​

Island Conservation Corps Crew Members

​

Cohort 4, 2023-2024

 

Zoey Addison-Smith

Born near the ocean cliffs of northern California, Zoey (She/her) was raised just as much by redwoods, ferns, and harbor seals as she was by her parents. She spent much of her childhood in dirt and salt water, marveling at the tiny wonders of our vast world. Over the years she has worked as a kayak guide, farmer, naturalist, and forest school teacher. Zoey studied ecology, science communication, outdoor education, and place based learning for her undergrad. After working with children, Zoey was reintroduced to curiosity and creativity and aims to share with her community the benefits of seeking wonder. With her time in the ICC Zoey hopes to learn more about ecosystem health and stewardship roles within that. She is excited to further her knowledge and network in the islands with plans to stay involved in island conservation for the years to come. 

​

Ana Henry

Ana is a transplant from the Southwest. Growing up in Texas and spending summer’s in New Mexico and Colorado where she eventually went to school. Earning a bachelor’s in Environmental studies with a focus in biology and regenerative agriculture at Fort Lewis College, while maintaining a slew of odd jobs to support classes. Working as a babysitter, tutor, lab assistant, animal room helper, landscaper, greenhouse manager, horse rancher, and (the one that caught her heart the most) farmer. Farming on reconciled indigenous land alongside other native farmers cemented her passion for working with intentionality towards the land and its communities (and getting her hands dirty along the way). After graduating in December, Ana decided to bring this passion to the Northwest where she is eagerly learning all she can about this land and its peoples, with hopes of someday taking the knowledge back to her Cherokee community.

​

​

Genevieve Gislason

Genevieve Gislason (they/she) grew up on San Juan Island, and like many other island kids, moved to Bellingham after high school to attend Western Washington University. They graduated in 2020 with a bachelors in Studio Art. Their art practice explores the idea that the mundane is sacred, using mediums such as linocut and woodblock relief prints, acrylic painting, and mixed media pieces integrating found objects to explore the liminal space between 2D and 3D artwork. In early 2021, Genevieve moved back to San Juan to work at New Hannah Farm, where they’ve been for the past 3 years. This experience highlighted the importance of local food systems and found that they vastly prefer working outside! They’ve found a fascination with soil health and a holistic approach to agricultural land management. Genevieve plans to keep their skillset in the San Juans, and hopes to find a career that combines their love of small scale agriculture with their desire to protect and manage the ecosystems of these incredible islands.

​

Justin Santiago 

Justin grew up in the bucolic Hudson River Valley, an earshot away from the Big Apple. Having become familiar with the region's natural and anthropological history, he wanted to build a bridge between both the biological and anthropological worlds. While achieving an Environmental Science degree, he was an Ecology Teacher Assistant, Biology Lab Assistant, Ecology Lab Assistant (where he macro-photographed parasitic wasps), and a Zookeeper. As a student, he received an Environmental Science Curriculum Award, the Donald Seymour Scholarship in Biology, and a Harpur's Edge Scholarship for Mitigating Bird Window Collisions. Eager to apply his educational tools and processes, he has partaken in independent research for New York State Parks surveying Fisher (Pekania Pennanti) presence and has collaborated with Indigenous communities in South America, including the Shuar Federation, Shipibo-Conibo, and the Maijuna on projects ranging from community empowerment, biocultural conservation, lifestyle photography, and creating safeguards to protect intellectual property. His recent field pursuits have been in Ethnobiology, Conservation Biology, and Tropical Ecology. Besides his scientific pursuits, Justin is an antique dealer, birder, and travel photographer. He aspires to aid in global biocultural conservation while working alongside local communities.

​

Kit Varda

Kit Varda (they/them) was born and raised under the shadow of the Wasatch mountains and then moved to a small island in the south Salish Sea, and was lucky enough to have practically unfettered access to the outdoors in both places. These landscapes permanently oriented Kit’s internal compass towards the outdoors, which they followed to a decade of work in outdoor pursuits including ski instruction, naturalist tour guiding & whale watching, State Parks, outdoor education, nature connection & mentoring, and trail work. Kit’s passion for restoration work was sparked after reading Braiding Sweetgrass, learning about and connecting with Indigenous people & their lifeways, and helping plan and implement a restoration project in Bellingham. For them, restoration is a way to be in reciprocity and right relationship with the land, its inhabitants (both human and more-than-human), and its original peoples. They are incredibly grateful and humbled to be doing this work in the islands in service of Garry oaks especially.

​

Maya Virshup

Maya (she/her) found her love of the outdoors and plant biology exploring the trails and diverse ecosystems of her home state, California. While working toward her Bachelors degree in biology from Whitman College, she was also lucky enough to experience the wonders of Washington’s wilderness and knew it was a place she wanted to learn more about and explore. After working in a biomedical research lab in Boston, she decided to make a switch into a biology field she felt more passionate about, ecology and restoration. This desire to gain hands on experience and a greater knowledge of ecological research led Maya to the ICC, where she is excited to help restore and experience the beauty of the San Juan Islands (and get to work outside)! Maya is specifically interested in learning on how to combat effects of climate change through restoration and learn about the way in which collaborative restoration efforts are implemented. In her free time Maya enjoys trail running, rock climbing, biking, and swimming in most bodies of water. 

