Scientists conducting field research
Our Team

Senior Scientists

Meet the diverse team of researchers, ecologists, and experts who drive our mission to integrate science with sustainable land management.

John N. Williams
John N. Williams, Ph.D.

Co-Founder, Managing Director

Ecology
Biodiversity
Conservation

John Williams is an ecologist and researcher at the University of California, Davis, and serves as PAE's Chief Scientific Officer. His work focuses on...

Joshua H. Viers
Joshua H. Viers, Ph.D.

Co-Founder, Managing Director

Landscape Ecology
Watershed Science
Geospatial Technologies

Josh Viers has over 15 years of professional experience in landscape ecology and watershed science, and serves as PAE's Chief Executive Officer. By le...

Michael G. Andreu
Michael G. Andreu, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Forest Ecology & Management
Agro-Forestry
Bio-energy

Michael Andreu has been practicing forestry for over 20 years. He has worked with forests issues in the US, Central America and West Africa. He has ex...

Olga Barbosa
Olga Barbosa, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Ecosystem Services
Agroecology
Vinecology

Olga Barbosa is interested in the relationship between humans and the environment from an ecological perspective. Her research has been continuously c...

Nate Bogie
Nate Bogie, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Agroecology
Soil Hydrology
Carbon Cycling

Nate researches how deficit and drip irrigation and management of cover crops affect soil carbon cycling and soil hydro-physical properties in Califor...

Antoine Champetier
Antoine Champetier, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics
Ecosystem Services
Agricultural Engineering

Antoine Champetier is an agricultural and resource economist with expertise in environmental issues and policies in agriculture. He is currently a pos...

Phil DeVries
Phil DeVries, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Tropical Ecology
Biodiversity
Evolutionary Ecology

Phil DeVries is a tropical biologist who works in the areas of biodiversity, evolutionary ecology and conservation of insects, with particular emphasi...

V. Ryan Haden
V. Ryan Haden, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Agronomy
Agroecology
Soil Science

Ryan Haden is an agroecologist and soil scientist with expertise in agricultural strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate ...

Jonathan D. Kaplan
Jonathan D. Kaplan, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics
Applied Econometrics
Policy Modeling

Jonathan Kaplan is an economist with expertise in water resource management, agricultural production modeling, and economic experiments. His work has ...

Erica R. McKenzie
Erica R. McKenzie, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Environmental Chemistry
Environmental Engineering
Point-of-Use Drinking Water Treatment

Erica McKenzie is environmental engineer who has spent most of her energies in two areas: pollutant fate and transport in the environment, and point-o...

Josue Medellin-Azuara
Josue Medellin-Azuara, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Water Resource Engineering
Econometrics
Climate Change Adaptation

Josue Medellin has extensive experience modeling agricultural production in California and other locations around the world, including the US-Mexico B...

Daniel M. Nover
Daniel M. Nover, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Water Quality Engineering
Water Treatment
Sanitation

Dan Nover is an expert in the physical and biogeochemical processes that influence water quality in freshwater systems, technologies available to safe...

Emma C. Underwood
Emma C. Underwood, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Conservation Ecology
Return on Investment
Invasive Species

Emma Underwood is a senior conservation ecologist and research scientist with an interest the application of geospatial tools and remote sensing techn...

Mehrey Vaghti
Mehrey Vaghti, M.Sc.

Senior Scientist

Riparian Systems Restoration
Terrestrial Ecology
Vegetation Community Ecology

Mehrey Vaghti guides the implementation and monitoring of ecological process-based restoration of terrestrial ecosystems, with a particular focus on r...

David Bruce Herbst
David Bruce Herbst

Senior Scientist

Aquatic Ecology
Stream Biology
Bioassessment

David Bruce Herbst is an aquatic ecologist specializing in stream biology and bioassessment. His research focuses on the ecology of aquatic invertebra...

Jorge Andres Morande
Jorge Andres Morande, M.Sc.

Senior Scientist

Agricultural Engineering
Remote Sensing
Carbon Sequestration

Jorge Andres Morande is an Agricultural engineer with a bachelor in Agronomy (Fruit Production and Enology) at Pontificia Universidad Católica of Chil...

Interested in Collaborating?

Our scientists are available for consulting, research partnerships, and collaborative projects in sustainable agriculture and conservation.

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