Who We Are

Kristen Redd, Program administrator
Kristen Redd is the Program Manager at the Canyonlands Research Center and provides essential administrative support to the NATURE Program. She considers herself fortunate to live at the Dugout Ranch and works closely with her husband Matt Redd, Program Director for the CRC, to run the cattle operation. At the CRC, Kristen can be found doing anything from herding cattle on a horse, presenting to groups, driving backcountry roads through the ranch, organizing events, and caretaking the CRC and Dugout. Kristen has spent her career working with people as a counselor, advocate, and mentor. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Utah and a Master’s degree in Transpersonal Psychology from Naropa University.
Kristen Redd is the Program Manager at the Canyonlands Research Center and provides essential administrative support to the NATURE Program. She considers herself fortunate to live at the Dugout Ranch and works closely with her husband Matt Redd, Program Director for the CRC, to run the cattle operation. At the CRC, Kristen can be found doing anything from herding cattle on a horse, presenting to groups, driving backcountry roads through the ranch, organizing events, and caretaking the CRC and Dugout. Kristen has spent her career working with people as a counselor, advocate, and mentor. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Utah and a Master’s degree in Transpersonal Psychology from Naropa University.

Alix Pfennigwerth, Program coordinator & instructor
As the NATURE program instructor, Alix develops the program curriculum, serves as a mentor on student capstone projects, and coordinates program activities, guest speakers and other logistics. She has a decade of experience working in science engagement, conservation and research, including with the National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and Science Moab. She has been working to conserve, learn from, and connect others with the amazing landscapes of the Colorado Plateau since 2017. She enjoys coordinating hands-on and immersive learning opportunities with the NATURE Program and learning new perspectives and knowledge from students and partners. Alix holds a master's degree in Ecology from the University of Tennessee and currently lives in Moab, Utah with her husband and rescue pup.
As the NATURE program instructor, Alix develops the program curriculum, serves as a mentor on student capstone projects, and coordinates program activities, guest speakers and other logistics. She has a decade of experience working in science engagement, conservation and research, including with the National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and Science Moab. She has been working to conserve, learn from, and connect others with the amazing landscapes of the Colorado Plateau since 2017. She enjoys coordinating hands-on and immersive learning opportunities with the NATURE Program and learning new perspectives and knowledge from students and partners. Alix holds a master's degree in Ecology from the University of Tennessee and currently lives in Moab, Utah with her husband and rescue pup.

Danielle Smiley, Student coordinator
Dani Smiley was a NATURE intern in 2021 and returned to the program in 2022 to work on the team! As student coordinator, she serves as a mentor to our interns and handles various day-to-day logistics to keep the program running smoothly. Dani is pursuing the nursing program at Utah State University-Blanding and hopes to get a Bachelors of Nursing and a Bachelors of Science in Health Education and Promotions with a Community Emphasis. She has lived on the Navajo reservation in San Juan County, Utah, most of her life.
Dani Smiley was a NATURE intern in 2021 and returned to the program in 2022 to work on the team! As student coordinator, she serves as a mentor to our interns and handles various day-to-day logistics to keep the program running smoothly. Dani is pursuing the nursing program at Utah State University-Blanding and hopes to get a Bachelors of Nursing and a Bachelors of Science in Health Education and Promotions with a Community Emphasis. She has lived on the Navajo reservation in San Juan County, Utah, most of her life.

Nichole Barger, Program founder and director, 2021-2022
Dr. Nichole Barger, Lead Global Scientist for the Nature Conservancy and professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder, helped found the NATURE Program in 2021. As an ecologist, Nichole's work supports sustainable land management and restoration of a broad variety of ecosystems globally. Barger partners with diverse governmental entities in the U.S. on land degradation and restoration issues (i.e., ecological risks of fire mitigation treatments, historical drivers and biogeochemical responses to woody plant encroachment, forest decline and regeneration, restoration of degraded dryland ecosystems and soils). She also has extensive research experience working on conservation and management issues in dryland ecosystems across the globe. She has worked with international research teams in Inner Mongolia, Venezuela, South Africa, and Namibia.
Dr. Nichole Barger, Lead Global Scientist for the Nature Conservancy and professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder, helped found the NATURE Program in 2021. As an ecologist, Nichole's work supports sustainable land management and restoration of a broad variety of ecosystems globally. Barger partners with diverse governmental entities in the U.S. on land degradation and restoration issues (i.e., ecological risks of fire mitigation treatments, historical drivers and biogeochemical responses to woody plant encroachment, forest decline and regeneration, restoration of degraded dryland ecosystems and soils). She also has extensive research experience working on conservation and management issues in dryland ecosystems across the globe. She has worked with international research teams in Inner Mongolia, Venezuela, South Africa, and Namibia.
Our partners:
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