STAFF
Anna Marchand, our Operations Manager, grew up in Seattle, Washington, where she learned to love the outdoors from an early age. She has a BS in biology from the University of Puget Sound and a MS in comparative psychology from the University of St Andrews. Her career has taken her lots of places, from the Hawaiian islands to remote parts of Washington’s Olympic peninsula. Anna is passionate about making science accessible to everyone, and wants to inspire future generations to enjoy and protect Washington’s diverse native ecosystems. Her favorite part of her job is getting to learn every day! Some of her favorite science-y topics are botany, primate behavior, and humpback whale song. When she isn’t working, she can often be found hiking, knitting, or playing Dungeons and Dragons with her friends. Anna is excited to be leading NRNC’s development and communications, as well as coming up with new ways to create community and connect people of all ages with the natural world.
Enrico “Rico” Corsi, our Volunteer Science Coordinator, is a behavioral ecologist, currently in the process of obtaining his PhD from Florida International University. He was born into an Italian family living in The Hague, Netherlands, and grew up between Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany. He always had a passion for animals, plants, and fossils, terrifying his babysitters with jars full of leeches, filling his room with carnivorous plants, exasperating his neighbors with his mosquito-breeding operations, and was generally recognized as a local pest. Unsurprisingly, he ended up studying biology after graduating from high school. He obtained a BSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Pisa, Italy, where he spent some time as an intern in a bird banding facility. After graduating, he spent three months as an intern with the Namibian Dolphin Project in Walvis Bay, Namibia, assisting in studying the local cetaceans. He then obtained an MSc in Animal Behavior from the University of Exeter, UK, completing a dissertation project studying social conflict scars in southern resident killer whales. After completing a research internship with Cascadia Research Collective looking at killer whale predatory scars in baleen whales, he started a collaborative project with them which eventually turned into his current PhD research, which explores the relationship between Hawaiian dolphin social structure and their environment. During his doctoral program, he developed a great fondness for teaching and became a firm believer in the value of environmental outreach and education. Beyond his science work, Rico is fond of Dungeons & Dragons, plays copious amounts of videogames, eats too much pizza, listens to pulpy podcasts, entertains his overactive German shepherd, and binges hours-worth of cartoons and K-dramas with his wife Annette.
Colton Evans, our Education and Outreach Coordinator, is an alum of Centralia College and The Evergreen State College, where his focus of study was environmental education. He has been a long-time member of the downtown Olympia community, where he enjoys walking his dog, participating in free-form dance class, and playing chocalho in the marching samba band SambaOlywa. When he isn’t engaged in research projects or entertaining company, Colton likes to spend his time outdoors, hiking and camping in the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges. As a Wilderness First Responder, Colton is passionate about the environment and loves connecting people of all ages with the outdoors.
Paige Anderson, our Resident Caretaker, is a multi passionate working artist and environmentalist. Paige grew up all over the Pacific Northwest, from the breathtaking Columbia plateau to the Portland area to the Oregon Coast to the Olympic Peninsula, to a few years in Bellingham for college, before finally settling down in Olympia in 2015. She holds a BA in Environmental Policy + Education with a minor in Geography from Western Washington University, and studied landscape ecology in the Masters of Environmental Studies program at The Evergreen State College. Paige is passionate about watersheds and estuaries, with previous work experience with the City of Olympia Stormwater Department and the local dam-removal advocacy nonprofit, Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team. Currently, Paige also works as a tattoo artist, specializing in fine line botanical designs. In her free time, you can find Paige dabbling in various textile arts, teaching quilting and fabric-dye classes, trying out new hazy IPAs at a craft brewery, or taking long walks, stopping often to take reference pictures of native plants or to turn over rocks to see what’s underneath.
Aaron Pallo-Perez, our Resident Caretaker, started life as we all do: as a baby, except he spent his entire childhood in Olympia, Washington. A highlight of Aaron’s childhood was exploring the Pacific Northwest, including attending summer camp at Nisqually Reach Nature Center. Aaron studied chemistry at South Puget Sound Community College, and cyber security at University of Washington. His extracurriculars included the cyber security club and tabletop game club. Currently Aaron holds an electrical trainee permit, and is pursuing further education in that field. Aaron’s roles at NRNC include: building and ground maintenance, janitorial, event support, and aquarium maintenance. Aaron’s favorite part of spending time at the reach is watching the various wildlife, especially birdwatching with his family! When not working, you can’t find Aaron, because he’s busy experimenting with music, or learning about cars.
