The Adventure Scientists Team

Jessica supports the project management team by managing volunteers, designing and building projects, surveying and analyzing volunteer metrics, as well as managing relationships with scientific partners.

Areas of expertise: ecology, research methods, project management, project design, scientific writing.

Jessica holds a Bachelor’s in Earth Systems from Stanford University and a Master’s Degree in Biological Sciences from Montana State University. Her Master’s work investigated how mycorrhizal fungi can help native forbs, such as yarrow and blue flax, mediate the negative effects of climate change. Bringing over ten years of scientific research to Adventure Scientists, Jessica ensures the scientific design of our projects creates meaningful conservation impact.

Lydia grew up in the mountains of West Virginia, where she spent much of her time running around outdoors. She obtained a B.S. in Finance from West Virginia University and has built a career in business and financial analysis, product management, and consulting. She recently became a Virginia Master Naturalist to facilitate her career transition into conservation.

Outside work, she volunteers extensively by walking and training dogs and cats, building homes with Habitat for Humanity, teaching English, maintaining trails, removing invasive plants and planting native species, and much more. You can find her hiking, biking, kayaking, doing home renovations, or pet-sitting while traveling.

Alisa sits on the Programs team and supports program management of AS projects, focusing on recruitment, communications, and creating the volunteer experience.

Areas of expertise: program management, product management, teaching & facilitating, event management, Asana, Jira, foreign languages.

Alisa received her Bachelors of International Relations at Boston University, and has supported educational, environmental, and sustainable projects at international organizations, including Camfed, UNESCO, Sustainable Ocean Alliance, and Facebook. She also trained as a tour guide, earning Wilderness certifications and working through the US and Canadian National Parks. Alisa leads recruitment and community efforts at Adventure Scientists, building volunteer experiences and creating partner relationships. She believes that together, we create and protect the world that we want to live in.

Kascie is the Communications lead for Adventure Scientists and works across all teams to craft and deliver impressionable stories about the organization’s ongoing project work, overarching mission and impact on the world.

Areas of expertise: outreach and engagement, strategic communications, campaign development and advocacy, policy and resource management planning, film and photography, creative and non-fiction writing

Kascie holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Humanities from Washington College, a M.S. in Environmental Studies and a certificate in Natural Resource Conflict Resolution from the University of Montana and is a M.F.A candidate in Science and Natural History Filmmaking from Montana State University. She brings more than 15 years of experience in natural resource conservation planning, policy and advocacy as well as community outreach and organizing. Her focus at Adventure Scientists is to tell stories that inspire action and ensure the organization is communicating our “who, what, when, where and how” as effectively as possible across all audiences.

Ricky is a core member of the programs team developing strategies for project data infrastructure, management, and visualization.

Areas of Expertise: Data science, data visualization and storytelling, statistical analysis, GIS, R programming, Salesforce administration, field data collection, field protocol development, printer whisperer

Ricky holds a BS in Soil and Water Sciences from Montana State University and certificates in full stack web development, data visualization and storytelling. A dedicated volunteer turned full time staff member, Ricky is a member of the local climbing and mountain biking coalitions, and as always, a passionate volunteer for Adventure Scientists’ land based projects. Ricky brings nearly a decade of experience in systems administration and data management, as well as a lifetime of stoke for science in the great outdoors.

Gabe supports Adventure Scientists and its staff by overseeing financial operations, ensuring transparency, compliance, and the strategic allocation of resources.

Areas of Expertise: financial reporting, FP&A,taxation, forensic accounting, corporate finance, risk management, compliance and regulation.

Gabe graduated from the University of Montana with Bachelor’s degrees in Accounting and Finance. His diverse expertise across multiple industries greatly benefits the organization by providing valuable insights and innovative solutions. Beyond managing day-to-day financial activities, Gabe strives to provide strategic guidance to our leadership team by generating accurate financial forecasts and recommending actionable insights to support decision-making. Additionally, Gabe works with external auditors and regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with accounting standards and reporting requirements.

Devynn supports the Development team with grant writing and operations support.

Areas of expertise: grant research and writing, development operations, Salesforce, and graphic design.

Devynn holds a BA in Sustainability Studies from Alaska Pacific University, and has served the conservation and agriculture sectors for the State of Alaska.

Devynn supports Adventure Scientists’ Development Team through grant writing, data management, and partner stewardship planning. With a passion for protecting both people and the planet, she brings her unique background in local farm promotion, rural community outreach, and federal grants management into her work here at Adventure Scientists.

Alison supports the Programs team by designing the methods for projects focusing on our forests impact area, using our participatory science model to collect data at large scales.

Areas of expertise: forests, biodiversity conservation, research project design, sustainability, environmental education.

