Isabella is a third-year Environmental Science major at Willamette University. She is interested in a career in conservation and forest management. She is very excited to join the Growing Oaks team as a way to protect a native species in our community. She is also excited to expand her knowledge in conserving a crucial species to our community and understanding its history and the benefits it provides to the community. This past summer, Isabella participated in the DISC 2022, a Dendrochronology Intensive Summer Course, through the Laboratory of Tree Ring Research in Arizona. She participated in the dendroclimatology course, where she learned how to reconstruct past climates using tree ring data.

Adelaide is a second-year student at Willamette University. She is planning on majoring in Environmental Science, and potentially minoring in Anthropology. Some of her interests include sustainable resource management and environmental justice. She’s from Wisconsin and is super excited to be getting involved with communities in Salem and the Willamette Valley through Growing Oaks.

Ava is a first-year at Willamette University, and she plans to major in Politics, Policy, Law, and Ethics. Ava is from Littleton, Colorado, where there aren't many trees (or oaks) to speak of. She fell in love with the lush plant life in Oregon and wants to help protect this crucial species through political outreach and activism, especially pertaining to indigenous land and culture. Ava would like to pursue a career in the political or nonprofit sectors, hopefully relating to human rights, social justice, and sustainability.

Riley Forth is a second-year student at Willamette University. She is currently a Dempsey Scholar and is planning to major in Environmental Science with a minor in Archeology. Since she grew up in the tropical island of Barbados, she is excited to join the Growing Oaks project to be better connected to the ecosystem of the Pacific Northwest.

Rachel is a second-year student at Willamette University. Currently, she is planning on pursuing an Environmental Science major and is considering a minor in Sustainability. She is interested in areas of focus include renewable energy, environmental health, and ecology.

Winter is a first-year at Willamette University, and is planning to major in Psychology with a minor in Politics, Policy, Law, and Ethics. The lush and diverse environment was a driving factor behind their decision to leave their home state of Colorado for college in Oregon, and they are working with Growing Oaks to protect and defend the natural beauty of the state. They work in an assortment of fields with Growing Oaks, including communication, political action, and research.

Ella is a second-year environmental science student at Willamette University. She grew up on a sailboat in Hawai'i and now calls Port Townsend, Washington home. Ella contributes to the Willamette community through her roles as a Dempsey Scholar and the Vice President of Chess Club. This past semester Ella attended the 2021 Global Oceans Conference where she presented her research regarding using citizen science methods and a ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) to recover ecosystem damaging derelict crab pots in the Salish Sea. This research has shaped Ella's interest in pursuing a career in ocean sciences. Ella is excited to be a part of student-driven conservation efforts such as the Growing Oaks project.

Ellen is a second-year student at Willamette, and is currently planning to major in English or Art History. She is involved in the Fabric, Yarn, & Textile club, and she works at the Hatfield Library. Her hobbies include reading, painting, and photography. As someone from Portland, OR, she is very excited for the opportunity to work with the native plants of the PNW, and to help restore our Oregon White Oaks!

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Tim has been protecting and restoring urban creeks since 1980. In his youth, he spearheaded a drive to conserve 100 acres of oak woodlands and grasslands along Sacramento's Arcade Creek. After earning a B.S. degree in Environmental Policy and Planning from U.C., Davis, Tim served 27 years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency where he supervised the Wetlands Regulatory Program and the Bay-Delta Program. There he helped renowned scientists formulate the "X2" salinity standards that underpinned the Bay-Delta Accord of 1994, and he led the Interagency Vernal Pools Stewardship Initiative that conserved approximately 40,000 acres of rangelands across the Central Valley. Beginning in 2007, Tim spent four years at the nonprofit Sustainable Conservation as director of their Restoration on Private Lands Program. Tim enjoys spending time with his wife, daughter, and friends, and celebrating diverse activities and interests including backpacking, baseball, concerts, cooking, cycling, gardening, photography, traveling, and everything vintage.