Team Members
Shelby Petro, Project Manager
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Shelby Petro graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University with a BS in Biology and earned a Naturalist Certificate from the Pacific Rim Institute, WA. Shelby is currently pursuing a a master’s degree from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management focusing on water resources management, specifically water permitting and policy. Prior to attending UCSB, Shelby worked for Sapphos Environmental, Inc. in Pasadena, California, where she served as lead biologist and project manager for wind and solar energy, urban planning, and transportation projects. Her main responsibilities included permitting related to Sections 401 and 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 1602 of the California Department of Fish and Game Code; biological field surveys and wetland delineations; compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act; and biological construction monitoring including mitigation measure compliance and reporting. Shelby is a member of the National Association of Environmental Professionals and serves as the Bren Student Representative for the Channel Counties Chapter of the Association of Environmental Professionals. Shelby enjoys hiking, camping, running, adventuring in New Zealand, and cheering for the Seattle Seahawks.
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Shelby Petro graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University with a BS in Biology and earned a Naturalist Certificate from the Pacific Rim Institute, WA. Shelby is currently pursuing a a master’s degree from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management focusing on water resources management, specifically water permitting and policy. Prior to attending UCSB, Shelby worked for Sapphos Environmental, Inc. in Pasadena, California, where she served as lead biologist and project manager for wind and solar energy, urban planning, and transportation projects. Her main responsibilities included permitting related to Sections 401 and 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 1602 of the California Department of Fish and Game Code; biological field surveys and wetland delineations; compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act; and biological construction monitoring including mitigation measure compliance and reporting. Shelby is a member of the National Association of Environmental Professionals and serves as the Bren Student Representative for the Channel Counties Chapter of the Association of Environmental Professionals. Shelby enjoys hiking, camping, running, adventuring in New Zealand, and cheering for the Seattle Seahawks.
Alex Caillat, Data Manager
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Alex Caillat graduated from Cornell University with a BS in Natural Resources, concentrating in Applied Ecology. While at Cornell University, Alex interned at the Cornell Biological Field Station where he studied the changing dynamics of fish populations in Oneida Lake due to climate change and invasive species introduction. He subsequently worked as a field technician in the Graham Lab at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, CA. There he helped track the movements of leopard sharks, as well as gather genetics and diet data on this and other species. Alex is a founding member and vice-president of Los Angeles Underwater Explorers, where he organizes and participates in underwater exploration and conservation missions. In his spare time, Alex enjoys alpine climbing and technical diving in California and beyond.
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Alex Caillat graduated from Cornell University with a BS in Natural Resources, concentrating in Applied Ecology. While at Cornell University, Alex interned at the Cornell Biological Field Station where he studied the changing dynamics of fish populations in Oneida Lake due to climate change and invasive species introduction. He subsequently worked as a field technician in the Graham Lab at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, CA. There he helped track the movements of leopard sharks, as well as gather genetics and diet data on this and other species. Alex is a founding member and vice-president of Los Angeles Underwater Explorers, where he organizes and participates in underwater exploration and conservation missions. In his spare time, Alex enjoys alpine climbing and technical diving in California and beyond.
Bret Callaway, Financial Manager
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Bret Callaway graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2009 with a BS in Environmental Studies. Since graduation, he has worked for the National Park Service, private environmental consulting firms, and non-profit organizations. Duties at these positions included compliance consulting for state and federal legislation (CEQA, RCRA, CWA, etc.) for the private sector, cataloging and monitoring biological resources, physical restoration of degraded habitat, and teaching volunteer groups about ecosystem services. Currently he is pursuing a master’s degree from the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management while continuing to work as a Wildlife Biologist for a local biological consulting firm. In terms of ambitions for the future, Bret has a strong interest in California's increasingly scarce water resources and how groundwater banking and market forces can alter patterns of waste and overconsumption. Aside from the beaver project, Bret is involved with a project that is looking at political considerations regarding ecological and economic impacts of Bureau of Reclamation dams and ultimately how these factors contributed to dam site selection. He enjoys sunsets, holding hands, and long walks on the beach.
