Jacob Alexander
Wildlife Biologist
After several years working on production crews for some of the biggest names in country music, Jacob earned a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences from Oregon State University. During his undergraduate years, Jacob learned urban forestry skills as an arborist at Bartlett Tree Experts and served as research coordinator for Nashville Wildlife Conservation Center, where he led studies on the health and translocation of rehabilitated eastern box turtles.
At Copperhead, Jacob contributes to research aimed at protecting endangered species, with a particular focus on bat populations and ecology. He has experience with a wide array of bat survey techniques, including harp trapping, mist-netting, and radio telemetry surveys. He is passionate about the preservation and protection of threatened and endangered species and is an advocate for bat conservation throughout the United States.
An avid outdoorsman, Jacob hiked the entire Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia in 2019. He enjoys camping, rock climbing, and mountaineering whenever the weather permits.
Memberships:
• Southeastern Bat Working Group
• The Wildlife Society
Certifications:
• CPR, AED, and First Aid
• OSHA 10-Hour
Kari Buck, Ph.D.
Senior Environmental Planner
In her free time, Kari enjoys time with her husband and dogs, gardening, hiking, and attending farmers markets.
Ian Burns
Wildlife Biologist II
Ian Burns earned his bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Fisheries and Wildlife from the California University of Pennsylvania. Ian joined copperhead in May 2016 as a Technician and has worked his way up to Biologist. As a Biologist Ian is primarily involved with Threatened and Endangered wildlife surveys, Pollinator surveys, Wetland delineations, and Brandenbark™ installation. However, he enjoys all aspects of biology and loves any sort of work that gets him outside.
In his spare time Ian enjoys spending time with his friends and family, playing with his beloved dog Charli, and cooking spicy new foods.
Memberships:
• Northeast Bat Working Group (NEBWG)
• Midwest Bat Working Group (MWBWG)
• Ohio Bat Working Group
Certifications:
• CPR/AED
• OSHA 10 Hour
Jacob Coleman
Forester
Jacob completed a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Management from Eastern Kentucky University in 2023. He first worked for Copperhead in the summer of 2023 as a Wildlife Technician focusing primarily on bats. He rejoined Copperhead in 2024 as a Forester. He is part of a team that performs forest health and species assessments; tree marking, inventory, and planting; timber stand improvement (TSI); and regulatory compliance.
Jacob joined the United States Marine Corps out of high school. He served in active duty for a year before switching to the Reserves in 2020 to start college. Jacob remains in the Reserves, serving as a Sergeant in the USMC Communications Company based out of Cincinnati.
Outside of work, Jacob enjoys running, hiking, playing guitar, going to concerts, and hanging out with his wife. They married in 2024.
Taylor Culbertson
GIS Specialist
Taylor Culbertson received his B.S. degree in Wildlife Management from Eastern Kentucky University in 2012. He originally joined the Copperhead team in 2013 as a seasonal technician and became a full-time employee in 2016. Taylor has extensive experience leading crews for surveys related to bats of the eastern U.S., forestry, aquatic biology, pollinator identification and habitat. He also has extensive experience in spatial analytics using ESRI's ArcPro 3.X and ESRI's suite of mobile collection applications, Trimble hardware and software, and regularly designs, creates, customizes, and publishes mapping figures organization wide. In 2019, Taylor took a fisheries position with KDFWR, where he gained valuable experience that he has now brought back to Copperhead in 2022.
Outside of work, Taylor enjoys spending time with his family, camping, riding motorcycles, and exploring nature.
Memberships:
• Kentucky Association of Mapping Professionals
Certifications:
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Permit for Indiana Bats
• Qualified Indiana Bat Surveyor (QIBS)
Shea Davis
Aquatic Scientist
Shea Davis attended the University of Kentucky where she graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and Environmental Science. During her undergraduate career, her emphasis areas were water resources, wildlife, and field/laboratory analysis. Presently she is an aspiring aquatic biologist with a specific interest in freshwater mussels as well as cross-training as a wetland scientist.
In her free time she enjoys rock climbing, learning mandolin, looking for insects, and thrifting.
Kelsie Eshler
Wildlife Biologist III
Kelsie Eshler received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Environmental Earth Science with a co-major in Sustainability from Miami University of Ohio in 2015. Her undergraduate research was focused on marine ecology on the island of San Salvador, Bahamas. She joined Copperhead in 2017, bringing in consulting experience in Phase I/II Environmental Site Assessments, environmental hygiene assessments, and various ecological surveys.
Her duties at Copperhead include primarily threatened and endangered species surveys for bats in the Eastern United States, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental documentation, and ArcGIS mapping and analysis.
When not working, Kelsie enjoys making pierogis, exploring new places, and spending time with family and friends. She also enjoys caring for Evgeni, her bearded dragon, and her various houseplants.
