Maria Mircheva - Executive Director
Maria Mircheva has been the Executive
Director of the Sugar Pine Foundation since July 2007. She first
volunteered for the Sugar Pine Foundation during the 2006 field season,
and took over the day to day operations of the organization after the
Angora Fire in 2007.
Maria holds a Masters in Environmental
Science and Management, with a focus on conservation policy, from UC
Santa Barbara. Her undergraduate degree is in Business Economics, and
she worked as a business consultant in the Silicon Valley before
discovering her passion for environmental work. Maria currently juggles
the demands of being a mom with those of the organization and her need
to play outside as much as possible!
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Tressa Gibbard - Development Coordinator
Tressa Gibbard has been working for the
Sugar Pine Foundation since January 2010 in the capacity of
grant-writer, editor, design guru, outreach and fundraising organizer.
Tressa holds a Bachelors degree from Penn State University, where she
designed her own course of studies in Environmental Sustainability.
She has over six years' experience working
as a field biologist throughout California and many other western
states. She was introduced to the Sugar Pine Foundation as a
participant in the 2006 Tahoe-Baikal Institute Summer Environmental
Exchange program, and was previously a seasonal volunteer with SPF. When she's not saving the sugar pines, Tressa can generally
be found climbing rocks.
Hugh Denno
Hugh is a native of South Lake Tahoe that is passionate about the mountains and trees he grew up with. Hugh first interned with the Sugar Pine Foundation in 2009 as a tree climber and filmmaker; he produced "The Seedling." He now assists during cone collection season as a tree climber and helps lead plantings in the spring and fall. Hugh has worked in outdoor education since 2005 and is an expert naturalist; he has been known to fascinate adults and children alike on guided hikes and at plantings. Hugh holds B.A. degrees in Conservation Biology and Adventure Education from Prescott College.
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