Dianne Bangle
NPS Monitoring - Vegetation

Dianne employs her skills and knowledge in regional botany as a Research Assistant in Vegetation Ecology for the National Park Service Monitoring Program. As one of her tasks, she is acting curator for the herbarium at Lake Mead National Recreation Area. She has worked as a university laboratory/research assistant and as an intern for the National Park Service. Dianne holds a B.S. in Biology from UNLV with emphasis in Ecology and Evolution.

Joe Barnes
Wildlife Ecology

Joe is an ardent field biologist and regional birder and employs these skills as a Research Assistant in wildlife ecology. He has previous experience as a marine fisheries observer and as a wildlife technician for state agencies tracking salmon migration and surveying for the southwestern willow flycatcher. Joe holds a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Baldwin-Wallace College, and is working on his M.S. in the School of Life Sciences at UNLV.  His graduate research focuses on demography and habitat selection in peregrine falcons. 

Elizabeth Barrie
Project Manager, Interagency Volunteer Program
Assistant Research Professor – Recreation
Department of Recreation and Sport Management
Project Manager, Interagency Volunteer Program
702-895-5837

Beth Barrie is the Program Manager for the Interagency Volunteer Program and an Assistant Research Professor for the Recreation Department of Recreation and Sport Management . Beth comes to the Public Lands Institute from The Eppley Institute at Indiana University, where she was an instructional designer for the National Park Service Interpretive Development Program curriculum revision project. She formerly was also an instructor and researcher in recreation. Beth holds a B.A. in Communication, an M.S. in Outdoor Recreation and Resource Management, and a Ph.D. in Leisure Behavior.

Rochelle Boyd
Operations Manager
702-895-5486

Rochelle Boyd is the Operations Manager for the Public Lands Institute and is responsible for the day to day operational activities of the office. Rochelle comes to UNLV from Johns Hopkins University, where previously she was the Assistant to the Director of the Disease Prevention and Control Program at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Prior to that, Rochelle held administrative support positions at the University of Washington and has over thirteen years of experience working in administration in higher educational institutions. Rochelle holds a B.A. in American Ethnic Studies from the University of Washington.

Allyson Butler
Project Planner
AmeriCorps*VISTA member
702-895-5734

Allyson Butler moved to Las Vegas from Pensacola, Florida, where she received a bachelor's degree in Education. Her passion for the outdoors brought her to seek ways to combine learning with the environment. As an AmeriCorps*VISTA member, she will be focusing on programs related to education and community engagement. Allyson is currently pursuing a master's degree in Administration at UNLV.

Jean Cline
Professor of Geoscience
Department of Geoscience
Director, Walking Box Ranch
Website

Jean Cline is the director for the historic Walking Box Ranch. In that capacity, she manages the design and implementation of the proposed museum; field, research, and training center; and any ranch renovation. Jean also is a professor in the Department of Geoscience, with her research emphasis on the physical and chemical evolution of hydrothermal ore systems, fluid evolution in magmatic systems and fluid inclusion constraints on PTX. Jean holds a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Geology.

Donovan Craig
Joint Fire Sciences

Donovan is a Research Assistant for the Joint Fire Sciences Program. He previously worked as a biologist and biological science technician. Donovan holds a B.S. in Agriculture and Environmental Management from South Dakota State University-Brookings and a M.S. in Natural Resources Management from North Dakota State University-Fargo. His graduate research focused on the nutrient composition, herbage production and growth patterns of warm-season grasses.

Jill Craig
NPS Monitoring - Vegetation

Jill is a Research Assistant in Vegetation Ecology for the National Park Service Monitoring Program. She has worked as a grassland ecology technician and agricultural weed technician for the U.S. Agricultural Research Service in Montana. Jill holds a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities and an M.S. in Landscape Architecture with a focus on Restoration Ecology from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Her graduate research focused on the community structure and composition of tallgrass prairies.

Janet Cristobal
Accountant Technician II

Janet Cristobal is the Accountant Technician II at Public Lands Institute.   Prior to joining the Institute, she held two positions at UNLV:  Accounting Assistant III in the Controller’s Office of the Accounts Payable Department and Accountant Technician I at the Office of Sponsored Programs.  She came to UNLV from Sam’s Club, a Wal-Mart company, where she was an Accounting Associate for 5 years.  Janet graduated from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines and holds a B.S. in Commerce, major in Accounting.

Wilisha Daniels
Business and Outreach Manager

Wilisha Daniels is the Business and Outreach Manager for the Public Lands Institute. She is responsible for overseeing day-to-day business activities and assisting in outreach programs for PLI. Wilisha brings over seven years of experience in business and outreach management from both state and local governmental agencies. Most recently, she served as Program Manager for the Conservation District of Southern Nevada, where she was primarily responsible for managing the collaborative outreach and education efforts for the Clark County Department of Air Quality and Environmental Management’s public outreach campaign. Wilisha holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and master’s in Public Administration from UNLV.

