Andrea Colton
Associate Conservation Scientist
Andrea Colton
As an Associate Conservation Scientist with the Orianne Society, Andrea implements research on sensitive turtle species in the Southeast. She received her bachelor’s degree in Biology from Iowa State University and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences from the University of Illinois. Her research focuses on the thermoregulatory behaviors and energetics of Ornate Box Turtles. Before starting her master’s, Andrea had the opportunity to work on numerous projects across the globe. From Guam to San Francisco to the Midwest, she has worked with multiple species, including rats, prairie dogs, lizards, snakes, and freshwater turtles. She is interested in research that will inform management decisions for the protection and conservation of herpetofauna in the Southeast, as well as making a mean cheesecake.
Arek Moczulski
Prescribed Fire Technician
Arek Moczulski
Arek Moczulski was born and raised in the suburbs of New Jersey. Since graduating from Dickinson College with a B.S. in Environmental Science, his career has taken him from the rainforests of Alaska to the oxbows of Mississippi and the vernal pools of the Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia area. Arek has a deep fascination with amphibians and reptiles, particularly the selective pressures that influence the evolution and formation of species over time. He aims to further his career by pursuing a master’s degree in evolutionary biology, with a focus on gene flow within populations and how genes are shaped by selective pressures. In his free time, Arek enjoys longboarding, fishing, hiking, searching for amphibians and reptiles, and cultivating carnivorous tropical pitcher plants. He hopes to one day create his own hybrids of horticulturally produced pitcher plants.
Ben Stegenga
Research Assistant
Ben Stegenga
Ben leads our species-based research and monitoring projects. He grew up at Table Rock State Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina, where his parents fostered a love of wildlife in him at an early age. He spent much of his childhood helping his dad and local biologists survey for wildlife in the park and caring for the animals in the park’s nature center. Ben received a B.S. in Biology at Southern Wesleyan University in 2011, and then went on to earn a M.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology from Clemson University in 2014. After graduation, he taught herpetology as an adjunct professor at Southern Wesleyan University, then he spent a term with the Great Basin Institute studying Mojave Desert Tortoises. Ben maintains many of The Orianne Society’s captive reptiles, as well as some of his own, for use in public outreach. His hobbies include kayaking, backpacking, wildlife photography, and fishing.
Blake Adams
Longleaf Stewardship Center Manager
Blake Adams
Blake serves as the Manager for the Longleaf Stewardship Center. As part of the prescribed fire team, he also leads the groundcover restoration efforts in the Longleaf Savannas. Blake earned an Associates’ Degree in 2021 for Land Management, Wildlife Management, Timber Cruising, and Surveying. With his past experience in prescribed fire, he found interest in working within the Longleaf Savannas to apply conservation actions and help restore these beautiful habitats. His hobbies include hunting, fishing, fabricating, and working on his family farm.
Caleb Goldsmith
Director of Fire Ecology and Management
Caleb Goldsmith
Caleb grew up in Blacksburg, VA and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resource Conservation from Virginia Tech in 2014. He worked with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation as a natural resource specialist assistant where he got his introduction to fire as a management tool. His knowledge in fire ecology and forest management was enhanced while employed for the Department of Military Affairs at Fort Pickett, Blackstone, VA as a natural resource specialist, where he helped manage forest and wildlife resources on 41,000 acres of federally owned land. Curiosity and interest in fire ecology and science brought him back to academia where he completed a Master of Science degree from Mississippi State in 2021 while conducting numerous research projects for the Forest and Fire Ecology lab. His first study investigated upland oak and mesophyte response to single and multiple dormant seasons prescribed fire and the impacts on seedling growth, stand structure and species composition. The second investigated the impacts of the invasive species, Microstegium vimineum (Japanese stiltgrass), on seedling growth and survival of three common hardwood species. Outside of work, Caleb enjoys fishing, hunting, hiking, traveling, and various types of music.
Charli Thompson
Program Manager
Charli Thompson
Charli is the Program Manager for The Orianne Society. Her responsibilities include accounting and administrative tasks. She worked for a CPA firm as a bookkeeper for 8 years before coming to The Orianne Society and graduated in 2016 with an associate’s degree in accounting. In her spare time you can find her outdoors with her husband and dog, or reading or crafting on her front porch.
