Meet the NCRACC Members

Jump to information about:

• Committee Co-Chairs
• American Indian/Alaska Native Representatives
• Asian Pacific Islander Representatives
• Black, African American Representatives
• People with Disabilities Representatives
• Hispanic Representatives
• LGBTQ+ Representatives
• Veteran Representatives
• White Representatives

Committee Co-Chairs

Astrid Martínez

Co-Chair - NRCS Conservation Planning and Technical Assistant Division Director (Washington D.C.)

Ms. Martínez’ career with NRCS spans 26 years and includes positions as a soil scientist, soil conservationist, state soil scientist, various acting roles, and Wyoming State Conservationist (2012-2022).

Ms. Martínez served on temporary assignments to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Global Programs Division; USDA Combined Federal Campaign Manager for the 2021-22 CFC Campaign; and Program Manager for the USDA COVID Coordination Team for the Office of Assistant Secretary for Administration. She also joined a specially assigned team to assist with Hurricanes Irma and Maria recovery in Puerto Rico in 2017.

A native of San Germán, Puerto Rico, Martínez received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, with a major in agronomy and soils and her Master of Science in Soils from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

 

Thomas Morgart

Co-Chair - State Conservationist (Connecticut)

Tom Morgart grew up in western Pennsylvania and spent summers working for relatives on two different family farms. After high school, he attended Pennsylvania State University where he earned a B.S. in Horticulture.

After college, he entered the workforce as a grower at a large greenhouse operation, and then took a job as a crop consultant with the Lehigh Valley Crop Association. His efforts in conservation got him noticed by the North Jersey RC&D Council. He was offered, and accepted, a job with them and was stationed in the NRCS Field Office in Flemington, New Jersey. The position required him to work with NRCS staff on conservation activities. In 2001, when a soil conservationist position for NRCS came open, he applied and was selected; thus, beginning his federal career. From there he was chosen for the position of EQIP program manager in Maryland. He relocated and spent five years in that job before being selected as that state’s assistant state conservationist for programs. During that time, he did a 9-month collateral duty as Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative coordinator, representing the agency at the federal and state level. He also served as the Acting National EQIP team leader during a detail to National Headquarters, and as acting state conservationist in Maryland for several months. He held the position of ASTC-Programs until he was selected as state conservationist for Connecticut in 2015. In 2018, he took on a detail in Washington as acting director of the Easement Program Division.

Morgart quickly acclimated to Connecticut, noting it reminds him of his home state of Pennsylvania. After more than five years, he continues to enjoy his journey with the staff as they work together to keep agriculture thriving in a state that may be the third smallest but has a large agricultural presence with approximately 6,000 farms. He is held in high regard by conservation partners and the state’s producers.

Morgart was the NRCS’ first openly gay state conservationist. He says we are lucky to work for an agency that has zero tolerance for any type of discrimination and where there are opportunities for everyone.

Tom has been married to his husband Luis for 7 years. He enjoys his work, traveling, and the outdoors.

American Indian/Alaska Native Representatives

Catherine Cannon

Tribal District Conservationist (Washington)

Catherine Cannon is currently a Tribal District Conservationist for the Okanogan/Nespelem area of Washington. A late-in-life two-time graduate of Colorado State University in Wildlife Biology/Zoology and Rangeland Ecology, Catherine took the plunge and left home to start a term position with NRCS as a Rangeland Management Specialist in northern Utah in 2013. She left 2 years later for a permanent Range Con position in Okanogan, moving into her current position in 2021.

Catherine has worked in Civil Rights since 2016, first serving as the Federal Women’s Program Manager for the Washington Civil Rights Advisory Council (2017-2020), committee Chair (2018), then as the FPAC National American Indian Alaska Native Special Emphasis Program Manager (2019-2022).

In her spare time, Catherine enjoys being a “Drama Mama” supporting her daughter’s high school theater program, birdwatching, and gardening.

 

David Pesicka

Tribal Liaison (South Dakota)

I started my career in 1988 as a Student Trainee working summers with the Soil Conservation Service. I graduated from South Dakota State University with a Bachelor of Science in Range and a minor in Soils. I have worked in seven NRCS offices in South Dakota over the last 34+ years. The last 24 years I have worked as a Tribal Liaison located on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Reservation and I work with 2 field offices (Dupree and Timber Lake).

