Public Lands

A hiking trail in the mountains

We work across a wide range of public lands, from national forests and state parks to conservation areas and trail networks. Outdoor recreation is a key focus, but our expertise goes deeper‑-addressing land use planning, forest health, climate adaptation, and sustainable resource management.

As climate change and population growth reshape the way we interact with these vital landscapes, we help ensure public lands are thoughtfully developed and managed with a focus on balance, resilience, and long-term sustainability. Drawing on decades of experience in environmental planning, permitting, and landscape architecture, we engage communities, tribes, agencies, and land managers in a collaborative process that brings everyone to the table. Together, we navigate complex regulations, protect natural resources, and create lasting solutions that reflect both the environmental and human values tied to these landscapes.

Whether we are designing campgrounds or evaluating forest health and wildfire risk, our approach is built on fostering connections--to the land, between stakeholders, and within communities-- ensuring public lands continue to thrive for generations to come.

Our work includes

  • Environmental compliance at every stage of your project: feasibility and risk assessments, alternatives analysis, public outreach, NEPA process management and documentation, and permitting.
  • Forest health and fuels assessments to lower wildfire risk and protect communities through stand improvement thinning, fuel reduction treatments, prescribed burning, ecosystem restoration, habitat enhancement, and coordination with interest groups, communities, and local governments.
  • Planning, design, and management of state parks.
  • National Forest recreation planning including campground design, trail system development and rehabilitation, capacity analyses, and recreation experience evaluations.
  • Geographic Information Systems (GIS), cartography, and visual simulations and renderings.

Why us?

We understand the unique aspects of working in public lands at the unique confluence of regulatory protections, resource management, competing needs of various stakeholders, and creating access to beautiful public spaces while maintaining environmental stewardship of these sensitive ecosystems.

We bring a collaborative approach, credibility, and expertise to every project. We can anticipate common issues that occur throughout the planning process but can also partner with our clients to approach new challenges in an ever-evolving environmental, political, and social landscape.

The following are at the core of our approach:

  • Strategic thinking, planning, and the ability to perceive many steps ahead.
  • A thorough understanding of the NEPA process
  • Deep and trusted relationships with agencies and communities
  • Confident, effective, and efficient handling of the public participation process
  • Open, honest dialogue among all parties

65 Years Experience

Vision that’s Rooted in Strategy

3,000 Projects and Counting

Testimonials Don't just take our word for it

Awards

Partnership of the Year, Regional Forester Awards 

North Yuba Forest Partnership 

A person on a bike on a trail

Let’s start bringing your vision to life

Portrait of Mark Kane
A selfie of Mark Kane

Mark Kane

Managing Director, Communities & Public Lands

Broad-based strategist. Shrewd tactician. Inventive community builder.

Mark helps communities defined by outdoor recreation, the rural lifestyle, and tourism unlock and maximize economic, environmental, aesthetic, and recreational character—and potential—through community and land use planning, regulatory tools and regional cooperation. Mark brings together deep community planning expertise, an intuitive and informed understanding of how to bring together diverse communities for long-term consensus and gain, and a profound commitment to helping small communities find, articulate, tap into, and retain what makes them special. 

Experience

He brings over 30 years of experience in land use planning and analysis to the SE Group team. Mark is active in the American Planning Association and continues to learn and grow his understanding of how tourism and outdoor recreation influence communities and how they can be empowered to chart a path that fits them.  

As managing director, Mark relishes in his team's power – building deep relationships with them and supporting their professional development and growth. Mark believes that passing on what we learn is the primary role of a good leader, and he works each day to do that.

Mark has a Bachelor of Science from the School of Natural Resources – Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont. 

Expertise

  • Regional and land use planning
  • Tourism and outdoor recreation impacts in rural places
  • Land use regulations and development analysis
  • Geographic information systems and visualization 

Outside the Office

Despite his advancing age, Mark continues to celebrate his status as a 21st century "nerd"—enjoying all the outdoor splendor (hike, bike, Nordic ski) that New England offers while always being down for a game of Catan, listening to podcasts on quantum entanglement or getting lost in books on artificial intelligence. He loves to garden, particularly vegetables, which, upon harvest, he cooks into something yummy. Mark splits his time between a 1830s restored farmhouse he and his artist wife have spent nearly 30 years fixing up and a recently acquired small seasonal cottage on Lake Champlain where summers are spent enjoying the water, family, and friends.  

Portrait of Travis Beck
Travis Beck on a mountain

Travis Beck

Managing Director, Mountain Resorts & Public Lands

"What can we provide to this project to set it apart?" Travis asks this question of himself and his team at every stage to constantly challenge the status quo and improve the results of all processes and projects with which he is involved. 

