MEET THE STAFF

Peggy Ohler – Cuba Soil and Water Conservation District –District Staff

New Mexico Forestry Camp Staff Member since 1990 – Camp Sponsor Representative

Peggy Ohler was born and raised on a ranch about 7 miles from the Rancho del Chaparral Camp. She was home schooled through the 6th grade, after which she attended boarding school at McCurdy School in Espanola. Peggy studied animal science at New Mexico State University for 2 years and then moved to Ohio where she got an Associate Degree in secretarial science.

One year of working in downtown Cleveland was enough to send her back to New Mexico and to the ranch, where she has lived for the past 30 years. Peggy is the District Clerk for the Cuba Soil and Water Conservation District.

Jean Szymanski - U.S. Forest Service, Conservation Education Specialist, New Mexico

New Mexico Forestry Camp Staff Member since 1990 – Camp Co-Director

Jean has worked for the Forest Service since 1980. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in geography from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She is the Regional Conservation Education Specialist for the Southwestern Region of the Forest Service.

Jean believes that Forestry Camp presents a wonderful opportunity for youth to learn about natural resources.

Donna Thatcher – Farmington Museum – Traditional Plant Uses

New Mexico Forestry Camp Staff Member since 1990 –Girl Scout Liaison / Kitchen and Meals

Donna Thatcher is an Education Specialist for the Farmington Museum, and directs the Riverside Nature Center in Farmington. She has been learning the traditional uses of plants for many years, and has presented programs for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. She is also a lifelong birder, and will be leading some of the bird walks at camp. Donna received degrees in anthropology and biology from the University of Arizona.

Todd Haines – New Mexico State Forestry – Bernalillo District Forester

New Mexico Forestry Camp Staff Member since 1998 – Camp Co-Director

Todd has a Bachelor of Science degree in forestry from Northern Arizona University, 1991. He worked for the U.S. Forest Service in Timber from 1990 to 1998. Todd then worked as the Bernalillo District Timber Management Officer with New Mexico State Forestry from 1998–2003. Todd served as the State Timber Management Officer for New Mexico State Forestry from 2003–2005. He is currently the District Forester for New Mexico State Forestry, Bernalillo District. Todd served as the New Mexico Chapter Chair for the Society of American Foresters (SAF)in 2003. Todd has been a SAF Certified Forester since 1998.

Todd is also an Eagle Scout, Woodbadge trained scouter and is currently Scoutmaster for a Boy Scout Troop in Rio Rancho.

Jeanne M.P. Lubbering- Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute

New Mexico Forestry Camp Staff Member since 2002 – Camp Program Director

Jeanne received her Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife and fisheries biology from Texas A&M University in 1986 and her Master of Science degree in range science in 1988. She has worked in the private sector contracting in the areas of environmental assessments, critical habitat surveys, wetland delineations, NEPA compliance, and other natural resource related projects until 1999. She has worked on-the ground conservation with private landowners and community-based watershed monitoring and restoration and natural resource education outreach until 2004. Her current position is Adjunct Professor, Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, Natural Resource Department; and part-time Instructor, CNM, Life Science/Biology. Jeanne as been an instructor at the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society-Southwest Region Youth Practicum since 1994.

Marsha S. Hagerdon – U.S. Forest Service, Cibola National Forest

New Mexico Forestry Camp Staff Member since 2003 – Counselor Liaison

Marsha received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a Masters in Parasitology from the University of Texas at Arlington. She taught secondary science in Texas for 10 years.. She volunteered with the Forest Service in both Montana and New Mexico prior to a seasonal, then permanent appointment on the Santa Fe National Forest. She worked on the Carson National Forest at the Ghost Ranch Living Museum and currently provides public outreach and education, and recreation program support for the Cibola National Forest.

Crystal Tischler – U.S. Forest Service, New Mexico

New Mexico Forestry Camp Staff Member since 2009 – Presenter Liaison

Crystal received a Bachelor of Science in Forestry (2001) from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  From 2002 to 2008, Crystal worked for the Colorado State Forest Service as an Assistant District Forester on the Salida District, where her duties included timber sale management on private and Federal lands, mountain pine beetle detection through ground and aerial surveys, community wildfire protection plans, forest management plans, and wildfire mitigation/detection survey crew leader.  In the fall of 2008, she made the move to the Forest Service in Albuquerque and is now the Forest Health Coordinator for the New Mexico Zone, Southwestern Region, where she coordinates the aerial survey program.

Bill Griggs – U.S. Forest Service, Santa Fe National Forest

New Mexico Forestry Camp Staff Member since 2010 – Support Staff and Conclave Events

Bill graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Science in Forest Management in 2003. He has worked for the Forest Service since 2008 after transferring from the Department of Interior working with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Bill was the Presale Forester for the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana. Bill is currently the West Zone Forestry and Fuels Staff Officer for the Santa Fe National Forest. He has been a member of the Society of American Foresters since 1999.

Phil Tagg – U.S. Forest Service, Cibola National Forest

New Mexico Forestry Camp Staff Member since 2010 – Safety Officer

Phil has worked as a Fire Prevention Technician in hydrology and recreation with the Bureau of Land Management in Colorado and Nevada.  His wildland firefighting career began on the Gila National Forest in 1981. He has worked on the Cibola National Forest at the Sandia Ranger Station running the wildland engine, then moving on to dispatch.  He is now the Fire Training Specialist.  

Melissa Dean - U.S. Forest Service, New Mexico

New Mexico Forestry Camp Staff Member since 2010

Melissa has worked for the Forest Service since 2008. She has a degree in Communications from Eastern New Mexico University. She is involved with Project Learning Tree/Project Wild and the Conservation Education Program at the Regional Office, Southwestern Region.

A native New Mexican, Albuquerque is her home where she lives with her 3 kids and 2 dogs.