Adel Alamo, Digital Organizer

Adel is the child of Cuban political refugees and a first generation American. She fell in love with forests in the 4th grade when she learned about the interconnectedness of wetlands, water, and ecosystems. Adel builds support for our campaigns by creating compelling content and managing member engagement through data analysis and reporting. She is invested in advancing racial, economic, and environmental justice and protecting wilderness, wildlife, and clean water so communities and biodiversity can thrive. Adel dabbles in poetry, photography, and baking. She loves hiking, birdwatching, cooking, crafting, and spending time with friends and loved ones.

Naya Black, US Gulf South Organizer

Naya Black believes everyone has the right to enjoy the beauty of the planet. She’s always wanted to understand wildlife, plants, and what makes forests come alive. She has a degree in Natural Resource Ecology and Management with a concentration in Wildlife Ecology. Naya has worked on environment-centered youth education. It makes her heart flutter when kids get excited and concerned about the outdoors. She wants to ignite that passion in both children and adults alike.

D’Angelo Cameron, Marketing & Data Assistant

D’Angelo (He/Him) is an activist and digital strategist based in Atlanta, GA. He has worked with nonprofit organizations like ACLU National, Black Feminist Futures, and Common Justice. He advanced their advocacy work both online and IRL. He is the Senior Marketing Manager for Out in Tech, the largest global community of LGBTQ+ folks in tech. Outside of work, he is a big fan of all things nerdy, including comics, video games, anime, and more!

Adam Colette, Program Director

Adam has a passion for organizing people and fighting the corporations whose practices destroy our earth. While attending UNCA, where he graduated with a BS in Environmental Management and Policy, he began his career in activism as an intern for Dogwood Alliance. Since then, Adam has worked with several organizations to fight coal plants, protect our public water systems and build the sharing economy. In his spare time, Adam loves spending time on/in the rivers of Western NC.

Treva Gear, Georgia Campaign Manager

Dr. Treva Gear is the founder and chair of the Concerned Citizens of Cook County, a community grassroots organization in Adel, Georgia. She is an Army veteran, an educator, and a community organizer. She believes in being the change that she wants to see in the world and doesn’t mind “getting into good trouble.” Dr. Gear holds a doctorate in Adult and Career Education from Valdosta State University.

Beth Griffin, Development Director

Beth Griffin comes to Dogwood Alliance with a background in fundraising for education and conservation non-profits. As a child in Boston, Beth got to the woods by scaling the 6ft fence between her urban neighborhood and the historic and naturalistic Forest Hills Cemetery. Later, Beth enjoyed the woods of New England, Virginia, and the Carolinas as an equestrian and hiker. Now she explores WNC rivers as a kayaker. Beth is delighted and proud to be a part of Dogwood’s unfolding story of environmental and social justice for Southern forests and communities.

Lucia Ibarra, Director of Conservation

Lucia advances justice for conservation, biodiversity, and climate change policy. Her work in Environmental & Wildlife Biology has taken her all over the country and to Africa and Mexico. Lucia holds a Master’s Degree in Leadership Studies with a concentration in Organizational Psychology from the University of San Diego. She has a BS in Wildlife Habitat Management from Arizona State University. Lucia is an avid diver and volunteers with coral reef restoration. She loves hiking, camping, exploring wetlands, live music, and trying new restaurants and breweries with friends and her dog, Bonsai.

Joi Jackson, Social Marketing Manager

The love of the forests has deep roots in Joi’s family, passed down for generations. Walking through the woods as a child was her favorite pastime, finding new trails and exploring the city streams in the Carolina sun. Joi is passionate about social media and advocating for the ecosystems that make this world beautiful. She has over 10 years of social media management and nonprofit experience. Joi identifies as a bit of hippy and a bit like Liberace – the perfect mix between sustainable and glitter. Joi is a vegetarian and finds that catch and release fishing is a peaceful form of meditation and mindfulness.

Balpreet Kaur, Director of People & Culture

Balpreet is from Panjab in South Asia. Panjab’s history is an intersection of land & water rights. Of sovereignty, environmental, and economic justice. Balpreet’s work focuses on systemic transformation and behavior change. She asks: What does it take to root out inequities? To create healthy organizations that value people rather than exploit them? Balpreet always centers the needs of people in her work. She’s a developer, builder, facilitator, and researcher. She guides teams towards creative ideas and cohesive team structures and processes. She designs opportunities to challenge the status quo. Balpreet is happiest when she’s creating: a poem, a piece of art, community spaces, connections, or ideas.

