Staff Directory

Alan W. Barton, J.D., Ph.D.

Director

Alan W. Barton, J.D., Ph.D.

Director

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 has worked at NMFWRI since 2015, serving as Collaboration Program Manager and Assistant Director.

Phone:(505) 426-2081
Email:awbarton@nmhu.edu

Gilbert "Buddy" Rivera

Deputy Director

Gilbert "Buddy" Rivera

Deputy Director

Buddy joined the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute team in 2023 and is Chief of Staff. He has more than 30 years’ experience in public service, which includes active-duty military service and public higher education. He was born and raised in northern New Mexico and holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, M.S. in Aeronautical Engineering, and Engineer’s Degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. His work has taken him around the world with overseas assignments, international collaborations, and numerous leadership positions. Over the last decade, he has been with New Mexico Highlands University with positions as a Director at the NMHU Farmington Center, Director of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Research, and Assistant Director of the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects.

Phone:(505)454-3289
Email:GDRivera@nmhu.edu

Edward Martinez, Ph.D.

Deputy Director

Edward Martinez, Ph.D.

Deputy Director

Edward joined NMFWRI in July 2025. as the Deputy Director for Operations and Development. He was born and raised in northern NM. Martinez served as president of Luna Community College. He served New Mexico Highlands University as Special Assistant to the President, and founding Vice President of Strategic Enrollment Management and Professor of Forestry. In 2019, Martinez was selected as an American Council on Education fellow, completing his fellowship at University of Nevada-Reno. Martinez received his diploma from Mora High School and his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences from NMHU. Martinez earned both his Master’s in Environmental and Regional Planning and his Doctorate in Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences from Washington State University-Pullman.

Email:eamartinez@nmhu.edu

Kristine Bellmore

Budget and Finance Manager

Kristine Bellmore

Budget and Finance Manager

Kris joined NMFWRI in January 2023. She comes from a 28-year background in university budget and finance management. She previously worked at the Northern Arizona University School of Forestry for the past twelve years. Her experience in grant administration has been a key part of her career for the last decade. She has managed a large grant portfolio and worked with many amazing Principal Investigators and crews over the years. She specializes in USDA NIFA funds and enjoys working closely with the researchers and help them carry out their projects plans and field work. She also has extensive experience in managing state funds, revenue generating funds and foundation funds. She grew up in Tucson, Arizona and graduated from the University of Arizona with a Business Economics degree. Kris feels at home in both the desert and the mountains. When she visited Las Vegas, New Mexico for the first time she was automatically drawn to want to live here. She’s the mom of a smart, talented daughter who is a college student and rising artist. She enjoys camping, hiking, cooking, gardening and traveling. She looks forward to exploring New Mexico and all that is has to offer.

Phone:(505) 454-3360
Email:kristinebellmore@nmhu.edu

Marla Martinez

Administrative Coordinator

Marla Martinez

Administrative Coordinator

Marla was born and raised in Las Vegas, NM, graduating from Robertson High School. Immediately after, she started her career with the City of Las Vegas Fire Department as an Administrative Assistant. She then was promoted to Financial Specialist with the City of Las Vegas Police Department where she managed substantial budgets. After 25 years of service she retired. She was hired in February 2020 at New Mexico Highland University as the Administrative Assistant with the ARMAS Center under the grant STEMfast. She assisted Faculty, Staff, and students with daily activities and managed the budget for the department. After working with NMHU for over two years, she was hired with the New Mexico Forestry and Watershed Restoration Institute as an Administrative Assistant. She likes to spend time with family and especially her grandkids. She likes to hike, sew, cook, and enjoy the outdoors.

Phone:(505) 426-2009
Email:mnmartinez@nmhu.edu

Staci Matlock

Public Information Specialist

Staci Matlock

Public Information Specialist

Staci joined NMFWRI in 2021 as the Institute's public information specialist. Her focus is helping NMFWRI staff and collaborators explain their vital research and projects through multimedia stories. Staci was a longtime environment and community reporter with the daily Santa Fe New Mexican and a former editor of the Taos News. Staci grew up in the Navajo Nation. She has a BS in Agriculture and an MA in Journalism, both from the University of Arizona. She launched a Spanish/English newspaper and distributed it on both sides of the Sonora/Arizona border as part of her Masters project. She lives in Sapello, NM and is a member of the Sapello-Rociada-San Ignacio Volunteer Fire Company.

Phone:(505) 470-9843
Email:stacimatlock@nmhu.edu

Patti Dappen

GIS Program Manager & Administrator

Patti Dappen

GIS Program Manager & Administrator

Since 2007, Patti has been working as a GIS Specialist and now GIS Program Manager at the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute. 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 an FAA Remote Pilot License (UAS) and expects her future work will include conservation monitoring and mapping with drone technologies. Patti holds a Master 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 is currently on the NMGIC board.

