Meet the Corps

Marlo relocated from El Paso, Texas where he got a Bachelor’s in Neurosience conducting nicotine dependence research. He has also conducted environmental health research for La Mujer Obrera studying the environmental health impacts of environmental racism on redlined barrios. They have been a part of local climate justice campaigns; organizing voter registration drives, training voter outreach volunteers, and canvassing over 10,000 El Pasoans. Marlo was also a supervisor at the Casa del Sagrado Corazon migrant shelter. He provided a comfortable humanitarian haven for newly arrived migrants. Ecological experience includes arroyo restoration projects in New Mexico- building erosion control features in the Chihuahuan desert in efforts to restore a niche of the grasslands that used to thrive in the now arid deserts; before developers and states canalized/militarized the Rio Grande for border and agricultural purposes. He fulfilled his role as a Crew Member at EarthCorps in 2024 working with state and private agencies to steward the land throughout Washington. His favorite project was working in Norse Peak, a trail restoration 10-day spike where he celebrated his birthday, and saw aurora lights and a meteor shower.

Marlo has presented educational harm reduction workshops as a chapter leader and board member for Students for Sensible Drug Policy, advocating for evidence-based approaches, policies, and perspectives on stigmatized substances. His passion for research, ending the failed war on drugs, climate justice, and migrant rights all interconnect towards the liberation of all people and reparations to communities fighting colonialism. At EarthCorps he is now the Volunteer Specialist Lead and hopes to do the hard, good work in ecological restoration while being guided by intersectional principles. He strongly believes all people have a role and belong to nature, especially those who have faced environmental injustices. On his off-time, Marlo enjoys political commentary, hiking, thrifting, and volunteering.

Autumn (she/her) is excited to be with EarthCorps as a Crew Leader after being in the corps last year. She is originally from Illinois but has been living in Seattle for over a year now – both places are home to her. Autumn got her bachelor’s degree in conservation biology and chemistry, but her preferred route of learning and growing is through community. She is eager to continue building community and symbiosis in the Pacific Northwest while learning about the ethnobotany and Indigenous knowledge rooted in the land. Birds, audiobooks, people, carabiners, and food bring the zest to Autumn’s life. Join her for a stroll anytime to discuss all of the big and small wonders of your life and of the planet – “you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all.”

Callan Umperovitch (he/they) grew up in Western Washington, where his passion for the natural world began at a young age. He earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Sustainable Practice from Cascadia College in Bothell, where hands-on learning in the college’s restored wetlands sparked his interest in environmental education and local issues, particularly stormwater management and the water cycle.

Callan’s work has taken him across the region, from teaching outdoor preschool in Washington to working with youth in urban farming initiatives. He also interned with Rainwise, supporting green infrastructure projects such as rain gardens and cisterns to prevent Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs). During the COVID-19 pandemic, he relocated to New York City, where he earned a Master of Science in Design and Urban Ecologies from Parsons School of Design. In New York, he co-founded and directed Wonderforest Nature Preschool, an outdoor school in Brooklyn. Most recently, Callan taught at Islandwood, leading field trips focused on stormwater management, wastewater treatment, and salmon habitat conservation.

In addition to teaching, Callan has collaborated with organizations like the New York Botanical Garden, Art Farm in the City, and the Hydrofeminist Map Collective, focusing on community building and climate justice. After several years on the East Coast, he returned to Seattle this fall with his girlfriend, Jenna, and two cats, Pancake and Lily. He’s excited to be back in the Pacific Northwest, closer to the Cascade Mountains that first inspired his passion for nature.

Chris Meland (he/him/his) is a new Crew Leader with the 2025 EarthCorps Cohort. Originally from Chicago, Chris brings over a decade of leadership experience in retail operations and Supply Chain Logistics from across the United States. Passionate about the environment and getting involved in his local community, Chris volunteers his time as a Habitat Steward with the Pierce Conservation District and recently worked with the Pierce County government in the Parks Department.

