Meet the Fellows
«« PLTF
Current Fellows
US Fish & Wildlife Service
Current Fellows
National Park Service
Past Fellows
US Fish & Wildlife Service
Past Fellows
National Park Service
Past Fellows
Other FLMAs
Station: Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Ridgefield, Washington
Years Served: 2024-present
Hometown: New York City, New York
Pre-Fellowship Education: Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning from Barnard College of Columbia University
Bio: Lily Fittinghoff is stationed at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Washington state, serving as a Public Lands Transportation Fellow. At Ridgefield she supports ongoing efforts to make the refuge and the region more accessible to patrons while maintaining wildlife priorities. During her fellowship she will be working to create consistent messaging regarding accessibility as well as work on national infrastructure vulnerability assessment tools. Before her fellowship, Lily completed her honors thesis on the socio-economic impact of offshore wind on port communities at Barnard College. During this time, she was able to cultivate her research and design skills which she hopes to put into practice at Ridgefield. Writing her thesis cemented her interest in the intersectional impacts transportation has on community resiliency. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with the passionate and driven teams at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and hopes to improve her birding skills while at Ridgefield.
Station: Desert National Wildlife Refuge in Las Vegas, Nevada
Years Served: 2023-present
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Pre-Fellowship Education: Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Bates College
Bio: Hart is the PLTF at Desert National Wildlife Refuge in Las Vegas, Nevada. His projects are wide ranging, including helping with storm damage recovery and emergency funding applications across the Pacific Southwest Region, reducing boundary breaches at Desert NWR, and assisting with general refuge infrastructure management projects such as Bighorn Sheep guzzler builds and restoration of the Corn Creek trail system. Prior to the Fellowship, Hart attended Bates College in Lewiston Maine, where he majored in Environmental Studies. For his senior capstone project at Bates, he worked with the South Portland Department of Sustainability on a Climate Change Equity Atlas, to visualize the impacts of climate change spatially across the communities of South Portland. This experience inspired him to continue working on climate change resilient solutions to emerging infrastructure problems. He has had a lifelong passion for the outdoors, and enjoys skiing, hiking, and traveling in his free time.
Station: Intermountain Region Office’s (IMRO) Transportation and Visitor Use Planning Fellow
Years Served: 2023-present
Hometown: Fredericksburg, Virginia
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master of Science in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management from Clemson University
- Bachelor’s Degree in Wildlife Conservation from Virginia Tech
Bio: Tristan Jilson currently serves as the Intermountain Region Office’s (IMRO) Transportation and Visitor Use Planning Fellow for the National Parks Service (NPS). Prior to the fellowship, Tristan served in the Peace Corps as an Environmental Educator in Guyana. After his Peace Corps service, Tristan served with AmeriCorps Cape Cod for a year, assisting the park planner at Cape Cod National Seashore and participating in a variety of group service projects. Tristan’s primary interests revolve around the intersection between transportation and visitor use management. Tristan’s 2023-2025 Fellowship with the NPS presents him with a variety of opportunities including, supporting IMR’s Alternative Transportation Program, assisting the Emerging Mobility Working Group’s efforts in improving trip planning for visitors, and participating in various visitor use and transportation data collection and analysis efforts across the region. Tristan’s work will allow him to work closely with NPS staff and gain insight into organizational structural as well as project management and planning processes.
Station: Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge
Years Served: 2019-2022
Hometown: Gallup, New Mexico.
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master of Community and Regional Planning, Physical Planning from the University of New Mexico
- Bachelors Degree in Environmental Planning and Design from the University of New Mexico
Bio: Nate served as the transportation fellow at the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Prior to the fellowship, much of his work experience was dedicated to working on public lands, including interning with the National Park Service (Canyon de Chelly National Monument and Salinas National Monument) from 2015-2016 and with the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (Steamboat Springs, CO) on trail crews for the 2017 and 2019 summer seasons. At the Valle de Oro Refuge, Nate worked to create greater connections within the refuge through better trail and public transportation connectivity, create beneficial relationships with the surrounding community, and find innovative ways to foster multi-modal transportation in the South Valley. Nate is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. He is Towering House Clan (Kinyaa’áanii), born for the Red Running into Water Clan (Táchii’nii) from Gallup, New Mexico.