Travis is the Managing Director for SE Group’s Public Lands and Mountain Resorts market sectors and previously led the Environmental Planning and Permitting team at SE Group. With an accomplished background in federal permitting, Travis has managed or directed dozens of EISs and EAs over his 20+ years at SE Group. Complimenting his policy credentials, and through his leadership as the Board Chair for the Breckenridge Tourism Office, Travis studies and appreciates the complex relationship between the drive for outdoor recreation tourism and the management of quality of life and place. 

Always looking to tackle complex projects and processes, Travis strives for collaboration, engagement, and innovation amongst his team and external partners. Managing Service Areas across the market allows him to create effective multi-disciplinary project teams to best meet the needs of our clients and push our project teams to new standards.

Experience

Travis’s work with public lands and mountain resorts has been recognized multiple times with the Forest Service, having earned a Regional Forester’s Award and a Chief’s Award for innovative strategies. His management experience includes projects with Forest Service and BLM managed lands, mountain resorts and ski areas, multiple-use trail networks, bike parks, and land exchanges. With a background in environmental science and policy, Travis specializes in managing large -and often controversial - land management projects. 

Travis has a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from The University of Kansas. He has served as a board member for several organizations around Summit County.

Expertise

  • Strategic NEPA compliance
  • Endangered Species Act – Section 7
  • Recreation tourism 
  • Master planning
  • Public engagement

Outside the Office

Travis appreciates abutting the National Forest at his home outside of Breckenridge and enjoying the beauty and recreation of his mountain community. He also really loves his flowers that only grow four months out of the year!

Portrait of Ashley Smith
Ashley Smith on a glacier

Ashley Smith

Associate Director, Environmental Planning & Permitting

A highly committed and incisive project manager, Ash excels while working on and managing large-scale and complex projects. Specializing in NEPA, her experience, insight, and enthusiasm allow her to efficiently navigate projects and clients through today’s complicated regulatory environment. Ash thrives on finding the right solutions for the challenges of our projects. She takes particular pride in getting the job done accurately and on time—enabling our clients to move forward with their project goals. 

Experience

Joining SE Group in 2016, Ash brings nearly 20 years of experience in the field of environmental permitting and planning in a wide range of planning sectors including Forest Health and Fire Management, Recreation, and Utilities. She has successfully managed and authored environmental analyses throughout the Rocky Mountain, Southwest, Pacific Southwest, Northwest, and Northeast regions.

Ash has a Master of Science in Watershed Science and Management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a Bachelor of Science in Geology and Environmental Science from Smith College. 

Expertise

  • Large-scale Project Management
  • Ecosystem Resilience and Restoration
  • National Environmental Policy Act Process Management 

Outside the Office

As a military kid, Ash grew up throughout the States as well as internationally. She spent her early years backpacking on the Olympic Peninsula, the Adirondacks, and White Mountains, as well as the Bavarian and Austrian Alps. Today, Ash and her husband can be found exploring the Rocky Mountains, taking day hikes or playing in the snow with their three daughters. 

Portrait of Gabby Voeller
Gabby Voeller biking

Gabby Voeller

AICP
Senior Associate, Community Planning

Gabby is the Service Area Leader for our Communities market and is the Recreation Planning Service Area leader within the Public Lands market.  Essentially this means she leads the community planning focused projects across the company and manages recreation planning projects on public lands throughout the northeast and mountain west.

She is passionate about helping clients solve complex problems facing their communities. Her approach is to craft strategic and broad-based engagement strategies that bring the right people to the table to work together. She applies technical, analytical, as well as soft and consensus-building skills to all aspects of community planning. Gabby approaches projects with a mind geared toward seeking out innovative and engaging solutions that move communities closer towards their vision and goals. 

Experience

Gabby brings over 10 years of experience working with rural communities in New England and the Mountain West. She has led many award-winning teams on comprehensive and subarea master plans.  She is an expert at helping rural communities face difficult challenges, particularly those related to affordable housing, growth and development, retaining community character, and enhancing outdoor recreation economies.  Her recreation work includes creating trails and open space plans for municipalities, non-profits, and multi-jurisdictional projects on federal and state lands.  She has also contributed to multi-modal transportation and streetscape design projects and helped developers through the permitting process for residential and mixed-use projects in mountain and resort communities.  

Gabby is AICP certified and has a Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Bates College. 

Expertise

  • Community Planning
  • Affordable Housing
  • Zoning and Permitting
  • Trails and Recreation Planning
  • Transportation Planning
  • Spatial Analysis + Land Use Modeling
  • Community and Stakeholder Engagement 

Outside the Office

Gabby likes to spend her free time with her family skiing, running, and biking the trails and mountains surrounding Leadville. Inspired by her young daughters, she recently completed the Leadville 100 mountain bike race. She is the chair of the City of Leadville Planning Commission and on the Leadville-Lake County Tourism Panel. She has an old hound dog and an even older 1880s Victorian house.    

