VetsWork Environment Members
Meet a few of our members. Hover over their photo to learn fun facts and maybe a bit of history you’ll recognize.
Melissa Gattrell
Military Branch: U.S. Coast Guard
Position: Recreation & Environmental Education Intern
Service Site: Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area
"I'm excited about how this internship will open doors for me into a career in the Forest Service."
Chris Sutherland
Military Branch: U. S. Coast Guard
Position: Restoration, Education, and Community Education Assistant (RECE)
Service Site: Tillamook Estuaries Partnership
"I am excited and truly blessed; I have a sense of belonging."
Yori Ogunnaike
Military Branch: Army
Position: Geologist/Minerals Administrator Intern
Service Site: Deschutes National Forest
"I hope to be able to use the knowledge that I’ve gained so far to make a difference in other peoples lives."
Jesse Moyer
Military Branch: Air Force
Position: Lands & Realty Management Intern
Service Site: USDA Forest Service - AK Regional Office
"I believe VetsWork will allow me to continue to serve and find opportunities that are not usually accessible for veterans like me."
Tim Payne
Military Branch: Army
Position: Natural Resources Management Intern
Service Site: George Washington & Jefferson National Forests
"I want a career that has an impact on our country while also having a sense of duty and service."
Gina Kennedy
Military Branch: Army
Position: Restoration, Education, and Community Education Intern
Service Site: Tillamook Estuaries Partnership
"I get to work in, with, and for nature, and continue my environmental education while giving back to my community."
Justin Carr
Military Branch: Air Force
Position: Stewardship Coordinator
Service Site: Willamette Riverkeeper
"I am an avid hiker and backpacker, having completed the Pacific Crest Trail in 2018."
Rebekah Kammeyer
Military Branch: Navy
Position: Recreation, Volunteer, and Partnership Coordinator
Service Site: Umpqua National Forest
"VetsWork is a great program and it really helps give veterans the tools to continue on with the next stages of their lives."
Jon Knepper
Military Branch: U.S. Marine Corps
Position: Facilities Management Technician
Service Site: Gifford Pinchot National Forest
" It is my goal to not just better myself but to make a difference in the areas I will be working."
Shane Tullos
Military Branch: Army
Position: Timber Technician
Service Site: Davy Crockett National Forest
"I am hoping to gain the knowledge needed to become a forester in Texas."
Hunter Haley
Military Branch: Navy
Position: Geologist/Minerals Administrator Intern
Service Site: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
"I decided to become a Mt. Adams Institute VetsWork intern to prepare myself for an undergraduate degree in environmental science."
Tue Gillen
Military Branch: Navy
Position: Developed Recreation Planning & Operations Intern
Service Site: Chugach National Forest
"I want to break into the environmental field, and getting my hands dirty is all part of the lineup."
Adam Norman
Military Branch: Army
Position: Recreation & Facilities Intern
Service Site: Umatilla National Forest
"When it comes to the outdoors, I love to go hiking, exploring, and taking photos of everything that catches my eye."
Mark Martinez
Military Branch: Army
Position: Recreation Technician
Service Site: Tongass National Forest
"The thing that excites me the most is the opportunity to work with people who share the same passion as myself for our outdoors and protecting them."
Will Fisher
Military Branch: Air Force
Position: Conservation Assistant
Service Site: Umatilla National Forest
"I enjoy working outdoors, helping maintain the environment as well as working with others who love the outdoors."
David Escarcega
Military Branch: U.S. Marine Corps & Army
Position: Recreation Intern
Service Site: Mark Twain National Forest
"What I hope to get from this experience is a good understanding of what it takes to be a valuable member of the Forest Service."
Nick Maze
Military Branch: U.S. Marine Corps
Position: Forestry Technician
Service Site: National Forests of Alabama
"I look to further my knowledge in anything and everything outdoors, and do my part to preserve that for generations to come. "
Michael Zsembik
Military Branch: Navy
Position: Ecological Restoration Intern
Service Site: Monongahela National Forest
"Mt. Adams Institute helps veterans find new professional pathways where they can apply the sense of service and integrity learned to environmental stewardship."
Jason Holifield
Military Branch: Army
Position: Volunteer Coordinator
Service Site: Sumter National Forest
"I hope to draw inspiration and ideas from this internship that I plan to use as a stepping stone to a fulfilling career in forestry!"
Krystal Hedrick
Military Branch: Army
Position: Forest Stewardship Technician
Service Site: King Conservation District
"I’m hoping to make connections and gain experience in the environmental field so I can go on to pursue a meaningful career."
Storm Bruner
Military Branch: Army
Position: Recreation Intern
Service Site: George Washington & Jefferson National Forests
"My goals are to finish my degree and to get a permanent position with the Forest Service."
David Kabak
Military Branch: Navy
Position: Timber/Vegetation Improvement Intern
Service Site: Shawnee National Forest
"I’m looking forward to the experience and getting back on track to a career in the great outdoors."
Chris Olstead
Military Branch: U.S. Marine Corps
Position: Archeology Collections Management Intern
Service Site: Ozark-St. Francis National Forest
"I’m here because I wanted a fun, educational way to give my career in anthropology a kick-start."
Jason Chapman
Military Branch: Army
Position: Forestry Technician
Service Site: Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
"This opportunity gives me a new mission and I am very honored to be selected."
Adam Hale
Military Branch: U.S. Marine Corps
Position: Recreation Intern
Service Site: Daniel Boone National Forest
"I love hunting, fishing, trapping, camping, kayaking, hiking, etc. and try and do these every chance I get."
Kirstin Thompson
Military Branch: U.S. Coast Guard
Position: Resource Assistant
Service Site: Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
"I am really looking forward to working outside and ensuring future generations can do the same."
Cody Hysom
Military Branch: Army
Position: Dispatch Intern
Service Site: Shawnee National Forest
JC Williamson
Military Branch: Air Force
Position: Visitor Information Assistant
Service Site: Tongass National Forest
"I love the outdoors, and am interning with Mt. Adams Institute’s VetsWork program because it’s a perfect segue to a career in the forestry sector."
Ernie Boswell
Military Branch: U.S. Marine Corps
Position: Recreation Technician
Service Site: Chugach National Forest
"I am hoping to get some sort of park ranger or game warden job out of this internship."
Chris Stevens
Military Branch: Army
Position: Lands Surveyor Assistant Intern
Service Site: Chugach National Forest
"I have never had an opportunity like this and will do nothing but to prove that I have what it takes."
Chris Steinle
Military Branch: U.S. Coast Guard
Position: Record and Information Management Intern
Service Site: USDA Forest Service: AK Regional Office
"I believe that being in the service of others can make the heart whole because we can use our talents to make our community a better place to live."
Allison H.
Military Branch: Air Force
"I am interested in exploring a career as a park ranger or a seasonal park ranger. I’m looking forward to this opportunity."