The WCC is pleased to announce the crew leaders for the 2021 season! The leaders began working earlier this year by participating in our Leadership in Natural Resource Conservation class that runs all Spring. Alongside the course the leaders will prepare for the summer work season by working to get their S212 Chainsaw Training, Wilderness First Responder Training (WFR), and by participating in various field training opportunities. Stay posted to see what the leaders are up to this Spring with their various volunteer opportunities in the Laramie community!
2021 Crew Leaders
My name is Kylie Lamoree and I am a University of Wyoming graduate with a B.S. in Zoology. I’m originally from Stromsburg, Nebraska but have stayed in Laramie to pursue my love affair with the Wyoming wilderness. I’m always looking for a reason to be outside appreciating the flora and fauna but have recently decided that I am tired of sitting in a classroom and want to do some good ole fashioned hard work. This along with wanting to help with Wyoming conservation and to explore Wyoming and all it has to offer has brought me to my involvement with WCC.
My name is James Vislosky but my peers know me as Jamie. I joined WCC because I have always been passionate for the outdoors and I wanted an opportunity to serve the public lands I regard so highly. When my friend and colleague Jackson Clough told me about WCC it immediately caught my attention and I finally had the pleasure to participate in the Fall of 2020. The joys of working outside in beautiful places with such a close-knit crew made my experience more enriching and fulfilling than any previous job I have ever worked. Moving forward, it just made sense that this is where I belong and I am so proud to be a part of the WCC family. In my academic life, I am studying Energy Systems Engineering here at the University of Wyoming and am expected to graduate in 2023. In my personal life, I enjoy spending as much time outdoors as possible whether its canoeing, skiing, rafting, hiking, camping, mountain biking, or really anything that engages my body and mind in the mountains. I also really enjoy working on my old-school suburban and am in the process of turning it into a 4×4 camper. When I’m not in the woods I also enjoy playing Cello, reading, helping others with car troubles, and pre-covid times I was really into live music. I am also somewhat of a math-nerd and find anything math/physics related to be super interesting. I think that just about sums it up although there is obviously much more that could be said. Cheers!
My name is Blake Stevens. I grew up in the town of Rock Springs, which is in south western Wyoming. Some of my favorite things about Rock Springs are the open desert scenery, the Flaming Gorge, and the summer weather. I graduated from Rock Springs High School in 2016 and moved on to study Environment and Natural Resources and Environmental Systems Science in the Haub School here at the University of Wyoming. I have been putting myself through school for the past 4 years with jobs at Starbucks, and Jimmy John’s Sandwiches, with additional help through scholarships such as music awards and Hathaway. Working in the Wyoming Conservation Corps will give me necessary experience to become a trail crew member for the Pacific Crest Trail which is what I aspire to do post-graduation in the Fall of 2021.
My name is Emma Plett, I moved to Laramie in 2020 from Casper, Wy where I grew up. Wyoming’s vast wilderness and room to explore has always called to me. I currently attend Casper College pursuing a dual major in Geographic Information Systems and Environmental Science. I hope to one day have a career in conservation and an opportunity to advocate for the Earth’s environment. This is my first year with WCC as a Crew Leader and I am excited for the chance to lead others on projects that will benefit my beautiful home state. I enjoy hiking with my canine companion, Louise, feeling the sun on my face, and getting lost among the trees.
My name is Dalton Schroeder, I was born and raised in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am attending the University of Wyoming and pursuing a degree in Earth Systems Science and Environment and Natural Resources, with a minor in Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management. I joined the WCC to become a part of this organizations amazing mission, and to further my experience in the natural resources work field. I am forever committed to environmental stewardship, conservation, and land management due to my passion for nature and the great outdoors. I am an athlete who likes to push my physical limits while exploring the rocky mountain backcountry, but always willing to slow down to photograph and admire the beautiful scenery.
My name is Kate McNicholas, I was born in West Dundee, IL, the northwest suburbs of Chicago. I am currently pursuing a degree at the University of Wyoming in Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management with Environmental and Natural Resources. After graduating, I hope to work in parks all across the U.S. to experience a bunch of diverse ecosystems. I’ve worked a handful of odd environmental jobs such as an animal handler with USFWS in Sasabe, Arizona, and a field technician at the Sonoran Desert Research Network for the National Park Service in Tucson, Arizona. After a Short covid altered introduction to the Wyoming Conservation Corps, I am very excited to spend another season with the WCC, but this time as a crew leader.
My name is Celia Karim, I grew up in Sacramento, California where I got to go on outdoor adventures every weekend. In high school I started backpacking a lot with High Adventure Girl Scouts which is where I saw conservation crew fixing rock work in the most beautiful area, and I wanted to do that too! I moved to Laramie 5 years ago for the change of scenery and the University of Wyoming’s great music programs. During my freshman year my cello professor told me I should apply for the Wyoming Conservation Corps, so I did and I had a blast being a crew member that summer. After graduating with my bachelor’s in Environmental Systems Science/Environment and Natural Resources from UW in 2020, I decided to jump straight back into school and start my master’s in Natural Resource Stewardship and Ecological Restoration with a graduate certificate in Remote Sensing. I am honored to be a crew leader for WCC this year where I can take a break from school and once again enjoy being outside with great, hardworking people.
I’m Josh Garofalo, and I am originally from Pennsylvania. I moved to Fort Collins, CO in 2009 to attend Colorado State University. I graduated with dual degrees in Biomedical Sciences and Spanish. My wife and I moved to Laramie, WY in 2016. Upon moving to Laramie, I found a job working for the U.S. Forest Service. This job furthered my understanding of the need for conservation, and my desire to work in a related field.
In my free time, I enjoy hiking, camping, hunting, and generally being outdoors. In the winter, I enjoy snowboarding and snowshoeing. When I’m kept inside, I enjoy woodworking and baking.
My wife and I take our dog on hikes and camping trips whenever we’re able, and love how many places we’re able to go living in Laramie.
Hi, my name is Robbie Veiga and I’m a crew leader for Wyoming Conservation Corps on the Veterans Trail Crew. I’m from Gloucester, VA (right across from Yorktown) and after serving in the Navy I moved to Laramie, WY to major in Physiology and become a Physician’s Assistant. I was on the Veterans Trail Crew back in 2019 and really enjoyed the job and restoring the beautiful parks of Wyoming. I’m very excited for the upcoming hitches this year and we as a team will keep Wyoming’s parks beautiful.
Wyoming Conservation Corps 