Portrait of Patrick Olstad
Patrick riding bike in desert wearing orange pants and black jacket with a blue sky

Patrick Olstad

PLA, ASLA, LEED AP
Senior Associate, Landscape Architecture

With a sensitivity to the uniqueness of place, Patrick seeks to create spaces that are both functional and aesthetically inspiring. He has a strong artistic sensibility for materials and forms that are expressed through custom design details. Additionally, as a LEED accredited professional, Patrick finds opportunities to integrate ecological and low-impact design strategies into each project’s aesthetic. With his affable demeanor, he easily develops strong client relationships that are enriched through collaboration—knowing that the best project outcomes come about when multiple perspectives are incorporated into the design and planning process.

Experience

Patrick is a licensed landscape architect with over 20 years of experience with a variety of project types spanning multiple scales. He has demonstrated success leading multi-disciplinary project teams from the conceptual design stage through permitting to construction with a great attention to detail.

Patrick has a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture (Magna cum laude) from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and spent a formative year abroad studying landscape architecture at the Agricultural University of Norway. Patrick’s work has received recognition through multiple awards, and he has been a featured speaker for the Vermont Urban and Community Forestry Tree Stewards Conference.

Expertise

Master planning
Site planning and design
Public process
Aesthetic analysis

Outside the Office

Patrick grew up in California, and some of his best memories are from visits to his family’s cabin near Lake Tahoe where he first developed a passion for outdoor recreation. An avid mountain biker, he seeks out technical single track and enjoys building trails for his two young boys on their property in the Green Mountains of central Vermont. When seeking a break from rural living, Patrick and his wife enjoy retreats to nearby Montreal to explore the city by bike, soak up the local culture, and discover new foods.

Portrait of Dayton Crites
Dayton Crites on his bike

Dayton Crites

AICP
Senior Associate, Recreation Planning

Dayton is a creative and strategic planner. He leads multidisciplinary teams to build plans that illustrate and articulate community and client visions. As a visual thinker, Dayton constantly strives to make the complex clear, and develop plans that foster collaboration and guide implementation. 

Experience

Trained as a landscape architect and practicing as a planner, Dayton brings multidisciplinary thinking to all his projects. This has resulted in physical trail networks and nationally recognized plans alike. His experience overseeing the development of community bike parks, designing trail systems at ski resorts, and building better streets for human scale transportation make him feel lucky to have the career he does.

Dayton is a certified planner by the American Planning Association. He holds a Master of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning degree from Utah State University. His official undergraduate degree is in Psychology from UC Santa Cruz, but his unofficial degree was in mountain biking. 

Expertise

  • Urban Design
  • Active Transportation Planning
  • Trails Planning
  • GIS Analysis & Cartography
  • Community Master Planning 

Outside the Office

Dayton grew up between California, Texas, and Utah, and chose to relocate his family to Vermont in 2019. You can find him throughout the Green Mountains stringing together lost roads and flow trails into all day adventures on his bike or teaching his children to ski the east. A passionate believer in outdoor spaces, he’s always looking for an opportunity to be inspired and share that inspiration with others. 

Portrait of Hannah Loope
Hannah Loope in the snow with her dog

Hannah Loope

PLA, ASLA
Associate Landscape Architect

Intent on revealing each site’s intrinsic qualities, Hannah enjoys translating site-specific challenges into design solutions and observing how spaces evolve over time. Her nimble graphics and technical knowledge bring her projects to life, whether in public outreach, concept and detailed documentation, or implementation.  Hannah often communicates with a sketch and a smile – and an exclamation point!  Her ideal project is built work that forges an emotional connection between people and places.

Experience

An experienced designer and project manager, Hannah has worked on a wide range of project types - ranging from urban riverfronts to riparian restoration projects.  She is dedicated to designing for ecological diversity, community resiliency and creating inclusive spaces for all.

Hannah holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of Nebraska.  She practiced landscape architecture in Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Vermont prior to her work at SE Group. 

Expertise

  • Site Planning & Design
  • Construction Documentation & Administration
  • Graphic Representation
  • Recreation Planning, Design & Management

Outside the Office

Whether it’s returning to the wilds of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, camping or canoeing in the East, or traveling to new cities, Hannah seeks out places to absorb the colors and sounds of the landscapes she inhabits.  In her free time, you can find her paddling on the Winooski River with her husband and young kids, biking, gardening, and cooking with whatever ingredients she can forage. 