Current Position (2024): Regional Transportation Coordinator for US Fish & Wildlife Service Southwestern Regional Office (Region 2)
Other Post-Fellowship Education/Job(s):
- Planner at Sites Southwest
- Faculty in the Department of Community and Regional Planning at the University of New Mexico
Station: Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge
Years Served: 2012-2013
Hometown: Cheyenne, Wyoming
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- University of Oregon; MCRP, Bicycle Planning, Historic Preservation and Economic Development
- Master of Arts in English & Rhetoric from Texas Christian University
- Bachelor of Arts in English from Colgate University
Bio: Heidi Beierle served as the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge Transportation Fellow. During her assignment, she created opportunities for visitors to recreate in and travel through the refuge using active transportation modes. With experience developing scenic bikeway and scenic byway routes in Oregon, Heidi brought her expertise in historic roads and bicycle tourism to planning sustainable travel in and to conservation areas. She was excited to working with communities and regions across the nation to develop scenic tour routes that connect urban and rural resources through active transportation and mixed‐modes travel options. She enjoys blogging on sustainable transportation and has written a book called “Heidi Across America” about her experiences pedaling solo across the country.
Current Position (2024): Principal at Enroute Transport in Seattle, WA
Other Post-Fellowship Education/Job(s):
- Program Coordinator at Gresham Bicycle Tourism Initiative
- Powell Division Transit and Development Project Planning Intern at Metro
- Hood-Gorge Region Coordinator & Content Writer-Database Specialist at Clackamas County Tourism and Cultural Affairs
- Car-Free Implementation Team Coordinator at Columbia Gorge Tourism Alliance
Station: John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge
Years Served: 2016-2017
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master of City and Regional Planning, City/Urban Planning, Community and Regional Planning from Rutgers University
- Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology and Philosophy at the University of Rochester
Bio: Dan Brooks served as a Public Lands Transportation Fellow at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge. Prior to the fellowship, Dan gained valuable experience in multimodal transportation planning and research that he was eager to put to use on the Refuge. An avid outdoor enthusiast and urban cyclist, Dan was excited to return to Philadelphia to help improve equitable transportation access in a city he loves. In addition to the outdoors and being on a bike, Dan loves corny jokes, being active, and sweeping vistas.
Current Position (2024): Senior Planner at Austin Transportation Department
Station: San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Years Served: 2012-2014
Hometown: Duluth, Minnesota
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master of Arts, Urban Planning; Transportation Planning from UCLA
- Bachelor of Arts from University of Oklahoma
Bio: Matthew Bruno served as the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex Transportation Fellow. There, he worked to help provide ideas and guidance towards alternative transportation. Prior to the fellowship, he worked with multiple public transportation agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area. In the future, he hopes to continue working on issues of access and mobility in public transportation, cycling, and walking. Jacob enjoys bicycle touring and is always willing to take a longer route to visit an interesting place.
Current Position (2024): Postdoctoral Researcher on Inclusive Mobility at Technische Universiteit Delft
Other Post-Fellowship Education/Job(s):
- Master of Science in Applied Geoinformatics from University of Twente
- GIS Specialist at Evides Waterbedrijf
- Technical Writer at Etteplan
- Researcher in Cycling Innovations at TU/e Eindhoven University of Technology
Station:
- San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex
- US Fish & Wildlife Service Headquarters Office (Advanced Fellow)
Years Served:
- 2014-2015 and 2016-2017
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master’s in Urban Planning and Policy, Transportation Planning and Geo-spatial Analysis and Visualization from University of Illinois at Chicago
- Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Northeastern Illinois University
Bio: Jacob Connor served as a Public Lands Transportation Fellow for the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge, as well as, an Advanced Public Lands Transportation Fellow with the US Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters Office in Arlington, VA. The fellows program married Jacob’s passion for preserving the natural environment with his career aspirations in alternative transportation. As a bicycle and transit commuter, he hoped to help people transition into cleaner, healthier alternative modes of transportation.
