Our Amazing Team
Leadership
Jennifer Mueller
Chief Executive Officer
(she/her) Before joining the the Ember Alliance, Jennifer worked with The Nature Conservancy for a decade leading prescribed fire crews. She was also a lead instructor at Aerie Backcountry Medicine. She holds B.A. degrees from the University of Colorado in Environmental Biology and Anthropology.
Sean McCormick
Chief Operating Officer
Sean started his fire career after graduating from the University of Montana in 2008. His focus on wildfire suppression changed shortly after working on prescribed fire crews in the Southeast Coastal Plains of North Carolina. Since then, Sean has been working diligently to increase the pace and scale of prescribed fire on western landscapes. You can catch him mountain biking, traveling, or soaking up the river life with his dog June.
Resilient Communities and Ecosystems
Mary MacDonald
Resilient Communities and Ecosystems Director
(she/her) Mary is a nonprofit strategist and partnership architect with a passion for advancing innovative services that provide equitable, sustainable, and resilient community opportunities. She has worked for some of the country’s top environmental NGOs, including EDF, NRDC, and the Rainforest Alliance, where she developed expertise in sustainability, marketing, climate justice, and fundraising. Mary enjoys horseback riding, hiking, and playing the mandolin.
Bri Baker
Resilient Communities and Ecosystems Assistant Director
(she/they) Bri’s career includes ecological restoration, resource management, fire ecology, and community and youth engagement. She earned her Masters of Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UCSB. Bri is passionate about making wildfire management approachable and helping to elevate marginalized and silenced voices in conversations surrounding wildfire.
Corrina Marshall
Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative Manager
(she/her) Corrina has extensive experience working with partners and communities on wildfire preparedness, education and engagement, plan and grant writing, and project management and development. Currently coordinating the Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative, she is passionate about fostering community to develop unique solutions to our current wildfire crisis. When not on zoom meetings, she can be found gardening, kayaking, and playing with her dog Rhubarb.
Dr. Meg Matonis
Senior Wildlfire Analyst
(she/her) As a Wildfire Analyst with The Ember Alliance, Dr. Matonis conducts risk analyses, supports community engagement, and prepares holistic and actionable CWPP documents. She has a PhD in Forest Ecology from Colorado State University and formerly worked with the Colorado State Forest Service and Rocky Mountain Research Station. Meg has been an on-call wildland firefighter with the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office for eight years.
Cary Gooding
Project Manager
(she/her) Cary received her Master’s degree from Colorado State University in Conservation Leadership. Her professional background includes complex, adaptive project management and she has a passion for wildlife and ecosystem conservation. Cary is committed to learning and sharing knowledge in interesting and accessible ways. In her free time, she enjoys baking, crafting, and getting lost in the worlds of fantasy fiction.
Kenzie Hartt
Project Manager
(she/they) Kenzie has previously worked in conservation, stewardship, communications, and volunteer management for conservation organizations, specializing in Rocky Mountain ecosystem restoration. In their free time, Kenzie enjoys backpacking, snow sports, houseplants, pottery, playing with their cats and dog, and DnD.
Fire Operations
Greg Gilbert
Assistant Fire Management Officer - Plans
Greg has 25 years of diverse operational experience. He earned a Bachelor’s from Oklahoma State University, Master’s from the University of Colorado – Denver and is working towards a PhD through the University of Idaho. Greg is committed to finding innovative solutions to challenges, developing leaders of leaders, and preparing the future generations of wildland professionals.
Leah Mathys
Assistant Director of Training
Leah has spent most of her professional career using her education degrees to teach about upkeeping outdoor spaces. She currently resides in Montana, where she enjoys ALL the outdoor activities that come about each season.
AJ Alvarado
Logistics Technician
Andrew Meyers
Call When Needed
Andrew was born and raised in Colorado. He has been involved in wildand firefighting for five years with most of his time focused on wildfire mitigation and prevention around Boulder County. His current passion is teaching and training new sawyers and wildland firefighters. When Andrew isn’t working, he can be found in the Rocky Mountains with his blue heeler, Kota.
Killian Farrell
Assistant Crew Lead, UWharrie Prescribed Module
(They/them) Killian has several years experience in prescribed fire and land management throughout the U.S. Southeast and Midwest. They have B.S. degrees in Atmospheric & Oceanic Science, and Ecology & Evolution. When not stringing fire through the woods, Killian enjoys hand embroidery, baking, and hiking.
Meg O'Brien
Project Manager
Megan graduated with a BS in Animal Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation. Before her three seasons as a wildland fire fighter, Megan gained several years of experience in natural resource management and fire mitigation working for nonprofits in New York and Montana. In her free time, you’ll find Megan dirt biking and running trails through the mountains of Montana.
Kristin Leger
Community Capacity Program Manager
(she/her) Kristin received her Master’s degree from Colorado State University in Conservation Leadership. She is passionate about landscape-scale forest restoration including the reintroduction of fire into the ecosystem. She spends her free time rock climbing and cuddling with her dog Otis.