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New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute

  • About
    • Staff Directory
    • Annual Reports
    • Newsletters
  • Restoration
    • Collaborative Forest Restoration Program (CFRP)
      • CFRP Long Term Monitoring
    • Desired Conditions Workshops
      • Gila Mountains – Desired Conditions Workshop
      • Sacramento Mountains Desired Conditions Workshops
    • Tamarisk Leaf Beetle
  • Collaboration
    • New Mexico Collaborations
      • Grant County Eco-Watershed Working Group
      • Connecting for Conservation
      • Magdalena Collaborative
        • Magdalena Collaborative Web Map
      • Mountainair Collaborative
        • Mountainair Collaborative Web Map
      • North Sacramento Mountains Working Group
        • Watershed Planning Map
      • Otero Working Group
        • Watershed Planning Map
      • Smokey Bear Collaborative
    • Estancia Basin Monitoring
      • South Mountain Weather Station
    • Greater Rio Grande Watershed Alliance
      • NMFWRI Monitoring Work and Reports by SWCD
      • GRGWA Projects Online Web Map
      • Other Documents and Resources
  • Mapping
    • NM Vegetation Treatment Mapping
    • Field Monitoring Projects Web Map
    • GRGWA Projects Online Web Map
    • Hard Copy Maps / Posters
  • Monitoring
    • Ecological Monitoring
    • UAS/Drone Monitoring
    • Research
    • Summer Student Internships
  • Resources
    • New Mexico Plant Guides
      • Flora of the Western US
    • Restoration Resources
    • GIS Tutorials
Contact Us

Staff Directory

Kent Reid, PhD
Director
(505) 426-2145
rkreid@nmhu.edu
Kent moved to New Mexico in 1996, and worked here and internationally as a consulting forester before coming to work for FWRI. He has degrees from NC State, Colorado State, and Clemson, and has worked for Weyerhaeuser, the Peace Corps, the University of Missouri, Auburn University, Virginia Tech, and Cornell University.
More info
Alan Barton, PhD
Collaboration Program Manager
(505) 426-2081
awbarton@nmhu.edu
Alan is a Rural Sociologist with a background in Sustainable Community Development and Natural Resources Law and Policy. He has a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley in Sociology and Spanish, an M.S. from the University of Washington in Forest Management, a J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law in Natural Resources and Environmental Law, and a Ph.D. from Cornell University in Development Sociology. He has worked with the Peace Corps, the National Park Service, the National Audubon Society, and has taught Sociology and Community Development at several universities. Alan is a trained mediator and facilitator, and at NMFWRI he works with community–based collaborative groups around New Mexico to develop collaborative capacity, organization and outreach.
More info
Patti Dappen
GIS Program Manager
(505) 426-2086
prdappen@nmhu.edu
Over the last 12 years, Patti Dappen has been working as a GIS Specialist at the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute located in Las Vegas, NM. During this time, she has worked on projects ranging from object-oriented land cover classification using eCognition, using LiDAR for Forest monitoring assessments, and developing web mapping applications. She currently holds a FAA Remote Pilot License (UAS), and expects her future work will include conservation monitoring and mapping with drone technologies. Patti holds a Master’s of Applied Geography Degree (MAG) from New Mexico State University. She is currently adjunct faculty at New Mexico Highlands University and has taught NMHU’s Remote Sensing and Analysis class using ArcPro. She has is currently on the NMGIC board.
More info
Patti's Website
Cesar Alvizo
Budget & Finance Manager
(505) 426-2086
cbalvizo@nmhu.edu
Originally from California, Cesar moved to Las Vegas in 2008 on a Cross Country Scholarship for New Mexico Highlands University. While attending Highlands he completed a BA and MBA in Finance. At the same time he was able to work in many positions throughout Las Vegas and the University, bringing much experience to his position at NMFWRI.
More info
Katie Withnall
GIS Specialist

