Staff

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Jason Johns

Lead Scientist

Dr. Jason Johns holds a PhD in plant genetics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Master's of Science from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He is lead scientist at UFI, where he focuses on urban tree suitability, and a postdoctoral researcher at One People One Reef where he focuses on fisheries health. 

A woman standing on a metal pathway in a forested area with tall trees around her. She is smiling, wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans, sunglasses on her head, and a smartwatch on her left wrist. A black bag hangs from her shoulder.

Camille Pawlak

Staff Scientist

Cami Pawlak is a PhD candidate in Geography at University of California, Los Angles and a research scientist at UFI. She is a biogeographer with interests in urban forestry, remote sensing, and geospatial information systems. Her research is focused on how to utilize remote sensing technology and large datasets to manage and track patterns in California's urban forests.

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Reed Kenny

Postdoctoral Researcher

Dr. Reed Kenny holds a PhD in Ecology and Evolution from the University of California Davis and a Master's of Science from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He is a postdoctoral researcher at UFI where he is focuses on the impacts of landscape level fire on California's urban forest.

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May Reid-Marr

Program Manager

May Reid-Marr manages UFI projects grants management, grant reporting, grant writing, research, project coordination, and general administration. She holds a masters  in applied design and is interested in the ways designing urban forests better can cultivate community stewardship. 

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Jake Jackson

Education and Outreach Coordinator

Jake Jackson is a Master's candidate in Biology at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he also earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He has a background in Restoration Ecology and Botany on the Central Coast. In his role at UFI, focuses on resource development for the urban forest and develops educational materials.

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Ben Sherman

Education and Outreach Coordinator

Ben Sherman is a Master's candidate in Biology at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he also earned his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management and Protection. He has a background in field botany and ecology in the Sierra Nevada. At UFI, Ben focuses on resource development for urban tree care and urban forest composition analysis.