Memberships:
• Ohio Bat Working Group
• Western Bat Working Group
Certifications:
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Permit for Indiana Bats
• OSHA 10-Hour
• OSHA 30-Hour
• CPR, AED, and First Aid
Malachia Evans
Wildlife Biologist II
Malachia Evans earned her A.A.S. in Natural Resources & Wildlife Technology from Garrett College as well as her B.S. in Wildlife & Fisheries Science from West Virginia University all while participating in multiple research projects throughout undergrad. Malachia joined Copperhead in March 2021 bringing years of previous experience in environmental consulting to the team.
Malachia’s primary focus throughout her career has consisted threatened and endangered bat surveys including habitat assessments, mist-netting, harp-trapping, acoustic monitoring, portal, hibernacula, radio telemetry, and artificial roost monitoring. In addition to bat related surveys, she is trained in GIS, wetland/stream delineation, forestry practices, environmental permitting, herbicide application, macroinvertebrate, fish, and water sampling, and artificial roost construction and installation.
In her free time, she enjoys a multitude of outdoor activities such as backpacking, photography, and kayaking and as well as spending time with her six pets (a horse, dog, and 4 reptiles). She is also on the leadership board of an exotic reptile rescue.
Memberships:
• Northeast Bat Working Group (NEBWG)
• Southeast Bat Diversity Network (SBDN)
• The Wildlife Society
Certifications:
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Permit for Indiana, gray, northern long-eared, Virginia big-eared, and Ozark big-eared bats
• OSHA 30 Certificate
• OSHA 10 Hour
• PEC Premier SafeGulf / SafeLandUSA Safety Training
Grace Garrity
Environmental Planner
Grace earned a B.S. in Wildlife Biology and Conservation from Ohio University, followed by several years in public service and community programming in public libraries. In 2025, she completed her Master of Environment and Natural Resources from The Ohio State University, where she also completed a fellowship with the National Forest Foundation. In that role, she focused on resiliency research and storytelling in the Southern Appalachian National Forests using GIS StoryMaps.
Grace joined Copperhead in 2025 as a member of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) team.
In her free time, Grace enjoys cycling, birdwatching, and exploring neighborhood bakeries in search of the best chocolate croissant in town.
Josh Groh
Forester
Josh completed a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Lebanon Valley College (Pennsylvania) in 2021. After graduating, he led conservation corps teams in western Colorado and northwestern Pennsylvania, focusing on habitat restoration, invasive species removal, and state park upkeep. Prior to joining Copperhead as a forester in 2024, Josh worked as a local reporter, history writer, and nature camp counselor in Pennsylvania and Minnesota.
At Copperhead, Josh is part of a team that performs forest health and species assessments; tree marking, inventory, and planting; timber stand improvement (TSI); and regulatory compliance.
Josh enjoys hiking trips, exploring new bike trails, and writing and local history research projects in his free time.
Madison McVey
Wetland Scientist
Madison, who received her B.A. in Biology from Thomas More University in 2021, has two years of professional experience as a wetland scientist and a wildlife biologist conducting surveys of federal- and state-listed species. While at Thomas More, she worked alongside professionals at the Thomas More Biological Field Station, Northern Kentucky Sanitation District Number 1 (SD1), and the Boone County Conservation District, gaining experience in aquatic biology and ecology. Madison is working toward her Master of Wildlife and Fisheries Resources (MWFR) degree from Clemson University, with graduation in 2025 anticipated.
Madison began her professional career in 2023 as a wildlife biologist/wetland scientist for an environmental consulting firm in Houston, Texas. She has supported and led wetland and waterbody delineations, habitat assessments, threatened and endangered species surveys, aquatic macroinvertebrate surveys, migratory bird nest surveys, mitigation planning, and stream assessments. She has worked on municipal, land development, transportation, renewable energy, flood control, and federal projects.
Certifications:
• Certified Associate Ecologist (CAE), from the Ecological Society of America
• Wetland Professional in Training (WPIT), from the Society of Wetland Scientists
Leslie Meade
Wildlife Biologist II
Les Meade earned a B.S. in 1995 and a M.S. in biology in 2000 from Morehead State University. After working seasonally on bat projects for Copperhead since 2012, Les joined our full-time staff of biologists in 2021. He brings over 20 years of experience in biological surveys and environmental consulting to the team.
Les has extensive experience working with bats, amphibians, and reptiles. In addition, he has surveyed for freshwater mussels, other small mammals, plants, fish, land snails, and macro-invertebrates. Les also has experience in stream restoration, marine mammal monitoring, and native vegetation restoration projects.
He is a board member of Herpetology Weekend, LLC, a non-profit that holds annual Herpetology Weekend events every spring. Les is also a wildlife photographer, with some experience in portrait photography.
In his free time, he enjoys traveling, hiking, adding to his collection of bat and bigfoot items, and spending quality time with his wife and two dogs.
Memberships:
• Kentucky Bat Working Group
• Western Bat Working Group
Certifications:
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Permit for Indiana bats
• PADI Open Water
Jenna Molaro
Wetland Scientist
Jenna earned her B.S. in Biology and her M.S. in Environmental Science and Sustainability from Loyola University Chicago. There, she researched the effects of microplastics on freshwater phytoplankton community structure and function. After graduate school, she worked at the West Virginia nonprofit Bethlehem Farm. Serving as the Sustainability Coordinator, she facilitated the installation of a 32,000-gallon rainwater containment, oversaw the limited-income solar financing program, and spent spare time tending the sustainable garden.