I am an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. I have been married for 34 years to Lynn and she is a Kindergarten teacher at the Dupree School. I have 2 sons, Patrick 33 and Anthony 31. Patrick works for NRCS and Anthony is an over the road Truck Driver. I have a ranch that occupies most of my time and I enjoy hunting, fishing, golfing and spending time with family especially my 6 grandchildren.

 

 

Asian Pacific Islander Representatives

Anand Hase

ASTC-Field Operations (Iowa)

Anand Hase is currently serving NRCS as an ASTC-Field Operations in Northeast Iowa. He is a member of the Civil Rights Advisory Committee, serves as the Asian American Pacific Islander Special Emphasis Program Manager, and affiliated with the Asian Pacific Islander Organization (APIO) employee organization. He has held positions all over the state of Iowa as District Conservationist, Resource Conservationist, Soil Conservationist, Technician, and Watershed Project Coordinator. Prior to landing in an NRCS office, he held positions with Wildlife and Fisheries Departments in Iowa, Custer State Park in South Dakota, and Southeast Nebraska.

Anand calls Northwest Iowa Home. Growing up, he worked on a turkey farm and helped a family friend row crop as a teenager through high-school. He has always had a passion for the outdoors and conservation which led him down the path to finding a career in natural resources. He attended Iowa State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Animal Ecology in 2011.

Anand still enjoys the opportunity to help with farming practices from time to time. In his spare time he enjoys hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, travelling, sports and fitness. He recently ran a half marathon and visited Wrigley Field to watch the Cubs. He usually takes a few trips West to snowmobile and snowboard during the winter.

Suzy Daubert

State Conservationist (Maryland)

Suzy Daubert is currently serving as State Conservationist in Annapolis, Maryland, a position she started February 12, 2023. She has been with NRCS for over 20 years. Prior to taking her current role, Suzy served as the ASTC-Field Operations in Beckley, West Virginia, starting in July 2019, where she also serves as the chair of the Civil Rights Advisory Committee. She started her career with NRCS as a WAE in Maryland, while attending University of Maryland (UMD). After graduation, she worked for a geo-tech engineering firm and UMD running the soils lab. While in school, she attained a summer internship mapping soils in Fairbanks, Alaska. She then came on full time as a Career Intern in Riverton, Wyoming, and Maine, where she married another soil scientist at the time. In New York NRCS, she switched to being a soil conservationist and later a District Conservationist in New York and Florida. She has completed detail opportunities as Acting State Conservationist in Reno, Nevada and other acting details with NHQ and the NEDC. In each state, she has served in the Civil Rights Committee in different capacities and serving has been a key part of her collateral duties in bringing diversity, inclusion, equity and accessibility to all.

Suzy’s parents now reside in the Pacific Northwest in Federal Way, Washington, outside of Seattle, and are native to South Korea. She was born and raised in Fort Meade, Maryland as a first generation South Korean American around base. Suzy and Tim have a 2 mixed children, a daughter named Jasmine and a son named Chase. She has developed a passion for process improvements and is a certified six sigma black belt, where facilitating positive change has been key to success.

Black, African American Representatives

Shantel King

ASTC-Field Operations (Delaware)

Shantel King is currently serving as the ASTC-Field Operations in Dover, Delaware. She started her career with NRCS in Casper, Wyoming as a Natural Resource Specialist in 2010. Her conservation expertise and passions include pasture conservation/restoration, outreach and education efforts, working with small and urban agriculture producers, and helping to continue the agency’s mission of “Helping People, Help the Land.” In addition to Wyoming, she has worked in Tennessee and Maryland and has held positions as a Soil Conservationist, Resource Conservationist, and Area Resource Conservationist. Throughout that time, she has been able to serve on several details with the Conservationist Planning and Technical Assistance Division as well as the Easement Support Services Team, as well as a variety of other collateral duty responsibilities and committees.

Shantel received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Oakwood College (now University) in Biology and continued on to earn her Master of Science in Environmental Science from Tuskegee University. This is where her love for agriculture and conservation was nurtured, and through numerous recruitment and career fairs, she was introduced to many available career opportunities, including possibilities with NRCS. Growing up both overseas in the Caribbean islands and in the United States has given Ms. King a unique perspective and outlook towards life and people of all backgrounds. This view of the world has underpinned her desire to ensure that equality and fairness are consistently woven into the fabric of both her professional and personal life.