Current Position (2024): Transit Planning Lead, SRF Consulting Group
Other Post-Fellowship Education/Job(s): Service Planning Senior Manager, Chicago Transit Authority
Station: San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Years Served: 2018-2019
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Masters of City and Metropolitan Planning, City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning from University of Utah College of Architecture and Planning
- Bachelor of Arts in Geography from University of Oregon
Bio: Dylan Corbin served as the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex fellow. Prior to the fellowship, he spent several years working as an interpreter and educator for the National Park Service in Yellowstone and for the Pacific Science Center in Seattle. Among the many remarkable experiences, he had in Yellowstone, he narrowly survived a close encounter with a grizzly bear, receiving a bite in the leg and claws to the head. His work experience with the National Park Service led him to a research interest in the planning issues faced by National Parks and their associated gateway communities. Through the University of Utah’s Ecological Planning Center, he joined a team working on studying the complex and interconnected social, environmental, and transportation related issues in the region surrounding Zion National Park in Southwest Utah. This work culminated in the formation of the Zion Regional Collaborative, an ongoing collaborative effort involving local communities, relevant land-management agencies, and other interested groups, on which Dylan presented case study research at the 2017 George Wright Society Conference on Parks, Protected Areas, and Cultural Sites.
Current Position (2024): Senior Commuter Benefits Consultant at Brown and Brown
Other Post-Fellowship Education/Job(s):
Supply Chain Manager, Amazon Logistics
Station:
- Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex
- Regional Transportation Coordinator for US Fish & Wildlife Service Southeastern Regional Office (Advanced Fellow)
Years Served: 2020-2022
Hometown: Carlton, Oregon
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master of Science in Conservation Leadership from Colorado State University
- Bachelor of Science in Pre-Professional Exercise Science
Bio: From September 2020 – March 2022 Tommy worked with the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex, near Savannah, Georgia. During his time as a Public Lands Transportation Fellow, Tommy worked to help improve transportation infrastructure at several of the seven refuges in the Complex. Tommy then moved into an Advanced Public Lands Transportation Fellow role from March 2022 – January 2023. As an Advanced Fellow, Tommy worked with the Regional Office and filled-in as the Regional Transportation Coordinator. In this role Tommy helped to manage a budget and project administration for transportation projects across the region.
Tommy’s work on public lands began in high school working for a Youth Conservation Corps program in Oregon. This experience served as a catalyst that would propel him into seasonal work teaching outdoor education in the Flathead National Forest. He also helped lead and manage Conservation Corps trail crews in Colorado in the Arapaho Roosevelt National Forest and Rocky Mountain National Park. As a Northwesterner and Rocky Mountain transplant, when not working, Tommy loves to spend his time outside snowboarding, hiking, and biking whenever possible.
Current Position (2024): Regional Transportation Coordinator for US Fish & Wildlife Service Southeastern Regional Office (Region 4)
Other Post-Fellowship Education/Job(s): US Fish & Wildlife Service Southeast Region (Region 4) Transportation Analyst
Station:
- Potomac River National Wildlife Refuge Complex
- US Fish & Wildlife Service Headquarters Office (Advanced Fellow)
Years Served: 2019-2022
Hometown: Evanston, Illinois
Pre-Fellowship Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies, Biology, and Hispanic Studies from Oberlin College
Bio: Naomi began her transportation fellowship with the Potomac River National Wildlife Refuge Complex and advanced to USFWS headquarters in August 2020. At the Transportation & Data Management branch, Naomi focused on high-level projects that aid the regional transportation coordinators and HQ transportation analysists with planning and implementation. These projects included but were not limited to obtaining and managing asset cost estimates, rolling out a reduced-cost ride partnership with Lyft, creating an inventory of past FLAP projects, setting up the upcoming transportation needs assessment, analyzing visitor satisfaction survey data, helping create a refuge access plan template, updating SharePoint sites, and helping support new fellows. Naomi also continued to work partially with Potomac River on outstanding projects and transportation needs. Prior to the fellowship, her research included studying the social and political implications of rice farming in Japan, working with wild bees in the Ecuadorian cloud forest, and exploring hazelnuts as a sustainable food crop for the Midwest region. She loves working collaboratively and did so on a semester-long project redesigning a 5- way intersection in the city of Oberlin. Some of her core working values are public engagement, community collaboration, social equity, and environmental stewardship.
Current Position (2024): Planner and Project Manager for the Headquarters Infrastructure Management Division at US Fish & Wildlife Service
Station: Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
Years Served: 2018-2019
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master of Science Environmental Science and Policy from Clark University
- Bachelor of Arts in Geography from Clark University
Bio: Corinne Jachelski served as the Public Lands Transportation Fellow at Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge. During her assignment, Corinne managed several trail projects and worked with community groups to create greater access to recreation opportunities and improve visitor experience. Corinne is deeply interested in the intersections between sustainability, health, and social justice in the built (and natural) environment. A lover of all things transportation, she enjoys exploring cities and landscapes by bike and foot.
