Click on a name below to read more about our staff and their interests.

Matt Blakeley-Smith, Plant Conservation Biologist (NSN)

Matt's research interests include alpine ecology, plant-animal interactions, and the effect of disturbance on plant populations and communities.  He received his M.S. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University.

Carly Brown, Citizen Science Coordinator (EE)

Carly received a B.S. in Biology from the University of Vermont.  She joined the IAE staff to work with the Ecological Education program.

Jen Cramer, Education Director (EE)

Jen's enthusiasm for exploring the world of botany and for working with local students and volunteers to inspire stewardship and connection with nature lead her to the field of ecological education. 

Jody Einerson, Curriculum Development Specialist (EE)

Jody shares her time between IAE and working in natural resource education with Oregon State University Extension Service.  She is currently working on a Natural Resource degree with a specialty in Interpretive Education through the ecampus program at Oregon State University.

Rob Fiegener, Program Director, Native Seed Network (NSN)

Rob holds an M.S. in Ecology from the University of California, Davis. He has experience with common garden studies, conducting plant surveys, habitat restoration, and fire history research in Yosemite National Park and other parts of the Sierra Nevada 

Melanie Gisler, Program Manager, Botanist (NSN)

Melanie has an M.S. in Botany from the University of British Columbia.  Her specialties include seed procurement, plant breeding systems, habitat restoration, plant conservation biology, and botanical databases.

John Grotefend, Office Assistant

John holds a dual degree in Chemical Engineering and Business from Oregon State University.  John was born and raised in western Oregon and Washington and has always been drawn to the ambiance of the mountains, forest, rivers, and coastline of the Pacific Northwest.

Tom Kaye, Ph.D., Executive Director

Tom holds a Ph.D. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University.  He specializes in endangered species propagation and restoration, the population dynamics of rare plants, population viability analysis, and monitoring

Rob Massatti, Assistant Program Director, Conservation Research (CR)

Burl Martin, Crew Leader/Conservation Biologist (CR)

Burl received her B.S. in Ecology and Evolution from the University of California Santa Barbara.  She hopes to eventually go to graduate school to study plant community restoration.

Carolyn Menke, Project Director, Habitat Conservation Plan (CR)  

Carolyn received M.S. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University. Carolyn's research interests include plant conservation biology, fire ecology and plant community invasibility.

Michelle Michaud, Project Director, Habitat Conservation Plan (CR)

Amanda Stanley, Ph.D., Project Director, Restoring Native Prairies (CR)

Amanda holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Washington.  Her interests include conservation biology, mathematical ecology, and invasion ecology, focusing on the interactions between exotic and native species in grassland ecosystems.

Andrea Thorpe, Ph.D., Program Director, Conservation Research (CR)

Andrea received her Ph.D. in Organismal Biology and Ecology from the University of Montana (2006).  Her research interests include rare plant restoration and conservation, feedbacks between plants and the soil ecosystem, and invasion ecology. 

Lisa Weiss, Botanist (NSN)

Lisa received her B.S. in botany from the University of Vermont. She is now working mainly with a large common garden experiment and is looking into graduate programs to study native plants. 

Shell Whittington, Office Manager

Shell holds an M.E. in chemical engineering from the University of Detroit (Michigan). After 21 years with Hewlett-Packard she ‘reinvented’ herself and is now applying her affinity for details, making arrangements for other people and playing with spreadsheets to the business office environment at IAE. 

Barbara Wilson, Ph.D., Geneticist (CR, NSN)

Barb holds a Ph.D. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University.  Her research interests: taxonomy and conservation genetics, especially grasses and sedges.

Lori Wisehart, Plant Conservation Biologist (CR)

Lori received an M.S. in Environmental Science from Oregon State University and a B.S. in Botany from Humboldt State University.  Her research interests include conservation biology and invasion ecology.

Amy Young, Assistant Seed Increase Project Director, Conservation Biologist (NSN)

Amy’s interests include reproductive biology of rare plants, plant-insect interactions, restoration ecology and popular science writing.  She received her M.S. through the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory.