Program Director

Ayukii everyone! My name is Ryan Reed. I’m from the Karuk, Hupa and Yurok tribes in Northern California. In the Spring 2022 I received a Bachelor of Science Cum Laude in Environmental Studies at the University of Oregon. I will be pursuing my Master’s in Forestry at UC Berkeley in the fall of 2023. I’m an Indigenous Fire Practitioner, wildland firefighter, and pride myself as a Karuk Medicine person and strongly connected to my cultural practices and Pikyavish (World Renewal) ceremonies. I prioritize my inherent responsibility to center and elevate Indigenous Science and knowledge into fire policy and ecosystem management paradigms. Fun facts about me: I love to hunt, fish, play basketball, and I’ve traveled to 3 different countries.

Research Coordinator

Hi! My name is Kyle Trefny. I’m a wildland firefighter, economics student, and award-winning organizer and artist, with work reaching millions of people, featured by Youtube Originals, Penguin Random House, the Getty Museum, Forbes, Amplifier Art and more. Behind what I do is the force of community, family, and other young creatives. I grew up in the Bay Area, where local disasters and ecological passions drew me to the element of fire. I believe in solutions that work for most-impacted communities, the more-than-human world, and future generations. I’m also queer and I prioritize creating a fire space in which all people can belong and be their full selves.

Education Coordinator

Hi my name is Bradley Massey from Madison, AL. I’m a forestry student at Alabama A&M University with a concentration in Forest Management. I’m the president of our Forestry Club and Co-captain of the A&M Firedawgs. As a student I have had the opportunity to become a certified type 2 wildland firefighter, USDA/1890 National Scholar, chainsaw certified, and participate in student congresses and confrences. Outside of school I enjoy playing soccer and other sports. I love spending time outdoors by going fishing, hiking, or hunting. I believe in making things better for the next generation and as young people it is important that we work together around wildfire management and practices to provide ideas and solutions that will be beneficial for our future generations.

Research & Policy Consultant

My name is Alyssa Worsham and I am a graduate student at Western Colorado University in Gunnison, Colorado. I am pursuing a Master’s of Environmental Management with a focus on integrative and public lands management, and my research involves fire management policies and practices in designated wilderness areas. I am also an environmental planner at an engineering and environmental consulting firm where my work involves GIS mapping and technical writing for environmental documentation (NEPA, ESA, CWA, etc.). I am an enthusiastic outdoor recreationist, and I hope to help protect public lands for future generations of hikers, skiers, climbers, and mountaineers like me.

Policy Specialist

My name is Ian Browne. I am a student finishing my undergraduate degree in Forest Conservation Science and Environmental Science at University of Toronto. I am particularly interested in, and studying, the relationship of indigenous practices with fire regimes in Western North America. I am adamant about supporting the complex, reciprocal interactions of people, ecosystems, and fire that Western science and management has disregarded and dispossessed. I am passionate about agro-ecosystems and bicycle accessibility. I have worked at Asian-American farms, which help me understand my mixed identity & build community, and I also collect, breed, and grow fruiting edible plants from around the world. I volunteer at a bicycle collective, which focuses on building bikes, joy, and POC-spaces in communities of color in Yelamu (San Francisco), where I am from and now reside.

Development Specialist

Hello! My name is Ilse. I’ve grown up in Oregon, and am graduating Spring of 2023 from the University of Oregon’s Clark Honors College with a B.A. in Global Studies and French and a minor in Food Studies. I am also a member of the Wayne Morse Scholars Program for Democracy and Politics. My background in my undergraduate work has been in food activism and agricultural movements. I’m passionate about climate justice and healing our relationship with the earth by fighting against colonialism and oppression. Some fun facts about me are that I’ve spent two years interning for a local community garden, I love playing soccer, and I speak French and Spanish.

Communications Coordinator

Dai Estes, Hello all! My name is Ayuthea LaPier, I am Hanis Coos from my maternal lineage and Amskapi Pikuni/Blackfeet as well as Tlingit (Chookeneidi clan) from my paternal lineage. My communities guide my work in cultural arts, organizing, and land management. As an Indigenous Fire Practitioner I believe in the power of fire to restore the health of the land, as well as the people. My favorite experiences have been witnessing youth reclaim these tools and find roles within restoration and conservation. Fun facts about me: I love canoe life, collecting vintage beads, and I can code!