Kimala Luna, Advancement Outreach & Recruitment Manager

Kimala oversees the organization’s volunteer Ambassador program. She is dedicated to advocating for environmental justice. Kimala also throws magical events. She loves nothing more than bringing people together for a good cause. Kimala has been with Dogwood Alliance since 2014.

Katie McLaughlin, Grants Manager

Katie is passionate about working at the intersection of forest conservation and environmental justice. She holds a BA in English and an MS in Women’s & Gender Studies, with a focus on nonprofit administration. With over a decade of experience in grants management, she is excited to support Dogwood’s vital work protecting Southern forests and communities impacted by environmental degradation. Katie is also a certified group fitness instructor and enthusiastic about supporting her local community.

Sasha Mitchell, Operations Director

Sasha’s most carefree memories of childhood are of perching high in trees while growing up in New Jersey. A born organizer, Sasha’s work has included photo archiving, family history and community history and social activism. Sasha is thrilled to join Dogwood Alliance in protecting Southern forests, not only for their use as nature’s playgrounds, but as vital natural habitats. A mom of three sons and foster mom to several little ones, Sasha treasures time spent hand embroidering, sewing and quilting, especially under a shady tree.

Holly Paar, Advancement Director

Holly fell in love with the woods and land of Western North Carolina when she moved here in 1991 and has never left. She brings to Dogwood nearly twenty years of program, marketing and fundraising leadership with local and national organizations. Besides a degree in writing, Holly also has a wilderness education background and is delighted to be an integral part of Dogwood Alliance’s future. On the weekends she likes to paint, hike and compose music.

Paige Polk, North Carolina State Manager

Paige Polk (she/they) is a facilitator & programmer based in Durham, North Carolina. Paige is passionate about collective well-being. They inspire us to think and feel as we build the world of our dreams. As Dogwood’s North Carolina State Manager, they work with stakeholders to protect NC forests. Paige’s background blends climate, tech, government, and Emmy-award winning storytelling. They are the founder of the Not Yet well-being library. Paige holds a BA in Anthropology from Rice University and a MA in Media Studies from Pratt Institute.

Stephanie Powell, Director of Finance & Operations

Stephanie is passionate about movements that take on community and environmental issues. She has 19 years of nonprofit leadership experience. She’s worked at the local, regional, and national level. Stephanie collaborates to build thriving, durable organizations with deep impact. She holds BA in Anthropology and Political Science from the University of Georgia. While at UGA, Stephanie participated in Dogwood Alliance’s Staples Campaign.

Scot Quaranda, Communications Director

Scot has been with Dogwood Alliance since 2000 and has served as a campaign organizer, field director, campaign director and is currently the communications director. In his role he is in charge of story telling, creative, media relations, and PR. He has a dual BA from Drew University in Psychology and Philosophy and has worked previously with the Fund for Public Interest and in music PR for artists such as Buddy Guy and Ani DiFranco.

Amanda Rodriguez, Marketing Director

Amanda (she/her) is a first generation Cuban American. As a child in West Virginia, she saw first-hand the impact of forest destruction. Now, she helps others support Dogwood Alliance’s vital mission and applies her skills to online and web marketing. A poet, essayist, and fiction writer, Amanda is also the filmmaker of Dogwood’s award-winning Stories Happen in Forests documentary. She holds a Masters degree from Queens University of Charlotte and a BA from Antioch College. Amanda has been with Dogwood Alliance since 2010.

Danna Smith, Executive Director

Danna is the founder of Dogwood Alliance. For over 25 years, she has been at the forefront of forest protection in the US, leading hard-hitting campaigns and negotiating ground-breaking forest protection commitments from some of the largest companies in the world. She is a leading voice connecting the dots between climate change, forest destruction and social justice and pushing for forest protection in the US at a scale necessary to meet the sustainability challenges of the 21st Century. She holds a law degree from Emory University.

Emily Zucchino, Organizing Director

Emily blends her love of beautiful Southern US forests with an enthusiasm for taking on the corporate interests that threaten our communities and our environment in the name of profit. She is a graduate of UNC Asheville, with BA degrees in Political Science and Sociology, and holds a Masters in International Studies and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from NC State. Emily is an avid hiker and traveler and has explored trails in locations ranging from the Appalachians to the Himalayas to the Amazon.