Land Stewards

By Brianna Hungerford, Land Stewards Intern serving with Mt. Hood National Forest. Over the past three months serving as a Land Steward with Mt. Adams Institute, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service in the Mt. Hood National Forest, I’ve grown tremendously—both...

Land Stewards Intern Jeffery Martinez speaks to his time as an MAI intern working on the Olympic National Forest.

Land Stewards Intern Delaney Skiles speaks to her time as an MAI intern working at King Conservation District.

My name is Brianna (Bri) & I grew up in Queens, NY where I couldn't successfully connect with my inclination for nature except for occasional camping trips to the Catskills. After graduating college with a BS in Criminal Justice & Sociology, I moved to the...

I'm Kelton Bournazian and I enjoy challenging myself and seeking adventure, excitement and success in all that I do. I grew up in Lander, WY and moved to Rock Springs, WY for junior high and high school. Being close to the Wind River Mountains my whole life, I've...

I grew up just outside of Tacoma Washington, spending time diving, tide pooling, and adventuring around the Puget Sound while hiking, backpacking and exploring the Cascade Wilderness. I recently left the Pacific Northwest, moving to California’s central coast to get...

How goes it, folks? My name is Jeff.  I grew up in Centralia, Washington. Though I truly bloomed more in the city of Tacoma later in life. I love camping and hiking. I fell in love with the great outdoors in my early teens when I camped in Cape Disappointment and...

Hello! My name is Delaney Skiles (she/her), and I’m from Portland, Oregon. My love for nature has blossomed throughout my years in the PNW and continues to thrive here in Seattle, Washington. I’m fond of hiking, cycling, running, birding, hammocking, crocheting,...

In her captivating short story, Sophia Mosbrucker recounts a thrilling night as a Refuge Technician during her MAI Land Stewards Internship. Amidst the stillness and starlight reflections, she learns the intricacies of frog calling and the excitement of wildlife tracking, all while overcoming her fear of the dark.

Meet Nate Jensen, one of our incredible AmeriCorps interns working with the Willamette Resources and Educational Network (WREN) in the beautiful West Eugene Wetlands! Since May, Nate has jumped into environmental education headfirst, teaching K-12 students about local ecosystems, creating curriculum, and getting his hands dirty with fieldwork.

Jessica Rodriguez reflects on her transformative journey as an MAI Land Stewards intern, From wielding chainsaws to exploring fire ecology, her experiences at Mt. Hood have reshaped her career goals and deepened her connection to the outdoors. Join her as she shares how this season of learning and growth has sprouted new possibilities for her future.

Aaron Lindsey reflects on how his MAI internship with the USFS Entiat Ranger District allowed him to merge his lifelong passion for dirt bikes with his love for the outdoors. Spending a summer working in the stunning Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forest, Aaron shares his gratitude for the experience and the incredible people he met along the way.

Jonluke’s journey as a Land Steward intern has been nothing short of an incredible adventure! From finding morels to working on the frontlines of forest fires, he’s embraced every challenge and opportunity along the way.

Land Steward Maiya McAuliffe, talks about invasive species control at Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Glenwood, WA. This is my first position as a biology. “This is my first position as a biology technician post graduation and I couldn’t have stumbled across a better first job.” 

I grew up in Indianapolis a very active kid - playing sports and spending most of my time outside in our yard and neighborhood. I fell in love with public lands and the outdoors at large after high school when I started rock climbing. I bounced around for a while...