 when he worked as a seasonal forestry technician conducting common stand exams in the Zuni Mountains of New Mexico. After earning master’s degrees from the University of New Mexico in Community and Regional Planning and Water Resources Matt joined the Guild full time in 2014 as the Community Forestry Coordinator. What drew Matt to the Guild then and still inspires him now is the Guild’s unique ability to balance the ecological needs of the forest with those of the communities that depend on them for the ecosystem services they provide and their intrinsic and cultural value. Matt left the Guild in 2022 as the Southwest Region Director and was excited to return to a new role and in a new geography as a Deputy Director leading the Southeast and Northeast regions. Matt’s work includes supporting partnerships with various land management agencies to implement ecological forest restoration projects, the Forest Stewards Apprenticeship program, and supporting staff in various education and outreach efforts to promote resilient forest management in the east.

Mackenzie, a proud Minnesota native, discovered her passion for the outdoors and connecting people with nature at an early age. She pursued her academic interests at North Dakota State University, where she earned both a B.S. and M.S. in Natural Resources Management, setting the foundation for her career in environmental stewardship. After completing her degrees, Mackenzie relocated to the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, to be closer to her family and immerse herself in the region’s natural beauty. Throughout her career, she sought opportunities to engage with diverse outreach programs, from leading back-country backpacking trips to offering outdoor education, hosting networking events, and providing forestry consulting services. In her new role with the Guild, Mackenzie will collaborate with organizations to host forestry related outreach events and support vital restoration projects across the Southeast Region. She’s excited to bring her passion and expertise to a dedicated, like-minded team.

Born in New Mexico and raised on the principles of responsible land stewardship, Rachel earned her B.S. in Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology with a focus in Ecosystem Management from New Mexico State University. She spent her post-collegiate years immersed in forest thinning and fuels reduction and now works in her capacity at the Guild to support and expand community and organizational land management projects. From fire resiliency learning networks to programs designed to assist landowners reduce pests and disease, these proactive and collaborative projects address a spectrum of challenges facing the landscape and people of the southwest. A typical day may find Rachel assisting the Forest Stewards Youth Corps, in the field performing ecological monitoring, or facilitating wildfire preparedness knowledge sharing between experts and community members. When not at work Rachel enjoys hiking, rock climbing, baking, and settling down with a good book and mug of black tea.

Lily is from rural Vermont, where she watched small communities struggle as they transitioned away from logging economies. After earning her BA in Fine Art from the University of Vermont, Lily spent a decade researching and writing about the connection between place, identity, and natural resources through the lens of traditional textile crafts. This exploration sparked her interest in policy’s role in maintaining vibrant rural communities. Lily received her MS in Forest Stewardship from the University of Colorado, where she deepened her understanding of the federal policies that support community-based forestry.

Through her work with the Forest Stewards Guild, Lily supports small-acreage and underserved landowners in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado in implementing climate-smart forest projects. She also supports the collaborative restoration of key watersheds by coordinating the Executive Committee of the 2-3-2 Partnership. Her goal is to support resilient, connected human and ecological communities that thrive amidst changing environmental and economic landscapes.

Chris discovered his passion for the natural world and deepening people's connections to it after serving with AmeriCorps in 2007 on an ecological restoration project in California. Many years later, he is excited to work with the Forest Stewards Guild supporting the Appalachian Region in community-based ecological forest stewardship programming.

Chris is a North Carolina Registered Forester. He received a BA in Environment Education from Warren Wilson College and a Master of Forestry from the Yale School of the Environment. He has worked in community-based forestry with The Nature Conservancy, as a Wilderness Instructor with North Carolina Outward Bound, and as a High School Environmental Science Teacher in Asheville, NC.

In his free time, Chris enjoys hiking in the Western North Carolina Mountains while making frequent stops along the trail to explore all the amazing plant life. Chris believes that stewarding forests together is critical towards co-creating a loving, thriving, and sustainable future.

Sarah DeMay has been working, learning, and living within the fire-prone and fire-adapted landscapes of Northern New Mexico and beyond for over two decades. She’s been steeped in disciplines spanning ecology and prescribed fire to suppression and fire aviation. More recently, after experiencing firsthand the loss of a beloved community and vast areas of forested landscape to multiple high-severity wildfires, Sarah is engaged in wildland fire as a rural community member, landowner, and as an advocate for all people who call this land home. Sarah is driven by a sense of urgency that derives from the combined experiences of working as a wildland firefighter, living off-grid within a fire-prone landscape, and raising a family in a place and time in which climate change, drought, and high-severity wildfire are the norm.