When Chris isn’t exploring the great outdoors, he enjoys the great indoors playing video games and spending time with his partner (Julie) and their two cats (Rocky and Daisy). He is excited to share experiences, collaborate on new projects, and grow alongside the EarthCorps community to build a better tomorrow.

Desirae (she/her) grew up in Ventura, California raising all kinds of animals in the backyard. She received her B.S. in Biology from the University of Washington, and has her M.S. in Spatial Ecology from California State Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo. She has worked for the National Park Service trapping island foxes and skunks, the Center for Ecosystem Sentinels studying penguins, and also has veterinary and molecular biology experience. Her Master’s research was on the California Channel Islands studying the spatial distribution of island spotted skunks using camera traps. She is passionate about conservation, maps, and promoting equitable environmental education/opportunities. In her spare time she plays volleyball, explores the PNW, and loves gardening & long walks with her two dogs and husband.

Jade (she/her) was born and raised in El Paso, TX. Growing up in the Chihuahuan desert, she learned to appreciate nature at an early age. Jade received her Bachelors of Science in Horticulture from New Mexico State University. She has about five years of experience in sustainable agriculture, and is now interested in transitioning to the field of ecology, restoration, or forestry. Jade was an Ecological Monitoring Technician based out of Reno, Nevada, and this opportunity gave her extensive experience in botany and soil surveying, identifying plants across Nevada, and backcountry wilderness skills. Jade also recently completed a season with EarthCorps as a Crew Member in 2024. In her new role as a Crew Leader, she is excited to gain leadership skills, meet new people, and continue restoration projects across the Puget Sound. During her free time, you can find Jade crocheting, thrifting, and spoiling her two cats Mishko and Aoki.  

Pablo Palacios Figueroa (He/They) is a Crew Lead for the 2025 EarthCorps cohort. He studied Environmental Science at Western Washington University and fell in love with restoration ecology while completing two terms with the Washington Conservation Corps. In WCC he worked with the Snoqualmie Tribe and Seattle Public Utilities as part of a restoration crew. There, he helped steward primarily wetland ecosystems and the riparian corridor of the Snoqualmie River and its three forks, and the Cedar River Watershed. Pablo loves learning, practicing, and teaching plant identification, scientific names, and restoration skills. He is extremely excited to join the EarthCorps team and get to see new sites and projects, and continue working alongside other stewards of Washington’s natural beauty and resources. He looks forward to getting more trail work experience, and tackling new challenges with the EarthCorps team. In his free time, you can find Pablo listening to Not Another D&D podcast, talking about or thinking about D&D, videogames, watching video essays, spending time with friends, and quizzing people on plant latin names!

Valuing the health of people and planet, Will works towards developing reciprocal relationships between community and nature. After studying Philosophy and Geography at Oregon State University, Will worked as a Bicycle Mechanic and volunteered at his local community garden in Portland, OR, where he worked to develop more sustainable forms of urban living. When he isn’t at EarthCorps, you can find Will surfing along the PNW, growing some veggies, biking wherever he can, or gawking at the absolute awesomeness that are the Cascade volcanoes. Will is incredibly excited to expand his knowledge about the place he calls home – The Pacific Northwest – as a Crew Lead within the 2025 EarthCorps cohort. 

Andy is originally from Seattle, but also has roots in New Zealand & Australia. He was an AmeriCorps NCCC member in 2020-2021, and has extensive experience in community service projects. He wants to spend his life trying to help mitigate the worst impacts of global warming, and engaging in local environmental restoration efforts. Andy is excited to work on environmental preservation/restoration in a group setting as a crew member. When he is not performing his EarthCorps duties, you can find him building machines from scrap household appliances & other assorted junk, hiking, biking, and walking around the perimeter of Green Lake with a lime-coconut cookie and a bottle of green tea.

