Lauren Manzo has a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School at the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Academy of Art University.
After graduating from her Fine Arts undergraduate program, she first became a drawing instructor where she taught portrait, figure, and animal drawing.
While teaching, she also worked at Jeffrey Berkus Architects where she would create building floor plans, elevations, and presentation materials through Revit, Photoshop, and InDesign with a goal to communicate a clear narrative to clients.
To complete her master’s degree, she was the project manager in a team of 5 students researching wildlife-friendly farming in the Talamanca-Osa region of Southern Costa Rica for the nonprofit Osa Conservation. Her main objective was to project future shifts in crop suitability distribution using MaxEnt and ArcGIS to anticipate the impacts of climate change in the study area.
In her interdisciplinary graduate education, she specialized in both Conservation Planning and Coastal Marine Resource Management with the goal to pursue a career focused on wetland restoration projects.
Lauren is now currently working as a landscape architect and restoration practitioner for Fred Phillips Consulting.
A resident of northern AZ for 25 years, Gayle’s passion for plants began during many backpacking trips through the Sierra Nevada. Gayle is a native plant grower, a botanist, and an educator. She holds degrees in Environmental Studies, Horticulture and Agricultural Education.
Established in May 2013, Oxbow Ecological Engineering, LLC is an award winning engineering consulting firm that specializes in restoring, enhancing, and conserving river, riparian, wetland, and wildland ecosystems. Oxbow Ecological Engineering, LLC applies a comprehensive approach to assessment, analysis, design, and planning, and integrates civil engineering and ecological principles to create unique restoration and enhancement solutions. Based out of Flagstaff, Arizona, Oxbow Ecological Engineering, LLC endeavors to focus on projects in the southwest and intermountain west.
George F. Cathey, PE is the founder and principal engineer at Oxbow Ecological Engineering, LLC. He is licensed in Arizona (#52164), New Mexico (#21540), California (#C69688), Utah (#9130926-2202), Colorado (#49161), Nevada (#22786) & Texas (#109570) and is listed on the United States Council for International Engineering Practice (USCIEP) International Registry of Professional Engineers (#43594). He is also a Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner (CERP). George has over fifteen years of experience working as an engineer specializing in ecological restoration, and has significant experience surveying, designing, bidding, and administering construction activities on both small and large-scale restoration projects. Over the years he has collaborated with a diverse group of restoration stakeholders including non-profit organizations, volunteers, landowners, A/E firms, and construction contractors as well as local, state, and federal agencies. He really enjoys this work and feels fortunate to be able to combine his passions for wildlife, the outdoors, and engineering.
The Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area is a collective group of citizens with diverse backgrounds based in Yuma, Arizona. Its mission is to preserve Yuma’s historical, cultural, and ecological assets sustainably through careful planning, consensus building, and wholistic action.
The Catena Foundation is a non-profit establishment based in Carbondale, Colorado. Its focus is the re-establishment of healthy ecological systems and restoring the balance between people and the environment.
Terra BIRDS supports schools and teachers in Flagstaff, Arizona, with garden programs that engage students as the stewards of their school grounds, urban habitats and garden spaces. Through growing healthy food in local school and community gardens, the group empowers the youth and builds strong community connections.