Current Position (2024): Software Engineer at Aclima, Inc
Other Post-Fellowship Education/Job(s):
- Software Engineer at Twilio Inc
- Attended Hackbright Academy for Software Engineering San Francisco, CA
- Planner at Alta Planning and Design
- Shuttle Program Manager and Transportation Planner, CBRE Group, Inc
Station:
- John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge (NWR); E.B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge; and Cape May National Wildlife Refuge
- Northeast Region Office and John Heinz NWR (Advanced Fellow)
Years Served:
- 2020-2022
Hometown: Indiana, Pennsylvania
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master’s degree in urban planning and public affairs from the University of Illinois at Chicago
- Journalism Degree from Ithaca College
Bio: Taylor is an urban planner who strives to connect meaningfully with communities and works collaboratively to promote equitable access to parks, trails, and green spaces. Taylor began working as a Transportation Fellow with the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge in Philadelphia, PA; E.B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Galloway, NJ; and Cape May National Wildlife Refuge in Cape May, NJ in August 2020. In February 2022 she continued with the program as an Advanced Transportation Fellow, working with the FWS Northeast Regional Office’s Infrastructure Management Division and continuing her work at John Heinz NWR. Outside of her planning work, she writes about travel, cities, and culture. She loves taking the train, exploring the world on foot, and spending time connecting with nature.
Current Position (2024): Community Planner, U.S. DOT Volpe National Transportation Systems Center
Station: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
Years Served: 2013-2014
Hometown: Loudoun County, Virginia
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master of Civil Engineering, Transportation from University of Delaware
- Bachelor of Civil Engineering from University of Delaware
Bio: Elisa (Kropat) Mitchell served as the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Transportation Fellow. She worked in Florida’s space coast expanding public transit and non-motorized transportation access to Merritt Island with a goal of enhancing visitors’ experience while minimizing impact to the habitat. With experience working on transportation planning projects in the private and public sectors prior to her fellowship, her background provided guidance on developing bus systems and maintaining refuge roadways. Eager to put her education to work and her passion for preserved lands, she was excited by this opportunity to collaborate with the Merritt Island staff as well as with local agencies to augment the refuge’s transportation system and its connections to surrounding areas.
Current Position (2024): Transportation Engineer at RS&H
Other Post-Fellowship Education/Job(s):
- Transportation Engineer at Whitman, Requardt and Associates, LLP
- Transportation Engineer/Planner at Sabra, Wang & Associates, Inc.; ITE Leadership Program
Station: Kaua’i National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Years Served: 2016-2017
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master’s in City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning from University of Utah
- Bachelor of Science in Sociology from University of Utah
Bio: Alexander Roy served as the Kaua’i National Wildlife Refuge Complex Transportation Fellow. Prior to the fellowship, Alex worked as a transportation consultant in Salt Lake City, working on some of the most visible projects in Utah. Additionally, Alex worked as a Ski Technician at Alta Ski Resort which helped him understand the important balance between providing access and preserving the natural landscape in a popular tourist destination. As the Kaua’i National Wildlife Refuge Complex Transportation Fellow, he was inspired to develop transportation recommendations that strike a balance between innovative and implementable, and that allow visitors to experience the beauty of Kaua’i.
Current Position (2024): Assistant Transportation Planning Manager at Park City Municipal Corporation
Other Post-Fellowship Education/Job(s): Transportation Planner at Wasatch Front Regional Council Salt Lake City, UT
Station: Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge and Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area
Years Served: 2013-2015
Hometown: Middletown, Rhode Island
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master’s Degree, Master of City and Regional Planning from Rutgers University-New Brunswick
- Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature & Spanish Literature from Colorado College
Bio: During her assignment, Marisa Rodriguez-McGill explored multi-modal transportation opportunities to increase access and connectivity to two newly designated wildlife refuges: Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area (NWRCA). Marisa is motivated to integrate design with transportation and planning in her mission to create successful places for movement and activity in our communities. After three years as a New York City pedestrian, cyclist and public space user, she was excited to return to the Southwest where she hoped to take up mountain biking and enjoy blue corn tortillas.
