Environmental Stewards Staff

Joey Ruehrwein

Joey Ruehrwein - Environmental Stewards Director

Joey Ruehrwein is a 12 year veteran of the conservation service movement and has over 20 years of professional experience working with youth and natural resources.  Joey holds a MS in Recreation Resources Management from Utah State University and has a background in non-profit leadership, state and federal partnerships, diversity focused programming, and social and aquatic ecological research. 

Joey came to Environmental Stewards from the Student Conservation Association where he worked in various roles over 12 years.  Joey began his career at SCA as the director of the organizations largest national corps (Fire), he transitioned into the Partnership Development  Department 4 years later, and he spent his last 4 years at SCA as the inaugural Director of Partnership Service and Development where he lead the organizational transition from a centralized to a regional service department.

While at SCA Joey worked in partnership with federal land managers to create thousands of meaningful experiences for youth including the National Park Service SCA Academy and the Salmon and Challis National Forest AmeriCorps Training Center.

 

 

Michael RendonMichael Rendon – Environmental Stewards Program Director

Michael joined Conservation Legacy (CL) in October of 2012. For the prior three years, Michael worked as the Executive Director of Sexual Assault Services Organization (SASO), where he served as their first male Director. In 1995, Michael was a Corpsmember with the Americorps * National Civilian Community Corps providing over 1700 hours of service. From 2000-2006, Michael was the Coordinator for the Fort Lewis College Environmental Center working on a variety of environmental programs and Co-Chairing the President’s Advisory Council on Environmental Affairs. From 2007-2011 Michael served on the Durango City Council, and was the Mayor of Durango in 2010/2011. While on the Council, Michael served on numerous Boards and was the Vice-President of the Regional Housing Alliance. During Michael’s term on Council, the city took many environmental steps forward, including the creation of the Dept. of Sustainable Services, though Michael will most likely be remembered as supporting an ordinance allowing for chickens within city limits. Michael spends most of his free time growing vegetables, climbing mountains, playing music, and participating in local politics. Michael can be seen around Durango playing violin with his band Carute Roma. www.caruteroma.com. Email: [email protected].

 

 

Trever Garfield - Environmental Stewards Program Coordinator

Trever joined the Environmental Stewards in September 2014.  He has a B.A. in English from the University of Colorado in Boulder.  Since graduating he has worked in sales, project management, forestry, and most recently as a manager of a successful fly fishing shop.  Trever looks forward to using his variety of work experience to help members secure meaningful work assignments in their area of interest.  He is happy to call Durango home and enjoys exploring the rivers, mountains, and deserts in the area.  Email: [email protected].

 

 

 

 

Emma Savely- Environmental Stewards Program Assistant 

Emma joined the Environmental Stewards Program in May 2015. She has a B.S. in Ecology and Field Biology from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Her love of the environment was spawned at a young age. She grew up building forts with her brother and running around in the beautiful Appalachian mountains of North Carolina. 

Her desire to make a positive difference in the environmental community has led her to hold a variety of jobs from being an animal keeper to leading naturalist hikes for kids to being a museum exhibit educator. She looks forward to exploring the next avenue of her environmental adventure with the Environmental Stewards Program.

She is the most content when she is mountain biking, hiking, birding, doing yoga & spending time with her family and her dogs. Email: [email protected]

 

 

 

inspire

"I still can't believe that I got the job with the USGS.  If it were not for that internship I probably would not have my job with the USGS.  I'm very thankful to the Environmental Stewards and for the Americorps internship.  This internship literally opened the doors for my career!"

Jose Santiago - Environmental Steward

why Environmental Stewards?

  • Individual and personalized attention from Environmental Stewards staff
  • Experience recruiting local and diverse young adults with expereince
  • Partner cost primarly goes to help provide liviable weekly stipend for the member