Staff and Board

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Richard has lived in various places across the United States and abroad, including Miami, Savannah, Los Angeles, San Diego, London, Australia, and more. His background primarily consists of work in social justice, non-profit leadership, and marketing. He has served on the Board of Directors for Savannah Pride and as the Executive Director for Miami Beach Pride. Over the years, he’s navigated through a rather unique career path, which has taken him through areas such as politics, social and cultural justice issues, the arts, music, and more. Having a deep passion for leaving this world a better place, he has dedicated the better part of his career to trying to make a positive change and impact for a variety of communities. Excited to be embarking on this journey with an exceptional team, Rich eagerly anticipates the opportunity to collaborate with the Bark community to foster enduring, sustainable change, further enhancing our commitment to safeguarding the environment, our invaluable protector. When he’s not working to help heal this world as best as he can, he enjoys traveling with his husband, Leo, and their two furbabies, Charlie and Mochi.

Coming from a background leading environmental programs in higher education, Jade holds a PhD in English with a specialization in environmental literature and environmental justice and brings experience in communications, program development, and community-building. She’s excited to help develop Bark’s communications strategy and community partnerships. When she’s not writing, collaborating with our community members, or dreaming up ideas for environmental justice programming for Bark, you can find her in her garden, hiking in the forest with her pup, Petal, nose deep in a good book, or riding her trusty fixie around Portland.

Gabi was born and raised in Hood River, OR surrounded by orchards, pastures, and the sound of frogs at night. After receiving her BFA in Illustration from Pacific Northwest College of Art, Gabi worked with a small and dedicated team to launch the print magazine she created for her senior thesis called RENDER: Feminist Food & Culture Quarterly, and published five issues while working as a line and production cook. After that, she worked nearly 8 years as the Marketing & Design Manager and Collective Co-Manager at People’s Food Co-op, a 50+ year old vegetarian grocery co-op driven by its social, environmental, and food justice values. Gabi is excited to build community at Bark, and to put her art and design skills to use for the good of Mt. Hood. When Gabi’s out and about, she makes sure to tell every dog and cat how good they are. 

Growing up in the Southeast, Hale fell in love with the beaches and marshes of the South Carolina Lowcountry, and the rivers and trails of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Before joining Bark, Hale earned a BA in History from American University in Washington, DC, and he worked as Legislative Correspondent on Capitol Hill. As a congressional staffer, Hale managed a number of tasks, including the constituent correspondence program, and the energy and natural resources policy portfolios. Hale is dedicated to environmental stewardship, and he is excited to use his experience to aid in Bark’s mission to protect Mount Hood. When he’s not paging through a new history book, Hale likes to spend his time cooking, hiking, backpacking, and whitewater paddling.

Growing up in the PNW, Haley hiked constantly, but was often distracted from the destination by animal sign and goopy fungi. She holds a special spot in her heart for the small or less charismatic organisms in the woods. These small passions grew into action as she worked with local environmental organizations, such as watershed councils, local parks and rec, and the Oregon Zoo. She holds a BS in Conservation Biology and a Master of Curriculum Development and Environmental Education, and is excited to put them to use to help Bark achieve its goals. She is ready to help people experience the forest and understand ecosystems in a way that inspires a deeper connection with nature.

Jordan began his time at Bark as a volunteer, participating in forest and wetland surveys and interacting with Bark staff and volunteers. He quickly fell in love with Bark’s mission and vision for the future. Jordan’s passion for forest ecology and management began as a wildlife technician for the Forest Service, studying spotted owls and fishers amongst the granite peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. That passion turned to conviction while earning a Master’s degree studying sustainable ecosystems management at Harvard University Extension School, where his Master’s project focused on understanding the nuances of forest thinning practices on federal lands across the Pacific Northwest. A self-proclaimed “forest nerd,” he loves talking about forests and challenging contemporary perspectives on conservation. In his free time, Jordan loves hiking, backpacking, watching baseball, staring at trees, and seeking out old forest remnants.

