New Staff

Brian Robey

My name is Brian Robey. I am a student at the University of Redlands and have been working for IERCD for the last two years. I help with field projects, update our social media, and put together our quarterly newsletter. Originally from Connecticut, I grew up hiking and climbing and have loved working for the District as it works to promote environmental stewardship throughout the Inland Empire. I am looking forward to graduating in April and starting my career here in Southern California.

Kevin Harrington

My name is Kevin Harrington. Before I was hired as the Field Ecology Assistant, I worked as a volunteer for IERCD for about a year, helping Aaron Echols with conservation projects. I have had a passion for life sciences, especially an interest in any animal with more than four legs, for as long as I can remember. I was the kid that would save all the spiders and insects from certain doom in Biology class. Anything involving the outdoors, whether it is hiking, camping, or the combination of both is a constant throughout my life. I’m currently a student studying Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona in Tucson. I look forward to serving the IERCD to the best of my abilities.

Gabriela Preciado

I am extremely thankful to be working alongside everyone at the Inland Empire Resource Conservation District (IERCD) as a Conservation Educator. My passion has always been everything to do with being outdoors. I think nature holds such a beauty that we as the human species must do everything possible to conserve it. Working as a Conservation Educator will allow me to educate the community on important topics enable to achieve the districts mission. It is crucial for the community to understand the impact they have on their surroundings and environment as a whole.

Jacob Skaggs

I’ve spent the majority of the past 10 years working in East Africa. First as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania, I worked with subsistence farmers to help establish income-generating agricultural projects. I worked with women’s groups to start up tree nurseries for timber production and agroforestry, raised improved breeds of chickens and pigs with students from the local primary school, and led a Mt. Kilimanjaro expedition with a few kids who had previously never left the village. From my two years living in a rural community of subsistence farmers, I learned the value of building trust and respect in a community. It gave me the opportunity to connect with people on a deeper level and gain valuable perspectives that only come through being an integrated member of the community.

Over the past couple years I’ve felt a growing urge to living closer to my family (East Africa is just about as far away as I can get from them). Since many of my family members still live in Riverside, where I was born and raised, I was thrilled to be offered this opportunity at IERCD. I get to live near family AND work on issues I care about deeply: improving the sustainable management of natural resources in our community. I’m excited to learn and grow with the natural resources team, foster new partnerships, encourage innovation, and share what we learn with our partners and the community.