Dr. Chris Jenkins
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Chris Jenkins
Chris received a B.S. and M.S. from the University of Massachusetts in wildlife biology and wildlife conservation, respectively. He received his Ph.D. in biological sciences from Idaho State University. He has worked with Wildlife Conservation Society, the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, University of Massachusetts, University of British Columbia and National Geographic. Chris’ current projects include land protection in Longleaf Pine ecosystems, ecology and conservation of Timber Rattlesnakes and the conservation of Giant Tortoises. He founded and formally chaired the IUCN Viper Specialist Group and has served on many board and committees including the National Committee for Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, University of Georgia Press, and the Indian Ocean Tortoise Alliance. Chris has contributed to multiple scientific papers and has written multiple book chapters, including Modeling Snake Distribution and Habitat in the recently published book titled Snakes: Ecology and Conservation. Chris is currently writing a book titled, Venomous Snakes of the Southeast.
Darrian Smith
Prescribed Fire Technician
Darrian Smith
Darrian Smith grew up in western Washington and earned a B.S. in Biology from the University of Washington. She worked as a veterinary assistant in urgent care and surgery for two years, gaining valuable knowledge in anatomy and medicine. Darrian then joined the Department of Natural Resources as a wildland firefighter for a summer. Seeking to expand her experience in wildlife biology and fire ecology, she moved across the country to join The Orianne Society.
Gary Baldaeus
Chief Financial Officer
Gary Baldaeus
After completing eight years of military service during the 1960’s, he obtained his B.B.A. in accounting from City University of New York-Baruch College. Upon graduation, he joined Ernst & Young and retired after 30 years with the firm. While with Ernst & Young he served in numerous capacities as an audit and consulting partner including, among other things, as a specialist in the healthcare and nonprofit industries. He is a practicing CPA and a member of the AICPA, NYSSCPAs, and other professional and social organizations. He has presented to a broad array of professional organizations on all aspects of accounting and operating matters and has served as an adjunct professor at New York Medical College.
Heidi Hall
Director of Development
Heidi Hall
Heidi is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of a strategic plan to broaden the reach of and raise funding for the organization. Her interests include determining and implementing effective ways to communicate the need for reptile and amphibian conservation; educating the public about the importance of these species; building strong partnerships with private, non-profit, and state and federal organizations; developing and implementing strategic fundraising campaigns; and organizing citizens to participate in necessary and useful research on reptile and amphibians that enhance The Orianne Society’s conservation efforts. She studied fisheries and wildlife management at Hocking College in Ohio where she earned a degree in fisheries and wildlife management and continued her education at the University of Idaho, studying wildlife management, earning degrees in biology.
Dr. Houston Chandler
Director of Science
Houston Chandler
Houston leads our science-based conservation projects. He previously served as Species Coordinator and Director as part of the Longleaf Savannas Initiative. Houston has a PhD and MS degree in Fish and Wildlife Conservation from Virginia Tech, where he worked with Dr. Carola Haas. His graduate studies focused on understanding how a variety of factors influence Eastern Indigo Snake and Reticulated Flatwoods Salamander populations. He also completed several projects examining the ecology and hydrology of ephemeral wetlands. Previously, Houston completed a B.S. in Biology at Georgia College and State University and worked as an Aquatic Diversity Intern for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Houston is broadly interested in the conservation and management of reptile and amphibian populations, especially in the southeastern US. He has particular interests in understanding responses to global change, population biology, wetland hydrology, and using creative techniques to fill important data gaps in our natural history knowledge for rare herpetofauna. While at Orianne, Houston has worked on a wide variety of species, including Eastern Indigo Snakes, Reticulated Flatwoods Salamanders, Spotted Turtles, Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnakes, and Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtles.
Jason Makris
Prescribed Fire Technician
Jason Makris
Jason Makris is from Naples, Florida, and graduated from Rollins College with a B.S. in Environmental Science. After graduation, he worked with a wilderness trails crew in Oregon before returning to the Southeast to focus on prescribed fire and fire ecology. Jason is passionate about sustainable land management, conserving wilderness areas, and protecting species sensitive to fire regimes in the Southeast. In his free time, he enjoys backpacking, kayaking, and exploring national forests.