Visit Patti's webpage

Email:prdappen@nmhu.edu

Katie Withnall

GIS Specialist & Data Manager

Katie Withnall

GIS Specialist & Data Manager

Katie has worked as a GIS Specialist at the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute for 7 years. During this time she has worked on various projects including the SWERI IIJA Project National Treatment Map, 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.

Email:kwithnall@nmhu.edu

Dana Heusinkveld

GIS Research Specialist

Dana Heusinkveld

GIS Research Specialist

Dana uses GIS to support fire recovery and healthy forest initiatives, facilitating collaboration between local and federal groups and raising awareness and knowledge of forest and watershed health – all with the goal of continuing to help people understand and engage with their environment. She has been in the geographic field for over a decade, earning her BS in Geology and Environmental Science and her MS in Geography and GIS, as well as teaching GIS at the college level. She has worked as a Geographer and GIS specialist for federal and state governments, private consultants, and academic institutions with work roles spanning from imagery science to human geography.

Email:dheusinkveld@nmhu.edu

Andreas Wion

Spatial Analyst Researcher in Residence

Andreas Wion

Spatial Analyst Researcher in Residence

Andreas earned a PhD in Ecology from Colorado State University and holds a B.A. In Anthropology from the University of Colorado Boulder. His research leverages dendroecology, spatial models, and simulations to better understand multiscale interactions between climate, fire, and forest dynamics. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with his wife Gwen and three rescue dogs: Gila, Fig, and Echo. On the weekends he likes to garden, play guitar, and hunt for old trees.

Email:andreas@nmhu.edu

Crystal A. Medina

Conservation Science Center Prog Manager, Restoration Outreach and Education

Crystal A. Medina

Conservation Science Center Prog Manager, Restoration Outreach and Education

Crystal grew up along the Río Chama in northern New Mexico where she developed a deep love for the land. She earned a B.A. in Sociology/Anthropology with a minor in Native American Hispano Cultural Studies and a M.A. in Public Affairs with an emphasis in Applied Sociology from New Mexico Highlands University. Her graduate research focused on northern New Mexican culture and identity. Upon graduation, Crystal began working for the State of New Mexico where she gained invaluable experience working with the public on child welfare-related issues. Crystal later returned to NMHU as the director of a National Science Foundation Hispanic Serving Institution STEM education grant program where she fostered the development of place-based student activities with faculty, staff, agency partners and other professional partners of the local STEM community. She joined NMFWRI in 2023 and is invested in growing collaborative action within her home state of New Mexico. Crystal spends her free time with family, reading, or tending to her small garden.

Email:camedina@nmhu.edu

Alejandro Collins

Collaboration Specialist

Alejandro Collins

Collaboration Specialist

Alejandro cultivated his passion for natural landscapes as a child growing up in Latin America. After ten years living abroad, his family returned to the US where he eventually attended the University of Georgia to pursue an athletic career in throwing javelin and earn a B.S. in Forest Resources in the Spring of 2021. He continued his education at the University of Georgia and graduated with an M.S. in Forestry – Policy and Sustainability in the Spring of 2023. His M.S. thesis research evaluated the role of land tenure and communal organizations in adapting to a changing climate for pastoralists in a rural and arid region of Northern Argentina. Importantly, this interdisciplinary research considered environmental and social justice, institutions, and resource access. Alejandro joined NMFWRI in the Fall of 2023 and is committed to draw upon his personal, cultural, and academic backgrounds to further the Collaborative Program’s goals and objectives. In his free time, he enjoys birding, fishing, and spending time with loved ones.

Email:amcollins@nmhu.edu

Shantini Ramakrishnan

FIRE NM Program Manager, Restoration Outreach & Education

Shantini Ramakrishnan

FIRE NM Program Manager, Restoration Outreach & Education

Shantini builds capacity of New Mexicans to lead the conservation of local landscapes as the program manager of the Conservation Science Center, based at the New Mexico Forest & Watershed Restoration Institute. Working in northern New Mexico since 2012, she has experience in protected land management, habitat restoration, disease ecology, and community engagement. In 2022, she co-piloted post-fire restoration efforts for landowners in response to the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon wildfire, resulting in the establishment of Fire-Informed Restoration Education for New Mexico (FIRENM). She holds an MS in Life Sciences from New Mexico Highlands University, a BS in Zoology from Southern Illinois University, and a BA in Mass Media from Mount Union College.