Cody joined the Guild to work at the confluence of people and forests. With a background in prescribed fire implementation and research, community outreach, and ecological monitoring, Cody supports multiple programs throughout the Southwest. Ever learning, Cody is excited to combine landscape-scale planning with on-the-ground projects to restore, protect, and promote resilient forest communities. He has a B.S. in Resource Conservation from The University of Montana and an M.S. in Forest Resources from Penn State.

Alex joined the Guild in 2025 with over fifteen years of land conservation and stewardship experience within fire adapted ecosystems. His background in wildland fire, forestry, and ecology includes work with the Department of Interior, New Mexico Forestry Division, New Mexico Land Conservancy, and as a consulting forester and prescribed fire contractor in the Northeast. Alex has a bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts and a master’s degree in Sustainability and Environmental Management from Harvard University. Through his work with the Guild, he helps landowners and land managers understand their fire management options, and he facilitates the essential role of prescribed fire in forest stewardship. As the Prescribed Fire Project Manager, Alex provides planning, coordination, and implementation of beneficial fire.

Michelle just wants to be outside! Her ecological training began at Roosevelt University in Chicago, where she earned her B.A. in Sustainability Studies. There she worked on an urban farm, managed a rooftop garden, and led a campus wide composting effort. She then headed off to the University of Vermont and earned her M.S. from the Field Naturalist program. Her graduate work focused on urban ecology and forestry, installing Continuous Forest Inventory plots in a bustling natural area in Burlington, Vermont. 

Forests are Michelle’s happy place, and she feels at home at the Guild, where her work prioritizes projects that fulfill the mission of practicing and promoting responsible forestry. While she is not coordinating for the Guild, you can find her listening to an audiobook about fictional or nonfictional lands, practicing Italian, being a persistent but mediocre crafter, sweating in the gym, or hanging outside and observing the more-than-human-world.

Born and raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Sarah feels most at home out of doors and has made a career of trying to better the natural environment around her. In her role at the Guild, Sarah’s responsibilities include forest restoration project management and forestry outreach and communication. Sarah has an undergraduate degree in Biology and a master’s degree in Environmental Management. She is an ISA certified arborist. Sarah's hobbies include playing the piano badly, reading, and obsessing over her houseplants. 

Maya Hilty’s strong interest in promoting community environmental stewardship drew her to the Guild. She aims to continue expanding fire preparedness efforts around Santa Fe and building an ethic of collective responsibility for fire mitigation through public outreach and education.  

Maya grew up in western Colorado, received a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Carleton College in Minnesota, and worked as a daily newspaper reporter prior to joining the Guild. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the outdoors, playing soccer, and hanging out with her partner and two cats. 

As the watershed restoration program manager, Anna works with partners on watershed restoration plans in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. She recently retired from the Forest Service after 25 yrs in water resource management, including over 10 years managing the postfire recovery program for the national forests in Arizona and New Mexico.

Born and raised in northern New Mexico, Anna is thrilled to be working with the Guild in these headwaters on restoration efforts that connect people and forests. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science with a concentration in hydrology from New Mexico Tech. She enjoys traveling, volunteering and spending time in nature with her husband and their two dogs.

Ami oversees philanthropic giving. She joins the Guild staff after enjoying a 20-year girl service career, most recently as CEO of Texas’ Girls Empowerment Network. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science, Psychology, and Gender Studies as well as a Masters of Public Affairs in Nonprofit Management. In 2019, she achieved her Certified Fund Raising Executive credential, and she is a board member for the Association of Fundraising Professionals and Impact Austin, a women’s collective giving circle. Her deep love of nature began in her home state of Indiana, and she is passionate about connecting with philanthropists of all kinds! When not working, she can be found at a film festival, traveling with her partner, or cuddling her three black cats.

Born in Wyoming and raised in the Rocky Mountains, Alex earned a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation Science from Oregon State University, with a minor in Ichthyology and certification in Geographic Information Sciences. He began his conservation career as a Stewardship Technician with Greenbelt Land Trust, supporting large-scale forest thinning, invasive plant removal, and oak savanna restoration projects. Alex later worked as a Restoration Technician and GIS Specialist with the Sonoma Ecology Center, contributing to prescribed fire projects across the North Bay Area. He went on to serve as an Ecological Data Analyst and Crew Lead with the Bureau of Land Management in New Mexico. Now as Southwest Project Coordinator, Alex helps implement the Community Wildfire Defense Grant and the Fire Adapted Communities Program. In his free time, he enjoys reading, biking, and gardening with his beloved wife and cat, Fitz. 

