Staff
Mark Buscaino - Executive Director
202-349-1901
- Professional history: Mark began his forestry career in 1983 as a volunteer with the US Peace Corps in Benin, West Africa. Since then he has held several positions including: Deputy Project Manager for the Urban Forest and Education Program in New York City; City Forester for Takoma Park, Maryland; Urban Forester for Fairfax County Virginia; and, Chief Forester for the District Department of Transportation/Urban Forestry Administration, Washington, DC. Prior to joining Casey Trees in June of 2006, Mark served as the National Director for the USDA Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program in Washington, DC.
- Education: B.S., University of Maine at Orono, Business Administration; M.S., State University of New York at Syracuse, Forest Resources Management/Silviculture
- Personal interests: Family
- Favorite tree: Bald Cypress
Mike Galvin - Deputy Director
202-349-1909
- Professional history: Worked previously with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Prince George's County Department of Public Works.
- Credentials: ISA Licensed Arborist, Registered Consulting Arborist, ISA Certified Arborist, State of MD Forest Conservation Qualified Professional
- Accolades: President's Award, Maryland Arborist Association (1998); President's Award, Mid-Atlantic Chapter, International Society of Arboriculture (2001, 2003, 2004)l Award of Merit, Mid-Atlantic Chapter, International Society of Arboriculture (2006); Pat Felix Volunteer of the Year Award, Tree Care Industry Association (2004); MD Department of Natural Resources Forest Service Employee of the Year (2007); Advancing Arboriculture Award, Tree Care Industry Association (2007)
- Personal interests: Family, music, New England sports teams
- Favorite tree: White Oak
Rukshani Lye - Executive Assistant
202-349-1900
- Professional history: Previously worked as an Inter Bank Dealer and a back office Executive in Sri Lanka.
- Education: O/L and A/L, Musaeus College, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka; Diploma in Business (Levels 1 and 2), Association of Business Executives, UK; A.A., Montgomery College, Business (pending)
- Personal interests: Travel, cooking, history, music, film
- Favorite tree: Palm and Evergreen
Beth Volk - Business Manager
202-349-1906
- Professional history: Expereinve working in financial and office management for over 25 years.
- Education: B.A., Miami University, Architecture
- Credentials: ISA Certified Arborist
- Personal interests: Arts, crafts, reading, hiking
- Favorite tree: Maple
Andrew Schichtel - Business Associate
202-833-4010 ext: 110
- Professional history: Most recently worked at Schichtel’s Nursery Oregon, Inc.
- Education: B.S. in International Economics and B.A. in Finance from The Catholic University of America
- Personal interests: Travel, music, reading, running, spending time with friends and family
- Favorite tree: Sweetgum
Charles Fiery - IT Support Specialist
202-833-4010
- Professional history: IT Director and Network Administrator at a Maryland tree care company.
- Education: B.A., University of Maryland, College Park, English; A.A., Computer Science
- Personal interests: Sailboat racing, wine (teaches wine appreciation classes at a local community college)
- Favorite tree: Saucer Magnolia
Jared Powell - Director of Communications
202-349-1894
- Professional history: Previous positions with the White House, Smithsonian Institution, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the City of Gahanna.
- Education: B.A., American University, Public Communications; M.A., Ohio State University, Public Policy and Management, and a Masters in City and Regional Planning
- Personal interests: Smart City Planning, historic preservation, traveling, good food, live music, discovering new Third Places
- Favorite tree: Eucalyptus
Catherine Handren - Communications Associate
202-349-1898
- Professional history: Previous positions held with The Washington Post, Kramerbooks & Afterwords, Washington Independent Writers and the Center for Policy Alternatives.
- Education: B.A., University of Maryland, College Park, English
- Credentials: Citizen Forester, CPR and First-Aid Certified
- Personal interests: Protecting the environment, writing, reading, film, music; spending time with friends, family and my two Maine Coon cats; advocacy for domesticated animals and wildlife.
- Favorite tree: Redwood
Tom Buckley - Director of Geographic Resources
202-349-1905
- Professional History: Previous positions at World Bank and local mapping software startup, FortiusOne
- Education: B.A. Cornell University; M.A. George Washington University, Geography
- Personal interests: Geography, Ruby, DC, OpenStreetMap, Urban Design
- Favorite tree: Baobab
Michael Potts - GIS Specialist
202-349-1897
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Professional History: Previous positions at the U.S. National Park Service, collaborative projects with U.S.G.S. and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; GIS Internship at Washington College
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Education: B.S. Texas A&M University, Geography; M.S. Texas A&M University, Geography
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Personal interests: Bicycling, Map Design, Painting
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Favorite tree: Blackjack Oak
Lynn Schneider - UFORE Inventory Team Leader
202-349-1897
- Professional history: Domestic and international experience in teaching, community organizing, legal services, environmental and energy policy, and fieldwork for a community-based renewable energy project.
- Education: M.A., American University, International Affairs; M.A., United Nations-mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica, Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (both pending)
- Personal interests: Swimming, cooking, rock climbing
- Favorite tree: American Elm
Sue Erhardt – Director of Education
202-349-1903
- Professional history: Has spent the last 12 years working with tree planting not-for-profits training and directing volunteers.
- Education: B.S., Michigan State University, Environmental Studies; M. A., University of Michigan, Dearborn, Environmental Studies
- Credentials: Innovation in Education Award from the National Arbor Day Foundation for the TreeKeepers Kids program in Detroit, Michigan
- Personal interests: Travel
- Favorite tree: Redbud (spring); Sugar Maple (fall)
Carol Herwig - Volunteer Coordinator
cherwig@caseytrees.org
202-349-1907
- Professional history: Worked for newspapers in Chicago, Norfolk, Baltimore and Washington. Worked for 25 years at USA TODAY as a founding staff member, mostly in their sports section.