Email:shantinir@nmhu.edu

Terence Garcia

Digital Content and Outreach Specialist

Terence Garcia

Digital Content and Outreach Specialist

Terence Garcia studied Media Arts at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico, and has extensive experience in videography, photography, cinematography, editing, and web design. His work spans historical, cultural, scientific, and educational projects across New Mexico, including the Manhattan Project exhibit at the Bradbury Science Museum, wildlife filmmaking for the Pajarito Environmental Education Center, projection mapping and informational media at the Jemez Visitor Center, and promotional content for the Currents New Media Festival in Santa Fe. He has contributed media production and visual documentation for multiple National Science Foundation International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) expeditions in the Czech Republic and Poland, later serving as a media and cultural mentor for student participants while helping communicate geologic research through documentary storytelling. He also designed the NMHU Geology website to showcase student research, fieldwork, and international collaborations. Garcia also served as Lead Media Instructor and worked in marketing and communications at Luna Community College.

Email:terence@nmhu.edu

Michael Roberts

Research Associate

Michael Roberts

Research Associate

Michael joined NMFWRI as a Research Associate in February 2023. Michael is an interdisciplinary researcher with expertise conducting applied and community-engaged research in environmental policy implementation and collaborative planning. Most of their work focuses on water governance in the West and Southwest, United States. In 2023, Michael earned a PhD in Water Governance and Policy from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. With training in both the natural and social sciences, Michael draws on a variety of theoretical perspectives and methodologies to facilitate research that addresses community needs and builds collaborative relationships across diverse audiences. In addition to conducting research, Michael has worked as an environmental educator for the Massachusetts Audubon Society and has taught a variety of Natural Resource Conservation and Communication classes at the undergraduate and graduate level.

Email:michaelroberts@nmhu.edu

Nathan Tomczyk

Research Associate

Nathan Tomczyk

Research Associate

Nathan is an ecologist with experience conducting research at scales ranging from organisms to ecosystems and landscapes. Nathan grew up in Maine where he developed an appreciation for the outdoors. He attended college at the University of Maine earning a BS in Ecology and Environmental Sciences. Then, Nathan earned a MS from the University of Georgia where his thesis focused on the effects of heavy metals on stream organisms. After a hiatus to hike the Appalachian Trail he returned to the University of Georgia to work as a research professional before starting his doctoral studies. His dissertation focused on the effects of nutrient pollution and warming on freshwater ecosystem function. Nathan Joined FWRI in September of 2023. In his free time he enjoys cycling, hiking, and skiing.

Email:ntomczyk@nmhu.edu

Kathryn Mahan

Ecological Monitoring Program Manager

Kathryn Mahan

Ecological Monitoring Program Manager

Kathryn Mahan is an ecologist with a M.S. in Natural Resources Management. She has a particular interest in long-term ecological monitoring programs and building capacity for adaptive management at all levels. Before she joined NMFWRI in 2014, she worked as an outdoor educator for the United World College Wilderness Program and the University of Wyoming, a biotechnician for the Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge, and an independent natural resources consultant with organizations such as Hermit’s Peak Watershed Alliance and New Mexico Wilderness Alliance. Her other passions include wilderness and emergency medicine, volunteer firefighting, backpacking, being outside, writing, and growing vegetables.

Phone:(505) 426-2147
Email:krmahan@nmhu.edu

Corey Beinhart

Ecological Monitoring Data Manager

Corey Beinhart

Ecological Monitoring Data Manager

Hailing from the woodlands of Ohio, Corey attended the University of Delaware where he earned a BS and MA in cognitive science before spending three and a half years working as a data engineer in Boise. After spending the summer working with the Idaho Conservation Corps, he is particularly interested in work related to restoration and wildfire mitigation and is excited to apply his technical expertise to the work at NMFWRI. In his free time Corey enjoys climbing large rocks, skiing in the backcountry, long trail runs, and cooking.

Email:corey@nmhu.edu

Emily Yannayon

Ecological Monitoring Specialist

Emily Yannayon

Ecological Monitoring Specialist

Emily holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Minnesota Morris with a concentration in botany. She moved to New Mexico in 2020 to work with the BLM on their Rare Plant Demographic Monitoring Program. She has also worked in environmental consulting before joining NMFWRI. In her free time, she enjoys meandering on trails to examine plants and bugs, cooking and baking tasty treats, reading sci-fi novels, and starting DIY projects that only take up space. Her passions lie in humans' relationships with the natural world, from how individuals connect with nature to how we as a society have an immense power to affect the environment.

Email:eyannayon@nmhu.edu

Abigail Han

Ecological Monitoring and GIS Specialist

Abigail Han

Ecological Monitoring and GIS Specialist

Abbi is originally from the East Coast but spent formative summers in Northeast New Mexico working on the family ranch. She has a degree in Crop & Soil Sciences and has worked in agricultural research, conservation, and supporting Indigenous land stewardship. In her free time, she likes to take her dog on hikes, play music with friends, and ride bikes.

