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Home / Blogs / Welcome to Our New Alliance Team Members!
June 29, 2025
The Alliance has had another growth spurt! Please join us in welcoming 14 new team members across the watershed.
Dylan Fleisher grew up in Mifflin County, PA. He earned his B.S. in Ecology, Conservation, and Environmental Biology in 2019 from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Before joining the Alliance in March of 2024, Dylan worked for a private company up in Erie, PA doing invasive plant species management then joined the PA Fish and Boat Commission doing stream restoration. He is a Forests Projects Associate with the Alliance and will lead seasonal hires in the field and mainly focus on reforestation efforts within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed in Pennsylvania. In his spare time, he likes to hunt, fish, golf and spend time with family and friends. He is also an avid sports fanatic.
Marie joins the Alliance after a career in higher education and community development. Most recently she spent ten years as a faculty member and associate dean at a DC university where she taught experiential learning-focused courses on urban social and political change, US politics, and public policy. These courses included computer-mediated simulations on problem solving around water policy and waste management, meeting with local and federal elected officials and civil servants, and completing site visits related to urban sustainability issues. Prior to her experience in higher education, Marie worked in the areas of tenants’ rights and low-income housing policy development at various community-based organizations in Washington, DC. After completing her undergraduate degree, she participated in a year of volunteer service in which she lived in and worked at a shelter for women with young children. She holds an undergraduate degree in political science from Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania and a PhD in government and politics from the University of Maryland-College Park.
Raised near Scranton, Pennsylvania in the shadow of Anthracite coal mining culm banks, Marie has a particular interest in environmental racism and its relation to chronic disease and family formation. She has resided east of the Anacostia River in Washington, DC for over 25 years. Outside of work, Marie loves to garden with local native plants, bike along the Anacostia River Trail, and watch the Washington Nationals and Washington Spirit. In the winter you can find her cutting English ivy and other invasive vines from trees in her neighborhood. Along with her spouse John, she lives across the street from the NPS’ Fort Davis Park and the Fort Circle Hiker Biker Trail, all in the Anacostia Watershed. Marie is thrilled to work on stormwater management and conservation landscaping at the Alliance.
Brittney is a Pennsylvania native and currently resides in the Bloomsburg, PA area right along the Susquehanna River. She joins the Alliance with a broad background in watershed management, forestry, and environmental education. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from Bloomsburg University, and is currently finishing a M.S. Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences with the University of Illinois. Her interests include working with partners and landowners to promote and implement conservation BMPs that steward both the land and the interests of the landowner. In her free time, Brittney enjoys hiking with her dog Porter, bass fishing, and playing roller derby.
Jerilyn joined the Alliance in 2024 as a field specialist. In her current role as an Agriculture Projects Assistant, some of her responsibilities include farmer outreach, data collection, and assisting with project coordination in order to benefit both farmers and ecosystems.
Growing up in Lancaster, PA, Jerilyn discovered her love for the outdoors by playing in creeks, exploring the Susquehanna River, and helping on her grandfather’s dairy farm. Enjoying nature grew into a passion for conserving it. Hoping to build a career supporting both human and environmental wellbeing, she earned a B.S. in Environmental Sciences and a minor in Political Science from Emory University in 2023.
Prior to her time at the Alliance, Jerilyn was a research assistant at Emory’s Saikawa Lab, recruiting participants and testing for heavy metals in an Atlanta superfund site. She also spent two summers as a seasonal land steward for the Lancaster Conservancy. Outside of work, she enjoys crafting, camping, thrifting, and exploring.
Ashley graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a B.A. in Marketing and Certificate in International Business. Ashley grew up in Southeastern Wisconsin where her love of the outdoors began while fishing, boating and camping with her family. In her free time, she loves spending time outdoors, traveling the country and simply appreciating nature. She particularly loves a challenging hike or floating around on her paddleboard.
Ashley is excited to be a member of the Alliance Admin team as the Human Resources Assistant, bringing her passion for supporting people and streamlining processes to help teams thrive. She looks forward to contributing to meaningful projects, building strong relationships and growing alongside the company while making a positive impact.
Carley currently works as a Forests Projects Field Specialist in the Alliance’s Lancaster office. She grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s in wildlife ecology and conservation. Prior to working at the Alliance, Carley was an intern at Thomas More University Biology Field Station where she performed fish population surveys on the Ohio River. She more recently completed a seasonal position with the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission. In this position, she assisted their biological monitoring program by doing stream assessments and performing fish, herpetofauna, and plant surveys. Outside of work she enjoys cooking, painting, yoga, and being outdoors.
Tom joins the Alliance as a seasoned professional having grown up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland immersed in its fields, forests, streams, and small towns. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Washington College and a Master’s degree in Biology from Hofstra University. He has cultivated his career through positions within several local non-profit organizations focused on Chesapeake Bay restoration, environmental education, and grant funding opportunities. In addition, he has held jobs and leadership roles in local government planning, land use, and resource conservation across the Delmarva peninsula.
Sam currently works as a Forests Projects Field Specialist in the Alliance’s Lancaster office. He grew up in Milwaukee Wisconsin, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point with a bachelors in Forestry. Before joining the Alliance Sam worked as an Outreach Forester for the Otsego Conservation District in Michigan. In this role Sam connected with private landowners to assist them in getting enrolled in government programs, connect with contractors, and better understand their land. In Sam’s spare time he likes to rock climb both indoors and outdoors.