Shantel has worked with Civil Rights since the start of her career with NRCS, serving as collateral duty in many capacities such as State Liaison and Special Emphasis Program Manager (SEPM). She now still fuels her passion for Civil Rights by continuing to serve as the Black Female representative on the National Civil Rights Advisory Committee to the Chief for the last 2 terms.

In her spare Shantel enjoys amateur photography, camping, traveling, road trips, museums, DIY projects, event planning, and just being with her friends and family.

Trevor Hunt

District Conservationist (Tennessee)

Trevor Hunt is a native of Nashville, Tennessee and in 2009 earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from The University of Tennessee at Martin. While at UT Martin, Trevor was a part of the 2006 Ohio Valley Conference championship football team playing fullback and linebacker for Skyhawks. In addition to being a student athlete, he also served in the Student Government Association as a Senator, as well as the President of the Kappa Omicron chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity.

Trevor’s introduction to Agriculture came at an early age. His family grew row crops and had a small hog operation. Trevor grew a fondness for time spent on the farm and knew that he wanted to pursue a career in agriculture. That fondness continues to this day as he owns the farm that he spent countless hours on as a kid and continues to expand the operation.

Trevor began his career with USDA in 2009 under the NRCS Student Career Employment Program as a student trainee in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He worked as a Soil Conservationist in Weakley, Washington, and Unicoi Counties prior to being selected as the District Conservationist in Blountville, Tennessee. In 2015 Trevor was selected to serve as the District Conservationist in Nashville, TN. In addition to his role as District Conservationist, Trevor served as the Chairman of the Tennessee State Civil Rights Advisory Committee from 2016-2019. He now serves as the Black Male Representative on the National Civil Rights Advisory Committee. He also is the Beginning Farmer Coordinator for NRCS Tennessee and was selected as a participant in the inaugural Southeast Leadership Development Program (SLDP).

His professional career is dedicated to helping people help the land, but the mission of helping people also applies to his personal life. Trevor is a founding board member of Nashville F.E.A.S.T (Food Equality and Sustainability Taskforce) and is a Lifetime Member of the National Organization of Professional Black Natural Resources Conservation Service Employees (NOPBNRCSE) and has served as the Tennessee Chapter President since 2015. Trevor is also a member of the NAACP.

Trevor and his wife Alicia have two children, Alana and Trevor II.

People with Disabilities Representatives

Morgan Morrissett

Assistant State Conservationist for Field Operations (Arkansas)

Morgan grew up on a small farm in Carroll County, Tennessee. She always wanted to help others but didn’t have a clear vision of where that calling would lead. Her first exposure to NRCS was through a land judging contest; the soil scientist assisting that day grabbed her attention with his skill and willingness to share with the students. Soon after, Morgan knew she’d found her path. Her experience with the agency began with the NRCS Student Career Employment Program as a trainee in Tennessee. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture with concentration in Production Agriculture from the University of Tennessee at Martin. Morgan began to understand the importance of locally-led conservation while serving as an Earth Team Volunteer and working as a Soil Conservation Technician for the local Soil Conservation District. During her time in Tennessee, she served as a soil conservationist in multiple field offices while holding a collateral position on the State Civil Rights Advisory Committee. In 2016, she was selected as a Soil Conservation Planner for the Grand Prairie Region of Arkansas, where she worked to ensure quality plans prior to Farm Bill Program Contracts. Morgan returned to Tennessee in 2020 as the District Conservationist for Obion and Lake Counties. She has served on various special committees and leadership roles throughout her career.

Morgan is currently serving her second term on the National Civil Rights Advisory Committee to the Chief. In 2022, Morgan was able to return to Arkansas where she serves as the Assistant State Conservationist for Field Operations for Northeast Arkansas. Over the long-term, Morgan hopes to focus her efforts on making the good things Arkansas NRCS does even better. She believes that our future vision for success must include a renewed focus on sound technical expertise, quality customer service, and strong conservation partnerships.

If not at work, Morgan can most likely be found at the baseball park or football fields with her husband, Joseph, and their boys.

Chanc Vogel

Wetland Compliance Team Leader (Wisconsin)

Chanc Vogel is currently serving NRCS as a Wetland Compliance Team Leader at Juneau Area Office in Southeast Wisconsin, covering 18 counties. Prior to his present position, he was Resource Soil Scientist on the Resources Staff at the Wisconsin State Office in Madison, Wisconsin. He has held positions all over the state of Wisconsin as Soil Scientist and MLRA project leader, working at six NRCS offices over the last 22 years with several details. Chanc also served as Disability Emphasis Program Manager on Wisconsin Civil Rights Committee from FY2002-FY2009.