Portrait of Ayden Eickhoff
Ayden Eickhoff on a mountain

Ayden Eickhoff

Associate Community & Recreation Planner

Ayden provides support to a wide variety of recreation and community planning projects. She enjoys navigating complex project processes in coordination with the client and planning team, ensuring that all parties are able to contribute effectively to project outcomes. Core to her work ethic is a commitment to distilling information into concise and helpful formats with an eye towards context and clarity. 

Experience

Ayden joined SE Group in 2019 with an academic background in Environmental Studies, Politics, and Earth Science. As a student, Ayden was particularly interested in the complex communication needs surrounding environmental risks and hazards, which translated well to her work researching and implementing municipal environmental and fiscal policies. Ayden brings strong engagement, communication, and analysis capabilities to all aspects of SE Group projects.

Ayden has a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from Bates College. 

Expertise

  • Project Management
  • Community Engagement and Facilitation
  • Recreation Planning
  • Design & Communication

Outside the Office

Ayden enjoys exploring the endless trails and unique landscapes of Colorado on skis, foot, and bike. She is also a spirited trivia-goer who tries never to miss an opportunity to learn new fun facts! 

Portrait of Brad Potter
Brad Potter hiking

Brad Potter

Associate Community & Recreation Planner

Brad is an experienced and passionate community and outdoor recreation planner, dedicated to creating vibrant, well-designed public spaces that enrich lives and foster a sense of belonging within communities and the natural environment. With a diverse background in planning and a deep appreciation for the outdoors, his commitment to promoting recreation, wellness, and social cohesion is evident. Brad’s enduring passion lies in protecting and enhancing the unique qualities of regions for future generations.

Experience

Brad joined the SE team in the summer of 2023, bringing with him a strong background in the public sector as a planner and GIS analyst for parks and open spaces departments around the four-corners region. During this time, he specialized the conservation of ecological systems and urban spaces, striking a balance between developing recreational opportunities and safeguarding the environment.

Brad earned a Master’s in City & Metropolitan Planning from the University of Utah, along with a BA degree in Environmental Studies and a GIS Certificate from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.

Expertise

  • Park & Open Space Planning
  • Recreation Planning & Management
  • GIS & Spatial Analysis
  • Community Engagement

Outside the Office

Brad spends his free time mountain biking, backcountry skiing, climbing, and intentionally getting lost in the wilderness. It’s no surprise that Brad is an avid collector of maps, as they are displayed across his walls as one-of-a-kind art. When Brad is not adventuring outside with his trusty four-legged companion, Mesa, he is tending to his worm compost and many house plants. The outdoors is Brad’s safe haven, and he loves sharing his genuine curiosity and passion on the open trail.

Portrait of Catherine Winnop
Catherine Winnop with her bike

Catherine Winnop

Associate Environmental Analyst & Planner

With foundations in environmental sciences and ecology, Catherine possesses a passion for understanding the interactions communities have with their environment. An insightful go-getter, she is committed to helping create an environment where a community is able to recreate responsibly. As an analyst and planner, she loves complex projects and finds fulfillment working collaboratively with individuals. 

Experience

Catherine’s extensive fieldwork experience and academic background provide a strong base, preparing her for the broad scope of the SE Group’s work. From monitoring water quality for the state of Wyoming to studying alpine ecosystems and climate change in Chamonix, France, Catherine has gained a strong foundation in collaborative decision making, wilderness designation processes, natural resource monitoring, climate change processes, alpine ecosystems, conservation measures, and NEPA processes.

Catherine has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Systems Science and Environment and Natural Resources with a minor in Honors from the University of Wyoming.

Expertise

  • Environmental Analysis
  • The Wilderness Act
  • Collaborative Decision Making
  • Climate Change 

Outside of the Office

No matter where she is in the Western U.S. Catherine can be found taking advantage of the vast recreational opportunities. During the summer months she is either grinding down single track on her mountain bike or jumping into a nearby swimming hole. Catherine’s winter sport of choice is figure skating, spending most of her weekends and afternoons coaching and practicing her moves at her local ice rink.  

One of her favorite hobbies, however, is doing woodworking projects. She also loves a long days’ worth of yard work, a good ice cream cone, or a park picnic! 

Portrait of Melanie McKenzie
Melanie McKenzie climbing

Melanie McKenzie

Associate Environmental Analyst & Planner

A city kid who loves the outdoors, Melanie is fascinated by the intersection between the built and natural environments. In her role, she pays close attention to detail and seeks innovative solutions to complex challenges. She is dedicated to creating accessible recreational opportunities so that more people can appreciate the outdoors. With her interdisciplinary background, she is able to see problems from many perspectives, enabling her to be a strong leader and community builder. 

