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AmeriCorps Spotlight: Emily Taylor

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Emily Taylor teaches future generations about Western NC species and how to protect them.

A graduate of Iowa State University, Emily applies her studies in Biology and Environmental Science to teach students about nature conservation. She serves as Education Outreach Coordinator for Balsam Mountain Trust in Sylva with Resilience Corps NC. Her main focus: collaborating with different local communities and nature-based organizations to provide accessible, quality conservation education.

Emily creates, improves, and teaches environmental science programs to Title I schools, public libraries and other community groups with help from live animal ambassadors. She showcases incredible species of the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains like hawks, snakes, turtles and more! Her favorite part about the job is working with the animals and showing them to elementary school students.

Thanks to her time at the Trust, she’s learning to have patience in others and believe in her decision-making skills. From Executive Director to Laundry Volunteer, Emily gained an appreciation for the way everyone pitches in to work toward Balsam Mountain Trust’s mission. “You wear many hats,” says Emily.

Expanding conservation in communities isn’t one-size fits all. By paying attention to how people communicate, she customizes how she shares lessons for all students. “You meet a lot of different kinds of folks, and we have to come up with several ways to disperse the same information. It requires a lot of thought and body language reading,” says Emily.

Beyond AmeriCorps, Emily hopes to continue work in Haywood County at zoo facilities like the Western North Carolina Nature Center. We’re looking forward to seeing what the future has in store for her!

AmeriCorps Spotlight

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Conservation Trust for North Carolina offers Resilience Corps NC, a national service program of AmeriCorps, designed to support capacity building for resilience, environmental education, and stewardship and outreach that builds bridges between conservation organizations and the local communities they seek to serve. Meet a few of the AmeriCorps members making a difference across the state.

AmeriCorps Spotlight: Lance Nathaniel
Lance Nathaniel promotes intersectionality and community engagement with Resilience Corps NC at Keep Charlotte Beautiful. Get to know more about Lance’s work.

AmeriCorps Spotlight: Grace Sigmon
As the AmeriCorps Natural Areas Conservation Educator Grace Sigmon helps to expand the North Carolina Zoo’s education, recreation, and conservation programs in Asheboro. Get to know more about Grace and her work.

AmeriCorps Spotlight: Bryce Tholen
Bryce Tholen makes connections with coastal communities and lands serving with Resilience Corps NC at North Carolina Coastal Land Trust in Wilmington. Get to know more about Bryce.

AmeriCorps Spotlight: Emily Taylor
Emily Taylor teaches future generations about Western NC species and how to protect them, serving with Resilience Corps NC at Balsam Mountain Trust in Sylva. Get to know more about Emily.


AmeriCorps Spotlight: Bryce Tholen

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Bryce Tholen makes connections with coastal communities and lands serving with Resilience Corps NC at North Carolina Coastal Land Trust in Wilmington.

After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a degree in environmental science, Bryce continues to share his appreciation for the outdoors with others. He serves as Environmental Educator and Volunteer Coordinator at the Trust.

In his position, Bryce plans and presents environmental education in classroom opportunities, programs and events. He also organizes, leads and promotes volunteering opportunities and assists the stewardship team in projects.

Working with Coastal Land Trust helped Bryce get out of his comfort zone. He learned about how nonprofits function and has earned more experience presenting to an audience. “I have learned a lot about public speaking and confidence,” says Bryce.

Educating the public on restoring and protecting the environment comes with its challenges. Conservation organizations face smaller staff and budgets while working across a large area. However, that doesn’t detract from the fulfilling successes when communities come together to protect our planet.

One of the biggest takeaways from the job is the importance of collaboration when expanding conservation efforts. “Partnerships and collaborations lead to the most beneficial projects for a community. People have to be willing to work together to achieve common goals. Many projects in the conservation field cannot be accomplished without the partnering of multiple entities.”

Beyond AmeriCorps, Bryce plans to continue to work in conservation. He wants to assist in outreach coordination for nonprofits or state organizations focusing on land and water protection. We can’t wait to see what he’ll achieve!

Resilience Corps NC celebrates new partnerships

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The Resilience Corps NC program recently launched its latest cohort of service members who will work in communities to deliver climate change, community resilience, capacity building, and environmental education services to host sites across the state. In order to make this the most successful year yet, CTNC has added and promoted staff, and welcomed 17 service members including four who have returned for their second year of service.

