PA Woods and Forests Board Members
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AAron Capouellez
AAron Capouellez grew up in a suburb of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown with a bachelor’s degree in communications and a minor in biology. AAron is currently a graduate student in the biology department at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He specializes in herpetology (the study of reptiles and amphibians). AAron’s favorite target species are American toads, wood frogs, eastern gray tree frogs, pickerel frogs, purple pitcher plants, and American giant millipedes. He created a conservation project in 2019 focused on frogs and toads centered around the target counties of PA Woods and Forests. In his free time, AAron enjoys caring for his pets (Especially his toad Ace and tree frog Max), spending time with his girlfriend, friends, and family, flying his drones, and working on his media brand
“Woods and Forests Media.”
Malcolm Crittenden
Malcolm Crittenden has lived in the Allegheny region for 44 years and received a B.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont. His career as a PA State Watershed Manager gave him a further education in the effects of coal mining on our Pennsylvania water resources. Malcolm's favorite target species is the nocturnal firefly which covers our night landscape like the stars cover the heavens.
Maria Manon
Maria Manon is from Johnstown, PA, and an alumna of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. She has a bachelor's degree in communications, specializing in public relations and marketing. Her favorite PA Woods and Forests species is, by far, the Gray Tree frog. Maria says she is "attracted to their different shades of brown and olive greens, small bodies, and rapid trills." Maria's best-loved PA Woods and Forest memories are going out on road rescues and being with Aaron when he discovered the Gray Tree frog in Cambria County.
Jessica DeMartino
Jessica lives in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Her career has consisted of various areas of the human services field. She obtained a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Utah State University and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology, minoring in Environmental Sciences. She's been employed by the Commonwealth of PA for 16 years. She currently works full-time as a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist for the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. Jessica is also a Nathan's Divide Board Member and a PSU Master Gardener for Cambria County. She completed PSU Tree tender training. Her yard has been certified as a pollinator garden by Penn State University College of Agricultural Sciences Dept of Entomology, certified as a wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation, and a Monarch Waystation. Nature is an integral part of her life. She loves birdwatching, hiking, camping, kayaking, and plant identification. She also enjoys yoga, gardening, reading, and volunteering in community garden projects.
Darren Julius
Darren Julius, from Erie, Pennsylvania. He is a herpetologist who worked primarily in a zoological setting but also loves field herping. He mainly specializes in native turtles and snakes. His favorite native species is the Blandings turtle. Darren mostly enjoys the educational aspect of his job.
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Stephen and Kristen Larson
Stephen and Kristen reside in Somerset County with their three children. Together, they enjoy hiking, camping, and traveling. Both Stephen and Kristen work in the field of Mental Health, providing services in Cambria and Somerset counties. Their favorite PA Woods and Forests target species is the Wood Frog due to its unique habitat and colorful appearance. The Larson family’s favorite PA Woods and Forests moments are Frog Walks and the discovery of the Eastern Gray Tree Frog in their community.