​

Nick Walsh

Nick (he/him) is an enthusiast outdoor advocate from the Bay Area CA that values understanding the relationship between healthy environments and thriving communities. This affinity for nature led to a bachelors in Environmental Engineering (UC San Diego 2018) and professional work in scientific research, sustainability initiatives, and natural resource management. He has enjoyed previous roles as a spotted owl surveyor, outdoor educator, and project manager. Nick's goals through ICC are to better understand ecological restoration techniques for application in environmental work and/or to prepare for graduate level research. His hobbies include board games, sports, and leisure time.

​

​

Sage Enright

Sage (she/her) grew up in Washington state spending most summers hiking in the Olympic Mountains, kayaking around the San Juan islands, and camping along the Oregon coast. She is a recent Fall 2022 Western Washington University graduate who earned her bachelor of science degree in Geology and completed a minor in computer science. She is planning on attending graduate school fall 2024 to earn a masters in environmental science with a marine and estuarine focus. Her research interests are focused on the connection between geology and coastal ecology with an emphasis on eelgrass restoration after conducting original field work Summer 2022 while completing her Field Camp course with the University of Oregon. Sage is also part of this year's cohort of Rising TIDES (Toward an Inclusive, Diverse, and Enriched Society) and presented her research on eelgrass at the biennial Coastal & Estuarine Research Federation conference last November. She is excited to start her learning of local ecology by getting hands-on experience and education through this ICC season and volunteering at UW Friday Harbor Labs on current eelgrass research.

2nd Years  —  2022-2024
 

 

 

Campbell Mishel (MA Student)

Campbell (he/him) developed a deep love for the outdoors and deep ecology playing in the woods of Colorado where he grew up. This inspired himto get a degree in sustainability studies from Colorado Mountain College. The desire for more hands on experience and to continue growing his knowledge about ecology is what drew Campbell to the ICC. He was also ready for a change of scenery! Campbell's current goals for the ICC is to continue to learn as much as possible different restoration work. His goals for the future are to possibly continue with ICC in the masters program and to find meaningful work that allows him to be a steward of the environment. 

 

Libby Taylor-Manning

Libby (she/her) graduated from Western Washington University this past spring where she studied environmental science and chemistry and was a member of the Climate Leadership Certificate program with the Sustainability Engagement Institute. Libby is from Seattle, WA where she was introduced to ecological restoration and environmental issues through volunteer work with the Student Conservation Association. Since interning with the Twisp Tree Board in the Methow Valley and experiencing the Cedar Creek fire of 2021, Libby became interested in forest ecology and the effects of wildfires as an ecological disturbance and a culturally impactful process. This summer she had the opportunity to work on field research investigating the effect of wildfires on early seral plant communities and fuel loads in Western Cascadia. Libby hopes to learn more about the special ecosystems and fire regimes of the islands this year while getting to interact more with the land and people. 

​​

Maggie Long (MA Student)

Maggie (she/her) grew up in the PNW and has returend home after six years in the Bay Area where she completed her bachelors in economics and pursued a career in equestrian vaulting. Coming from the country's largest food producer and with a love for local, seasonal cooking, herinterest in land conservation originally lay in preserving and improving working farm lands. Maggie is enjoying the opportunity to learn about the management of public lands and is happy for the excuse to spend her days working outdoors. In her free time, she continues to vault on Vancouver Island, working on a local farm, and enjoying all that the Islands have to offer!

 

​

Eve Bernhard (MA Student)

Eve (she/her) grew up among the ancient mountains and fertile river valleys of the Atlantic Northeast, and much of her childhood was spent barefoot in uncut meadows and pathless forests, and devouring a wide variety of books. Much of Eve's work in the world has been in the tending and studying of plants and animals. She has cared for and researched a menagerie of creatures ranging from subalpine butterflies to tiny, endangered cacti to ducks to whitebark pine trees to goats. Eve has a sincere interest in all sorts of fields, forests, and waterways. Among many hats worn: farmer (sometimes on faraway lands), goatpacker (in Wyoming and Utah), nature mentor/outdoor educator, dog walker, seed collector, snowshoe guide, and librarian. Most recently, prior to the ICC, Eve spent five years working as a seasonal Biological Science Technician for the North Cascades National Park, doing primarily native plant propagation and ecological monitoring. These days, when not participating in ICC-related projects, she can most often be found tending to the goats and gardens of Island Thyme Farm, or painting, writing, and frolicking in wild spaces with her sweet hound Nootka!

​

​

​