Meet the Team

Kevin Grady

Kevin has been the Director of the Ecoculture Reforestation Group since 2011 and has been working on ecological restoration projects since 2001. He designs and coordinates restoration projects, scientific investigations, and outreach programs. Our program involves a creative team, a science team, an outreach team, and an implementation team. Kevin started working on Salt River Restoration in 2013 when he developed a Salt River Wilderness grazing management plan with the Tonto National Forest. Now, with over one hundred thousand trees planted, an active outreach program, and extensive public visitation to the area, our long-term dedication to this river is paying off. In addition, Kevin works around the globe with communities to develop new approaches for conservation planning and implementation.

JUSTIN EDDINGER

Justin is a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Natural Resource Specialist for the Grady Lab at Northern Arizona University. He currently helps manage the Lower Salt River Restoration Project and Green Drone AZ. Justin holds a B.S. in Environmental Resource Management and a M.A.S in Geographic Information Systems from Arizona State University. He previously worked for the USDA Forest Service, Tonto National Forest, for five years as a GIS and Natural Resource Specialist. Justin helps manage field work by providing oversight of invasive species removal, herbicide treatment and replanting efforts. He looks forward to sharing his knowledge and showing that a passion for natural resources and technology can go hand in hand.

JACOB DRAPER

Jacob is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) pilot and Natural Resource Specialist for the Grady Lab at Northern Arizona University. He currently helps manage the Lower Salt River Restoration Project and Green Drone AZ. Jacob completed a B.S. in Natural Resource Ecology at Arizona State University. He previously worked for the USDA Forest Service, Tonto National Forest, as a rangeland technician, and for a consulting firm where he focused in environmental investigation and remediation. Jacob helps manage field work by providing oversight of invasive species removal, herbicide treatment and replanting efforts. He is excited to bring new technologies to an otherwise primitive field of work. Jacob looks forward to expanding his UAV and remote sensing skills as they relate to natural resource management.

CHRIS UPDIKE

Chris is the Program Manager for the Grady Lab at Northern Arizona University and Chief Operations Officer for Ecoculture. Ecoculture is an interdisciplinary and action based network that combines art, technology, and culture to promote strong nature – culture interactions. We are a community of reforestation practitioners whose objectives are to converse biodiversity and strengthen human connections to nature through community stewardship in large scale projects. In the last 10 years, our community has come together to plant over a million trees worldwide. Chris is a graduate of Northern Arizona University and a former Peace Corps Volunteer. When he is not planting trees you can find him outside with his family.

Rebecca Davidson

Rebecca Davidson is the Director of the Southwest Region Field Program at the National Forest Foundation (NFF), where she oversees conservation efforts in Arizona and New Mexico. She has over 20 years of experience working on natural resource issues, also having worked on water protection issues at the Salt River Project and in wildlife conservation programs at the Arizona Game and Fish Department. At NFF, Rebecca helped develop and implement the Northern Arizona Forest Fund, which is now being cited as a unique model for innovative watershed investment funding mechanisms. Rebecca has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Northern Arizona University, and a Masters in Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School.

Ryan Nicholas

Ryan is an invasive species ecologist and soil scientist for the U.S. Forest Service – Tonto National Forest. He holds a B.S in Plant and Soil Science and a M.S and Ph.D. in Urban Forestry from Southern University. Ryan has worked for the Forest Service for 15 years, seven of which has been on the Tonto National Forest. He helps manage and provide oversight for the Lower Salt River Restoration Project. Ryan helps with planning and governmental advisement. In addition, Ryan manages multiple invasive species and soil conservation projects throughout the Tonto National Forest, following their mission of community environmental stewardship.