Dr. Javan M. Bauder
Independent Researcher
Dr. Javan M. Bauder
Javan Bauder is an Assistant Unit Leader at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Javan earned his B.S. in Wildlife Resources from the University of Idaho and M.S. from Idaho State University. Javan joined The Orianne Society in 2009 as an Assistant Conservation Scientist and worked on multiple projects. Javan returned to graduate school at the University of Massachusetts Amherst where his dissertation work examined landscape effects on Eastern Indigo Snake movement, population viability, and genetic connectivity. Javan then worked as a post-doc with the Illinois Natural History Survey studying population trends in mammalian carnivores in the Midwest before joining the Arizona Coop Unit in 2021. Javan continues to collaborate with The Orianne Society on Eastern Indigo Snake research focusing on habitat, connectivity, and population modeling.
Joslin Nufer
Prescribed Fire Technician
Joslin Nufer
Joslin Nufer grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. As a child, she spent countless hours outdoors catching frogs and toads, playing in the rain, and exploring her backyard, which sparked her interest in weather. She went on to attend North Carolina State University, where she earned a B.S. in Meteorology with a minor in Wildlife Science. Joslin is passionate about protecting endangered habitats from the effects of anthropogenic climate change. She believes prescribed burning is a critical tool in this effort and is excited to work as a Prescribed Fire Technician with The Orianne Society.
Jesus Rodriguez Riverol
Herpetology Technician
Jesus Rodriguez Riverol
Jesus graduated from the University of Florida’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences with a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. During his time at the university he worked with a variety of species, including Alligator Snapping Turtles, Blanding’s Turtles, and anoles from Puerto Rico. He is excited to continue contributing to amphibian and reptile conservation with The Orianne Society. Outside of his work, Jesus enjoys photography, kayaking, and spending time with his dogs, Peanut and Butter.
Kiley Briggs
Director of Conservation
Kiley Briggs
As the Director of Conservation, Kiley oversees The Orianne Society’s landscape-based conservation programs. After a childhood flipping rocks in search of salamanders in Vermont, Kiley first came to Orianne as a field technician in 2011, a few years after graduating from the University of Vermont with a degree in Wildlife Biology. After some time away, during which he studied the habitat use of Texas Tortoises in pursuit of his Master’s degree at the University of Texas, Kiley returned to The Orianne Society in 2017. With experience working on research and conservation projects with many species, including Wood Turtles, Timber Rattlesnakes, Indigo Snakes, Gopher Tortoises, and Mudpuppies, Kiley strives to protect and restore critical habitat for imperiled reptiles and amphibians, especially on private working lands where farmers form the backbone of local farm-to-table economies. Outside of work, Kiley is an amateur photographer and aquarium hobbyist in Vermont where he also enjoys hiking and kayaking with his wife and dogs. Kiley is also a member of the IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group.
Kira Cates
Research Technician
Kira Cates
Kira graduated from Louisiana State University (LSU) with a B.S. in Natural Resource Ecology and Management, concentrating in wildlife ecology, along with a degree from the Ogden Honors College. During her time at LSU, Kira worked in the freshwater ecology lab and assisted on numerous external projects, gaining research experience with a wide variety of herpetofauna, large mammals, and aquatic life. She also conducted a thesis project assessing niche overlap between anurans and other aquatic organisms. After spending eight months in Costa Rica with the Macaw Recovery Network, Kira recently moved to Georgia to work as an aquarist and Research Technician at The Orianne Society.
Tracy Karplus
Director of Communication
Tracy Karplus
Tracy Karplus serves as the Director of Communication for The Orianne Society. Born in Singapore and raised throughout the Asia-Pacific region, Tracy’s formative years were spent immersed in diverse cultures and ecosystems. Her fascination with the natural world led her to care for various pets, including snakes, and develop a fascination for marine biology as an avid scuba diver. Tracy earned her B.A. in Psychology and Fine Arts from Pitzer College in Southern California. Her career began in television advertising as an Associate Producer and Prop Stylist for SoloVision Productions, Inc. in New York City, where she collaborated with clients such as the Food Network, HGTV, and the CBS Evening News. Now based in North Georgia, Tracy applies her artistic and creative expertise to communicate science, aiming to educate and inspire others—especially about often-misunderstood animals like snakes. In her free time, Tracy enjoys cooking, hiking, printmaking, pyrography and wildlife photography.