Current Position (2024): Senior Public Policy Manager, Rideshare, Lyft
Other Post-Fellowship Education/Job(s):
- Master of Environmental Management from Yale School of the Environment
- Trust for Public Lands Fellow at Climate-Smart Cities Program
- Government Relations team member at ofo (largest bike share operator in the world at the time)
Station:
- Sabino Canyon Recreation Area (US Forest Service)
- US Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters Office (Advanced Fellow)
Years Served:
- 2012-2015
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master of Urban and Regional Planning from University of Colorado at Denver
- Bachelor of Science from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado
Bio: Andrew Valdez served as a Transportation Fellow at Sabin Canyon Recreation Area, as well as, an Advanced Fellow with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Headquarters Office in Arlington, Virginia. Andrew’s work and research focused on understanding the causal relationships between public health, resource usage, infrastructure design and the built environment.
Current Position (2024): Lead Access & Community Planner at Federal Highway Administration
Other Post-Fellowship Education/Job(s):
- Environmental Planner at Amec Foster Wheeler
- Open Space Planner at Jefferson County, Colorado
- Department Director at City and County of Broomfield
Station:
- Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Refuge Complex and Parker River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)
- Northeast Region Office and Parker River NWR (Advanced Fellow)
Years Served:
- 2020-2022
Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master of Science in Natural Resources Science & Management at the University of Minnesota
- Bachelor of Arts in US History from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Bio: In February 2022, Ella began her advanced fellowship with Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Complex and the Northeast Regional Office. Her work at Parker River NWR focused on moving planning projects from her initial fellowship into the implementation phase. This included trialing a car-free event at the refuge, increasing accessibility along the Bay Circuit Trail, and continuing to test short- and long-term multimodal safety improvements. Working with the regional office, Ella supported Federal Lands Access Program applications for refuges across the region and served as one of the primary regional experts in electric vehicle charging equipment development. In this second phase of her fellowship experience, Ella particularly enjoyed deepening local and regional partnerships, and working with diverse stakeholders to ensure projects were thoughtful and inclusive to people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. In her original fellow’s position, Ella worked for both Parker River NWR and the Eastern Massachusetts NWR Complex, where she expanded on existing efforts to increase equitable access to surrounding urban areas. Off the clock, Ella is an avid cyclist, gardener and knitter, and was excited to get better at bird identification while at the refuges.
Current Position (2024): Visitor Services Manager, Parker River NWR
Station: Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge in Marion, Illinois
Years Served: 2023-2024
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Pre-Fellowship Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from University of Cincinnati
Bio: Matt Weiss is a Public Lands Transportation Fellow for the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service Crab Orchard Refuge in beautiful Southern Illinois. He assists with improving mobility access to the greater 44,000 acre refuge area that sees over one million visitors annually. Living car free and commuting via ebike to work informs his perspective on road safety. He comes to WTI with experience in designing the built environment and two years of experience working on Vision Zero for the Chicago Department of Transportation. Outside of work, Matt is on the Young Professionals in Transportation International Board as the Midwest Regional Liaison. He also is on the Board of Directors of Out Our Front Door, a Bike camping educational nonprofit in the Chicago great lakes basin. He is a friend of the AEP-20 Standing Committee on Transportation Needs of National Parks and Public Lands. Matt is an Eagle Scout and grew up by Chicago O’Hare Airport with an appreciation for nature and active transportation.
Station: Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Complex
Years Served: 2018-2020
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master of Urban Planning and Policy, City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning from University of Illinois at Chicago
- Bachelor of Science in Journalism from University of Dayton
Bio: Vince’s assignment as the transportation fellow with the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge (DRIWR) was to improve access to the DRIWR by utilizing alternative modes of transportation, such as bike and pedestrian access. He achieved this by creating a 5-year Transportation Status Report, reaching out to stakeholders throughout the region to support and regionally promote the public amenities of the refuge. Prior to the fellowship, his work consisted of placemaking initiatives in urban communities, creation of equitable transportation plans for the far south side of Chicago, assisting small businesses become more sustainable, research into reducing urban waste (especially reduction of food waste by compost systems), and organizing a network of stewards and community groups to care for and utilize urban wildlife habitats.
Current Position (2024): Facility Operations Specialist in the Transportation & Data Management Branch at USFWS Headquarters
Station: Transit and Visitor Use Planning Fellow
Years Served: 2020-2021
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master of Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA
- Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Stanford University
Bio: Ma’ayan served as the Transit and Visitor Use Planning Fellow where she assisted in making parks more accessible. Prior to the fellowship, she served at the California Department of Transportation, and City of Los Angeles’s Department of Transportation, on bicycle and pedestrian safety. She has also worked in transportation demand management, shifting commuter behavior from single-occupancy driving to alternative forms of transport. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, hiking, and reading science fiction books.
