TREES Program Alumni
Graduates of the TREES (and antecedent HDNRE) dual-title graduate degree program have been trained to work in a variety of academic, non-profit, and private industry sectors.
2025
Elizabeth Himschoot
Ph.D. RPTM & TREES
Adjunct Professor of RPTM, Penn State University
Molly Lane
M.S. RPTM & TREES
Senior Recreation Leader, East Bay Regional Park District
Jose Julian Prieto
Ph.D. Education Theory & Policy and TREES
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Toronto
Maya Weinberg
M.S., EDCE & TREES
Science and Technology Fellows, PA DCNR
2024
Katie Bernhard
Ph.D. RPTM & TREES
Head of Impact, Legado Initiative
Sara Bonilla Anariba
Ph.D. Rural Sociology & TREES
Postdoctoral Fellow at WorldFish
Lacey Goldberg
Ph.D. Architecture & HDNRE
Staff Landscape Architect, Office of Physical Plant at The Pennsylvania State University
Emily Hayne
Ph.D. RPTM & TREES
Naturalist, Office Coordinator for Belwin Conservancy
Timothy Mateer
Ph.D. RPTM & HDNRE
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Human-Centered Design, Cornell University
Ruchi Patel
Ph.D., Geography & HDNRE
Senior Policy Analyst, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
Hannah Whitley
Ph.D. Rural Sociology & HDNRE
Deputy Grants Director, Bridgeport Public Schools
2022
Stephanie Freeman
Ph.D. RPTM & HDNRE
Human Dimensions Specialist, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
Tara Mazurcyzk
Ph.D. in Geography & HDNRE
Biologists at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Aubrey Tallon
M.S. RPTM & HDNRE
Volunteer Program Manager, Penn State Arboretum
2021
Erinn Drage
M.S. RPTM & HDNRE
Doctoral Student, E-IPER Program, Stanford University
Abigail Jamison
M.S. Forest Resources & HDNRE
Chain-of-custody Manager, US Forest Stewardship Council
2020
Andrea Ferich
M.S., Forest Resources & HDNRE
Consulting Forester and Owner, Ironwood Forestry
William Rice
Ph.D., RPTM & HDNRE
Associate Professor in the Department of Society and Conservation at the University of Montana.
Joel Mueller
Ph.D. Rural Sociology & HDNRE
Assistant Professor of Population Health, University of Kansas
Lauren Mullenbach
Ph.D. RPTM & HDNRE
Assistant Research Scientist, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan
Ryan Naylor
M.S. RPTM & HDNRE
Postdoctoral scholar at the University of Maine
Kalaia Tripeaux
M.S. Forest Resources & HDNRE
TreeVitalize’s Tree Equity Specialist at the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
2019
Sarah Eissler
Ph.D. Rural Social & HDNRE
Independent Consultant
Jennifer Haney
Ph.D. Anthropology & HDNRE
Senior Researcher in Archaeology at the University of Oklahoma
Daniel Kunches
Ph.D. Geography & HDNRE
Fire Recovery Coordinator with Feather River Land Trust
Rui Li
M.S. RPTM & HDNRE
Marketing Analyst at Red Cube Production Inc.
2018
Lauren Ferguson
Ph.D., RPTM & HDNRE
Assistant Professor in the Department of Recreation Management and Policy at the University of New Hampshire
Lucy Harbor
M.S. RPTM & HDNRE
Research Director at RRC Associates
Amelia Romo
M.S. RPTM & HDNRE
Insectary Research Technologist at Pennsylvania State University
Grace Wildermuth
M.S. Rural Sociology & HDNRE
Postdoctoral Scholar at Penn State University
2017
Austin Barrett
Ph.D. RPTM & HDNRE
Senior Evaluation Manager at the National Recreation and Park Association
Elyzabeth Engle
Ph.D. Rural Social & HDNRE
Department Chair and Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at McDaniel College
Vasiliy Lakoba
M.S. Landscape Architecture & HDNRE
Director of Research and Restoration at the American Chestnut Foundation
Stephen Mainzer
Ph.D. Landscape Architecture & HDNRE
Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture at Penn State University
Forrest Schwartz
Ph.D. RPTM & HDNRE
Lecturer in Recreation Management and Policy at the University of New Hampshire
Brian Wolyniak
Ph.D. Forestry Resources & HDNRE
Extension Educator, Urban and Renewable Forestry, at Penn State University
2016
John Eshleman
2016 Ph.D. Rural Sociology & HDNRE
Freelance Researcher and Grant Developer
Michael Ferguson
Ph.D. RPTM & HDNRE
Associate Professor in the Department of Recreation Management and Policy at the University of New Hampshire
Richard Gage
Ph.D. RPTM & HDNRE
Associate Professor of Natural Resources and the Environment, Marshall University
Matthew McKinney
Ph.D. RPTM & HDNRE
Entrepreneurship Program Manager at Penn State University
Jennifer Newton
Ph.D. RPTM & HDNRE
Social Scientist at Grand Teton National Park
Eric Larson
2016 Ph.D. Rural Sociology & HDNRE
Associate Professor of Rural Sociology at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and Co-Owner of PEER Social Science
2013
Brandn Green
Ph.D. Rural Sociology & HDNRE
Co-owner and Principal Researcher at JG Research and Evaluation
Kathleen Wood
M.S. Rural Sociology & HDNRE
Executive Director, National Farm Work Ministry
2012
Krishna Roka
Ph.D. Rural Sociology & HDNRE
Assistant Professor of Sociology at Winona State University
Cynthia Longmire
Ph.D., Rural Sociology & HDNRE
Senior Social Scientist at DJ Case & Associates
2011
Elizabeth Covelli Metcalf
Ph.D. RPTM & HDNRE
Dean, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation at the University of Montana
Cara Raboanarielina
Ph.D. Rural Sociology & HDNRE
Regional Markets and Trade Consultant, Chemonics International
Daniel Lowenstein
M.S. Forestry Resources & HDNRE
Owner of Red Hawk Premium Peppers
2010
Jason Gordon
2010 Ph.D. Rural Sociology & HDNRE
Associate Professor of Community Forestry, University of Georgia
Joshua Gruver
Ph.D. Forest Resources & HDNRE
Professor of Natural Resources and Environmental Management at Ball State University
Alexander Metcalf
Ph.D. Forestry Resources & HDNRE
Associate Professor of Human Dimensions at the University of Montana
Jason Weigle
Ph.D. Rural Sociology & HDNRE
Program Manager at Extension Foundation
Bradley Woods
Ph.D. Rural Sociology & HDNRE
Associate Vice President for Research Compliance at Kansas State University