Member Bios

Hello. My name is Danny Stewart. I have been working on invasive plants for the past year and have grown to hate them with a passion! I’ve been in the Southeast working 18 National Parks in six states including North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. It has been an awesome experience. I now have a class A chainsaw certification, ATV training, herbicide applicators license, CPR, wilderness first aid certification, and more. I was landscaping for two years prior to this internship and now realize I shouldn’t have planted all those boxwoods and crate myrtles. Before landscaping I was the manager of Dairy Queen in Asheville, NC for three years, a very forgettable experience. I am much happier working outside throwing chainsaws around killing everything in sight. I went to high school in Pittsboro, NC. I graduated in 2004 and went off to Guilford College in Greensboro, NC on a soccer scholarship. After my first year I realized school was not for me so I moved to Asheville to figure my life out. I love to camp, hike, and fish. Really anything outdoors is enjoyable for me. I play a variety of sports, soccer being my favorite. I also play basketball, baseball, football, volleyball, and tennis. I look forward to working on the Blue Ridge Parkway trying to clean it up because I spend a lot of time hiking on it. This summer I hope to visit every waterfall in the general area. I love jumping into some freezing cold river water! That’s about it for today. PLANT NATIVE!!!!!!!

Hello. My name is Anna Weesies. I am a recent graduate of Michigan State University with a BS in Zoology, concentrating in ecology, evolution, and organismal biology. I joined SCA following a recommendation from a friend who had already completed an internship through this organization. This summer I will be working with the SE Exotic Plant Management Team eradicating invasive plants from 16 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Originally from Holland, MI, I am used to a completely different landscape. I am excited to be living in a different area of the country, especially an area with mountains. I really enjoy being outdoors, whether it be hiking, biking, kayaking, or fishing. This internship will be a learning experience for me, never having worked with plants before.

Hello. My name is Paul Neville. I am an energetic young man from New Jersey with a passion for life. I recently graduated from Rutgers University with a B.S. in Ecology and Natural Resources and a Certificate in Environmental Geomatics (GIS). I love plants, animals, people, and other beautiful things.

My current position with the SCA is a perfect fit for me. I love doing physical work outdoors, and I take great satisfaction in doing positive things for the environment. Also, the practical training and leadership experience I gain on the job will set me up nicely for future employment. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity.

North Carolina is beautiful and Asheville is a really cool place to be. Give us a ring if you are in the area. :-)

This is my first year working with the SCA as a project leader and I am pleased to be located in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina. The last time I was here was for an extended backpack on the Appalachian Trail from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Erwin, Tennessee.

I have a BS in Environmental Science from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. My first environmental project was in Oregon on urban Lake Oswego, dealing with water quality issues and invasive plants. From there I moved into outdoor programs with the Boy Scouts of America in Portland, OR and additionally, led adventure trips for young adults in backpacking, rock-climbing, horse-back riding, and kayaking.

Not one to stay put for too long, I moved back to my home state of Virginia a little over a year ago and have been working on a family-owned farm ever since. Now I am back on the road, to tackle invasive plants on the Blue Ridge Parkway along the Asheville corridor.

My name is Daniel Scimone and I am going into my senior year at Keene State College. Currently, I am in the process of attaining a Bachelor of Science in Safety Studies and a Minor in Environmental Studies. I am a member of the Varsity Lacrosse team. My hobbies include fishing, snowboarding, training, surfing, and hiking. Through SCA I want to apply my education experience to my work environment. Also I hope to attain new skills that I can use later in my career.