Here’s where our 2022-23 Corps members are serving:

Balsam Mountain Trust
Emily Taylor		Cape Fear River Watch
Kristen Rhodes		El Futuro
Maiya Garrett-Peters

Eno River Association
Audrey Vaughn
Grandfather Mountain
Stewardship Foundation
Elizabeth Warfield
Highlands-Cashiers
Land Trust
Hope Corbin

Keeping Charlotte Beautiful
Lance Nathaniel
Keeping Durham Beautiful
Eleanor Dilworth
Meals on Wheels Durham
Lula Zeray

North Carolina Coastal
Land Trust
Madison Woodard
Bryce Tholen
North Carolina Zoo
Grace Sigmon
Mawadda Al-Masri
Sabrinah Hartsell
Piedmont Triad
Regional Council
Haley Bock

The Regional Stormwater
Partnership of the Carolinas
Kelly Hendrix (Norris)
Triangle J Council of Governments
Taylor Weddington

Read about more of our staffing and member updates below!

This year, Nick DiColandrea returns to CTNC in a new role – Climate Strategies Officer. In this new position, Nick will work with the leadership team to ensure Resilience Corps NC members are addressing community capacity and climate change challenges in all communities we serve. Learn more about Nick and why he’s committed to addressing climate change through CTNC’s mission and partnerships.

Please join us in extending congratulations to Michaella Kosia, who was recently promoted to AmeriCorps Program Director. Michaella will lead the Resilience Corps NC program by supporting host site supervisors and their members coordinating trainings, planning cohort connection events, building relationships, and strategizing other best practices for member sustainability. Michaella brings to this role a unique public health background where she worked to address health disparities amongst marginalized communities. Our partners and members are excited to work with Michaella in this new leadership role. Get to know Michaella and her passion for community-focused service work.

Credit: Bisi Cameron Yee

As part of our commitment to working alongside community partners to achieve resilience, CTNC and the Environmental Defense Fund will sponsor three additional members to work with community leaders with the Town of Princeville, the Lumbee Indian Tribal Council in Lumberton, and The Orchard at Altapass in Little Switzerland. These members will be focused on increasing community capacity, supporting local food systems through community gardening, and engaging in community outreach through a lens of climate change and land stewardship. Learn more about our Resilience Corps NC program.

Resilience Corps NC is still recruiting for the 2022-23 cohort!

Click here to explore opportunities and learn how to apply.

AmeriCorps Spotlight: Lance Nathaniel

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Discovering crossroads between intersectionality and environmentalism with AmeriCorps.

Lance Nathaniel promotes intersectionality and community engagement with Resilience Corps NC at Keep Charlotte Beautiful. He is a graduate of Western Carolina University where he studied anthropology, emergency disaster management and leadership.

As an AmeriCorps member, Lance helps to conduct effective volunteer outreach throughout Charlotte’s non-traditional communities. He’s not only learned about how to teach others about sustainability and uplift communities, but also discovered how manmade resources have an impact on our bodies and environment.

Lance speaks on how conservation and environmentalism needs to be supported on a systemic level. “There is much more to helping our planet than replanting trees and recycling. More funding needs to go to compost and ending petroleum-based items like plastics.”

What do you do?

As the AmeriCorps service member for Keep Charlotte Beautiful, my role is to develop and promote outreach for the city’s Adopt-a-City Street program, litter pick-ups, environmental education for K-5 students, and engaging with communities at a grassroots level to promote healthy ways to keep Charlotte beautiful and healthy.

What do you love about your current role?

I love learning about the history of Charlotte; there is so much Black history often left in the shadows. So many heroes from the Civil Rights Movement and their descendants reside in the city, still fighting for their rights. Most importantly, seeing how environmentalism plays a role in this intersectionality, I love how the resources I share with various communities can help with those efforts in creating a more equitable society.

What do you wish people knew about working in conservation?

I wish people knew how intersectional conservation is. The environment and the items we use have a direct impact on our health and it requires EVERYONE to take care of it. Not just government or city officials, we truly have to incorporate nature into our lives that is not independent of us but is a part of us.