Reed Kimball, our Research Intern, grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area where they learned their love of birds from an early age with the guiding hands and binoculars of their parents, both of whom share a love for raptors. Moving to Washington in 2021 sparked Reed’s passion for waterfowl, spending hours birdwatching from the benches at Capitol Lake. Being outside and observing has always been the place where they feel most free to be themself. They are currently studying agroecology at The Evergreen State College where they are learning to support their community through food sovereignty while practicing ecological land stewardship. Reed discovered their internship with NRNC through Evergreen’s Center for Climate Action and Sustainability, and they are thrilled to be working in the field of ecology for the first time. They are working to plan and prepare for the pigeon guillemot surveys, giving them firsthand experience in conducting citizen science research. They want to use their love for birds and their love for farming to help bring awareness to the ways that farmers can support wildlife ecosystems and food systems in tandem. In their spare time, Reed can be found watching ducks on the Evergreen beach, looking for mushrooms in the woods, or listening to live music.
Devin Dahlke, our Administrative Assistant, spent most of her formative years in Flagstaff, AZ, often spending much of her free time in the ponderosas and exploring the world around her. She loves learning about and connecting people to the natural world in many different ways! She has a BA in Comparative Cultural Studies and a minor in nonprofit management from Northern Arizona University. Devin has worked part-time administratively with the Tacoma Nature Center the past two and a half years and brings with her a comprehensive understanding of working with environmental educators, programs, and the public. Devin’s earlier work experiences include years of non-profit volunteering and internships, customer service, and office administrative duties. In her free time, some of her favorite things are singing and playing guitar, supporting local live music and art, connecting with friends and family, meeting new people, hiking, camping, and snuggling her dog and cat, Juniper and Merlot! The natural world, in all its capacities, is a very important part of her daily life and creative inspirations. She is excited to work with the Nisqually Reach Nature Center and continue to help grow an organization that provides the understanding, appreciation and conservation of the estuary!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Katitza (Kat) Holthaus, our President, is a Southern California native with a deep connection to the ocean. She spent countless hours on the beach, immersing herself in the wonders of marine life. Her dedication to serving others and protecting the environment blossomed through her volunteer work with local organizations leading community water quality testing, fish seines, and beach cleanups, igniting her passion for making a positive impact. In 2007, Kat relocated to Washington to pursue her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in environmental policy. By day, she is the Regulatory Affairs Manager for the environmental public health division at the Department of Health. Since 2016, she has actively participated in NRNC’s education and citizen science programs, to empower the community through knowledge and engagement. She became a board member in 2017 and president in 2021. Kat supports all aspects of the organization, ensuring that our communities have a platform to learn, thrive, and create meaningful connections within the Nisqually Estuary.
Brian Scott, our Vice President, has spent his life living, working, and traveling around the world as the son of a Navy sailor and then as an adult as an Army officer. After retirement, he and his family decided to set their roots in Washington. Their children, Saint and Jon, attended and loved NRNC’s summer camps. This led to Brian volunteering and becoming a board member. He has enjoyed supporting the education and citizen science programs through leadership of the annual fundraiser “Feast at the Reach”, the co-chair of the Events Committee and as vice president working collaboratively with others to prepare NRNC for a sustainable future as a vital part of the community.
Jennifer McCall, our Treasurer, joined the NRNC Board in 2024. She is originally from Bakersfield, California but has lived in the Puget Sound area for the past decade. In fact, she lives quite close to the Nisqually estuary and has spent much time there exploring with her husband and two kids. She is excited to serve on the board to help continue their mission of preservation for many years to come. She holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration – Accounting and has been a leader in Accounting and Finance in various industries for the last 20 years. She plans to bring this knowledge and expertise to assist with the operations of the nature center.
