One team. Multiple disciplines.
Welcome new team members, check out a structural overview of the Copperhead staff, and connect with colleagues across the company.
Welcome aboard / welcome back
Callie Black
Wildlife Technician
Callie graduated recently from the University of Kentucky with a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science.
She has a short-term goal of gaining experience in analysis and wildlife population studies. In the long term, she seeks a career focused on researching mammal behavior, with an emphasis on the dynamics of social carnivores. Callie's experience includes an internship as a Wildlife Technician with the Montana Conservation Corps.
Callie loves all mammals, but she's especially fascinated with bats because of their unique adaptations for flight.
Chance Rankin
Wildlife Technician
Chance is excited to begin his third season with Copperhead. Raised in a nature- and bat-loving family, Chance started bat netting in middle school and started handling bats in high school.
He received his B.S. in general biology from the University of West Georgia and his M.S. from the University of Colorado with a thesis in bat flight mechanics. He will begin doctoral work on crawling mechanics in vampire bats at the University of Tennessee Knoxville in August. Chance is a longtime attendee of Georgia Bat Working Group events and Southeastern Bat Diversity Network blitzes and meetings. He has worked as a volunteer at Bear Creek Nature Center since its founding, writing custom software and helping with husbandry and enrichment of resident educational bats.
Chance is a (mostly) retired professional dancer specializing in ballet and modern, and he continues to perform in benefit concerts and to train on the circus apparatus called the Cyr wheel.
Connect/reconnect with Chance on LinkedIn, or send a welcome email.
Emma Villagra
Wildlife Technician
Emma is returning for her second season with Copperhead. Originally from Miami, she’s completing a degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation as an undergraduate at the University of Florida. Additionally, she is pursuing an Associate Wildlife Biologist certificate offered by the Wildlife Society.
Emma has had other internships in science and history education, animal care and husbandry, and animal well-being and behavior monitoring. Recently, she participated in a shark and ray biology field course.
In her free time, Emma enjoys hiking, kayaking, herping, birding, thrifting, and supporting a passion for mammals, especially bats.
Connect/reconnect with Chance on LinkedIn, or send a welcome email.
Graham Nystrom
Wildlife Technician
Graham graduated recently from Sewanee: The University of the South with degrees in music and biology. He received honors for his research focused on building a coast-wide occupancy model for diamondback terrapins based on occurrence and geospatial data.
A native Kentuckian born in rural Appalachia, Graham spent his childhood looking for birds, catching fish, exploring creeks, and chasing (or getting chased by) cows. “Now, I still like to do the same things, but this time with purpose,” he says. That purpose has immersed him in projects from the salt marshes in South Carolina to the high alpine forests of the Rocky Mountains.
Passionate about conservation science, Graham is eager to use modern data collection and analytical tools to generate discoveries with meaningful implications for both people and the ecosystems they depend on.
Send Graham a welcome email.
Henry Traynor
Wildlife Technician
Henry graduated recently from the University of Georgia with bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and ecology. He will return to UGA in the fall to continue his research and pursue a master’s degree studying the impacts of building modernization on viral dynamics of bats in rural Kenya. He is also working on a project focused on the conservation of Baird’s tapir in Costa Rica.
Henry is driven by a desire to understand the hidden dynamics of ecological systems. By applying quantitative methods, he hopes to advance strategies that protect wildlife populations and ecosystems from disease.
Outside of his academic pursuits, Henry enjoys canoeing, biking, and drawing.
Leila El khargui
Wildlife Technician
Leila, who is pursuing a bachelor's degree in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Florida, is passionate about ecosystem research and biodiversity conservation. Her experience includes fieldwork with aquatic vegetation, turtles, and bats, as well as data analysis and GIS mapping through internships with the St. Johns River Water Management District, Lubee Bat Conservancy, and UF's Field and Fork Farm.
Outside of nature, Leila's hobbies include art, reading, baking, and recently, learning how to play the electric guitar and rock climb. "I can be shy at first, but I can't wait to meet you all," Leila says.
Mia Gaynor
Wildlife Technician
Mia recently graduated from West Virginia University with a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Resources. Her experience includes an internship with Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary, a nonprofit facility in central Virginia that rehabilitates injured and orphaned wildlife.
A native and lover of West Virginia, Mia looks forward to exploring more of the surrounding states and working in the natural resources field. In her free time, she can be found hiking with her dog Goober—a beagle-terrier mix—and spending time with loved ones.
Raelyn Willman
Wildlife Technician
Raelyn, who recently graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a degree in Wildlife Management, is excited to return for a second summer season with Copperhead.
Raelyn has worked with the U.S. Forest Service and the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources. She served this past year as president of EKU's The Wildlife Society chapter.
Her hobbies include reading, bird watching, hiking, and generally anything outdoors.
Connect/reconnect with Raelyn on LinkedIn, or send a welcome email.
Victoria Villanueva
Wildlife Technician
Victoria, born and raised in Nashville, recently graduated from the University of Tennessee Knoxville. She has studied and worked with a variety of animals, but she has a particular interest in bats.
Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, Victoria enjoys spending time with her Kindle, birding, and exploring new places. “I am someone who loves meeting new folks, and I am looking forward to learning from everyone!”
Send Victoria a welcome email.
Organizational Chart
Employee Directory
Barb Sargent, Wildlife Permit Coordinator,
bsargent@copperheadconsulting.com, (304) 704-7616, WV
Carrie Glover, Chief Human Resources Officer,
cglover@copperheadconsulting.com, (859) 287-0173, KY
Chris Leftwich, Principal / Chief Operating Officer,
cleftwich@copperheadconsulting.com, (859) 339-9410, KY
Chris McNees, Senior GIS Specialist,
cmcnees@copperheadconsulting.com, (859) 285-9201, KY
Dakota Hunter, Senior Wetland Scientist / Project Manager,
dhunter@copperheadconsulting.com, (603) 409-4200, VA
Drew Vankat, Senior Environmental Planner II / Project Manager,
dvankat@copperheadconsulting.com, (828) 712-4227, NC
Grace Garrity, Environmental Planner,
ggarrity@copperheadconsulting.com, (614) 753-5011, KY
Ian Burns, Wildlife Biologist II,
iburns@copperheadconsulting.com, (724) 884-3497, PA
Jacob Alexander, Wildlife Biologist,
jalexander@copperheadconsulting.com, (615) 772-4326, TN
Jaron Cooper, Forester,
jcooper@copperheadconsulting.com, (859) 992-9706, KY
Jenna Molaro, Wetland Scientist,
jmolaro@copperheadconsulting.com, (630) 329-4368, KY
Josh Groh, Forester,
jgroh@copperheadconsulting.com, (717) 675-4191, KY
Kari Buck, Ph.D., Senior Environmental Planner,
kbuck@copperheadconsulting.com, (352) 283-1075, SC
Kelsie Eshler, Wildlife Biologist III,
keshler@copperheadconsulting.com, (419) 560-3906, PA
Kim Rhodes, Environmental Planner III,
krhodes@copperheadconsulting.com, (828) 707-6911, UT
Liam Funk, Forester,
lfunk@copperheadconsulting.com, (859) 428-6804, KY
Madison McVey, Wetland Scientist,
mmcvey@copperheadconsulting.com, (859) 274-3350, KY
Malachia Evans, Wildlife Biologist II,
mevans@copperheadconsulting.com, (304) 698-0383, TN
Mark Gumbert, Principal / Chief Executive Officer,
mwgumbert@copperheadconsulting.com, (859) 619-6242, KY
Marty Marchaterre, Senior Environmental Planner II / Project Manager,
mmarchaterre@copperheadconsulting.com, (859) 684-9387, KY
Matt Huddleston, Ph.D., Principal / V.P. of Environmental Services,
mhuddleston@copperheadconsulting.com, (864) 650-5112, SC
Mike Schirmacher, Wildlife Biologist III,
mschirmacher@copperheadconsulting.com, (720) 355-4332, CO
Paul Chambers, Campus Facilities Manager,
pchambers@copperheadconsulting.com, (502) 319-4614, KY
Pete Scott, Senior Editor / Creative Lead,
pscott@copperheadconsulting.com, (317) 409-2616, KY & SC
Piper Roby, Ph.D., Senior Wildlife Biologist II / Research Director,
plroby@copperheadconsulting.com, (859) 948-4570, KY
Price Sewell, Senior Wildlife Biologist / Project Manager,
psewell@copperheadconsulting.com, (859) 338-7605, KY
Robbie Adelstein, Wildlife Biologist II,
radelstein@copperheadconsulting.com, (804) 495-7194, KY
Shea Davis, Aquatic Scientist,
sdavis@copperheadconsulting.com, (859) 339-2542, KY
Steve Samoray, Senior Wildlife Biologist / Project Manager,
ssamoray@copperheadconsulting.com, (615) 542-1000, TN
Taylor Culbertson, GIS Specialist II,
tculbertson@copperheadconsulting.com, (859) 583-7014, KY
Tiffany Hough, Wildlife Biologist,
though@copperheadconsulting.com, (571) 477-5682, KY
Vicky Abrams, Chief Financial Officer,
vabrams@copperheadconsulting.com, (859) 200-6416, KY
Will Seiter, Wildlife Biologist II,
wseiter@copperheadconsulting.com, (859) 992-5218, KY
Wynter Monjarez, GIS Specialist,
wmonjarez@copperheadconsulting.com, (608) 322-2293, KY
Zachary Baer, Senior Wildlife Biologist / Project Manager,
zbaer@copperheadconsulting.com, (724) 549-6739, PA
Zoe Povilaika, Wetland Scientist,
zpovilaika@copperheadconsulting.com, (607) 661-3833, VA
More Information
Contact Carrie Glover
Chief Human Resources Officer
(859) 287-0173
Our Mission
To provide exceptional service and expertise driven by a passion for the natural world.