Asha DiMatteo-LePape

Current position: Americorps member/Outreach and Youth Program Coordinator for the Catamount Trail Association based in Vermont. I coordinate and run youth cross country ski programs and work with schools in the area to teach Nordic skiing and foster a love of outdoor recreation. I also contribute to trail stewardship, conservation, and mapping efforts.

Hometown: Guilford, VT

M.S., Forest Resources, 2021

Thesis: “A Social-ecological examination of moose in Maine: Habitat, management, and changing seasonality” (available to download here)

Advisor(s): Sandra De Urioste-Stone, Sabrina Morano

How did participating in the NRT program help prepare you for what you’re doing now?

The NRT exposed me to a myriad of different conservation professionals who shared their experiences working in different areas of conservation. This prepared me for conservation work in the nonprofit world and highlighted the value of partnerships and relationships when it comes to conservation and community development.

How would you describe the overall benefits of completing the NRT program? 

The benefits of completing the NRT were the partnerships and interactions I was able to have with conservation professionals outside of academia. These connections and related conversations increased my capacity for conservation planning and prepared me for the challenges and opportunities that come from working with different types of organizations and partners.

Do you have any words of advice for current or prospective NRT trainees?

I would advise current and prospective NRT trainees to expose themselves to as many different conservation professionals and organizations as possible. Learning about how different organizations operate and how different roles in conservation look was very valuable for me. I would also recommend that trainees take every opportunity to ask partners and mentors about their career journeys: hearing about how different everyone’s career path is was empowering for me and highlighted that there is no one right way to navigate your career.