who we are
John Thompson
Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership Director
John Thompson joined the Catskill Center staff as CRISP Coordinator in February 2016. For the past twenty-five years John has been collaborating with scientists and land stewards throughout Southeastern New York State promoting science-based management. John has developed partnership workplans for collaboration to build integrity and resilience in our ecological communities while establishing landscape connections. John is collaborating with partners to prioritize invasive species management strategies; leading training sessions on invasive species, monitoring and management; and leading education and outreach programs on invasive species, natural history and ecological management. John coordinates with New York State Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) on statewide initiatives and initiatives across PRISM boundaries. John currently serves on the Town of Wawarsing Environmental Conservation Commission.
John earned an MS in Geology at University of Pennsylvania in 1995 and a BS in Environmental Conservation from the University of New Hampshire in 1989.
Dan Snider-Nerp
Terrestrial Invasive Species Manager
Dan Snider started with CRISP in 2014, working first as an intern and currently as the program's Terrestrial Invasive Species Manager during which time he has cultivated familiarity with the common invasive species of the Catskills region.
Dan has hosted more than 15 workshops and training events regarding identification and control of the common invasive species in the Catskills, targeting the public at large, Student Conservation Association volunteers, college students, and more. Dan has also hosted or participated in a number of surveys and invasive species pulls targeting species such as hemlock woolly adelgid, emerald ash borer, Japanese barberry, and the bush honeysuckles. Dan regularly advises private landowners and partner organizations on the various management strategies available to them to help control common invasive species infestations of various sizes, requiring he stay up-to-date on current best management practices. Dan also spearhead's CRISP's surveys and control of giant hogweed each year, controlling about 700 stems of giant hogweed each year.
Prior to his time at CRISP, Dan worked on an invasive species control team in West Virginia, dealing notably with emerald ash borer, hemlock woolly adelgid, kudzu, stilt grass, tree of heaven, and Japanese barberry, among others. Dan held a pesticide technician license in West Virginia, and so is familiar with pesticides and their application methods. Dan holds a BS in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Maryland, 2012.
Sarah Coney
Aquatic Invasive Species Manager
Sarah joined the Catskill Center staff in 2022 but has been working in the CRISP PRISM since 2017. Shortly before graduating from SUNY Oneonta in 2017, she began working with the CRISP Watershed Steward Program and has helped to oversee and grow the program in the following years.
Sarah is passionate about aquatic ecosystems, helping to preserve them, and spends much of her summers above and below our NY waters. She has participated in several studies involving aquatic invasive species and has worked with native pearly mussels.
Her master’s thesis revolves around the Reintroduction of the American Eel and its effects on native pearly mussel populations. Sarah is currently working to expand CRISP’s knowledge of AIS in the CRISP PRISM.
Alexa Tumbarello
Catskill Center Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator
Alexa joined the Catskill Center in October 2023. Growing up on a farm in upstate NY, she developed a deep love for the land and all the creatures who inhabit it. After studying environmental science in college, Alexa worked for the National Park Service where she blended her interests in art and science and developed a love of conservation photography. Since then, Alexa has worked in higher education, PR and communications, photography and digital strategy. She is also a NYS licensed hiking and camping guide.