Addie grew up in the Chestnut Hill area. Growing up, her family encouraged her love of nature which led to her interest in a career in the environmental field. She studied at the University of Pittsburgh, and was an Americorps service member in Flagstaff Arizona during COVID. While earning her undergraduate degree, she worked as a songbird field technician in Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Oregon. She graduated December 2024 with a major in Environmental Studies. Her hobbies include painting, bird watching, and traveling.
Matt grew up in central Virginia and has spent most of his life living, recreating, and working in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. He attended the College of William and Mary, earning undergraduate degrees in Environmental Science & Policy and Sociology while also working in the outdoor adventure program and co-leading alternative break reforestation trips to Ecuador’s tropical dry forest. After working in outdoor recreation, education, and stewardship with groups including REI, the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation, and the Virginia Eastern Shore Land Trust, Matt’s love of forests led to his current pursuit of an M.S. in Forestry through Michigan State University. Matt moved to Pennsylvania and joined the Alliance in the spring of 2024, and now works as a Forest Projects Coordinator focusing on forest management and the Woodland Stewardship Networks. When he isn’t hanging out with trees, Matt enjoys fixing and riding bikes, reading books, and drinking tea.
Nancy was born and raised in the District of Columbia as a first-generation Hispanic American. From a young age, she has always been involved in environmental activities and projects. She spent a lot of time working on developing her school’s first green space, leading environmental food justice workshops, and advocating for environmental justice.
With a background in environmental studies, Nancy initially pursued a degree in biology before realizing that her true passion lay in nature, agriculture, and sustainability. She ultimately earned her BA in Urban Sustainability at the University of the District of Columbia, becoming the first in her family to do so. While earning her degree, she was involved with many local organizations promoting youth engagement through school green spaces, providing underserved communities with fresh, organic, and locally grown produce, and volunteering regularly at her school farm.
Outside of advocacy and work, Nancy can be found cuddling with her cats, going for a run, or hitting the gym. She loves camping and going on long hikes whenever possible
Baileigh joined the team in summer 2025 as a Soil Health Specialist. Originally from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, she developed a strong appreciation for nature and agriculture early on, leading her to pursue a career in soil science.
She holds a B.S. in Plant Science with a focus in Agroecology, a minor in Environmental Soil Science, and a certificate in Agricultural Conservation and Stewardship from Penn State University. While at Penn State, she worked as a Research Assistant in a Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management Lab, an intern with the Bucks County Conservation District, a wildlife rehabilitation volunteer for Centre Wildlife Care, and organized several sustainability-centered events on campus.
Baileigh also earned an M.S. in Plant and Soil Sciences from the University of Delaware, where her thesis research focused on soil health in rice production. She is passionate about science communication and has presented her research to audiences at the University of Delaware and across the country. She also served as a Teaching Assistant for the undergraduate Introduction to Soil Science lab.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her fiancé and their two cats, and exploring local parks, cafés, concerts, and festivals.
Caroline developed a passion for nature from an early age. Her childhood was filled with many a rainstorm playing in puddles and wondering about which path the stormwater runoff would travel after it rushed away down her street. She has long been fascinated by the way that water moves through urban and natural landscapes, and she feels proud to be a part of the green stormwater infrastructure world during a time of such innovation and potential.
Caroline is a proud Baltimorean and has been a longtime volunteer educator at the National Aquarium. Her work at the Aquarium showed her the importance of interdisciplinarity and using a systems-thinking approach when considering environmental issues, which led her to pursue a B.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont. After graduation, she returned to her home watershed. She then interned with the Chesapeake Stormwater Network, served as a Chesapeake Conservation Corps member with the Maryland Department of the Environment and worked as an environmental scientist for KCI Technologies, Inc.
Outside of work, Caroline enjoys watching the Baltimore Inner Harbor wildlife, playing violin in her community orchestra, going to Orioles games, and looking for spiders. She is working on her fluency in Spanish after studying abroad in Panama during university. She can still be found volunteering at the Aquarium on weekends and sharing her love for the Chesapeake Bay watershed with fellow Baltimoreans and guests from all over the world.
Nathan grew up in rural northwestern Montgomery County, Maryland, just a few miles from the Potomac River. Throughout his teenage years, Nathan worked on and around the farms of Montgomery’s Agricultural Reserve, developing a deep passion for landscape conservation and family agriculture. He graduated from St. Mary’s College of Maryland in St. Mary’s City with a degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Political Science. While at St. Mary’s, Nathan served on the management team of the Kate Chandler Campus Community Farm, interned with the University of Maryland Extension Service, and was a National Environmental Leadership fellow with the Rachel Carson Council. His studies concentrated on the intersection of people and place in the Chesapeake Region, culminating in a senior research project focusing on the working waterfront community of Smith Island Maryland. For the Summer 2024 growing season, Nathan worked on a regenerative organic beef and vegetable farm in Casco, Maine.
As a member of the Alliance’s Agriculture and Forests team, Nathan hopes to draw on his experience as a farmer and conservationist to outreach to farmers and implement conservation BMP’s that advantage both producers and the environment as a whole.
Outside of the office, Nathan is an avid fisherman and outdoorsman. His hobbies include flyfishing, running, canoeing, photography, backpacking, and gardening. He also loves bluegrass, country western, folk, and indie music.
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