Elise is our Program Manager and has been with VT UCF since 2012. Raised in Ohio, after college she joined the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps for a pivotal year of introduction to the country's varying natural landscapes as well as social, economic, and environmental issues. Next, she directed a tree planting program in Camden, NJ before venturing north to pursue her graduate degree from the Rubenstein School of Environment & Natural Resources at the University of Vermont. She is an ISA Certified Arborist,, a graduate of the Municipal Forestry Institute and the Green Communities Leadership Institute, and a Burlington Master Naturalist. When not working Elise can be found in her garden, in the lake (all year round), or with her husband, two children, or the many other good people that fill her life.

Joanne joined the UCF team in the spring of 2017 as the project coordinator for the rural roads portion of the burgeoning Resilient Right-of-Ways project, a state-led initiative focused on assisting municipalities with smart and forward-thinking vegetation management along their roads. Now serving all of the technical needs of communities working with trees in public ways and places, Joanne continues the robust data collection, writing, outreach, and information sharing that the UCF program delivers. Joanne holds a B.Scs. in geology and architecture from McGill University and is a 2015 graduate of the Field Naturalist and Ecological Planning M.Sc. program at the University of Vermont. She is an active fiddler, performing and teaching at dances and festivals throughout New England. When home, Joanne enjoys the quaint life of downtown Montpelier and swimming in local ponds and pools.

Gwen joined the VT UCF team as Education and Outreach Coordinator in May 2015. She earned her undergraduate degree in Natural Resources from UVM, and has since worked across New England both as a field researcher and as a community educator. Gwen is passionate about connecting people to the natural resources around them, whether it's a bustling urban park or a quiet rural landscape. 

Ginger joined the UCF team as the Forest Pest Education Coordinator in the fall of 2018. Many of Ginger’s fondest memories involve trees and forests – including “running away from home” to sit in the branches of a hemlock in her family’s backyard in Massachusetts. With an undergraduate degree in botany from the University of Wisconsin and a graduate degree in Natural Resource Management Policy and Behavior from the University of Michigan, Ginger has long been fascinated by people’s relationship with plants and the land, and in finding ways to maximize community input in natural resource management decisions. To that end, Ginger spent a number of years after graduate school working for community development and conservation organizations in New England, Appalachia, and Central America. Some of her favorite projects involved training teens in Maine and Nicaragua to interview elders in their communities about how fishing, farming, hunting, and logging had changed over time. Prior to joining the UCF team, Ginger worked for UVM Extension’s Center for Sustainable Agriculture, helping fruit and vegetable farmers with food safety strategies.

Adam grew up in Montpelier, Vermont and fell in love with trees at a young age, fascinated by climbing them and by their biology. He has extensive experience with hands-on conservation work and especially tree work, and has applied those skills to create meaningful outdoor experiences for Youth at Risk throughout Vermont’s woods. The newest member of the VT UCF team, Adam began his journey as the Urban Forester in September 2023. Like any public forest, the Urban Forest provides public good that is shared by all. Adam’s focus is on innovative tree installations in densely built urban environments that will maximize those benefits for the community members that need them the most.