- Education: B.A., University of Maryland, University College
- Credentials: ISA Certified Arborist
- Personal interests: Throwing pots, creating gardens, neighborhood issues
- Favorite tree: Black Gum
Lacey S. Brown - Education Coordinator
lbrown@caseytrees.org
202-349-1896
- Professional history: Has worked as a Community Engagement Manager with TreePeople, a Communications Coordinator with the CLARE Foundation and a Youth Market Director with the American Heart Association.
- Education: B.S., Kalamazoo College, Biology and Environmental Studies
- Personal interests: Hiking, food, historic architecture and exploring the DC area
- Favorite tree: Southern Magnolia
Maisie Hughes - Director of Planning and Design
202-349-1893
- Professional history: Worked for Casey Trees as an Inventory Team Leader, Outreach Coordinator, Special Projects Assistant and Internship Coordinator. Also served as the Landscape Architect and Environmental Designer for Morgan State University and administered urban environmental programs for the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission, DC Parks and Recreation, and the Greater Washington Urban League.
- Education: B.A., Howard University, Afro-American Studies; M.L.A., Morgan State University, Landscape Architecture
- Credentials: ISA Certified Arborist, American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) member
- Personal interests: Drawing, canoeing, swimming
- Favorite tree: Sweet Gum
Jim Woodworth - Director of Tree Planting
202-349-1904
- Professional history: Worked previously with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) on restoring the Anacostia River through environmental advocacy, promoting the watershed approach, low impact development, and storm water management - including the report entitled “Out of the Gutter - Reducing Polluted Runoff in the District of Columbia.”
- Education: M.S., Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Environmental Management
- Credentials: ISA Certified Arborist
- Personal interests: Running, biking and gardening
- Favorite tree: Black Gum
David DiPietro - Urban Forestry Manager
202-349-1891
- Professional history: Most recently worked in commercial arboriculture, following a career as a forestry technician and wildland forest firefighter in the Pacific Northwest and California
- Education: B.S., Colorado State University, Forest Management
- Credentials: ISA Certified Arborist
- Interests: Fly fishing, backpacking, scuba diving, running
- Favorite tree: Monkey Puzzle
Mike Nelson - Urban Forestry Crew Chief
202-833-4010
- Professional history: Corps Member with AmeriCorps, NCCC Pacific Region in Sacramento, CA. Service in Louisiana, Mississippi, California and Utah. Field Team Leader with AmeriCorps, NCCC Atlantic Region in Perry Point, MD. Service in Louisiana, Virginia, Delaware and Maine.
- Education: B.A., University of Northern Colorado, Criminal Justice, Psychology minor
- Credentials: ISA Certified Arborist
- Personal Interests: Playing and watching sports, fitness, exploring, fishing
- Favorite Tree: Blue Spruce
Sara Turner - Arborist Auditor
202-833-4010 ext.118
- Professional history: Interned with the City of Cambridge, Department of Public Works, the Naperville Parks District, and the Matthaei Botanical Gardens, in Ann Arbor.
- Education: B.A., Murray State University, Fine Arts; M.S., University of Michigan, Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture
- Personal interests: Running, cooking, painting
- Favorite tree: Sassafras
Jabbari Brew - Urban Forestry Crew Member
202-833-4010
- Professional history: Worked on Mayor Fenty's Summer Green Program and was one of the first supervisors for the mayor's Clean Environment Incentive.
- Education: Friendship Edison High School; enrolled at University of the District of Columbia
- Credentials:.Currently pursuing ISA arborist certification
- Personal Interests: Planting trees, music (also a DJ), reading, politics
- Favorite Tree: Sweet Gum
Josh Singer - Urban Forestry Crew Member
202-833-4010
- Professional history: Created and implemented experiential learning programs for troubled youths, taught Intervention English to students with behavioral problems and learning disabilities, and worked for a wilderness therapy organization for troubled youths. Also worked on the Obama campaign and for CARE, a women’s humanitarian organization. Previous experience working with landscaping crews.
- Education: M.A., George Mason University, History (pending)
- Credentials: ISA Certified Arborist
- Accolades: Received the Middletown, OH Service Scholarship for Volunteer Work
- Personal Interests: Backpacking, mountain biking, kayaking, gardening
- Favorite Tree: Redwood
Mike Ferguson - Urban Forestry Crew Member
202-833-4010
- Professional history: Worked as a field technician for a study with the American Oystercatcher. Also interned in the Public Policy office at the National Audubon Society. Mike is also in the indie-rock band Le Loup. The group recently recorded an album and toured the U.S.
- Education: B.A., Saint Joseph’s University, Environmental Science
- Credentials:Currently pursuing ISA arborist certification
- Personal Interests: Listening to and making music, bird watching, preparing (and consuming) baked goods and pastries
- Favorite Tree: White Pine
Adam Butler - Bicycle Crew Captain
202-833-4010
- Professional history: Worked as a core collective member, mechanic, and outreach coordinator at the Bike Church, Santa Cruz, CA; taught rock climbing at Arcadia Rock Climbing in Arcadia, CA; and taught outdoor education for the Los Angeles Unified School District.
- Education: B.A., University of California, Santa Cruz, American Studies
- Personal Interests: Bicycles, climbing, social documentation, DIY projects, and both social & environmental sustainability
- Favorite Tree: Douglas Fir