Juan joined the Guild in 2021 as a forestry technician, with a background in arboriculture and tree climbing. Since then, he has become the crew lead on the Mt. Taylor Timber crew, has been involved in many different aspects of the CFLRP and has grown in the Guild to become the Zuni CFLRP Wood Utilization Coordinator helping to bring the Wood for Life initiative into the Zuni mountain landscape. Through this role Juan has worked with many different partners to help establish four Wood for Life wood bank hubs, which will serve fuelwood to those in need within the surrounding areas of the Zuni Mountains. “I grew up between the Zuni mountains and Mount Taylor, playing and working in these hills and forests, and the Guild has given me the opportunity to give back to the land and people of my home”.

Chanda brings valuable forestry experience to the Forest Stewards Guild, having previously worked as a forester at the Washington Department of Natural Resources and the US Forest Service in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Most recently, at Nakamoto Forestry, she played a key role in setting up their sustainability department, deeply engaging with Japanese forestry practices. Holding a degree in Forestry with a dual focus in Forest Management and Forest Restoration and Fire from Oregon State University, she is well-versed in both the practical and ecological aspects of forest stewardship. She is driven by a commitment to improving the planet's health and is enthusiastic about expanding Guild membership in the Northwest, while also strengthening connections with existing members. Her work emphasizes bird population management, climate considerations, and biodiversity, with a goal of increasing environmental education access for underserved communities. Beyond her professional life, Chanda enjoys outdoor activities like backpacking, mountaineering, and Nordic skiing.

Shannon loves that her job with the Guild helps her serve her community in new ways, pushes her to learn more about stewarding the land and water of her home, and gives her an excuse to bug people she may not have had the pleasure of connecting with otherwise. She found her job with the Guild as the 2-3-2 Partnership Coordinator in the San Luis Valley in 2025, where her primary focus is on weaving together local stewardship efforts with regional ones for mutual benefit and increased impact. Her background is in regenerative ranching with sheep and cattle in the southwest, water management and environmental education. She has an undergraduate degree in Ecological Conservation from Sterling College in Vermont. She’s passionate about collaborating from the radical center and inspired by the care for land and community she sees in so many.

Jeremy Marshall is a former seasoned Forest Service leader combining ecological expertise, field experience, and collaboration on five distinct landscape collaboratives across the West. With 30 years of leadership in the USFS, his work centers on prescribed fire, landscape restoration, and cross-boundary partnerships. Jeremy has intrinsic knowledge of the southwest from his time as a field ecologist doing vegetation plots to his last USFS assignment on the 3.8-million-acre Rio Chama CFLRP. Jeremy has worked closely in collaboration with the Forest Stewards Guild since 2012 on both the SW Jemez CFLRP and the Rio Chama CFLRP and is exited to continue working in the 2-3-2 landscape with the Guild in his new role as a Senior Forester.

Christian has been professional forester in the Lake States for over 25 years working with state agencies and Native American tribes. He has a passion for science-based, ecologically focused, and pragmatic forestry practices and believes people have a place in the environment and therefore a responsibility to be good stewards. Christian is proud to be part of an organization that promotes good, sustainable, science-based land management, research to fill knowledge gaps, and targeted outreach to help promote good stewardship. He has a B.S. in Wildlife Management from Saint Cloud State University, completed the coursework for an M.S. in forest management at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, went through the National Advanced Silviculture Program, and holds certificates in GIS and computer programming. Outside of work, Christian is a disc golfer, mountain biker, canoe camper, hunter, amateur musician, and routinely slays (pretend) monsters in a game group.

Andrew has been working with youth in the outdoors for nearly a decade from the Northwoods of Wisconsin to the high desert of beautiful New Mexico. He’s honored to work at the intersection of environmental stewardship, outdoor education, and youth development to invest in the next generation of forest stewards. In his role at the Guild he supports crews of young adults as they develop technical competencies and job skills while improving the landscapes of their communities. On his own time Andrew enjoys fixing up motorcycles, exploring Albuquerque on his bicycle, and convincing himself that he’ll get around to the growing mountain of unread books on his shelf.