Benjamin Smith (He/Him) or just Ben for short is a crew member for EarthCorps in 2025. They graduated from the University of Washington with a B.S. in oceanography and continued their education earning a M.S. from the University of Hawaii at Hilo in Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science. While studying in Hawaiʻi, Ben worked with the Division of Forestry and Wildlife, primarily assisting with seabird recovery efforts on the island of Hawaii. Ben developed a love for working outdoors in unique locations during his time in Hawaiʻi and strives to continue this effort in Washington. Ben can be found often listening to music or an audiobook while walking around and enjoys learning more about birds. Ben has a strong sense of social justice and is proud of his multi-cultural background.

Brandon (he/him) is a Seattle native, born and raised, and a recent University of Washington Environmental Studies graduate. As a recent graduate, he hopes to gain valuable professional experience within the environmental field through EarthCorps and learn the nuances of what it means to be an environmental professional. Brandon is open to any environmental experiences and career opportunities that allow him to contribute his time to movements and organizations looking to make as much of an impact as EarthCorps. Brandon hopes after EarthCorps, he will be able to apply the skills, ideas, and leadership he has had at EarthCorps into an environmentally focused career in policy, research, or advocacy in order to continue to do what he can for his community and the surrounding environment. A majority of the time, you can find Brandon at his home, he believes he’s seen everything this region has to offer. However, from time to time, he does enjoy going out to the familiar forest to enjoy the unique environment the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

Cat (she/her) is focused on helping out neighbors in South King County and other underserved social and ecological communities.

A former factory baker, caretaker, and student, she shifted from seeking to learn the language of feelings to learning the language of things — and found the two were but dialects of the same rich tongue. She comes to EarthCorps with a thirst to learn to better steward neurodivergent-inclusive work environments as much as pollinator-friendly natural environments.

Last year, Cat served as a member of the first Washington Conservation Corps crew focused on environmental justice in South King County. With the help of many inspiring connections, she had the opportunity to author a forest recovery plan for Tukwila Park and to help rejuvenate the push to save one of the last extant bogs in King County.

Cat now volunteers as a forest steward for North SeaTac Park and hopes her time at EarthCorps will help her to make more viable the dream of a wetland preserve for her bog and of a future for people like her in this field.

Ask her for a tarot reading! She’s always happy to practice.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, this is Danny’s first time serving with Americorps (and first time living on the West Coast). After getting the chance to work alongside National Park Service, New York state, and New York City park officials, through a workforce development program with the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, he’s committed to pursuing a career in the environmental sector. Favorite quote: “get busy living or get busy dying” – The Shawshank Redemption (1994).

DyNe’ (she/her) has lived in Washington almost her whole life. She did Running Start there at Highline College and then transferred to Bastyr University. Although she originally wanted to go to Bastyr for Naturopathy, her love for nature steered her to instead complete a certificate in Holistic Landscape Design and Permaculture through PINA. DyNe’ was able to learn about the alternative methods that Naturopathy applied to people, instead in a way that applied them to the Earth. She has experimented with this on her own time, but also working in a botanical medicine garden, through numerous Permaculture design proposals, as well as with BIPOC community farms, gardens, and markets. She came to EarthCorps to continue that hands-on experience and her interest in people/plant health. Outside of those interests, DyNe’ also enjoys reading, writing short stories/books, and spending time with her siblings and dog.

Ellise studied environmental science with a focus in horticulture and restoration ecology at the University of Washington. She originally went to school for criminal law but found her passion in the study of plants. She is passionate about restoration with the accelerating threat of climate change. She wants to dedicate her life to mitigating the effects of climate change, and healing local ecosystems. She wants to use her passion for the study of plants to make an impact. When she’s not outside she can be found knitting or crocheting!

