Each year, current council members select new recruits from alumni nationwide for a two-year term. With a diversity of SCA service backgrounds – from former high school crew members, to special initiative interns, to year-long conservation corps programs – Alumni Council members represent the wide range of SCA’s programs and locations. Each member is equipped to represent and connect with SCA’s 100,000 alumni.
Specifically, the Alumni Council goals are to:
To apply for the Alumni Council or nominate someone you think could be a good fit, please complete this form. Recruitment of new members begins in November of each year. Questions? Please contact alumni@thesca.org.
CHAIR: Deidra Goodwin
Current Location: Asheville, North Carolina
SCA Program(s) Served: Grand Teton National Park Service Academy (2016), Environmental Education Intern New River Gorge National River (2016 NPSA position), Historical Interpretation Intern Minuteman National Historical Park (2016), Grand Teton National Park Service Academy Peer Mentor (2017)
Current Position: Military Outdoors Campaign Strategist at Sierra Club & Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education Adjunct Instructor – Outdoor Experiences at Brevard College
Education Background: B.A. Integrated Studies (Florida Gulf Coast University); M.S. Experiential & Outdoor Education (Western Carolina University)
VICE CHAIR: Michiko Squires
Current Location: Chico, California
SCA Program(s) Served: Interpretation and Outreach Intern, Biscayne National Park (2006), Environmental Education Intern, Great Smoky Mountains National Park (2011)
Current Position: Data Manager, U.S. Geological Survey
Education Background: B.S. in Biology, B.S. in Computer Science (University of Miami); M.S. in Forest Resources and Conservation with a concentration in Geomatics (University of Florida)
SECRETARY: Tommy Sheridan, Cordova, Alaska
Current Location: Cordova, Alaska
SCA Program(s) Served: Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association Conservation Intern (2002)
Current Position: Independent fisheries consultant and educator
Education Background: B.S. in Environmental Studies (Florida State University), Undergraduate Certificate in Fisheries Technology (University of Alaska Southeast), Graduate Certificate in Fisheries Management (Oregon State University), & M.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Administration (Oregon State University)
Celeste Arista Glover, Dallas, Texas
Current Location: Dallas, Texas
SCA Program(s) Served:Summer Work Crew at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park (2000); Summer Work Crew at Yellowstone National Park (2002); Intern at NOAA National Marine Fisheries Santa Rosa, CA (2008)
Current Position: Senior Community Philanthropy Officer at Communities Foundation of Texas
Education Background:B.A. in Biology (University of Texas at Austin) and M.A. in Community Development and Planning (Clark University, Worcester)
Colonel Keli Bedics
Current Location: Tucson, Arizona
SCA Program(s) Served: Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (1985) & International Exchange – Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany (1986)
Current Position: Independent Consultant, Fitness Instructor, Retired Military
Education Background: University of California at Los Angeles – Certificate: Teaching English as a Foreign Language; Universidade Federal Fluminense – MBA: Management; Tulane University – Master of Arts: Latin American Studies; University of Notre Dame, Bachelor of Science: Electrical Engineering
Jim Brophy
Current Location: Princeton, New Jersey
SCA Program(s) Served: High School Crew, Grand Teton National Park (1990)
Current Position: Head Trader, River Park Funds
Education Background: University of Michigan, BS Environmental Policy
NYU Stern School of Business, MBA, Finance & International Business
Peter Burch
Current Location: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
SCA Program(s) Served: Summer Work Crew at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (2000)
Current Position: Vice President of Distribution, Embroker Insurance Services LLC
Education Background: BBA in Risk Management and Insurance at Temple University
Kelly Burnett
Current Location: Houston, Texas
SCA Program(s) Served: Centennial Volunteer Ambassador, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (2015-2016)
Current Position: : Program Director, Conservation; National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)
Education Background: B.S. in Natural Resource Ecology and Management from Oklahoma State University; Master’s in Public Service and Administration from Texas A&M University
Christine Chung
Current Location: Brussels, Belgium
SCA Program(s) Served: Native Revegetation Project (2019), SCA Alumni Trail crew (2019), US Fish and Wildlife Service: Conservation Internship Program (now CDIP – 2009, 2010), Alternative Spring Break Grand Canyon (2009), US Forest Service Bear Management Intern (2008)
Current Position: Erasmus Mundus Master’s Program student in Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystems at the Université Libre de Bruxelles
Education Background: B.S. in Environmental Sciences: Wildlife Conservation (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Igor DaCruz
Current Location: San Diego, California
SCA Program(s) Served: High School Crew, George Washington and Jefferson National Forests (2005)
Current Position: Managing Director, Life Sciences at Trinity Capital
Education Background: B.S. in Finance (University of Massachusetts Boston)
Karissa DeCarlo
Current Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
SCA Program(s) Served: High School Conservation Crew: Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (1997), High School Conservation Crew: Ouachita National Forest (1999), Conservation Intern/AmeriCorps (2001): Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Current Position: Partnerships & Philanthropy Specialist at the National Park Service
Education Background: B.S in Environmental and Sustainable Resources (University of Louisiana at Lafayette) & M.S. in Recreation, Parks and Tourism (West Virginia University)
Olivia Hall
Current Location: Centerville, Ohio
SCA Program(s) Served: EPA Fire Corps Texas (2020), The Nature Conservancy Burn Crew Member (2020), SCA Alumni Fellow (2024)
Education Background: The College of Wooster, B.A. in Philosophy and Geology
Hannah Sherman
Current Location: San Francisco, California
SCA Program(s) Served: Merck Forest and Farmland Center Crew (2009), Kenai Fjords National Park (2021)
Current Position: Sustainability Manager, Rothy’s
Education Background: University of Michigan, BS in Earth & Environmental Science
Sophia Weinmann
Current City/State: Sacramento, California
SCA Program(s) Served: High School Crew Member, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site (2006); Trail Crew Member, Salmon-Challis National Forest (2008); Alternative Spring Break Crew Member, Grand Canyon National Park (2009); High School Crew Leader, Denali National Park & Preserve (2010); High School Crew Leader, Redwood National Park (2010)
Current Position: Environmental Scientist (Foothill Yellow-legged Frogs), California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Education Background: University of Montana – MSc, Resource Conservation with a focus on International Conservation and Development, Oberlin College – BA Environmental Studies; BA Biology
Kyle Yarusso
Current Location: Washington, D.C.
SCA Program(s) Served: Centennial Volunteer Ambassador intern (2015-2016)
Current Position: Volunteer and Youth Programs Coordinator at the National Park Service (Rock Creek Park)
Education Background: B.S. in Applied Ecology and Environmental Science, minor in Communications