Staff
This strong team of dedicated individuals helps to protect and preserve our natural land, water and air resources through education and public participation in policy decisions at all levels of business and government.
Anna Alsobrook
Watershed Outreach Coordinator
Anna’s passion for water really started during her semester abroad in South Africa when she became sick after a big rainstorm. She did not realize then the connections between water quality and health. Her interest in the topic began to take shape when she came back to the U.S. and took an “Intro to Water Resources” class at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. [more]
Susan Bean
Community Engagement Manager
Susan is thrilled to serve as the Community Engagement Manager for MountainTrue where she is charged with connecting people all across the WNC region who are committed to protecting our natural resources. She is actively involved in the community, serving as Co-Chair of the Building Bridges Board and a regular volunteer for the Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP). In her free time, she loves trail running with her dog Mossy, road biking, and gardening. [more]
Rose Bruce
AmeriCorps Forest Keeper Coordinator
Rose grew up on a farm outside of Ferryville, WI and has always had a passion for botany, wildlife, and land stewardship. She pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Ecological Forestry at Warren Wilson College in Swanannoa, NC. [more]
Hartwell Carson
French Broad Riverkeeper
Hartwell has worked to protect and defend the French Broad River as the Riverkeeper for the last 11 years. He was the first responder to Asheville coal ash problems, and worked to protect the French Broad River and the nearby community by forcing Duke Energy to clean up and close down their coal-burning power plant in Asheville. [more]
Holly Demuth
Development Director
“Giving back to who or what we care deeply about is one of the most gratifying experiences we can have,” claims Holly Demuth. “Helping people do that and helping our forests, water, and communities is a true privilege.” Holly has long been acquainted with the work of MountainTrue through its predecessors. She rolled up her sleeves, and pants, collecting water quality data back in the day with ECO, as well as chairing the Buncombe County Chapter of WNCA. [more]
Amy Finkler
Development and Operations Coordinator
Amy Finkler grew up enjoying the beauty and power of the mountains of Western North Carolina. Though she periodically spent time away from Asheville, studying at Appalachian State University and living for four years in Portland, Oregon, the draw of the Blue Ridge Mountains always brought her home. She is thrilled to be the Development and Operations Coordinator at MountainTrue, working to protect the mountains, forests, and rivers that she loves. [more]
Bob Gale
Ecologist and Public Lands Director
“Not only does my job allow me to use many aspects of my education, I also get to work with creative like-minded folks daily.” ~ Bob Gale
Bob is the ecologist for MountainTrue, where he has worked since 1998 providing scientific input on issues related to environmental protection of Southern Appalachian mountain forest communities. Bob was educated at the University of South Carolina … [more]
Regina Goldkuhl
AmeriCorps Water Quality Administrator
Exploring new natural areas has always been one of Regina’s biggest passions, and lucky for her the Midwest offers a perfect launching point for travel. Her first AmeriCorps term was a summer spent in Northern California interning with the Student Conservation Association and Forest Service on the Klamath River. Other summers have been spent working out east in New River Gorge as a raft guide and video boater. Regina is beyond stoked to serve with AmeriCorps again, this time as the Water Quality Administrator for MountainTrue. If she’s not in the office, you will find her clambering up rocks big and small (or boofing off them in a boat) and asking to pet your dog as soon as she catches her breath. [more]
Scott Hardin-Nieri
Director of Creation Care Alliance of WNC
“The complexity, beauty and connectivity of creation are often inviting us to respond. First with a hike, a paddle, a tilt of our ear to the bird song, a climb of a tree or with a hammock embraced rest. Second with the words ‘wow,’ ‘thank you,’ and, perhaps, ‘I am sorry.’ Third with creatively inspired action intentionally designed to preserve and amplify all of life.”~Scott Hardin-Nieri
Scott Hardin-Nieri is a newcomer to these beautiful mountains … [more]
Devon Hathaway
AmeriCorps Outings and Education Coordinator
Devon is excited to pursue her passion for conservation and teaching to the public as the Outings and Education Coordinator. Here she will be organizing volunteer and educational events that support MountainTrue’s mission of fostering a healthy environment and communities. [more]
Andy Hill
High Country Regional Director & Watauga Riverkeeper
Andy Hill is proud to join MountainTrue as the High Country Regional Director and Watauga Riverkeeper. Andy has a passion for clean, cold, fishable, drinkable and swimmable water. As a long-time fly fisherman, educator and guide, Andy is intimately familiar with our watershed from the headwaters to the tailwaters, and is passionate about protecting the places we love. [more]
Gray Jernigan
Southern Regional Director and Green Riverkeeper
Gray developed his passion for the environment at an early age, during summers spent at camp in Henderson County. A native of Raleigh, the mountains and rivers of southwestern North Carolina held a special place in his heart. While studying toward his undergraduate degrees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gray would return to Henderson County to teach paddle sports during the summers. [more]
(828) 692-0385 x1004
gray@mountaintrue.org
Chris Joyell
Asheville Design Center Director
Chris has served as director of the Asheville Design Center (ADC) since 2009. The ADC, which merged with MountainTrue in 2017, connects volunteer designers—architects, engineers, landscape architects, planners, and graphic designers—with projects that promote healthy, vibrant, and equitable communities. Prior to his arrival in Western North Carolina, Chris worked with the Nature Conservancy, Connecticut River Watershed Council, and League of Conservation Voters. Chris is an attorney with degrees from Yale University and University of Connecticut School of Law. [more]
Josh Kelly
Public Lands Field Biologist
Josh was born in Madison County, N.C., and went to school at UNC Asheville, earning a degree in biology. He then worked for the Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition, where he focused on identifying remnant old-growth forests on public land, and at WildLaw, where he worked to promote ecological restoration as the new paradigm of National Forest management. [more]
Julie Mayfield
Co-Director
“I am so fortunate to be living in Western North Carolina and working to protect one of the most beautiful and ecologically diverse regions in our country.” ~ Julie Mayfield
Julie came to MountainTrue in June 2008 from Atlanta. In 2015, she was elected to Asheville’s City Council after serving for many years on the City’s Multi-Modal Commission and Transit Committee. In 2011, she was appointed by Governor Bev Perdue to … [more]
Karim Olaechea
Communications Director
Karim brings more than fifteen years of experience across a variety of settings to the role of Communications Director at MountainTrue. Karim cut his teeth at The Campaign Group, an industry-leading political advertising firm, where he helped to elect candidates including U.S. Representative Loretta Sanchez of California and Governors Bill Richardson of New Mexico and Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania. [more]
Lauren Reker
Non-native Invasive Species Project Coordinator
Lauren Reker joined the MountainTrue team in 2009 and has since contributed to the success of numerous invasive species control projects and monitoring initiatives which have been integral to the restoration of national forest and conservation properties comprising the habitat of federally listed or rare species. [more]
Eliza Stokes
Advocacy & Communications Associate
As Advocacy & Communications Associate, Eliza works on MountainTrue’s campaigns, community organizing, and media. Eliza graduated from Warren Wilson College in 2016 with a double major in Global Studies and Creative Writing. [more]
Bob Wagner
Co-Director
“People may disagree about the role of government, which religion has the truth, and who is going to win March Madness, however, I think we all agree that we want to enjoy clean and spectacular rivers, to hike in healthy forests, and to live in vibrant communities.” ~ Bob Wagner
With a business degree from Wake Forest University, 12 years overseeing house building programs in Africa with Habitat for Humanity … [more]