Jessica (she/ her) spent most of her childhood exploring the outdoors of the Pacific Northwest. Her upbringing has shaped her passion and interest in protecting and understanding the natural world. She moved back home to Seattle after graduating from Western Washington University with a degree in Environmental Science. Her interests range from sustainable farming to salmon ecology and local ecological restoration. Jessica is excited to gain hands on experience in the field and build community with others who love the outdoors. She enjoys mountain biking, hiking, mushroom hunting, and cold plunges in the Sound. She is a crew member in the 2025 EarthCorps cohort.

Lev Groves (he/him) was born and raised on Orcas Island, WA. He graduated from Hampshire College in Amherst, MA with a degree in Environmental Studies, focusing on environmental justice and policy. He values the opportunity to engage with the environment and build community through hands-on field work. Outside of work he enjoys hiking, baking, and watching horror movies from the ’70s and ’80s.

Lily (she/her) is a born and raised Seattle-ite who is excited to strengthen her background in environmental science and give back to her home state through environmental restoration at EarthCorps. She graduated from Gonzaga University in 2024 with dual degrees in Environmental Science and Dance. While in school she was a member of the Bancroft Lab, where she contributed to a National Science Foundation grant project pertaining to the effects of climate change on permanent and semi-permanent wetlands through both field and lab work. For her senior capstone, she collaborated with fellow students and community members to design an ethnobotanical garden representing the cultural significance of plants utilized by members of the Spokane Tribe, which is set to be constructed at Wildhorse Park in Spokane within the year. She is passionate about environmental education, wetland ecology, algae, bryophytes, and sustainable architecture. Lily also teaches ballet at Tutu School, and enjoys collaging, journaling, maintaining her aquariums, and writing and performing stand-up comedy in her spare time.

Maiya (she/her) moved to the PNW at a young age where she found her love for the outdoors. She moved to the Big Island to attend the University of Hawaii at Hilo, majoring in marine science with a focus on coral reef ecology. Through that program, Maiya had countless opportunities to work outdoors in the marine science field, even studying abroad in Australia learning more about the Great Barrier Reef. Since graduating from UH, Maiya pursued her love for the outdoors by working in outdoor education in Southern California. There she taught kids the importance of ocean sciences and sustainability while also allowing kids the experience of snorkeling, boogie boarding, kayaking, etc. Maiya has recently moved back to the Seattle area and is always excited to get out and explore all the great nature it has to offer. When she isn’t working you can often find her at a coffee shop, on a run, or listening to music in the sun with her beloved hairless cat, Mochi.

Mallory (she/her) grew up in Shreveport, LA and attended Rice University in Houston, TX, where she received a degree in Biosciences with a concentration in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. There, her diverse interests led her to study ecology at several scales: between researching microscopic endophytic fungi, continental-scale food webs, and organismal behavior and anatomy in manakin birds, these research experiences inform Mallory’s passion for nature and her desire to contribute to conservation and environmental restoration. After completing a field-based internship with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, where she studied fungal disease dynamics in trees on Barro Colorado Island, Mallory was inspired to pursue experiences working in and caring for the world’s forests. Mallory is eager to contribute to ecological restoration in Seattle and to do her part in addressing climate change as a Crew Member. In her free time, you can find Mallory reading books, baking for her friends, or knitting.

Ruby (she/her) was born in Brisbane, Australia, and spent her childhood living in Wisconsin, Singapore, and Washington. Her international childhood inspired a deep appreciation of culture and community, which she maintains throughout all her work. She graduated with a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Washington, where her interests lay in Criminal Justice, Gender Studies, and Environmental Justice. Ruby came to EarthCorps with the intention of deepening her relationship with the Earth, and getting hands-on experience working in restoration — passions that grew from her interest in Environmental Justice. Before coming to EarthCorps, Ruby volunteered with the Union Bay Natural Area and Green Seattle Partnership doing restoration work, and is excited to continue doing this kind of work in a new space! She hopes to pursue a career at the intersection of culture and the environment. During her free time, Ruby enjoys reading, singing, and hanging out with her wonderful cat, Cas.