Experience

Melanie joined SE Group in 2021 with a background in the natural and social sciences. Having served as a researcher on several teams, she has conducted research proposals, data and mapping analyses, and technical reports for various projects. She built her environmental knowledge as an undergraduate through air quality, transportation, waste management, and building efficiency analyses. Her five years of experience as an outdoor leader and ski instructor provides her with a strong grasp on the importance of recreation and community planning.

Melanie has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Davidson College. 

Expertise

  • Environmental Analysis
  • Geographic Information Systems
  • Technical Writing & Research
  • Community Engagement

Outside the Office

A resident of Boulder, Colorado, Melanie spends much of her time immersed in the Rocky Mountains climbing, skiing, or mountain biking, and also enjoys indulging in the food, music, and art offerings in Boulder and Denver. Having grown up in New York City, she appreciates (and fully leans into) living in a juxtaposition of city and mountain lifestyles, with access to concerts and restaurants right next to legendary recreational opportunities. At home, she likes to share meals with friends, play music, paint, and/or tend to her home garden, which she is working on expanding. 

Portrait of Ida Williams
A portrait of Ida Williams

Idalina Williams

Associate Recreation Planner

Idalina Williams, an Outdoor Recreation Planner, brings expertise in community development, tourism, natural resource management, and environmental education. Celebrated for her ability to foster effective partnerships and drive economic growth, Idalina integrates outdoor recreation with community prosperity. With a commitment to pragmatism she consistently delivers tangible improvements for both people and places.

Experience

Experience supporting projects from concept through implementation, serving as a project manager and building capacity at various scales, including town, county, city, and regional levels in Southwest Virginia. Serving as a Naturalist at the Walker Nature Center in Reston VA, as an Interpretive Ranger at Natural Tunnel State Park and even chief shovel operator as a kid for her family’s site planning firm. All these experiences have at their core service to people and place. 

Expertise

  • Facilitates effective partnerships to drive economic development
  • Develop forward-thinking inclusive outdoor recreational spaces
  • Brings a multi-dimensional perspective to project management
  • Boots on the ground partnership development experience making connections across divers sectors

Outside of work 

Depending on the season you can find Idalina exploring the Clinch River, playing volleyball or working on her Virginia homestead and tending to goats, chickens, and flower and vegetable gardens with her husband. 

Portrait of Tucker Gordon
A person skiing through trees

Tucker Gordon

Associate Environmental Analyst & Planner

Tucker is an experienced environmental planner and project manager who enjoys working on complex and impactful projects. He enjoys working at the intersection of outdoor recreation and environmental planning and permitting, two worlds that he is passionate about. Tucker prides himself on his problem solving skills, dedication to his work, and ability to deliver results for clients.

Experience

Tucker joined SE Group in 2024 with 5+ years of experience in the environmental consulting arena at an engineering firm based in northern New Hampshire. Tucker’s experience includes managing projects, NEPA process and documentation, state and federal environmental permitting, technical report generation, and environmental field work. Tucker has a Bachelor of Arts in Earth & Planetary Science from Johns Hopkins University and is a New Hampshire Certified Wetland Scientist (CWS).

Expertise 

  • Project management
  • NEPA process and documentation
  • Environmental permitting and compliance
  • Regulatory agency coordination and public involvement facilitation
  • Natural resource inventory and evaluation

Outside the office

Living in North Conway, New Hampshire with his wife, son, and black lab Sawyer; Tucker enjoys everything that the Mount Washington Valley has to offer. Tucker grew up ski racing at Pleasant Mountain in western Maine and you can find him on skis (either touring, alpine, or cross-country) most days of the winter. When the snow melts; Tucker enjoys mountain biking, hiking with his family, floating down the Saco River, and live music at local breweries. Tucker also enjoys spending time in the kitchen or at the grill cooking.

Amanda Biedermann headshot
Amanda with her dog Bridget

Amanda Biedermann

Associate Environmental Analyst & Planner

Amanda is a detail-oriented, attentive, and driven project manager with a deep passion for the outdoors and public lands. Amanda finds satisfaction in helping clients navigate the complexities of the NEPA process while balancing the competing interests of stakeholders and invested parties. Amanda strongly believes that clear communication and respect are the cornerstones of success and key to building trust with communities.

 

Experience 

Amanda joined SE Group in March 2024 and contributes a strong educational background in natural resources and environmental law and policy, as well as a broad range of experience working at the federal and state level in natural resources management and planning. Prior to SE Group, Amanda worked at a consulting firm in Colorado focused on recreation area management, national monument management, and wildlife management across Colorado and the western United States. Amanda is also well-versed in public engagement and has planned and facilitated numerous public meetings for a range of complex and controversial projects. 

Amanda has a Juris Doctorate with a Certificate in Natural Resources and Environmental Policy from the University of Colorado Law School and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Baylor University.