After AmeriCorps, Lance plans on offering his experience toward decolonization efforts and promoting cultural and environmental sustainability for many Black and brown communities that are being pushed out by corporations. We look forward to seeing him make strides in his work for his community!

CTNC’s service programs allow us to provide capacity and support to resilient community partners throughout the state. To learn more about CTNC’s AmeriCorps service program or apply for an open position, click here.

AmeriCorps Spotlight: Grace Sigmon

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Uplifting communities through conservation education and recreation with Resilience Corps NC

As the AmeriCorps Natural Areas Conservation Educator Grace Sigmon helps to expand the North Carolina Zoo’s education, recreation, and conservation programs in Asheboro.

Each day has something different in store at the Zoo! Grace’s favorite part about her job: connecting with nature most of the day instead of sitting at a desk. She primarily helps the Zoo’s Trail Team and collaborates with volunteers and her community to advocate for public trails and conservation.

Most of Grace’s time consists of survey projects on animals like salamanders, turtles and nesting birds. She serves her community by combining environmental education, land maintenance, and wildlife observations by:

  • Planning and hosting guided hikes on Zoo trails and nature preserves
  • Aiding in routine trail maintenance and building new trails
  • Creating children’s programs about conservation in person and online

She wants people to know conservation isn’t a lonely job. In fact, communication is one of the most valuable skills to have. “Conservation careers require team effort in order to achieve goals. It takes both people within and outside of this field to make a positive impact for the sake of wildlife, the environment, and humanity,” says Grace.

A lot of Grace’s work with AmeriCorps has taught her the value of quality over quantity by finding a balance between downtime and work. She says it’s easy to accept too many tasks, but when she takes on fewer jobs in a day, her projects and wellbeing flourish.

The benefits of conservation have its roots in equity according to Grace. Expanding conservation means providing people with necessities so we can all fully engage in helping our environment.

“Conservation only works if everyone participates and benefits from it. Communities must be lifted up and receive the common needs that everyone requires so conservation efforts and opportunities can be established.”

Thanks to her experience with the Zoo and AmeriCorps, Grace has many options for her next steps working in nature. She’s confident she wants to stay in the conservation field. We can’t wait to see what’s to come for Grace!

CTNC’s service programs allow us to provide capacity and support to resilient community partners throughout the state. To learn more about CTNC’s AmeriCorps service program or apply for an open position, click here.

Climate Resilience Leaders – Nick DiColandrea

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Nick DiColandrea isn’t new to CTNC. For six years, he served as the Resilience Corps NC Program Director. In 2022, he returned to a new role – Climate Strategies Officer, a position that still involves him with AmeriCorps. He works to connect AmeriCorps service opportunities to communities in need of expanded climate mitigation and recovery capacities.

This work builds on his extensive experience in the nonprofit sector, holding positions across multiple organizations dedicated to community capacity building, youth leadership, mentoring, and community service. His free time activities focused on service also follow this theme: Board Treasurer of the Museum of Life in Science in Durham, the school PTA as VP of Fundraising & Volunteer Chair, and as Board Treasurer of his neighborhood’s HOA.

When did you first realize the real and present impacts of climate change?
I probably realized we were living in a climate-change-affected world a few years ago when we stopped getting annual snow storms of any significance in North Carolina. Having grown up here since the late 1990s, I distinctly remember colder and wetter winters, and even during my time in college. However, over the last 10 years, I can trace the lack of an actual winter now, and how it has happened more times in the lives of my children than my entire life in the state.

How have you seen climate change impact North Carolina?
When the state was hit by multiple hurricanes over 2016 and 2017, I got to see firsthand, and still do to this day, the impacts these more frequent hurricanes are causing people down east. Working with other disaster relief partners, I have heard stories about how even years later people are living in homes not yet fully restored and families permanently displaced outside of our state. These devastating disasters will occur more frequently and are going to result in a state we may seldom recognize in the decades to come.

What does climate resilience mean to you?
Climate resilience is helping communities be able to bounce back stronger after the climate crisis hits their homes. It means assisting standing communities’ economies back up, working with families suffering from the loss of their community, or developing plans or actions that will lead to quicker recovery through mitigation. It essentially means being there for people in their communities who will suffer from climate change.