Contact Jordan at jordan@bark-out.org

As Bark’s resident beaver expert, Meg works to restore natural habitats and promote biodiversity, including by reintroducing beavers in the vicinity of Mt. Hood. Her work focuses on identifying habitat suitable for future beaver reintroduction as well as sharing that data with key players in the Oregon beaver world. She is founder and chair of the PNW Forest Climate Alliance Beaver Working Group, a small group of dedicated beaver believers who focus on beaver legislation and policy, including upcoming amendments to the Northwest Forest Plan. Additionally, she co-teaches a class at Portland State University called Environmental Justice and Salmon, wherein students learn about not only the environmental impacts of beavers but the socio-cultural history and impacts as well. Meg moved to Portland in 2018 where she completed her bachelor’s in environmental science. She hails from Lake Beluthahatchee in North Florida, a black water swamp chock full of gators, bald cypress, venomous snakes, and birds of prey where she learned early on about the power, beauty and importance of the natural world and our place within it.

Contact Meg at Meg@Bark-Out.org

Colin brings to Bark a long history of grassroots fundraising and organizing for various progressive causes. His relentless optimism and cheery disposition are an inspiration to his colleagues. When he’s not working hard to inspire members of the public, Colin enjoys pop music, short shorts, and rotisserie chicken.

Stephen has been working in the field of environmental Outreach for over 17 years, having approximately a quarter of a million conversations about environmental issues that face Oregonians, joining Bark in 2015. Stephen has a passion for the environment, disability rights, economic and environmental justice, and Indigenous- led Governance. Stephen has been a Bark supporter and follower for over a decade.

Bringing a background in nonprofit leadership and fundraising, environmental education, scientific research, and community engagement, Nicki is honored and grateful to serve on the Bark Board. They have a lifelong passion for birding and can often be found out and about introducing people to the birds of the Pacific Northwest. She also volunteers on Bark’s Free Mt Hood Campaign Committee and is committed to advocating for an updated Mt Hood Forest Management Plan that incorporates climate change, habitat protections, and the voices of people who have been historically ignored and silenced in decision-making processes.

Mia is an early childhood educator, and a Bark volunteer since 2017. Her volunteer work with Bark is primarily in the area of Forest Watch, including groundtruthing, writing public comments on proposed Forest Service projects (timber sales), leading outings to the forest, participation on the Forest Watch Committee, and leading trainings on comment-writing and participation in the NEPA process for other volunteers. Mia really loves scrambling around off-trail in the forest with her friends, sleeping in a hammock between swaying trees, and engaging in shared learning.

With over 25 years of invaluable experience in the Accounting field working in private, public and nonprofit organizations, Schlyce Martinez brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Bark Board. Currently serving as the financial controller for a prominent Portland-based nonprofit organization with a budget of $32 million, their strategic financial acumen and understanding of nonprofit operations serves as a resource for fiscal responsibility and efficiency. A native Pacific Northwesterner, Schlyce has a  MBA in Accounting and Public Administration, a Master’s of Accounting and Financial Management, and, as an undergraduate, they drew upon their diverse interests and education in Managerial Economics and Environmental Studies to implement Rails to Trails and greenway park master plans with community partners as an intern for the Department of Interior’s Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program.

Summer is a nonprofit professional who has been passionately serving nonprofits and local causes in Oregon since 2017. Summer is based in the Portland area and brings a background in nonprofit administration and fundraising to the board. Alongside his contributions as board secretary, Summer currently serves as Development Officer, Foundation Partnerships at Mercy Corps and is a former employee of Bark. Summer grew up in Oregon and is committed to supporting Bark’s work to transform Mt. Hood National Forest and rethink traditional principles of conservation and community action.

Rebecca Bowe oversees a team of communications strategists at Earthjustice in the role of Public Affairs and Communications Officer for Lands, Wildlife and Oceans. At Earthjustice she has taken on communications initiatives aimed at defending the Arctic from oil and gas drilling, protecting old-growth forests across U.S. national forestlands, and more. Prior to joining the staff of Earthjustice in 2016, Rebecca spent about a decade as a reporter and editor, mainly focused on stories relating to the environment and social justice. Her reporting has appeared in The Guardian, KQED, The San Francisco Bay Guardian, and other outlets. Her work was recognized with several journalism awards. In 2023, Rebecca released a podcast, “Sandblasted at the Shipyard,” which is available on Spotify.