Station: Emerging Mobility Fellow
Years Served: 2020-2024
Pre-Fellowship Education: Bachelors’ in History from University of Rochester
Bio: Charlie served as the Emerging Mobility Fellow. The chief focus of his fellowship was to test how autonomous vehicles behave and perform in a National Park setting. His work also touched on implementing other novel solutions to park transportation issues, including planning bikeshare infrastructure, weaving park cooperation with ridesharing companies, and assisting in the creation of new visitor information systems. In his free time, Charlie can be found photographing gorges, buildings, and railroads, and riding his bicycle a bit too fast.
Current Position (2024): Visual Information Specialist at Minuteman National Historical Park, National Park Service
Station: Midwest Region Climate Fellow
Years Served: 2023-2024
Pre-Fellowship Education: Bachelor of Science in Geography from Ohio State University
Bio: Ashley served as the Midwest Region Climate Fellow. The purpose of her fellowship was to develop an erosion monitoring process to identify how erosion is impacting landscapes and transportation infrastructure as well as determine how climate change affects erosional forces. She focused on erosion monitoring in Badlands National Park.
Current Position (2024): GIS Technician
Station: Climate Change Adaptation and Active Transportation Fellow
Years Served: 2020-2024
Pre-Fellowship Education: Bachelor’s degree in Geography from Ohio State University
Bio: Pat served as the Climate Change Adaptation and Active Transportation Fellow. Pat’s fellowship had two primary focuses. The first was supporting the NPS Transportation Planning Program on developing climate change adaptation and resilience strategies in Washington State, especially at North Cascades National Park. The second was working with the NPS Alternative Transportation Program to pilot a data-driven trail condition assessment methodology for major NPS multi-use trails, primarily in the Washington, DC area. Pat is primarily interested in understanding the impacts of climate change on infrastructure and natural resources, and strategies for adapting to climatic and environmental changes.
Current Position (2024): Park Planner at Cuyahoga Valley National Park, National Park Service
Station: Transportation Safety Fellow
Years Served: 2023-2024
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master of Science in Transportation Planning and Engineering from the University of Southampton
- Master of Science in International Planning from the University College London
- Bachelor’s Degrees in Civil Engineering and Economics from Northeastern University
Bio: Mike served as the Transportation Safety Fellow. In this role, he spent his time supporting nationwide program management for the developing transportation safety program, overseeing and providing technical assistance for safety studies and projects in parks, enhancing policy and practice, and delivering grant applications for safety improvements. He has supported multidisciplinary safety studies, projects, and grants at Colorado National Monument, Saguaro National Park, and Suitland Parkway, among others. Prior to the fellowship, he had experience as a sustainable transportation ‘plangineer’ at the Boston Transportation Department, Boston Planning and Development Agency, and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. In London, he worked briefly for Arup as a Transport Planner, as well as with Go Jauntly, an app that showcases excellent walking routes, as a Walking Artist. In his spare time, he walks.
Current Position (2024): Neighborhood Transportation Planner at Boston Transportation Department
Station: Sawtooth National Recreation Area (US Forest Service)
Years Served: 2013-2014
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master of City and Regional Planning, Urban Planning from Rutgers University
- Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management from Rutgers University
Bio: Andrew served as the Stanley-Redfish Trail, Sawtooth National Recreation Area Fellow. He worked on designing a multi-use trail through the large Redfish Lake Campground and Recreation Complex that was a safe, non-motorized route for visitors. From the Redfish Lake Complex the trail connected to the town of Stanley, providing an alternative, non-motorized means for visitors staying in Stanley to access the Redfish Lake Complex and for campers to visit Stanley. Andrew is a lifelong cyclist with 50,000 miles of riding experience and on a wide variety of bicycles. He is also an outdoor recreation enthusiast with over 20 years of practical user experience in most passive outdoor recreation activities (However he can’t ski which he hopes to remedy while in Idaho). His grandest adventure was a 10 week, unsupported bicycle tour through the Alps with his best friend in 2001. Andrew is also a League of American Bicyclists, Cycling Instructor (LCI) and has educated hundreds of students on safe and effective cycling for Bike New York and elsewhere. Andrew aspires to be a leading national expert in all aspects of bicycle and pedestrian policy, facility design, bicycle/transit integration, as well as bicycle transportation and recreation development.