What’s one thing everyone should know about climate action?
That no matter how small your action is, it will make a difference. We do not affect meaningful changes with just big ticket items on climate action, but that light you turn off, that conversation with your best friend or that walk to take to the store instead of the drive, all add up in profound ways to address climate change.

What are actions that organizations in NC can do right now to make our state more resilient?
Be a part of the conversations around resilience in your community. Find where your mission niche is and see how it connects to environmental and community resilience, and then dig in and get to work. Mitigating and surviving the climate crisis is not going to be solved alone by environmental organizations, and it is going to take everyone in the community being a part of this work in the years ahead.

Working in climate resilience can be overwhelming. How do you keep going?
Lots of coffee and lots of positive thinking. I take more mental health breaks now, sitting for quick meditation moments, and stopping more to unplug from the work and just enjoy being.

Climate Resilience Leaders – Michaella Kosia

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Michaella Kosia, AmeriCorps Program Director, comes to CTNC from an unexpected field: public health. She graduated from East Carolina University with a B.S. in Public Health and her background comes from other areas of public health, such as addressing health disparities amongst marginalized communities in community health.

She’s bringing her unique perspective to CTNC by supporting our Resilience Corps NC host sites and members during their service term by coordinating training, planning cohort connection events, building relationships, and strategizing other best practices for member sustainability.

When did you first realize the real and present impacts of climate change?
I probably first realized the real and present impacts of climate change back in the early 2000s. I remember Al Gore bringing attention to global warming. As a child, I didn’t realize the severity of it until years later, into adulthood. Because I’m a naturally curious person, I decided to begin educating myself on environmental issues such as global warming and the effects of climate change. Once I stepped into this area of awareness, I started to notice the changes in weather patterns. Now, it has been over 20 years since I was exposed to the topic and it has unfortunately worsened over time. I wish our country would have taken it more seriously earlier by being more proactive.

How have you seen climate change impact North Carolina?
With North Carolina being a coastal state, hurricane season in NC has become more active and it’s occurring earlier. Water levels are rising with more flooding on the coast, summers are extremely hot, and I even read that sharks are migrating closer to our shores due to the waters getting warmer.

What does climate resilience mean to you?
To me, resilience can be seeded through education on climate change, spreading awareness through that knowledge, supporting organizations who are focused on making a change and voting for elected officials who explicitly support addressing the climate crisis.

What’s one thing everyone should know about climate action?
It takes all of us! Although our individual efforts are necessary, we can truly move mountains as a collective.

What are actions that organizations in NC can do right now to make our state more resilient?

  • Make sure to include marginalized communities that are disproportionately impacted by climate change. I’ve observed that marginalized populations such as Black, Indigenous People of Color, immigrants, and those with special needs/disabilities tend to be left out of the conversation when they are experiencing higher/damaging levels of climate change. This can be done by having educational material in other languages, partnering with other organizations within said communities, making the educational material accessible (braille for those visually impaired, audible for those hard of hearing) etc.
  • Implement more options for staff in these organizations to work from home. Working from home would save on gasoline and greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Implement more educational programs about climate change in our schools. Like Whitney Houston said, “..the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way”. We always want to leave the world better than we found it and this can be done through the next generations.

Working in climate resilience can be overwhelming. How do you keep going?

I do my best to prioritize my mental health whenever I feel overwhelmed. Walking our local trails, practicing mindfulness, eating well, and being intentional about spending time with friends and family.

Want to connect with Michaella? Email her.

AmeriCorps Profiles: Mawadda Almasri

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A desire to live her life in service to others and the planet led Mawadda Almasri to Resilience Corps NC at the NC State Zoo in Asheboro, NC.

After graduating from NC State University with a degree in Sustainable Materials and Technology, she started her position as Diversity & Inclusion Assistant. “When I found the position with AmeriCorps, I knew it was a perfect opportunity for me to create a positive impact on the world.”

Learn more about Mawadda’s job and advice about AmeriCorps service.

What does your current service position entail?
My work mainly focuses on developing educational programs for under-resourced communities to educate them on climate change in a simple and engaging way. I’ve also put together an educational program on composting that can be presented to zoo guests in Kidzone, the zoo’s nature play area. In addition, I started a garden at the zoo, which will be used for educational workshops to emphasize the importance of growing our food.