Email:ahan@nmhu.edu

Michael Branch

Ecological Monitoring Crew Lead

Michael Branch

Ecological Monitoring Crew Lead

Michael has lived all over the US, mostly in the desert Southwest and central Plains states. He has 10-years of military service, in both active-duty and traditional guardsmen roles, as an avionics technician and then a meteorologist. Other career paths have included helicopter maintenance, engineering technician, and plant nursery manager. He decided to make a career in the conservation of public forest land while on a motorcycle trip up the Rocky Mountains, into Canada, and down the Pacific Coast. He is currently attending NMHU for a B.S. in Forestry with a concentration in Forestry Management.

Email:michael@nmhu.edu

Sam Frye

Ecological Monitoring Crew Lead

Sam Frye

Ecological Monitoring Crew Lead

Sam grew up in Minnesota and graduated from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2011 with a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Management. He has worked with the USFS in Oregon and Idaho conducting riparian vegetation surveys, assisted graduate and post-graduate students at Virginia Tech with their field work on the east coast, and spent several years restoring tallgrass prairie in southern Wisconsin. He moved to Fruita, Colorado, in 2016 and became a professional, award-winning brewer at Copper Club Brewing Company. When he's not out exploring our public lands, he enjoys preparing a good meal, reading a good book, and listening to his favorite true crime podcast.

Email:sfrye@nmhu.edu

Vincent Vispo

Ecological Monitoring Assistant Crew Lead

Vincent Vispo

Ecological Monitoring Assistant Crew Lead

Vincent grew up in New York’s Hudson Valley, attended Kenyon College in Ohio, and is excited to continue this westward trend with NMFWRI. He has a Bachelors of Arts in Environmental Studies and Economics. As an undergrad, he pursued research that attempted to assign monetary values to the ecosystem services provided by trees. In the process, he realized that the research path was not necessarily for him (at least not at the moment) but that he really enjoyed working with trees and is now considering a career in forestry. He enjoys reading, sketching, backpacking, walking dogs, and biking, and is trying to learn the saxophone.

Email:vvispo@nmhu.edu

Taryn Schlosser

Ecological Monitoring Crew Logistics Coordinator

Taryn Schlosser

Ecological Monitoring Crew Logistics Coordinator

Taryn grew up on a farm outside of Edgewood, NM. They graduated from NMHU with a BS in Forestry and a BA in Conservation Management. In the past, they’ve done labor and repair work, animal care, worked for the Albuquerque BioPark, and for the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database. Taryn has a passion for botany, ecology, and the family Pinaceae. They enjoy hiking/backpacking, camping, music, and reading.

Email:taryn@nmhu.edu

Jax Gaglianese-Woody

Ecological Monitoring Senior Technician

Jax Gaglianese-Woody

Ecological Monitoring Senior Technician

Jax grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, but has spent most of their adult life in western NC. They earned both their undergraduate and graduate degrees from Appalachian State University, where they focused on botany and the population genetics of rare and endangered plant species. After a brief stint in Asheville as a brewery quality technician, they moved to New Mexico about a year and a half ago for an ACE Riparian Botanist internship with the BLM Taos Field Office. Most recently, Jax completed a season as a NM Wild Wilderness Ranger working on trails in the HPCC burn scar. They have also served as a research assistant for the Global Insect Herbivory Network, worked as a forestry technician, and taught biology courses and labs during graduate school. In their free time, Jax enjoys hiking, backpacking, photographing plants, lichens, and other fungi, noodling on the guitar, and spending as much time as possible outdoors.

Email:morgan@nmhu.edu

Matthew Najera

Ecological Monitoring Technician Aide

Matthew Najera

Ecological Monitoring Technician Aide

Matt is a computer science major with a passion for the outdoors. Matt is looking to integrate his passion with his degree of focus and be in the beautiful world of ecology. His favorite plant is cowboy toilet paper, aka mullein, or Verbascum thapsus.

Email:mnajera4@live.nmhu.edu

Mitch Dennington

Ecological Monitoring Technician Aide

Mitch Dennington

Ecological Monitoring Technician Aide

Mitch has lived in New Mexico for 33 years, originally located in Aztec before moving to Las Vegas to pursue a B.S. in Forestry Management from New Mexico Highlands University. He loves all things biology, but especially botany and phylogeny. As a student, he has worked in bacteriophage research, watershed restoration, reforestation monitoring, dendroclimatology, youth education, and community outreach. His strong belief in the role of humans as students of nature and ecological cultivators has guided his path and led him to his current position with NMFWRI as a Monitoring Technician Aide. He loves reading, falling into research holes, and talking to plants. If you can't find him in the forest, he's probably at the cinema.

Email:mdennington1@live.nmhu.edu