Team
Joy Wood - Restoration Ecologist and Stewardship Specialist
Joy is a Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner (CERP) by the Society of Ecological Restoration (SER) with experience and leadership in ecological restoration with community partners throughout King County, WA. She has an M.S. in Forest Resources with an emphasis in restoration in ecology from the University of Washington. Joy is passionate about environmental stewardship, and statistically quantified the vital role community stewardship delivers in urban forest restoration in Wood et al.: An analysis of factors driving success in ecological restoration projects by a university - community partnership, in Ecological Restoration, 2017 (doi: 10.3368/er.35.1.60). In addition, Joy has trained and mentored over 100 stewards doing ecological restoration throughout King County through both Washington Native Plant Society and King Conservation District programs.
Joy has traveled the world over and has witnessed what humans can accomplish when we work together to address difficult problems. She attempts to impart this knowledge to her stewards and family, who also love to explore forests. When not championing for ecological restoration, Joy volunteers at her daughters' schools, and enjoys hiking, kayaking, and camping with her family and friends. And snuggling her cat.
Cameron Reed - Restoration Ecologist and Stewardship Specialist
Cameron is a sustainability professional with a passion for helping communities make a positive impact on their local environment. Cameron has developed successful stewardship programs that have driven effective climate action, waste reduction, watershed protection, and ecological restoration outcomes. As a Master Native Plant Steward, he has on-the-ground experience developing and leading urban forest restoration projects in the Puget Sound region in addition to academic research on community forestry. Cameron has also served as project manager for an ambitious municipal climate action plan update with a major focus on nature-based solutions, and was part of a team that secured $1 million in grant funding to expand a municipal urban forestry program to better address equity and racial justice. At RAD, Cameron provides support for restoration planning services, community engagement, program development and management, communications, volunteer management, monitoring, and reporting.
Connor Barbieri - Restoration Ecologist and Stewardship Specialist
As an ecological restoration technician, I have a keen eye for invasive plant species that harm our natural environments. I have a bachelor’s degree from Santa Clara University and have previously worked in social services, non-profits and customer service. My ultimate passion remains the outdoors, with a particular interest in the intersection between urban development, ecological restoration, and forestry conservation. While gaining valuable field experience, I’m exploring grad school options to further my expertise. Some of my favorite hobbies include hiking, soccer, traveling, cooking, and skiing.
Alex Ankuta
Alex has had a lifetime interest in nature, and he followed his passion in college. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies and a Minor in Urban Ecological Design from the University of Washington Seattle, and he is currently a graduate student in the Master of Arts Biology program at Miami University, which is in partnership with the Seattle Woodland Park Zoo. During his undergraduate capstone internship for King County, he collected data on spawning salmon in local streams. His undergraduate independent study was measuring the rate of plant growth in different nitrate concentrations in an aquaponic system. His graduate studies are primarily focused on environmental issues.
Alex is knowledgeable about environmental issues and restoration, local flora and fauna, sustainability, aquaponics, environmental policy and planning including cultural considerations, interdisciplinary ecological infrastructure, and climate change. He engineered aquariums, plumbing and plants for his aquaponic 5,000-gallon fish rescue. He enjoys his fish, botany, and looking for interesting reptiles during hiking trips.