What do you love about your current role?
I love creating programs. I enjoy deciding what information to include for the specific audience, how to organize the ideas to make them easily understood, what activities to incorporate, and what props to bring. But, for me, the best part is presenting the program to the audience and seeing them engage with the material and understand the concept.

What are the lessons you’ve learned since joining the program?
I’ve learned that things don’t always go according to plan, and that’s okay. Being an educator is about being flexible when there are last-minute changes or hiccups. I try to be patient with myself and remind myself of all I’ve accomplished.

What is your advice to others interested in AmeriCorps service?
Whatever your reason for joining AmeriCorps, always remind yourself of that reason throughout your service. Staying focused on it will keep you motivated and help you push through harder days. I always remind myself of how my service work is providing climate change education to children who might not otherwise get that education. That lesson might inspire those children to work in the environmental field.

What are your plans for the future?
I would love to stay in the environmental education sector, but I’m open to doing anything related to the environment that will allow me to make a positive impact. There isn’t a particular company or position I’m working toward, I just look and see what positions are available, and I apply to the ones that best align with my values and mission. I believe education is my calling, and I would love to focus more on educating people about various topics such as environmental justice, food waste and food insecurity, sustainable community gardens, consumerism and its impacts, and climate change and its impacts. At the end of the day, I know that as long as my work brings me joy and helps people and the planet, it will be a rewarding experience.

If you’re inspired by Mawadda’s story, click here to meet more Resilience Corps NC members (past and present) who are making an impact on communities throughout our state.

AmeriCorps Profiles: Abby Cates

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Photo of Abby Cates holding worm

Expanding her personal and professional skills plus having a whole lot of fun, Abby Cates’ serves with North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, NC through Resilience Corps NC.

Abby is one of 15 members of the 2022 Resilience Corps NC cohort. Learn more about the impact these members make while serving with community partners across our state.

Abby completed her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences at Elon University before joining AmeriCorps. Now she’s serving as a Natural Areas Conservation and Education Coordinator for the largest natural habitat zoo in the world.

“I joined AmeriCorps to gain knowledge and skills within my field that would propel me into my future career goals,” said Abby.

Learn more about Abby’s job and advice about AmeriCorps service.

What does your current service position entail?
In my role, I conduct wildlife research on a variety of different species across 2,000 natural acres owned by the NC Zoo. I am also responsible for planning and leading environmental education programming for both children and adults. Lastly, I have become knowledgeable in the construction and maintenance of hiking trails, and I am in the process of building ~2 miles of trails on zoo property.

Photo of Abby Cates leading education opportunity for students

What do you love about your current role?
I love that I can be outside in nature most days and feel that I am making a difference with my various research and conservation work. I have always felt a strong connection to nature and this role allows me to both appreciate and protect what I cherish most.

What lesson have you learned since joining the program?
There is no direct route to any situation. This has forced me to think deeper and more creatively to solve more complex problems in the community. Also, not everyone will understand or support your work. I have learned to have patience and adapt to unfamiliar situations.

What do you wish people knew about working in conservation?
I wish people knew that there are people doing this kind of work! I have been confronted by many people who do not realize that my type of service is a career option. There is a demand for work in conservation as the importance of preserving natural land and wildlife is coming into the forefront of people’s minds. Conservation Trust for NC and the NC Zoo granted me an opportunity to start my career goals in a time when I didn’t know where to start.

What is something you wish people understood about working with communities in conservation?
I’ve learned that not all audiences will connect with you but that can’t let you feel defeated or stop you from trying. This role has allowed me to reframe my thinking around the best ways to spread information and inspire a community about local conservation. While this can be challenging at times, it is important to know how to best connect and inspire action in your audience.

What advice do you have for people thinking about AmeriCorps?
Do it! AmeriCorps is a perfect opportunity for people trying to figure out their personal and professional goals. They make it easy to find a host site and service opportunities that pertain to your specific interests.

What are your plans for the future?
I do not have any set-in-stone plans after my AmeriCorps year. However, I have always known that I wanted to be a steward of the Earth, whether that is through research, conservation, or education. I hope to share my skill set with others and create a meaningful impact on the places I travel and the people I meet. I hope to one day have my own land and develop a permaculture farm to create a standardized system that allows humans to work with nature rather than against it.

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