She is interested in the ways in which humans interact with, protect, contaminate, and restore ecosystems—which led her to become a wetland scientist and ecotoxicologist at Copperhead Environmental Consulting. Jenna has supported wetland and waterbody delineations, habitat assessments, winter hibernacula surveys, harp trapping, ecotoxicological studies, and reporting on a variety of topics.
Her hobbies include learning to play guitar, identifying birds and plants, hiking, and swimming in rivers. Jenna is passionate about finding ways to care for the earth along with all the creatures and humans who inhabit it.
Zoe Povilaika
Wetland Scientist
Zoe, originally from the Finger Lakes region of New York, earned her B.S. in Environmental Science with a concentration in wetland ecology from SUNY Brockport in 2022. As an undergraduate, she focused on post-restoration vegetation monitoring in wetlands, as well as invasive species management.
Before coming to Copperhead, Zoe worked with the U.S. Geological Survey as part of its Northeast Amphibian Research Monitoring Initiative. While at USGS, she worked closely with a variety of amphibian species, including the endangered Shenandoah salamander. In addition to her field research, Zoe gained experience on the production side of restoration through her work at native plant nurseries, giving her a well-rounded, seed-to-site perspective.
Zoe has been a Wetland Scientist at Copperhead since 2004. She has supported wetland and stream delineations, helped conduct habitat assessments, led vegetation surveys, and contributed to NEPA document preparation and writing.
Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, foraging, cooking, going to concerts, and spending time with her two cats.
Memberships:
• New York Flora Association
• Virginia Association of Wetland Professionals
Kim Rhodes
Environmental Planner III
Kim earned her B.S. in Environmental Management and Policy from the University of North Carolina Asheville. Her undergraduate research focused on the economics of open space and farmland conversion to development in western North Carolina. She joined Copperhead in 2024 as a member of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) team, bringing in experience working directly with decision makers at agencies across all levels of government.
Kim is dedicated to land stewardship and advocacy for access to public lands and outdoor recreation opportunities.
Outside of work, Kim enjoys spending time with her husband and cats, climbing, hiking, and trail running.
Barb Sargent
Wildlife Permit Coordinator
Barb Sargent obtained a B.A. in Environmental Science and Biology from Davis & Elkins College. She came to Copperhead after a 33-year career with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Diversity and Environmental Coordination units.
At Copperhead, Barb oversees our federal and state wildlife permits to ensure project needs and agency requirements are met.
In her free time, she enjoys hiking, fishing, hunting, gardening, cooking, and reading.
Mike Schirmacher
Wildlife Biologist III
Mike earned a M.S. in Forestry and Natural Resources from University of Georgia and a B.S. in Zoology from Tennessee Technological University. Mike brings over 23 years of experience on bat behavior and ecology and has spent the last 15 years working on bats and wind energy issues.
Mike has led and managed research projects on bat ecology and has extensive experience with methodology to study and understand bats in a variety of habitats. He assisted with early research designed to sample and identify bats using acoustic detectors. He has experience with a variety of capture and survey methods including hibernacula counts, radio-telemetry, roost tree surveys and exit counts, acoustic surveys, and behavioral studies using infrared videography.
For the last 15+ years, Mike has led and managed field-based research projects at operating wind energy facilities designed to understand, estimate, minimize, and mitigate the impact of wind energy on bats. He led field operations on the first U.S.-based curtailment study and the first study to test acoustic deterrents as minimization strategies. Mike has experience working on a variety of wind facilities, turbine models, and bat and bird species, and has worked with several stakeholders to find practical solutions to complex problems. He has co-authored several papers and publications on bats and wind energy issues and given numerous presentations on related topics.
Mike resided in Denver, Colorado and in his spare time enjoys spending time with his son, exploring and staying active in the Rockies, and playing semi-competitive tennis.
Will Seiter
Wildlife Biologist II
Born and raised in Northern Kentucky, Will Seiter joined Copperhead in the summer of 2014 after his freshman year of college and has moved up from a seasonal technician to full time biologist. Mr. Seiter received his B.S. in Wildlife Management at Eastern Kentucky University and is currently working towards his commercial pilot’s license.
As one of our permitted biologists he has assisted with or conducted a multitude of mist-net surveys across the central and eastern U.S. He has worked extensively at Ft. Knox, KY monitoring the Endangered Indiana Bat maternity colonies that reside there, both from the ground and as a navigator during aerial radio telemetry surveys. In addition to bat work he is a certified Advanced SCUBA diver and has aided in several freshwater mussel surveys and an underwater mapping project. Aside from biological surveys, Mr. Seiter is one of our in-house photographers and videographers. He also is our lead in vertical access surveys.
In his free time Mr. Seiter enjoys rock climbing, caving, camping, and photography.
Memberships:
• Kentucky Bat Working Group
• Northeast Bat Working Group
• Southeastern Bat Working
Certifications:
• PADI Advanced Open Water