Mateo brings diverse international experience to the Guild, having worked for a decade and a half in biodiversity conservation, agroecology and intercultural education throughout South and Central America, southern Africa and the US. Mateo’s interests include traditional ecological knowledge, ecological restoration, protected areas governance and intersections between environmental and social justice. Mateo is ecstatic to join the Guild’s efforts to collaboratively manage forest landscapes in northern New Mexico for resilience, biodiversity conservation and the benefit of local communities. Mateo holds a MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation from the University of Leeds (UK) and a BA from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Mateo is an avid outdoorsman, linguist and songwriter-singer.

Megan is passionate about working at the intersection of people, forests, and climate-driven impacts, which has inspired her commitment to supporting fire-adapted communities. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon, and her experience spans both research and hands-on work. She conducted research on community engagement during the revision of several forest management plans, worked on a crew restoring trails in wilderness areas in the West, and developed strong relationships with communities and leaders across Arizona to enhance wildfire resilience. Megan is eager to expand her learning on how to tailor fire-adapted community practices to address the unique needs and cultural contexts of individuals and communities. She happily works with the Guild to foster knowledge sharing among experts, community leaders, and determined groups working across the landscapes of New Mexico. In her personal time, Megan enjoys connecting with family and friends, cheering on her favorite sports teams, and exploring new trails.

Colleen describes her perfect work as helping people recognize and acknowledge their own connections to their environment. She has a Bachelor's Degree in environmental education and a broad background in communications. After 10 years with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' Forest Health Program and 14 years with the non-profit, Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy, her knowledge directly relates to our communication needs. She understands our work with forests and the people who own, manage and recreate within them. Colleen maintains our website, member and donor communications, event registrations, e-news, magazine, and Annual Review. Outside the Guild, she is a Wisconsin Master Naturalist course instructor, a Certified Mindful Outdoor Guide, and enjoys time in the woods and on the water with friends and family. She puts high value on locally sourced, healthy food. You'll often hear her say "I belong outside."

Anna brings years of experience collaborating on natural resource conservation with landowners, managers, and partners in rural New Mexico to the Guild. She most recently worked with NRCS in northeast New Mexico. She earned her degree in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology from Colorado State University and spent several field seasons conducting wildlife surveys across rural north America after graduating. Through her work she has gained valuable perspective on the effort involved in working lands conservation and management for rural communities, the wildlife they share the land with, and the environment as a whole. She hopes to bring this perspective to her work at the Guild as she increases awareness and participation in conservation programs on private lands and strengthens the capacity of communities and local organizations to adopt and promote natural resource conservation practices. 

Rachel holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and International and Global Studies from Brandeis University and an M.S. in Natural Resources from the University of Vermont. Her graduate research explored the perceptions of forest stewards from state agencies and Tribal Nations in Maine on climate adaptation and cross-cultural knowledge exchange. Rachel’s professional experience ranges from working as a research associate at the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, scientific program analyst at Keystone Symposia, US Forest Service Ranger and environmental educator. Rachel will support multiple Guild programs in the Northeast, and she is excited to apply her diverse background to this role. In her free time, Rachel enjoys listening to live music, practicing yoga and spending time outdoors.

Polly hails from the Tug Hill Plateau, just west of the Adirondack Mountains of New York and lives on the east end of Long Island where she obtained a master’s degree in urban ecology from Hofstra University; founded (and directs) the Long Island Native Plant Initiative, administers the Long Island Invasive Species Management Area, and most recently served a as Science and Stewardship Program Manager, where she led the development of a Prescribed Fire Program for the Central Pine Barrens Commission.

As a member of the North Atlantic Fire Science Exchange leadership team, Polly helps support increased capacity for science-based wildland fire management by hosting educational programs, developing innovative technical resources, supporting research initiatives and fostering connections between researchers and managers.

Andreas is from Colorado and moved to New Mexico in 2022. He first started working in the woods in 2014 and spent a few years bouncing around national forests in Utah and South Dakota. After earning a PhD in Ecology from Colorado State University, he was a research fellow with the U.S. Geological Survey until 2025. He now manages the Guild’s forest and fire science program in the southwest – focusing on the 2-3-2 landscape and Rio Chama CFLRP. His research spans climate, fire, and forest dynamics across the southern Rockies and Southwest. He and his wife, Gwen, raise three rescue dogs - Gila, Fig, and Echo.