Dana Drake
Wildlife Ecology

Dana is a Research Assistant and project lead for conservation efforts on the relict leopard frog. She previously worked as a stream and wetlands biologist as well as an ecologist focusing on amphibian research and monitoring. She holds a B.A. in Human Ecology from the College of the Atlantic and received her M.S. in Biological Science from Drexel University. Her research interests range from the thermal biology of marine turtle hatchlings to questions related to the morphology of tadpoles.

E. Cayenne Engel
NPS Monitoring - Vegetation

Cayenne is a Research Assistant in Vegetation Ecology for the National Park Service Monitoring Program. She has worked as a herbarium and greenhouse assistant and, more recently, as a university research technician. Cayenne holds a B.A. in Environmental Science from Agnes Scott University and an M.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Tennessee, where she studied plant community responses to global climate change.

Dawn Fletcher
Wildlife Ecology

Dawn is a Research Assistant in wildlife ecology with a primary focus on songbird and bald eagle ecology.  She has experience with desert tortoises, gopher tortoises, sea turtles, bighorn sheep, and swift fox.  She holds a B.S. in Zoology from Ohio State University and is currently working on her M.S. in the School of Life Sciences at UNLV. Her graduate research focuses on the distribution and habitat selection of several species of cryptic thrasher.

Shawn Gerstenberger
Associate Professor and Chair
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health
Principal Investigator, Limnology Assistance to Lake Mead National Recreation Area
702-895-1565
Website

Shawn Gerstenberger is a principal investigator for a project in which PLI provides limnological assistance to Lake Mead National Recreation Area in balancing water quality, community needs, and water-based recreation for Lakes Mead and Mohave. Shawn also is Associate Professor and Chair of the UNLV's Department of Environmental and Occupational Health. He works as an Adjunct Assistant Professor for the University of Nevada, Reno and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Shawn holds a B.S. in Reclamation and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Toxicology.

Karen Harry
Assistant Professor – Anthropology
Department of Anthropology and Ethnic Studies
Principal Investigator, Archaeology Inventory Program
Website

Karen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology & Ethnic Studies and the principal investigator for the Archaeology Inventory Program. She received her Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Arizona in 1997. She has more than twenty years of experience working in the southwestern United States and specializes in the study of prehistoric farming communities within this region.

Jef Jaeger is a Assistant Research Professor in wildlife population biology with specific responsibility for managing PLI’s wildlife research projects.  He also conducts research and teaches for the School of Life Sciences at UNLV.  Jef has a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from UNLV and over 17 years of research experience in the areas of conservation biology, phylogeography, population biology.  He also holds a B.S. in Environmental Studies and an M.S. in Biological Sciences.

Jennell Miller
Developmental Biology
Program Coordinator, Limnology Assistance to Lake Mead National Recreation Area and
Interagency Science & Research Strategy
702-895-5429

Jennell is the Program Coordinator for Limnology Assistance to Lake Mead National Recreation Area and the
Interagency Science & Research Strategy for the Public Lands Institute. She also is responsible for creating visual arts materials and interpretations and assisting with curriculum development for various PLI educational programs. Jennell has drawn upon her background in science for her work as a writer, editor, and visual and interpretive arts designer for a variety of projects by governmental agencies, private companies, and non-profit organizations since 2000. Jennell received her Ph.D. in Biology with a focus on genetics and development from UNLV and holds a B.A. in Biological Sciences from California State University, San Bernardino.

Elizabeth Roycraft
NPS Monitoring - Archaeology

Liz is a Research Assistant in Archaeology for the National Park Service Monitoring Program. She has worked in various archaeological technician positions for the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and private consulting firms. Liz holds a B.A. from Oakland University in Anthropology with a concentration in Archaeology.

Jessica Spencer
NPS Monitoring - Vegetation

Jessica is a Research Assistant in Vegetation Ecology for the National Park Service Monitoring Program. Jessica previously worked as an intern on rare plants and invasive weeds at Lake Mead National Recreation Area and in the Bahamas at a U.S. Navy facility. She has also served as a biological science technician for the U.S. Geological Survey in California and Nevada. Jessica holds a B.A. from Emory University in Chemistry and Human and Natural Ecology.

Mark Stalling
Database Programmer

Mark Stalling is a Database Programmer for the Interagency Science and Research Strategy. Mark has worked as an Instructor for ITT Technical Institute and a Technical Trainer-Specialist at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He holds an MIS/M in Information System Management and a B.A. in English and Philosophy.