Tucker Szymkowicz

Tucker Szymkowicz

Executive Director Tucker is excited to join the MAI team as its new Executive Director. He has worked in environmental education and nonprofit management for 22 years for organizations such as Outward Bound, Telluride Institute, Telluride Mountain School, Islandwood,...
Mike Gundlach

Mike Gundlach

Interim Operations Director Mike is supporting the MAI team helping manage day-to-day operations with oversight of our facilities, financial management and program support. Mike’s background includes work with AmeriCorps programs, nonprofit management and a variety of...
Sherrie Jackson

Sherrie Jackson

Human Resources & Recruitment Director Sherrie has over twenty five years’ experience recruiting AmeriCorps members and fiscal management: Northwest Service Academy and Confluence Environmental Center. Sherrie enjoys playing hard in the outdoors with her family...
Aaron Stanton

Aaron Stanton

AmeriCorps Program Director Aaron oversees our three AmeriCorps programs: VetsWork Environment, VetsWork GreenCorps and Public Lands Stewards. He has a background in public education administration in Washington and Oregon. In his free time, he enjoys kayaking, kite...
Katie Schmidt

Katie Schmidt

Recruitment Coordinator & Programs Support Katie is responsible for helping applicants find their best fit in our programs. Katie has worked for AmeriCorps programs for 8+ years. Prior to her current role, she was the residential coordinator for an environmentally...
Laura Linn

Laura Linn

Senior Program Coordinator Laura provides support to both our VetsWork participants and partners. Laura’s background in nonprofit management and summer camp programs stem from her past employment with the Friends of the National Zoo and the Cheetah Conservation...
Erica Bingham

Erica Bingham

Land Stewards & VetsWork FireCorps Program Coordinator Erica joined the MAI staff after serving three terms as an AmeriCorps member. She got her start with our Public Lands Stewards (now Land Stewards) program where she served one year as a refuge technician on...
Sarah Fox

Sarah Fox

Sense of Place Host & Curator Sarah Fox comes to MAI as the producer of the podcast Hear in the Gorge and as curator/host of the Sense of Place Lecture Series. Her work has appeared on Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) in addition to film and...
Johannah Verhulst

Johannah Verhulst

Johannah provides support to VetsWork participants and partners as a program coordinator. She has worked as a penguin researcher in Argentina and the Galapagos. In 2019, Johannah completed three years of service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia with a focus on...
Ashley Lookenhouse

Ashley Lookenhouse

Summer Camp Manager As the summer camp manager, Ashley works with our youth programming and families to help connect them with the outdoors! Ashley has four years of camp management experience, as well as three years of school programming and leadership. In her free...
Etta Souser

Etta Souser

Outreach Coordinator After completing her Master’s Degree in Environmental Policy, Etta continued on this journey of life and discovered a deep passion for digital design. She uses that love of design to share the endless stories of nature and the great work that Mt....
Field Notes: Devin Newman

Field Notes: Devin Newman

This year has been more than I ever thought it could be and then some serving with the Mount Adams Institute and the Forest Service. Between all the hard work, amazing sights, and just as amazing people to work with, what more could a guy ask for?  In the beginning, I...
Field Notes: Alexander Golman

Field Notes: Alexander Golman

Coming into the Mt Adams Institute Land Stewards Program after fulfilling a previous AmeriCorps Internship I was very excited to see where this position would take me. Not only would I be doing my mainstay of Forest Service work as a Wilderness Ranger, but I would...
Field Notes: Jacob Boak

Field Notes: Jacob Boak

The following three haiku are a reflection of my experience so far. They are meant to come one after another, with no more separation than the physical indentation that is between them. tossing and turning the storm wants to chat… maybe for an hour my head in my...
Field Notes: Caelan Vielbig

Field Notes: Caelan Vielbig

I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of different jobs in the Forest Service here at Cle Elum. The season began with a lot of trail work. I was also able to shadow the botany team and help them prevent beetle infestation. I worked with the heavy equipment operators,...
Field Notes: Omeed Pourboghrat

Field Notes: Omeed Pourboghrat

What an incredible three months this has been for me, when I first started this program, I really didn’t know what to expect, was I going to love it or hate it? Are the other interns and forest service employees going to be good people? Can I handle living away from...
Field Notes: Cameron Mcarthy

Field Notes: Cameron Mcarthy

My first summer on the west coast has been filled with adventures both professional and personal. I’ve explored Mt Hood National Forest and the Columbia River Gorge, as well as Portland, all the while really getting to know the Timberline lodge inside and out. My...
Field Notes:  Bridget Motiff

Field Notes: Bridget Motiff

I am so excited to be serving an Americorps internship with the US Forest Service through the Mt. Adams Institute’s Public Lands Stewards program! I have been working as a wilderness ranger at Mt. Adams Ranger District for about 10 weeks now and already have been able...
Field Notes:  Kailey Kreienbrink

Field Notes: Kailey Kreienbrink

The first week I was at my internship I went on a walk around the wetlands by myself with the goal of learning the names of 5 flowers and 3 insects. I had just downloaded the app Seek by recommendation from my boss. Seek is an app (that I also now recommend to...
Field Notes:  Frank Saxton

Field Notes: Frank Saxton

I have been an avid outdoorsman my entire life. Hiking and exploring the bountiful forests of Washington State has been a favorite summer pastime for me, but it was never something that I thought I’d actually be paid to do. My AmeriCorps internship with the Entiat...
Field Notes:  Savanna Lopez

Field Notes: Savanna Lopez

This is my second Americorps position, and there are many reasons why I decided to serve another term after my first one. My position title is Wilderness Backcountry Ranger and I currently serve in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in the Entiat Ranger District....