(505) 454-3586
kwithnall@nmhu.edu

Katie has worked as a GIS Specialist at the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute for 5 years. During this time she has worked on various projects including the New Mexico Opportunity Map and Vegetation Treatment geodatabase, developing online WebApps, developing and conducting geospatial training courses, and conducting monitoring and mapping with drones. She currently holds a FAA Remote Pilot License (UAS). Katie's background includes watershed planning and restoration for the Hermit's Peak Watershed Alliance. She has a BA in Geography from Humboldt State University and an MS in Environment and Development from King’s College London.
More info
Joe Zebrowski
Director of Geospatial Applications in Natural Sciences (GAINS) Lab
(505) 426-2146
jpzebrowski@nmhu.edu
Joe Zebrowski, is NMHU’s Director of Geospatial Technology at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, NM. As a Visiting Instructor of Forestry, he teaches remote sensing and geographic information systems courses at Highlands. He also facilitates collaborative conservation groups such as the Mountainair ranger District Collaborative and the Estancia Basin Watershed Health Restoration and Monitoring Program. Joe’s research and applications interests center on the use of geospatial technologies in the support of collaborative conservation and watershed management. Landscape-scale restoration is particular interest. Joe received a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Sciences in Geography, both from Texas A&M University.
More info
Kathryn Mahan
Ecological Monitoring Specialist
(505) 426-2147
krmahan@nmhu.edu
Kathryn's background includes working in various capacities in developed and wildland riparian and upland areas with the Hermit’s Peak Watershed Alliance, the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, the United World College Wilderness Program, the Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge, the Sapello-Rociada Volunteer Fire Company, and the University of Wyoming. Her current projects at the NMFWRI include riparian monitoring of invasive phreatophyte treatments with the Greater Rio Grande Watershed Alliance, vegetation monitoring with the Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge, and fire monitoring plots across the state with the field crew.
More info
Natalia Shaw
Education and Outreach Coordinator

nataliashaw@nmhu.edu

Natalia has a background working for Tribal Nations in developing programing for air quality monitoring and education and monitoring of water resources at the watershed scale. She previously worked for the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) Environmental Education Outreach Program (EEOP), where she worked with Tribal youth and families to encourage meaningful engagement with the sciences and inspire the next generation of environmental leaders. As a researcher at Northern Arizona University she developed a hydrologic model for the Canyon de Chelly watershed for tracking soil moisture in an effort to support land managers and community agricultural practices. She received her B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Redlands and her M.S. in Environmental Science & Policy from Northern Arizona University.
More Info
Carmen Briones
Monitoring and Data Technician
carmen@nmhu.edu
Carmen graduated in Forestry and has a minor in Spanish from New Mexico Highlands University. Some background job experience includes working for a greenhouse and nursery in Colorado and the Denver Zoological Foundation stationed in Watrous, NM at the Rio Mora Wildlife Refuge Area. At the Wildlife Refuge, she gained many conservation and restoration skills like building one rock dams to slow down water. Now she works for NMFWRI and has a blast out in the woods collecting field data.
More info
Raymundo Melendez
Monitoring and Data Technician

rfmelendez@nmhu.edu

Elliese Wright
Collaboration Specialist / AmeriCorps-VISTA Steward

wrightelliese@gmail.com

Elliese earned her Bachelor's of Science in environmental science and toxicology with honors from Western Washington University in the spring of 2020. While attending WWU, she spent a semester in Ifrane, Morocco at Al Akhawayn University where she studied Arabic, economic development, and women's studies, and conducted research for her Honors thesis on water rights issues in Morocco. At WWU, she worked at the Institute for Watershed Studies, where she was a laboratory assistant, and at the office of Environmental Health and Safety, where she managed hazardous waste. Elliese's professional goals are still being developed, but she plans to attend graduate school in the next few years to earn her master's degree in Environmental Science. Her main interests are water quality issues and community health, and community engagement as it relates to science and policy. She loves hiking, running, rock climbing, traveling, and challenging herself outdoors.
More info
Louis Rymalowicz
Student Technician

lrymalowicz@live.nmhu.edu

Dorian Miranda
Student Technician

dmiranda2@live.nmhu.edu

Gerardo Montijio
Student Technician

gmontijo@live.nmhu.edu

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Contact

New Mexico Highlands University, Box 9000
Las Vegas, NM 87701

(505) 426-2080
nataliashaw@nmhu.edu

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After Wildfire
All About Watersheds
New Mexico State Forestry
New Mexico Forest Service

The New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute at New Mexico Highlands University receives financial support through the Cooperative and International Programs of the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, under the Southwest Forest Health and Wildfire Prevention Act. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3271 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TTY). NMHU is an equal opportunity provider and employer.