Laurel Portner, our Secretary, is a lifelong Washingtonian, growing up along the banks of the Columbia River. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Central Washington University in 2020, with a focus on environmental policy and social justice, as well as a minor in Non-Profit Organization Administration. By day, Laurel manages social media, digital communications, and websites for local businesses and entrepreneurs. She has a passion for conservation and environmental stewardship, and found her way to the Center through her friends who volunteer with us, driven by a desire to give back to the Olympia community. Laurel supports the Center by crafting newsletters as well as helping maintain the website and designing social media content for the NRNC. She is excited to serve on the NRNC board to help continue their mission of protecting crucial habitats like the Nisqually watershed and estuary so future generations can experience them as a healthy and thriving ecosystem.
Derek Faust is originally from Pennsylvania and moved to Washington in 2018. He grew up playing, hunting, and fishing in the woods, lakes, and mountain streams. While there were bountiful recreational opportunities, many local streams and rivers in the anthracite coal region of PA were impacted by abandoned mine drainage. In high school, Derek strove to be part of the solution to this and other environmental issues through water quality testing in his high school’s ecology club and volunteer opportunities in Boy Scouts. He has attended Elizabethtown College, Texas Tech University, and Mississippi State University, earning B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in the field of environmental science, all with the goal of helping undergraduate students learn about and how to better live in concert with the natural environment. He is a faculty instructor at Clover Park Technical College in the Environmental Sciences program with expertise in wetlands, water quality, and ecology. As an educator himself, Derek believes that the overarching NRNC programs of education and citizen science are critical to connecting people with the natural world. He became a board member in 2019 and helps with summer camps and provides advice on the scientific process for citizen science projects. Derek is excited to share his passion for the outdoors and expertise in education and scientific research to help advance the mission of NRNC.
Suzie Scott got involved with the Nature Center because of her two children. She loves the outdoors and wanted to instill a desire to preserve our natural resources in her children. She began volunteering after the kids came home and said that they attended “the best summer camp ever.” Suzie has been a nurse for over 30 years and is currently serving as the Chief Nursing Officer for Providence Swedish South Puget Sound area. She holds a BSN from Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia, an MSN from the University of Colorado Health Science Center and a Master of Strategic Studies from the US Army War College. She brings her expertise in organization and strategic planning to the nature center to help contribute to the continued success of the center.
Marianne Smith joined the NRNC Board in 2023. A Michigan native and alumna (Go Blue!), she enjoys community service and has a lengthy volunteer history, most recently at the Pacific Science Center’s Tinker Tank. Marianne has worked as an emergency department RN extensively in the US and Australia, leaving the hospital setting after receiving her Masters of Applied Science degree in Patient Safety & Healthcare Quality from Johns Hopkins University, joining the Institute for Healthcare Improvement as a Project Director. In this dynamic role she focuses on bringing improvement science to the forefront of operations in population health on a local, national, and global scale. It’s her collaborative and inquisitive nature that brings her improvement mindset to the Center as the organization looks to grow their positive impact on the Nisqually Estuary, communities that surround it, and the abundant wildlife that calls it home.
Molly Cooper grew up in Southern California sailing with her family and scouring tidepools as a kid. She got her start in the golf industry preventing and ameliorating wildlife interactions. She later went on to study wildlife ecology and biology at Washington State University and then pursue her Master’s in Environmental Studies at the Evergreen State College. Her thesis focused on how transportation infrastructure influences elk-vehicle-collisions. Now working in fish passage delivery for the state, Molly happily contributes to work that opens habitat for fish, reconnects systems, and provides momentum in watersheds for opening fish barriers of all types. She believes that science education and access builds and bolsters environmental stewardship and conservation, which is why she is excited to contribute to the NRNC.Free time is spent traveling with her husband to anywhere there is a good concert, training a very good golden retriever, and attempting to renovate a 90 year old home ever so slowly.
Peter Ravella is a long time coastal professional, having worked on coast and shoreline restoration projects around the United States, but especially in Florida, North Carolina, and Texas. Over a 20+ year career, he led the Texas Coastal Management Program, founded Coastal News Today, co-hosted the American Shoreline Podcast for more than five years, and co-created the American Shoreline Podcast Network, a collection of more than a dozen coastal professional podcasts. He currently works with the Puget Sound Partnership to help restore critical habitat in Puget Sound. Peter is an avid amateur photographer and kayaker, married to the amazing Genevieve Van Cleve, and is the father of two magnificent sons who reside in Austin, Texas.