People

Core Team

The Core Team, invited by the Wright-Ingraham Institute and Mountain Studies Institute to play a pivotal role in guiding the formation of the project. This team defines the narrative and shapes the project’s direction. They identify the necessary skills required from the problem solvers to ensure the project’s success. Throughout the project development phase, the Core Team leads a group, contributing their expertise and insights to drive progress. Their involvement spans from the project’s inception to its conclusion, actively participating in knowledge dissemination, data collection, and project development.

Kevin Lombard, Associate Professor and Superintendent at the New Mexico State University Agricultural Science Center at Farmington.

Jeff Derry, Director of Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies in Silverton, Colorado. Director of the Colorado Dust-on-Snow program (“CODOS”).

Nicholas Webb, Research Physical Scientist at the Jornada Experimental Range Research Unit at USDA Las Cruces.

Heidi Steltzer, Climate Scientist, Theologian and Founder of the Center for Earth Theology in Cortez, Colorado.

Patrick O’Neill, Agronomist and Soil Scientist at Soil Health Services, San Luis Valley, Colorado.

Interdisciplinary Problem Solvers

Scholars, professionals, researchers, community members and students with expertise spanning fields such as agricultural practices, soil science, education, art, architecture, hydrology, and tribal issues were selected through an open call. Through collaborative efforts, interdisciplinary problem solvers are contributing to the development of innovative pilot projects aimed at mitigating the impacts of dust and fostering sustainable solutions.

  • Bill Brinton, Supervisor of the Mosca-Hooper Conservation District, Alamosa County, CO.
  • Larry Brown, San Luis Valley Area Director & Agriculture Agent at CSU Extension.
  • Lauren Czaplicki, Founder of Science by Design LLC DBA Fungal Solutions, with a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering.
  • Seth Denizen, Human Geographer and Landscape Architect. Assistant Professor at Washington University in St. Louis.
  • Saroj Dhital, Atmospheric Science Researcher and Postdoctoral Associate at the Jornada Experimental Range, NMSU.
  • Sunny Dooley, Diné Hozhojii Hané (Diné Blessing Way Story) Storyteller, Poet, and Organizer of positive possibilities for true change. Creative Director/Producer of Wisdom Carriers.
  • Mike Duniway, Research Ecologist with the US Geological Survey in Moab, UT.
  • Beth Lamberson, professional in Non-profit, Grant Writing and Public Radio Management.
  • Angie Mestas, Teacher from 6 generations of Farmers and Ranchers with a background in Agricultural Biology and Art.
  • Travis Nauman, Research Soil Scientist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
  • Len Necefer, Founder of NativesOutdoors, with a Ph.D. in Engineering & Public Policy.
  • S. McKenzie Skiles, Snow Hydrologist, Associate Professor, and Director of the Snow Hydro Lab, at the University of Utah.
  • Leslie Sobel, Multi-Media Artist addressing water and climate change.
  • Linnea Spears-Lebrun, senior Restoration Ecologist and Project Manager.
  • Madeline Wilson, Agricultural Production Systems Specialist for CSU Extension.
  • Kristina Young, Research Ecologist (postdoctoral scholar) USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, with a Ph.D. in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology.

Program Facilitators

The program facilitation is overseen by staff members from the Wright-Ingraham Institute and Mountain Studies Institute, who directs the program, ensuring that it stays on course and meets its objectives. They provide strategic direction, offer support to the core team and problem solvers, and coordinate various aspects of the project, including logistics, communication, and resource allocation.

Jake Kurzweil, Hydrologist and Associate, Director of Mountain Studies Institute Water Program.

Frida Foberg, Program Manager, Wright-Ingraham Institute

Program Interns

Julia Salame, Intern, Environmental Science majors at Fort Lewis College

Jessica Smith, Intern, Environmental Science majors at Fort Lewis College

Institutional Collaborators

Wright-Ingraham Institute

Today, more than ever, our understanding of interfaces (nexi) between ecological/environmental systems and human cultures requires integrated inquiry and new problem solving techniques. To meet these challenges, the Wright-Ingraham Institute conducts and applies multifaceted research to site specific field study programs that engage with and benefit graduate students, leading academic thinkers, scientists, professionals, policy makers and stakeholders. Our goal is to model ways of understanding and interpreting complex systems that contribute to meaningful solutions in the service of society. Read more at https://wright-ingraham.org

Mountain Studies Institute

Mountain Studies Institute builds collaborations that enable resilient mountain communities to articulate issues, develop initiatives, and ignite collaborations that sustain the social, cultural, natural, and economic resources of the San Juan Mountains and mountain systems worldwide. For more information, visit: https://www.mountainstudies.org

The Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies

The Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies serves the mountain science community and regional resource managers by hosting and conducting interdisciplinary research and sustaining integrative 24/7/365 monitoring that captures weather, snowpack, radiation, soils, plant communities and hydrologic signals of regional climate trends. For more information, visit: https://snowstudies.org

Agricultural Science Center at Farmington, New Mexico State University

The Agricultural Science Center at Farmington conducts research, demonstration, and educational programs that will best fill the needs of the agricultural community of San Juan County and the Navajo Nation in particular, and the State of New Mexico, Four Corners Region, and United States in general. For more information, visit: https://farmingtonsc.nmsu.edu/

The Jornada Experimental Range, New Mexico State University / U.S. Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service

The Rangeland Research Programs at Jornada Experimental Range aims to increase sustainability and resilience of multiple land uses in rangelands through collaborative research on ecosystem change, innovative livestock production systems, ecological restoration, and climate adaptation alongside national and global research on land health monitoring and decision support tools. For more information, visit: https://jornada.nmsu.edu

Soil Health Services

The Mission of Soil Health Services, PBC is to: Grow healthy soil. Produce an abundance of nutrient dense foods and forages. Build resiliency in farms and ranches and their communities. Cause no unnecessary harm.

The Center for Earth Theology

The Center for Earth Theology is a Colorado science field station and learning center in the making. The center is envisioned as a hub for people to basecamp, prepare, and connect before descending into interpersonal landscapes on guided retreats and workshops. For more information, visit: https://www.heidisteltzer.com/portfolio_page/the-haven