Chanc has a consistent passion for the outdoors and conservation leading him to University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, which he received Bachelor of Science in 1997 with a major in Natural Recourses Management and Soil Science.

In his spare time, Chanc enjoys helping people out, working out, traveling, sightseeing, hunting, fishing, golfing, attending Packers/Brewers games, and going to the farm in Southwest Wisconsin to enjoy the outdoors.

Hispanic Representatives

Isabelle Giuliani

State Soil Scientist (Florida)

Isabelle Giuliani was born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico where she earned a BS in Agronomy and Soils and MS in Soil Science from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez campus.

Currently, Isabelle is the Florida State Soil Scientist. She started her career with NRCS as an initial soil survey mapper in Wyoming. She has been an Area Resource Soil Scientist in different landscapes/climates from the Rocky Mountains (Wyoming) to the Midwest (Nebraska), and to the Subtropical (Florida) where she was involved in soil health, wetland and highly erodible land compliance and wetland reserve easements assistance, and ecological sites descriptions. She has also served on details as Acting State Soil Scientist (Wisconsin) and as a Soil Scientist performing landslides assessments for FEMA/NRCS and CORPS after hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. She is a certified instructor and has aided in Basic Soil Survey and Soil Health’s trainings.

Isabelle has been involved in the Civil Rights Advisory Committee in two different Special Emphasis Program Manager roles for a total of 4 years. She is actively involved with the community as Area Director for Soils and Water Conservation Society Wyoming chapter Land Judgings, collegiate Land Judgings, Range Judgings, as well as college and school presentations.

Rafael Vega

Regional Natural Resources Specialist (North Carolina)

Rafael Vega was born and raised on the island of Puerto Rico. He graduated from the Interamerican University (UPR) with a master’s degree in Environmental Sciences. His thesis project consisted in utilizing the Normalized Vegetation Index (NDVI) to measure the health of a subtropical mangrove forest in the island. During his career with NRCS, he’s held multiple positions at the field and area levels, before becoming the State Resource Conservationist for North Carolina in 2016. During his 16 year career he has completed multiple official assignments such as assisting in the development of the NRCS National Organic Farming Handbook and Acting as the State Conservationist for Florida.

In addition to his technical and administrative assignments, Rafael had been involved in multiple efforts to support Farm Bill participation and development of leadership in agriculture for minority groups across the nation. Rafael has served as Indiana’s Hispanic Emphasis Program Manager (HEPM), National Organization of Hispanic NRCS Employees (NOPHNRCSE) Midwest Representative, NOPHNRCSE Council Member, NOPHNRCSE Scholarship Endowment Committee Chairman, and President of the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS). Mr. Vega was integral to the coordination and delivery of the 1st and 2nd Hispanic Farmers and Agricultural Professionals Symposium, in Raleigh, NC. This event impacted the SE region of the United States. Thanks to his efforts, Rafael was the recipient of the 2018 NOPHNRCSE Leadership National Award and the 2009 Excellence in Hispanic Outreach Award.

Mr. Vega currently serves as the regional natural resources specialist in the East National Technology Support Center in Greensboro, North Carolina providing direct support to state resource conservationist across 22 states in the use and adaptation of technology in conservation. 

LGBTQ+ Representatives

Jenna Dunn

Hawaii

Biography forthcoming.

Becky Ross

State Conservationist (New Hampshire)

Becky was born and raised in Oklahoma and her family had a small hobby farm that allowed her to develop her interests in the outdoors and animals. Her parents also instilled in her the love of music, sports and traveling. She attended Oklahoma State University where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences.

She currently serves as the State Conservationist in New Hampshire. Her 28+ year career has spanned multiple positions at the field, area and state level in seven states. She has served on state civil rights committees and is a member of professional societies and multiple employee resource groups.

Becky and her wife Julie reside in Epping, New Hampshire with their two rescue dogs. She enjoys gardening, hiking, attending sporting events, bowling and exploring all that New England has to offer.

