Chad Cochrane:

Johanna Nugent:

Johanna is a new Civil Engineer Technician working out of the Concord field office.  She was born and raised in Michigan and earned a Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University with a concentration in Natural Resources Engineering with a further specialization in Environmental Economics.  She worked for three and a half years as a Civil Engineer, primarily doing Wetland Reserve Program design, in Sault Saint Marie, Michigan under a grant from the NRCS and the Michigan Department of Agriculture administered by the Conservation District.  Her major duties as a Civil Engineer Technician involve design work, construction inspection, and surveying.  Johanna plays tennis, cross-country skis, and is a fencer.  She plays piano and hangs out with her cat, Emma.  She is an avid fan of the Detroit Red Wings and loves to hike and eat Indian food.  She was also the advisor for the Sault Saint Marie High School Environmental Club/Envirothon team and hopes to get involved with the Envirothon in New Hampshire. 

James Seidel:

After graduating from the University of Vermont in May 2009, Alena has returned to her native state of New Hampshire for a year-long SCA internship. Alena came on board in early July. She has a degree in Natural Resources and completed an honors thesis on the expansion of climate change policy.  Besides her academic interests, Alena enjoys drawing, origami, and tea.  Alena works on the Programs staff and assists with coverage of the front office in Durham.

Ryan DuBois:

As an SCA intern, Ryan DuBois is providing direct assistance to the NH NRCS Programs and Easements staff by managing tracking spreadsheets and databases, developing baseline documentation reports, and establishing clear communications with easement entities to facilitate the prompt completion of annual easement acquisitions. Ryan is a New Hampshire native from Nashua.  He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont.  After college, Ryan worked in a DNA Sequencing facility in Beverly, Massachusetts for almost 4 years.  Following his passion for the outdoors, he is now making the switch to the environmental field.  This past summer Ryan worked for the Massachusetts Department of Coastal Zone Management and was involved in the Massachusetts Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Project. 

Nikki McKenna joined NRCS in mid-September as an Intern for the Wetlands Reserve Program. Though originally hailing from Canada, Nikki grew up in Dallas, Texas. She attended Texas Tech University and graduated in August of 2009 with a major in Geography and a minor in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). While working on her undergraduate degree, she worked at the Center for Geospatial Technology at Texas Tech as a GIS Analyst. She mainly managed the University of Texas Lands Power Line and Pipeline Easement Project, as well as assisting on National Wetlands Inventory, and Soil Maps. In her free time, Nikki is enjoying the New Hampshire outdoors.

Nina Bhattacharyya:

Nina Bhattacharyya joined NRCS as an Easement Monitoring Intern to offer support to the Wetland Reserve Program. Prior to accepting this internship, Nina worked with The Nature Conservancy in Charlottesville, Virginia. Nina graduated with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in mathematics from the University of Richmond. She furthered her education with a Master of Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies where she focused on water resources and sustainable development. Nina was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship in 2006 to conduct research on Nariva Swamp, Trinidad and Tobago, and also participated in the patrolling and tagging of leatherback and loggerhead turtles along the northern range of the island. Nina enjoys swimming, hiking, and plays the viola.

Matt O'Malley:

Matt O’Malley joined NRCS as an SCA intern in mid-August. He is working out of the Epping Field Office as a Soil Conservationist Aide. Originally from Malvern, Pennsylvania, Matt graduated from Virginia Tech in May of 2009, having earned his degree in Biological Systems Engineering. Before coming on board with NRCS, Matt was an SCA at Curecanti National Recreation Area in Colorado, working on a watershed restoration project that was being carried out by the National Park Service. Matt’s hobbies include camping, backpacking and disk golf. He has also hiked the entire Appalachian Trail.

Amy Kinsella:

Amy Kinsella began her SCA internship as a Soil Conservationist Aide in the Walpole field office at the end of September 2009. Interested in sustainable agriculture research and extension, she recently participated as an apprentice on a small organic research farm in Goldsboro, North Carolina. She also served as an SCA working for three months at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Townsend, Tennessee. Amy earned her bachelors degree in Environmental Studies at the University of North Carolina at Asheville and enjoys outdoor recreation, gardening, and cycling.

Allen Tate: