Raising grass-fed beef on her rural Indiana County farm isn’t just a side-job for Alysha Trexler — it’s a living example of a farm integrating conservation practices. So when the WPC watershed project manager talks with farmers and other landowners about how they can help improve water quality, she’s got street-cred — or farm-cred, as the case may be.

“I like to talk to people about what they love,” she says, “and help them connect what they love to what needs done to improve or protect it.”

Alysha’s wide-ranging role includes water quality and biological monitoring, physical stream habitat assessment, agriculture best management practice and nutrient management development, riparian habitat improvement design and installation, and public education and outreach. She’s currently managing a multi-year riparian restoration project that utilizes all of those roles.

After serving with WPC as an AmeriCorps in watershed in 2003 and 2004, Alysha became an employee in 2005. She holds a bachelor science in biology with a chemistry minor from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and has SCUBA and PA Nutrient Management certifications.

The seasons drive her schedule and projects. In spring and fall, she plants trees for riparian projects. Warmer months find her “out in streams assisting with fresh water mussel, hellbender salamander or fish surveys.” In between field work, she speaks with students and partners about improving and protecting water quality and meets with landowners about projects.

Sometimes that means reeducating people or dispelling misconceptions.

“Encouraging the public to support water quality improvement is challenging,” she says. “One cannot always ‘see’ polluted water become cleaner as it flows through the roots of trees. The polluted water appears clear– and clear can be misinterpreted as clean.”

Even defining what constitutes a stream is important. “A landowner might have a stream in very poor condition flowing through their property, but if they think it’s ‘just a ditch,’ they won’t think that it needs improved or protected!”

It all worth it, she says, knowing she is “helping the agriculture community see that conservation and farming don’t compete with each other.”

Growing things is in Charlie Spence’s blood, thanks to growing up with parents who were avid gardeners. He has lent his passion and expertise to the community flower garden in Clairton as the volunteer garden steward, even leading the installation of a pollinator-friendly section that attracts bees and butterflies.

What year did you begin volunteering with us and what motivates you to stay involved?

2012. The Clairton garden had been sorely neglected and needed a steward, I jumped at the chance. And why? To watch a strip of dirt turn into an incredible blooming garden is very rewarding.

How did you first become involved with WPC?

I ran into the woman who had been WPC’s Garden Volunteer Coordinator at another meeting. The Clairton garden needed a steward…next thing I knew, I had a garden.

What has surprised you most about working with WPC?

The true enjoyment of working not only with my garden and my team of dedicated volunteers, but also working with the staff. They are wonderful people who are always willing to lend a hand.  As my schedule permits, I also enjoy showing up at other gardens to lend a hand, get some ideas for my own garden and meet new people.

Tell us about your favorite volunteer experience at WPC.

The thing I enjoy most about volunteering with WPC is working with a garden in a heavily polluted location that, despite the odds, thrives every single year, and provides a bright spot in an otherwise gritty industrial area”

What advice do you have for someone who is considering volunteering for WPC?

Take the plunge! Call and ask where you can help. You meet new people and get gardening tips. Honestly, just have a lot of fun. At my garden we laugh the whole time.

What do you do when you’re not volunteering (such as other hobbies or work)?

I have a medium-sized yard, with a garden that I have nurtured, planned and re-arranged for about 35 years. I love to read, love to travel.  Although I am retired, I am involved with a few other non-profits that operate in the Pittsburgh region, serving on their boards, so I keep quite busy.

What might we be surprised to know about you?

I am addicted to Netflix, preferably watching foreign movies and TV series.

“Imagine Sisyphus happy.”

That’s the approach Chris Laufman, a field technician with WPC’s community greening and team, takes when things get a bit difficult: Think about the Greek mythological character rolling an immense boulder uphill for eternity…but imagine he loves doing it!

Long days, unpredictable Western Pennsylvania weather that can swing from blisteringly hot to bone chillingly cold in the space of 24 hours, unhappy drivers rerouted by safety cones…it can all add up.

Chris spends most days in spring, summer and fall outside with his colleagues, “getting my hands dirty and engaging with the public in some capacity.” Since he came to the Conservancy in 2023, he has worked with volunteers in communities around the region to help plant and maintain trees, gardens and greenspaces. But that, he says, is exactly what he loves: working outside and meeting interesting people in communities across Western Pennsylvania. It’s this, and nature’s own resilience, that inspires him.

His Sisphyean philosophy goes hand-in-hand with advice he gives anyone considering a similar type of work. “Make sure that you enjoy the actual work and not just the idea of it,” he says. “I think that sometimes people aren’t aware of the scope of work that we do—and the miles we log doing it.”

Speaking of logging miles, when he’s not greening Pittsburgh and surrounding communities, Chris enjoys running. He also spends as much time as possible with his wife Molly, daughter Della, cat Coconut and dog Daisy.

Chris encourages those who want to make a difference to “Get involved in your community at a local level by helping to develop and maintain greenspaces.”

He appreciates the volunteers, donors and community members who value WPC’s work to improve the region. “I am always impressed that there are people willing to take time out of their busy lives to come volunteer with us on the weekends, doing work that can be difficult and messy. Thank you for your support!”

Katelyn became a WPC Emerging Leader in 2020, and says “I haven’t looked back!” She’s grateful for the beautiful spaces WPC protects, and is “constantly in awe of the behind-the-scenes work it takes to make all of this happen.”

How did you become involved with WPC and what motivates you to stay connected?

“I was introduced to the Emerging Leaders committee through a work colleague, and haven’t looked back. I love the work that WPC does in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas, am so grateful for the beautiful spaces that the WPC helps to cultivate in our region, and am constantly in awe of the behind-the-scenes work it takes to make all of this happen.

“Being involved with WPC and ELAC is an honor and being part of an organization that does such amazing work for our community motivates me to stay connected and engaged with WPC.”

A favorite nature memory:

“Taking my 10-month-old daughter to her first national park (Acadia) in October 2023 was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Sharing a snack while sitting on the side of beautiful mountains with your family is something that truly can’t be beat.”

Why be an Emerging Leader?

“It’s so much fun! The people are wonderful, dedicated, and so friendly, and the work we do is amazing. Learning about WPC and other aspects of conservation in our region while helping to grow WPC is a great experience, and I encourage anyone to get involved.”

Areas of WPC’s work that resonate most with Katelyn:

• Community Gardens
• Land Conservation
• Land Stewardship
• Fallingwater

Sometimes, the best way to teach is to listen.

That’s the approach taken by Larry Fallon, a part-time educator at Fallingwater. Retired after 30 years of teaching, Larry has lead groups on tours of the house and grounds since 2023.

He leads visitors who might hail from any country in the world. Some are Wrightophiles with a deep understanding of Frank Lloyd Wright’s philosophy of organic architecture. Others have dreamed their entire lives of witnessing firsthand the house built in harmony with nature. Still others arrive with minimal understanding of architecture, curious to see the house over a waterfall.

The depth and breadth of visitors’ questions can be surprising, so Larry and his fellow educators read a lot. “I try to be open and curious along with the visitors, encouraging them to observe, comment and question,” Larry says. “They guide my talk.”

Indeed, the most enjoyable part of Larry’s job is the “incredibly curious and interested visitors and my incredibly knowledgeable colleagues.” Spending his days in one of the most famous houses in the world helps, too. “It’s inspiring to be immersed regularly in the art and architecture of the Kaufmann home built by Frank Lloyd Wright.”

No stranger to beauty and peaceful surroundings, Larry, a Buddhist, is inspired by the Dali Lama and other dharma teachers. He loves to garden and cultivate bonsai, and “in my woodworking shop, I enjoy making beautiful things out of interesting pieces of wood.” Entomologist and conservationist Douglas Tallamy and botanist and author Robin Wall Kimmerer provide sources of understanding and inspiration.

Larry invites people who love Fallingwater to support this work of art in harmony with nature. “Anyone local can volunteer, providing support in various ways,” he says. “And visitors can become members of Fallingwater.”

“Conservation requires people who care enough to act, not just admire,” says Nicole Pardus, a member of WPC’s Emerging Leaders Advisory Committee since 2023. Nicole, an estate planning and estate administration attorney based in Pittsburgh, says her earliest nature memories include countless hours of walking in Salmon Creek in Forest County, searching for salamanders. That curiosity never faded.