 

Areas of Expertise

  • Project Management
  • Environmental Policy + Analysis
  • Technical Writing & Research
  • Public Engagement and Facilitation

 

Outside the Office

Amanda loves participating in various Colorado outdoor activities year-round. During the summer, you can find her hiking and camping with her rescue mutt Bridget and working on her wildflower identification skills, while in the winter you can find her snowshoeing in the Indian Peaks Wilderness and winter birding in the foothills around Boulder. She also enjoys volunteering for Community Fruit Rescue, a non-profit organization focused on harvesting excess fruit from fruit trees in Boulder to reduce food waste and minimize wildlife conflicts. She is passionate about travel, whether locally or abroad, and finds great excitement in seeing new sights and trying out new foods while on her travels. Her favorite travel destinations so far are Peru and Croatia.

Portrait of Julia Randall
Julia Randall on a frozen lake

Julia Randall

Associate Community & Recreation Planner

Full of curiosity, Julia loves getting to know the communities she works in and enjoys the challenge of building consensus among stakeholder groups. With every project, Julia seeks to develop innovative land use and policy solutions that reflect a community’s values, build resiliency, and improve overall quality of life. Julia’s considerable skill as a writer and passion for sustainable, inclusive recreation make her an asset to any project team.

Experience

Julia joined the SE Group team in 2020 after working for two environmental advocacy organizations focused on conservation and water quality in her home region of upstate New York. Her interest in planning and in rural communities began in the Adirondack Park, a six-million-acre patchwork of public and private lands protected by New York State’s constitution. Prior to joining SE Group, Julia studied recreation and tourism internationally and close to home – she completed a research fellowship on ecotourism in Thailand, and she has produced two reports analyzing visitor use management in the Adirondack High Peaks. Julia currently serves on the City of Burlington Planning Commission.
Julia holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Williams College.

Expertise

  • Technical Writing & Research
  • Community Engagement & Visioning
  • Policy Analysis

Outside the Office

The classic divide between urban and rural life has always been captivating and confounding to Julia, who loves both the vibrancy of cities and the stillness of the woods. She is delighted that her life in Vermont — and her work as a community planner — allows her to enjoy both landscapes and ways of life. Outside the office, Julia can usually be found exploring Burlington’s waterfront and urban reserves or writing music that approximately three people will ever hear.

Portrait of Elena Juodisius
Elena Juodisius on a frozen lake

Elena Juodisius

ASLA
Landscape Designer

As a landscape designer, Elena works on a wide range of projects, from site-responsive planting plans and construction details to helping communities understand and visualize the potential of places. Passionate about connecting people to the natural world in balanced and meaningful ways, Elena brings her creative and detail-oriented problem solving to every project.

Experience

Elena’s background includes ecological inventory and design, working in design-build creating intimate spaces, and community engagement in design-thinking. This interdisciplinary expertise allows Elena to make thoughtful contributions across project scales and phases.

Elena holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science with a minor in Art from Allegheny College and a Master’s of Landscape Architecture from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. She is active in the Vermont Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

Expertise

  • Site Planning and Design
  • Graphic Representation
  • Ecological Design
  • Community Visioning

Outside the Office

A plant enthusiast, Elena can be found tending her small garden, identifying trees, or snacking on berries along the side of the trail. Elena is always seeking to learn more, so she loves dabbling in new crafts (recently printmaking), instruments (accordion) and finding ways to connect with her community.

Portrait of Hallie Miller
Hallie Miller skiing

Hallie Miller

Landscape Designer

Hallie is a landscape designer based in Colorado. Her projects focus on promoting local ecology and human scale site design. She brings a passion for working in rural communities and engaging people with the psychological benefits and joy of nature and outdoor recreation.

Experience

Hallie thrives in the space of conceptualizing an idea and bringing together a narrative that helps serve as the backbone as projects move from conceptual to a physical design. She has experience working on residential, affordable housing and public space projects in Colorado. Hallie received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from SUNY Geneseo with a Major in Psychology and Minor in Studio Art. She then went on to receive her Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA.

Expertise

  • Site Planning and Design
  • Graphic Representation
  • Community Engagement

Outside the Office

Hallie grew up in beautiful Western, NY where her love of cold snowy winters and skiing was born. This love of winter eventually brought her out to Colorado. Hallie loves to engage with her community and the outdoors which fortunately for her are one in the same! When Hallie isn’t running, biking, hiking or skiing, you can find her attempting crafts like sewing or dying, or perhaps in a pair of overalls working at one of her local farms.

Portrait of Claire Gomba
A selfie of Claire Gomba

Claire Gomba

Environmental Analyst & Planner

Claire is an analytical problem solver, eager to understand and improve our built environment. She is quick to find patterns in data and look for the meaning—the “why”—behind numbers and spatial information. She pays close attention to detail, while still considering a systems approach (“seeing the forest among the trees”) as she faces a new challenge. She cares deeply about enhancing the ecological health of the landscapes we call home and promoting equitable access to the outdoors.