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Bret Callaway graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2009 with a BS in Environmental Studies. Since graduation, he has worked for the National Park Service, private environmental consulting firms, and non-profit organizations. Duties at these positions included compliance consulting for state and federal legislation (CEQA, RCRA, CWA, etc.) for the private sector, cataloging and monitoring biological resources, physical restoration of degraded habitat, and teaching volunteer groups about ecosystem services. Currently he is pursuing a master’s degree from the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management while continuing to work as a Wildlife Biologist for a local biological consulting firm. In terms of ambitions for the future, Bret has a strong interest in California's increasingly scarce water resources and how groundwater banking and market forces can alter patterns of waste and overconsumption. Aside from the beaver project, Bret is involved with a project that is looking at political considerations regarding ecological and economic impacts of Bureau of Reclamation dams and ultimately how these factors contributed to dam site selection. He enjoys sunsets, holding hands, and long walks on the beach.
Drake Hebert: Web Designer
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Drake Hebert graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2011 with a BA in Geography/Environmental Studies and a minor in Geographic Information Systems & Technologies (GIS&T). While at UCLA Drake participated in multiple political and environmental clubs including BGreen Consulting, a club which was able to secure $176,000 of funding for a 130,000 KWH/year solar panel installation on the Ackerman Student Union. Currently Drake is pursuing a Master’s degree at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management focusing in Conservation Planning, with an emphasis in economics and climate change as they affect conservation practices. Drake has a strong interest in both public and private land conservation practices and how to use market incentives to help promote conservation of privately held sensitive ecosystems. In his free time, Drake enjoys backpacking, rock climbing, playing soccer, and playing trombone in the Bren School's student band, Brengrass.
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Drake Hebert graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2011 with a BA in Geography/Environmental Studies and a minor in Geographic Information Systems & Technologies (GIS&T). While at UCLA Drake participated in multiple political and environmental clubs including BGreen Consulting, a club which was able to secure $176,000 of funding for a 130,000 KWH/year solar panel installation on the Ackerman Student Union. Currently Drake is pursuing a Master’s degree at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management focusing in Conservation Planning, with an emphasis in economics and climate change as they affect conservation practices. Drake has a strong interest in both public and private land conservation practices and how to use market incentives to help promote conservation of privately held sensitive ecosystems. In his free time, Drake enjoys backpacking, rock climbing, playing soccer, and playing trombone in the Bren School's student band, Brengrass.
Andrew Nguyen: Internship Coordinator
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Andrew Nguyen graduated from James Madison University in 2012 with a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Ecology and Environmental Biology. Prior to graduation, Mr. Nguyen conducted stream water monitoring surveys for both JMU's Biology Department and for the National Park Service while serving as a volunteer intern at the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Andrew worked for JMU Recreation as an Adventure Specialist whose main responsibilities included leading students on outdoor adventure trips, such as hiking and rock climbing, as well as leading educational programs on outdoor safety and wilderness biodiversity. Andrew enjoys mountain biking, camping, good novels, and blue-grass.
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Andrew Nguyen graduated from James Madison University in 2012 with a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Ecology and Environmental Biology. Prior to graduation, Mr. Nguyen conducted stream water monitoring surveys for both JMU's Biology Department and for the National Park Service while serving as a volunteer intern at the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Andrew worked for JMU Recreation as an Adventure Specialist whose main responsibilities included leading students on outdoor adventure trips, such as hiking and rock climbing, as well as leading educational programs on outdoor safety and wilderness biodiversity. Andrew enjoys mountain biking, camping, good novels, and blue-grass.
Dr. John Melack, Faculty Advisor
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Dr. Melack’s research emphasizes ecological processes in lakes, wetlands, and streams, and hydrological and biogeochemical aspects of catchments. He has conducted multi-year studies in eastern Africa, tropical South America and California, including research at Mono Lake, on Amazon wetlands and their ecology, on high-elevation ecosystems in the Sierra Nevada, and on the hydrology and solutes of streams bordering the Santa Barbara Channel. He is an elected Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and American Association for the Advancement of Science. He played a seminal role in the creation of the Bren School, and is the faculty advisor of the University of California’s Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve near Mammoth Lakes.
[email protected]
Dr. Melack’s research emphasizes ecological processes in lakes, wetlands, and streams, and hydrological and biogeochemical aspects of catchments. He has conducted multi-year studies in eastern Africa, tropical South America and California, including research at Mono Lake, on Amazon wetlands and their ecology, on high-elevation ecosystems in the Sierra Nevada, and on the hydrology and solutes of streams bordering the Santa Barbara Channel. He is an elected Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and American Association for the Advancement of Science. He played a seminal role in the creation of the Bren School, and is the faculty advisor of the University of California’s Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve near Mammoth Lakes.