Dr. Alison Ormsby has a Ph.D. in Environmental Studies from Antioch University New England, a M.S. in Environmental Studies from the Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and a B.S. in Environmental Science from the College of William and Mary. She is a certified Environmental Educator, certified Interpretive Guide, and is SCUBA certified. She has served on the boards of numerous environmental organizations, and on the Sustainability Advisory Committee for the City of Asheville, NC and is currently co-chair of the Tree Protection Task Force for Buncombe County, NC. She brings to Adventure Scientists her 30 years of work experience in biodiversity conservation, as a professor of Environmental Studies for 20 years, and a wide variety of other work experiences – as an environment/parks Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone, a Fulbright scholar in India researching sacred forests, a journalist with the United Nations reporting on environmental treaties, and an educator with the Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Society.

Luis leads our international expansion by forging and managing partnerships with international and multilateral organizations, agencies, and governments to build meaningful projects and collaborate globally.

Areas of expertise: international conservation, negotiation, international policy, strategic partnership development.

Luis actively engages Adventure Scientists in global processes including the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework on Climate Change, and various other global and regional treaties.

He works to build capacity required across the organization to fill gaps in our readiness to operate internationally, including the design of environmental and social safeguards and promoting the inclusion of civil society organizations and other groups to participate in our projects.

He is responsible for recently signing a partnership with the French Development Research Institute (IRD) for supporting an Amazon wide mercury monitoring system led by the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization. Luis is currently negotiating a number of international projects with international and regional agencies, as well as Multilateral Banks and global environmental organizations.

Josephine leads Fund Development and Communications for Adventures Scientists.

Areas of Expertise: Fundraising Strategy, Donor Relations, Grant Writing and Management, Strategic Communications, Brand Management, Marketing and Public Relations Strategy, Community Engagement, Performance Measurement and Evaluation.

An established philanthropic practitioner, Josephine brings over 15 years of comprehensive fund development and nonprofit management expertise as well as 7 years leading a conservation organization to the team. Prior to working in the conservation sciences field, she spent over half a decade working in Detroit’s nonprofit education systems as a philanthropic capacity builder including the funding, marketing and implementation of educational innovations. B.S. Psychology

Lindsey raises funds from individuals, foundations and corporate donor partners to support Adventure Scientists’ work.

Areas of expertise: fundraising and philanthropic growth, meaningful donor engagement, building values-based relationships and networks, revenue management and reporting, communication.

Lindsey has a BA from Colgate University. A development and philanthropy leader with a lifelong commitment to social change, she believes in the power of philanthropy and has seen what is possible when organizations have the resources they need to realize their visions. She is dedicated to building partnerships that support the long-term sustainability of organizational missions and outcomes while also bringing fulfillment to donors.

Gregg founded Adventure Scientists in 2011 based on his passion for exploration, scientific discovery and galvanizing “the choir” to more directly participate in conservation.

National Geographic named Gregg Treinish “Adventurer of the Year” in 2008 when he and a friend completed a 7,800-mile trek along the spine of the Andes mountain range, and he has participated in multiple ecologically focused expeditions around the world. His field work has included projects focused on wolverine, lynx, bears, owls, sturgeon, and more. Gregg holds a biology degree from Montana State University and a sociology degree from CU-Boulder.

In 2015 he was named a DRK Foundation social entrepreneur and one of Men’s Journal’s “Most Adventurous Men.” In 2017, Gregg was named an Ashoka Fellow, and in 2020, a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. He was named to the Explorer’s Club 50 and the Hatch 100 in 2023.

Madelyn supports Adventure Scientists’ mission by ensuring that our culture supports team members in their work to help accelerate conservation and climate change solutions.

Areas of expertise: full lifecycle talent management, total rewards, employee engagement, DEI.

Madelyn holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources from Cornell University and is a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). She brings more than 25 years of experience with organizations such as the Ford Foundation, Mt. Cuba Center and Longwood Gardens, where she successfully led organizational efforts to attract, develop, engage, and retain top talent. She also volunteers for community service organizations that support gender equality and women’s empowerment. Madelyn leads people initiatives across all functional areas of human resources; her focus at Adventure Scientists is on elevating employees and building strong teams while helping to foster inclusion. She is a collaborative and consensus building colleague committed to creating and maintaining a progressive and innovative employee culture.

Catherine oversees the strategic development, design, implementation, and measurement of Adventure Scientists’ programs, ensuring integrity and conservation impact in our projects. She leads and manages the programs team.

Areas of expertise: biodiversity conservation, illegal wildlife trade, endangered species, anthropology, inclusive leadership, scientific grant-making

Prior to joining Adventure Scientists, Catherine oversaw the National Geographic Society’s research, conservation, and technology funding as the Vice President of Science, served as a AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow in the Office of Forestry and Biodiversity at USAID, and worked in Denver Zoo’s Conservation Biology department. She currently serves on the Board of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition and on the Editorial Board of the Vietnamese Journal of Primatology. She holds an MA in anthropology from the University of CO, Boulder and a Ph.D. in evolutionary anthropology from Duke University. Catherine brings more than 15 years experience in the conservation sector with strategic planning, research, policy, impact evaluation, and communication of biodiversity conservation, combating wildlife crime, global grant-making, and developing and leading high-functioning teams.