Experience 

Claire joined SE Group in 2022 and contributes a mixed educational and professional background. She has field-based experience in parks planning, trail design and stewardship, and ecotourism marketing, as well as two years of project experience in multimodal transportation planning.

Claire has a joint Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Geography from Middlebury College. She is a credentialed Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP).

Expertise 

  • Environmental Policy + Analysis
  • Technical Writing
  • GIS Spatial Analysis + Modeling
  • Transportation + Community Planning

Outside the Office

Claire lives her life aiming for maximal aliveness—or, making the most of every moment. Some of her (current) favorite ways to go about this include: running up, down, and around Colorado’s trails; scrambling scree, searching for alpine lakes; mountain adventures on snowshoes or skis; delighting in dappled sunlight and turning leaves; and frenzied (yet focused) kitchen experimentation.

Portrait of Margaret Carlin
Margaret Carlin on a snow tube

Margaret Carlin

Landscape Designer

Margaret is passionate about designing and developing shared spaces that anchor communities. This was instilled during her upbringing in Alabama, where she witnessed just how important these places were to people’s mental and physical health (no matter their background). On projects, Margaret is dedicated to helping her team succeed – and she is equally happy to jump into hyper-technical problem solving or step back to wrestle with big, conceptual questions. 

Experience

Margaret joined SE Group in 2022 with experience in solving social and environmental problems through design.  Margaret has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design with a minor in Philanthropy and Non-Profit Studies and a Master of Landscape Architecture from Auburn University. During her capstone at Auburn, Margaret led a design process that reimagined an old mill site outside of Auburn as a multi-use recreational and camping facility. 

Expertise 

  • Site Planning and Design
  • 3D Visualization and Graphic Representation
  • Community Engagement 

Outside the office

Margaret grew up on the Alabama coast, where she spent summers on the water, fishing and making the most of the coastline. Family is a big part of her life and she relishes any time with them, whether that is taking in Mardi Gras or cheering on Auburn football! Margaret recently moved to Burlington, Vermont and she is excited to enjoy all that winter has to offer (or, to keep learning to crochet while it’s below freezing). 

Portrait of Austin Novak
Austin Novak on a boat

Austin Novak

Cartographer & GIS Analyst

Austin is a natural spatial thinker and strong visual communicator. He brings a unique element of expertise to every project and provides detailed support for cross-company mapping. Leveraging his understanding of aesthetics and skill for creative design, he offers a user-oriented approach to a diverse range of spatial products, often helping to streamline and elevate the mapping done by many of his colleagues.

Experience

Austin creates compelling visual stories, transforming data and narratives into inspiring designs that are both meaningful and purposeful. His work focuses on the intersection between people and nature. He partners with our team on outdoor recreation, community planning, environmental, and landscape design projects, bringing his expertise and thoughtfulness to every step in the planning and design process. Austin has a Bachelor of Science in Cartography and GIS, as well as People-Environment Geography, from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Expertise

  • Cartographic Design
  • Visual Storytelling and Graphics
  • Interactive Mapping
  • GIS Analysis

Outside the Office

A creative minded and easy-going type, Austin finds joy in many artistic ventures, including painting, film photography, and making music with his guitar. He loves a hot cup of tea and finds peace relaxing among plants, both in the garden and inside his cozily decorated houseplant haven. After earning his sea-legs on the lakes of Wisconsin, Austin enjoys getting out on sailboats and convincing his crew to passionately sing sea shanties.

Portrait of Caleb Schmitz
Caleb Schmitz with his bike

Caleb Schmitz

Community & Recreation Planner

Driven by the core value of community, Caleb approaches planning as an opportunity to develop places that reflect the aspirational values of togetherness, access to nature, and social inclusion. Half designer and half analyst, he is a ‘place-maker’ dedicated to the informed and artful creation of unique settings that bring people together and contribute to human health and happiness. Always on the cutting edge of new technology, Caleb brings a background in design and spatial analytics that helps him deliver data-driven and beautiful results to clients on a variety of community planning projects.

Experience

Caleb joined SE Group in 2023, bringing a background in hazard resilience planning after working with the Colorado Department of Transportation and conducting research in partnership with the University of Colorado’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

With a bachelor’s degree in sustainable planning and urban design, and a certificate in GIS and computational science, Caleb’s background as a planner is diverse and interdisciplinary. Having held several leadership positions in the College of Environmental Design at CU Boulder, Caleb has experience being a compassionate leader and clear communicator while working with different people coming from diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Expertise

  • Comprehensive Planning
  • Urban Design
  • Spatial Analysis & Data Visualization
  • Resilience Planning
  • Community Engagement

Outside the Office

Caleb spends most of his spare time with friends and family enjoying all the benefits of living in Colorado, whether it be hiking, skiing, mountain biking, camping, or going to concerts at Red Rocks. He also appreciates the virtues of more urban environments and loves to travel, go to shows, try new foods, and walk around exploring new cities and cultures. From time to time, you might see Caleb working on murals around town or painting in his art studio, where he finds another creative outlet away from the world of urban planning and design.

