Our Team
American Forests staff are experts in the fields of forest restoration, reforestation, ecosystem service markets, project planning and management, biocultural restoration, and forest adaptation science. Our place-based staff work closely with local contractors, state agencies, resource conservation districts, extension agencies, and more to get landowners and Tribal Nations the reforestation support they need.
ShiNaasha Pete
Director, Tribal and Indigenous Partnerships
Focus: Tribal partnerships, Indigenous-led restoration, biocultural restoration
Jesse Gibson
Senior Manager, Tribal and Indigenous Partnerships
Focus: Restoration market exploration, engagement and relationship building, feasibility analyses
Frank Curtin
Director, Private Lands Reforestation
Focus: Private landowner support in WA, OR, CA, ID, MT, CO, NM, and UT
Abigail Plecki
Senior Manager, Private Lands Reforestation (Southern Rockies – NM, CO)
Focus: Private landowner support in NM and CO
Nicholas Wilhoite
Senior Manager, Hawaiʻi Reforestation
Focus: Agency, place-based, and private landowner partnerships, landscape-scale reforestation planning in HI
Marisol Kuri
Senior Manager, Texas Reforestation
Focus: Reforestation supply chains, nursery management and agency partnerships
Kayla Sustaita
Senior Manager, Texas Ecology
Focus: Private landowner support in Texas, reforestation planning, wildlife monitoring
Israel Golden
Senior Manager, Forest Climate Adaptation
Focus: Climate adaptation practices, adaptive management, reforestation planning
Isabella Akker
Senior Director, Restoration Finance Innovation
Focus: Finance mechanisms, ecosystem service markets
Ben Rushakoff
Senior Director, Reforestation Partnerships and Innovation
Focus: Ecosystem service markets, scaling reforestation partnerships, federal and state agency partnerships
Talk to an American Forests Expert
You don’t have to figure out reforestation on your own. We’ll work with you to connect you to the right resources — free of charge.