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 during the summer of 2023. 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

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

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

Marla Martinez

Administrative Associate

Marla Martinez

Administrative Associate

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

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

Elizabeth Becker

GIS Technician

Elizabeth Becker

GIS Technician

Elizabeth has worn many hats throughout her life: organic farmer, mom, landscaper, plant nursery owner, and wedding florist. Then through a serendipitous series of events she went back to school, discovered her inner computer nerd, got an Associate of Applied Science degree in GIS and now she maps things. She worked as a GIS Intern and Project Leader for SCA, a GIS Technician with Evari GIS Consulting, and before joining the team at NMFWRI she was the GIS Intern at Bandelier National Monument. Recently she became a GIS Specialist (in training) for wildland fires, as well as an Emergency Management Specialist (GIS) for disaster relief with the Department of Health and Human Services. Central Texas has been home throughout most of her adult life, with short stints in Colorado, but she's thrilled to now call New Mexico home. When not working she loves hiking, exploring, traveling, cooking (and eating), reading, writing, and despite how much it hurts and how mediocre she is, snowboarding.

Email:eebecker@nmhu.edu

Shantini Ramakrishnan

Conservation & Restoration Ed. Prog. Mgr. / Conservation Science Center @ HU

Shantini Ramakrishnan

Conservation & Restoration Ed. Prog. Mgr. / Conservation Science Center @ HU

Shantini builds capacity of New Mexican youth to lead the conservation of local landscapes through the Conservation Science Center @ Highlands University. She develops place-based outdoor learning programs to build a pipeline in STEM disciplines, which combined with mentorship, leadership development and resilience strategies, encourages persistence among students of color in STEM. She has been working in northern New Mexico since 2012, and has experience in protected land management, habitat restoration, disease ecology, and community engagement. She holds an MS in Life Sciences with a concentration in Biology from New Mexico Highlands University, a BS in Zoology from Southern Illinois University, and a BA in Mass Media from Mount Union College. She serves as a board member with the High Plains Grasslands Alliance and Hermit’s Peak Watershed Alliance, an outreach committee member with Albuquerque Wildlife Federation and a fellow with Environmental Education New Mexico.

Email:shantinir@nmhu.edu

Faith Purvey

Assistant Program Manager/Conservation Science Center

Faith Purvey

Assistant Program Manager/Conservation Science Center

Faith is a multidisciplinary artist and educator whose work invites human encounter in the landscapes around us. Her projects, ranging from site-responsive installation to photography and painting, explore urban, rural and environmental themes through partnerships with civic entities, youth, arts and other nonprofit institutions. Faith has held residencies, produced projects and taught workshops with State and National Parks, Girl Scouts, Santa Fe Art Institute, the City of Milwaukee, LA Museum of Natural History, LACMA, and many others. Her 3-year project Organ Monument Oratory in the Organ Mountains of Las Cruces, NM explored topics of land use, natural + cultural histories, leave no trace ethics, life next to a missile range, and more. Faith has taught middle and high school art for 15 years, and in higher education in various roles such as guest faculty for CU-Boulder’s traveling Field School. A deep lifetime connection to wilderness and natural spaces led her to participate in several long-term backpacking trips with relevant local curriculums such as Signal Fire and Sierra Institute, and she frequently hikes and camps. As an interdisciplinary K12 educator, Faith catalyzed numerous projects through Service Learning, arts integration and STEAM-based collaborations with various subject teachers and community partners, and she brings that sensibility and curiosity for place-based, outdoor educational opportunities to the critical work of the Conservation Science Center/ NMFWRI. Originally from Saint Paul, Minnesota, Faith holds an MFA in Public Practice from Otis College of Art & Design, Los Angeles.

Email:fapurvey@nmhu.edu

Raymundo Melendez

Education and Outreach Program Assistant

Raymundo Melendez

Education and Outreach Program Assistant

Raymundo started his career in Forestry with a dream and goal to be a Renaissance man - educated, physically strong, and willing to serve his country. He graduated from Robertson High School in 2013 and attended NM Highlands University. While in college, Raymundo worked with the U.S. Forest Service in 2013, 2015 and 2017 as a timber technician. He also worked in carpentry, vehicle mechanics, restaurants, animal husbandry, welding, ranching, wood harvesting, rock laying, bailing hay, and drawing – in short, a Renaissance man. Raymundo graduated in 2018 with a B.S in Forestry and a Minor in Wildland Fire. Since the summer of 2018, Melendez has worked with the New Mexico Forest and Watershed as a monitoring technician/ supervisor and now the Education and Outreach Program Assistant. Melendez loves being outdoors, joking, laughing, hanging out with loved ones, and being creative in what he does at work.

Phone:505-454-3457
Email:rfmelendez@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

Crystal A. Medina

Collaboration Program Manager

Crystal A. Medina

Collaboration Program Manager

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 Technician

Alejandro Collins

Collaboration Technician

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

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

Monitoring Program Manager

Kathryn Mahan

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

Carmen Melendez

Crew Logistics Support / Assistant Manager

Carmen Melendez

Crew Logistics Support / Assistant Manager

Carmen graduated in Forestry and has a minor in Spanish from New Mexico Highlands University. Prior to joining the FWRI, she worked 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, Carmen gained many conservation and restoration skills like building one rock dams to slow down water. Now she has a blast out in the woods collecting field data for FWRI.

Email:carmen@nmhu.edu

Corey Beinhart

Data Manager

Corey Beinhart

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

Courtnay Lewis

Ecological Monitoring Crew Lead

Courtnay Lewis

Ecological Monitoring Crew Lead

Courtnay has been doing fieldwork all over the US, primarily in the West, since 2011. Courtnay is a 2017 graduate of Colorado State University Pueblo. She joined NMFWRI in May. When not in the field, Courtnay loves art, travel, and a good book.

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

Patrick Clay Goetsch

Ecological Monitoring Crew Lead

Patrick Clay Goetsch

Ecological Monitoring Crew Lead

Patrick Clay was raised on a farm in Mora County, New Mexico and received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from New Mexico Highlands University. While working on his master's he discovered his passion for applying ecology to agricultural systems. He has worked as a recycling technician, bio technician, farmer, and maintenance technician over his short professional life. He has a passion for plants, agriculture, reading and writing, and existing in natural spaces.

Email:pcgoetsch@nmhu.edu