Current Position (2024): Active Transportation Portfolio Support Manager, District 9, Caltrans
Other Post-Fellowship Education/Job(s):
- Cycling Instructor at League of American Bicyclists
- Transportation Planner at West Central Initiative
- Transportation Planner at Montgomery County Planning Commission, Pennsylvania
Station: Chimney Rock National Monument and Tres Rios (US Forest Service & Bureau of Land Management)
Years Served: 2013
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master’s in Community and Regional Planning from the University of New Mexico
- Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of New Mexico
Bio: Valerie served as the Chimney Rock National Monument and Tres Rios Bureau of Land Management Transportation Fellow. In this position, she developed a long-term transportation plan through the collaboration of the community and the studying of the current issues. Valerie became obsessed with all things planning after living in Monteverde, Costa Rica, and working among local planners and biologists grappling with significant increases in population, tourism and development that were placing stress on the delicate natural environment and local culture. Prior to the fellowship, Valerie gained extensive experience in research, GIS mapping and analysis, database management, technical writing, outreach and presenting in areas focused on transportation (bike/ped, transit), natural resource management, placemaking and community livability. She is interested in the relationship and balancing act between urban and wild and specifically between transportation and the natural environment. When she isn’t thinking, talking or blogging about planning, you can find her training for her next marathon, biking around town or dreaming up her next adventure.
Current Position (2024): Vision Zero Coordinator and Public Works Strategic Program Manager for the City of Albuquerque
Other Post-Fellowship Education/Job(s):
- Transportation Planner at Mid-Region Council of Governments
- Program Manager at Rio Metro Regional Transit District
- Transportation Planner at the City of Sacramento, California
Station: Chimney Rock National Monument and Tres Rios (US Forest Service & Bureau of Land Management)
Years Served: 2013-2014
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Portland State University
- Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Davis
Bio: Todd served as a Transportation Fellow at Chimney Rock National Monument (USFS) and the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (BLM) in southwest Colorado. At Chimney Rock, context-sensitive road surfacing options were explored while at the Canyon of the Ancients work was focused on looking into ways that regional public lands can be utilized through transportation to provide benefits to the economy and improve visitor experiences. Prior to the fellowship, Todd worked for two years at Arches National Park as transportation scholar and spent three months as a transportation interpreter at Rocky Mountain National Park.
Current Position (2024): Senior Project Engineer at City of Bend
Other Post-Fellowship Education/Job(s):
- Transportation Engineer/Project Manager at the City and County of Denver
- Project Engineer at Federal Highway Administration
Station: North Moab Recreation Areas (Bureau of Land Management)
Years Served: 2012-2013
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Montana State University Bozeman
- Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Western New England College
Bio: Sommer served as the North Moab Recreation Area Transportation Fellow. She reviewed and researched the transit potential of connecting Moab with the North Moab Recreation Area including Arches National Park. Sommer’s work included making recommendations about how existing and future alternative transportation systems in the area could be further developed and promoted to realize the full value of reducing congestion and dependence upon private vehicle use. Sommer found a passion for ”healthy and fun” transportation modes while living in Burlington, Vermont and Bozeman, Montana where she enjoyed both recreating and commuting by bicycle. She is a firm believer that leading an active life is leading a healthy life. She hopes to continually learn and work in the transportation planning field creating innovative solutions that allow all individuals the opportunity to experience a sense of community and the freedoms associated with alternative transportation. Her ultimate goal is to someday be a recognized expert in optimizing the relationship between transportation needs and land preservation.
Current Position (2024): Planning Coordinator at the Vermont Agency of Transportation
Other Post-Fellowship Education/Job(s): Program Coordinator at Campus Area Transportation Management Association
Station:
- Sabino Canyon Recreation Area (US Forest Service)
- US Fish & Wildlife Service Headquarters Office
Years Served: 2012-2015
Pre-Fellowship Education:
- Master of Urban and Regional Planning from University of Colorado at Denver
- Bachelor of Science from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado
Bio: Andrew Valdez served as a Transportation Fellow at Sabin Canyon Recreation Area, as well as, an Advanced Fellow with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Headquarters Office in Arlington, Virginia. Andrew’s work and research focused on understanding the causal relationships between public health, resource usage, infrastructure design and the built environment.
Current Position (2024): Lead Access & Community Planner at Federal Highway Administration
Other Post-Fellowship Education/Job(s):
- Environmental Planner at Amec Foster Wheeler
- Open Space Planner at Jefferson County, Colorado
- Department Director at City and County of Broomfield