 

Veteran Representatives

Jill Binette

Executive Assistant to the State Conservationist (Florida)

Jill Binette is a native of San Diego, California. Following a 20-year career in the Air Force, she went on to a number of interesting jobs in the private sector—executive assistant & sales manager for a Montana pasta company; jobs in flooring and pipe sales; and five years as assistant to the general manager for a concessionaire in Yellowstone National Park.

She came to NRCS in 2009. Shortly after starting with NRCS, Jill became the Federal Women’s Program SEPM for Montana. She left the state office in Montana in 2011 to become the executive assistant to the Wyoming State Conservationist in 2011 where she remained until September 2019. While there, she served for four years as the state office representative on the Wyoming Civil Rights Committee.

Jill’s husband Paul, is retired and spends his time golfing, making Florida the ideal place for them to reside with two naughty, yappy schnauzers. Jill continues working as the newly-hired executive assistant to the Florida State Conservationist.

Brett Myers

Water Resources Planning Specialist (Arizona)

Brett Myers is a Water Resources Planning Specialist with NRCS, where he focuses on watershed protection, restoration, flood prevention, water supply, and habitat enhancement by helping units of government protect and restore watersheds.

Brett enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2006 where he was stationed in 29 Palms, California and served two deployments to Iraq as an infantryman with 3rd Battalion 7th Marines. He then followed the open skies to Tucson, Arizona where he fell in love with the west.

Myers graduated in July 2017 with a degree in Natural Resources and an emphasis in Ecology, Management and Restoration of Rangelands from the University of Arizona and then received his MBA from Eller College of Management, University of Arizona in 2022.

Brett began his journey with NRCS in 2015 as an intern where he realized that aiding in conserving natural resources was the best career anyone could have. In addition, he also serves as the Veteran’s Special Emphasis Program Manager for NRCS Arizona, the Veteran Representative for the National Civil Rights Advisory Committee to the Chief and sits on the executive board of the Veteran Employee Organization for the USDA.

White Representatives

Amanda Crowe

Assistant State Conservationist for Programs (Alaska)

Amanda is originally from the driftless area of southwest Wisconsin (Ontario), where she spent her summers on construction sites. Her favorite projects were building barnyards for the local dairy farms where the conservation technicians would explain the blueprints and let her help with the concrete tests. Looking up to the technicians, she knew she wanted to dedicate her life to similar work.

Amanda has been a devoted conservationist since her first job with NRCS in the summer of 2002 in Sparta, Wisconsin. She started her career as a student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Soil and Land Management in 2004. She continued her education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned a master’s degree in Biological Systems Engineering in 2007. Throughout her college years, she gained valuable work experience with NRCS as a Pheasant Forever Intern, then the Student Temporary Employment Program, and finally the Student Career Experience Program.

Upon graduation Amanda worked in several locations in Wisconsin as an NRCS Agricultural Engineer from 2007 to 2014. During that time, she also earned a second master’s degree in business administration from Viterbo University, graduating in 2014. Amanda left her home state in 2014 to become the State Agricultural Engineer in North Dakota. In 2017, following a passion for adventure in her life, she ventured to Alaska, where she is currently the Assistant State Conservationist for Programs.

Amanda enjoys the subsistence and outdoor opportunities Alaska offers such as hiking, paddle boarding, skiing, foraging, and fishing. She’s also an avid yogi and teaches in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley.

David Williams

Business Tools Specialist (Colorado)

David is originally from a small community in the piney woods of Central Louisiana (CenLa). After honorably serving one tour in the United States Air Force as a Security Specialist, he completed an Environmental Management Systems Bachelor’s Degree, with a minor in Microbiology, at Louisiana State University (LSU). There he was an active member of two Honor Societies, Gamma Sigma Delta and Gamma Beta Phi. He received the LSU Honor Award Scholarship and placement on the National Deans List. He also served as an Earth Team Volunteer with the NRCS.

He began his professional career with NRCS serving on a specialized irrigation team in Texas within the Edwards Aquifer Region. He later transferred to Louisiana as a Soil Conservationist and soon became a member of the Louisiana NRCS Civil Rights Committee. During the remainder of his time in Louisiana, he held the positions of District Conservationist and State Programs Specialist.

In 2013 David accepted a satellite position within the Easement Programs Division of NRCS in Washington, DC, and relocated to Colorado. He currently assists with the development and testing of business applications, and other duties as assigned. He lives with his wife and three kids in the front range of the Rocky Mountains. He and his family enjoy serving the local community, through various volunteer opportunities, and getting out to explore nature as much as possible.