Portrait of Jake Van Deursen
A photo of Jake Van Deursen on a mountain

Jake Van Deursen

CF
Environmental Analyst & Planner

Jake draws from a broad environmental background in forestry, recreation resource management, ecology, climatology, and economics. He relies on field observation and personal engagement to address a variety of project specific values and understand place specific natural resource concerns. He acknowledges that communities play an integral role in the management of ecological systems and finds inspiration in the critical balance between expanding recreation opportunities and protecting wild landscapes.

Experience

Before joining SE Group, Jake worked in forestry research and consulting in Burlington, VT and recreation resource management in Logan, UT. He received a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Economics from St. Lawrence University, and a M.S. in Ecology from Utah State University. His graduate research explored the management and planning implications connected to spatial distribution and dispersal patterns of recreation behavior and associated impacts on soil substrate, vegetation, and water resources. Jake has published recreation-climate change research in the Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies and has two recreation-ecology articles pending publication in the Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, and the Journal of Applied Geography.

Expertise

  • Technical writing and research
  • Field forestry and public engagement
  • Spatial data analysis and GIS

Outside the Office

Raised in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest, Jake grew up ski racing at Attitash Mountain and spring skiing on Mt. Washington. Although he moved out west for graduate school, he has been enjoying deep snow in the Wasatch backcountry and skiing on and off-piste all over Snowbird Mountain. If the season doesn’t provide any opportunities on-snow, Jake can be found mountain biking, hiking, fly fishing and duck hunting.

Portrait of Belle Crocco
Belle Crocco skiing

Belle Crocco

Environmental Analyst & Planner

Belle is a dedicated environmental analyst and planner who is passionate about enhancing the interconnection of recreation and nature. Belle brings a fresh perspective to the field, and her eagerness to embrace new ideas enables her to navigate complex issues and be attuned to the dynamic nature of modern challenges. With an interdisciplinary background and deep-seated curiosity, she continually seeks innovative ways to promote outdoor enjoyment while upholding environmental value.

Experience

Belle specializes in environmental planning and analysis. A young professional with a vibrant outlook, Belle’s passion lies in making outdoor recreation not just enjoyable but unforgettable. Her background in environmental consulting and communications equips her with a strong foundation in understanding the intricacies of environmental projects and conveying complex concepts. Her effective science research skills allow her to delve into complex projects with a fresh perspective. Belle is a recent graduate from CU Boulder with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and a minor in Business.

Expertise

  • Environmental Analysis
  • Technical writing
  • Public Outreach

Outside the Office

Belle’s love for the environment is not confined to her professional life. Raised in New England and currently residing in Colorado, she is often found hiking, skiing, or adventuring from the picturesque shorelines of Connecticut to the majestic flatirons of Boulder. Belle’s interests extend beyond the great outdoors–as a dedicated food enthusiast, she constantly seeks new recipes to experiment with and explore. With a genuine sense of wanderlust, she enjoys exploring new destinations and indulging in travel and adventure.

Portrait of Riley Dockendorff
Riley Dockendorff fishing

Riley Dockendorff

Landscape Designer

Riley is passionate about designing outdoor recreation spaces that bring people together – he believes there is something unique about how outdoor spaces create a space for developing special connections. Riley brings this enthusiasm to the Design team, where he takes pride in producing high quality graphics and developing site planning strategies that encourage people to find their place in the balance between nature and the built environment. 

Experience

Riley joined SE Group in 2024 with previous experience in public park design in Colorado. He strives to incorporate what he learned in urban planning, as well as his upbringing in Chicago, and to his team’s diverse skill set.
Riley received his Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Degree with a Minor in Sustainability from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. 

Expertise

  • Site Planning and Design
  • Conceptual Thinking and Collaboration
  • Construction Documentation
  • 3D Visualization and Graphic Representation

Outside the Office

Riley grew up learning to mountain bike and ski with his dad in the Midwest, having hopes that one day he would make it out to the Rocky Mountains to put these skills to the test. Now that he is living that dream and settled in Colorado, Riley spends most of his free time outdoors skiing, biking, camping, hiking, climbing - and of course fishing when he needs to ‘slow’ things down. When he isn’t outside, Riley loves to create memories with his friends and continue to develop his skills in the kitchen.