How did you become involved with WPC and what motivates you to stay connected?

I became involved after years of exploring Pennsylvania trails, rivers, parks and quiet moss-covered places that always felt like home. Joining WPC’s Emerging Leaders program gave me a way to contribute more intentionally instead of admiring from a distance. I stay connected because Western Pennsylvania’s natural spaces deserve future voices, and I want to be one of them.

Tell us about a favorite nature experience or memory.

My earliest and most formative nature memories come from growing up in Forest County, where I had the privilege of exploring vast stretches of untouched woodland. I spent countless hours walking down to Salmon Creek, lifting rocks and searching for salamanders, the spark that eventually led to my lifelong fascination with hellbenders.

That curiosity never faded. Today, some of my favorite moments are slow hikes with my family, identifying wildflowers, fungi and whatever small, extraordinary lives are tucked beneath the leaves. There is a familiar magic in the smell of wet moss and creek water, a reminder of where my love for the natural world began, and why it endures.

What would you tell a friend or colleague about why you are an Emerging Leader with WPC?

Because conservation requires people who care enough to act, not just admire. WPC protects what I love most about this region, and being part of that work feels meaningful, future-minded and hopeful.

What might we be surprised to know about you?

I am a voracious reader and dedicated book collector — especially when it comes to fantasy, speculative fiction and anything rooted in nature or folklore. I’m the type of person who packs a book for every possible scenario, buys more even when my shelves are full and treats bookstores like sacred ground.

Conservation issues that interest or concern you:

• Climate Change
• Habitat Loss
• Pollinator Support
• Endangered or Threatened Species
• Invasive Species
• Forest Connectivity
• Biodiversity
• Watershed Restoration
• Land Development

It might (or might not!) come as a surprise that Scott Perkins loves a good tchotchke.

The senior director of preservation and collections at Fallingwater keeps a patinaed cast bronze tile on his desk, purchased at Arcosanti, an architectural community started by Paolo Soleri, a former apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright. It holds papers in place on his desk while simultaneously inspiring his work.

Part of Scott’s role entails curating and overseeing the care of the furniture, textiles, ceramics, glass, paintings and works on paper on display inside Fallingwater – objects yes, but much more than tchotchkes.

“There is so much yet to learn about the artists, designers and manufacturers of the pieces,” says Scott, who came to Fallingwater in 2013. “The research and discoveries we bring to light about the Kaufmanns, as well as the Fallingwater commission and the collection, are among my favorite aspects of the job.”

Scott also administers the Fallingwater Archive of documents, drawings, photographs, and audio and visual materials, which are “filled with untold stories,” he notes. “There is nothing more fun than reading a letter or seeing a person in a photograph to complete the story behind a crafted or designed object or work of fine art.”

A large part of Scott’s work, which he finds both challenging and inspirational, involves leading preservation projects at Fallingwater.

“When new contractors are on the site, I can always see the look in their eyes of amazement, but also trepidation,” he says. “Many of them don’t want to be the one to ‘break’ Fallingwater, so we take time to explain the history of the house, and of those who built it in the 1930s.”

That can mean showing a stone mason the oddities in the way stone was laid. It can mean sharing historic construction photos of what constituted scaffolding back then, or how workers moved stone from the quarry to the site. And of course, sharing its importance as a World Heritage site.

In turn, Scott says, “I am inspired when our on-site team and those specialists – such as our architect, engineer and conservators – reveal things about the house and its contents.”

This thrill of the surprise, and the wonderment that accompanies each revelation, grounds him in his philosophy: “Always be open to humbly learning more.”

Not many jobs at WPC require a person to create giant worms out of an old pair of tights, pillow stuffing and wire hangers. Come to think of it, there’s only one such job, and it belongs to Stella Barrett.

As SCA School Greening Fellow with the community greening program since 2025, Stella assists with creating and executing learning activities at WPC’s School Grounds Greening sites.

No one day is like any other. “During the fall, I spent some days assisting with plantings in our community gardens,” she says. “I spent most of October preparing for and helping to host four different pumpkin patch events (at schools).”

Recently, she edited videos for a future project, and created an activity in which staff and fifth grade students will design signage for the Concord school garden.

Arts and crafts are a regular part of Stella’s job. In addition to creating the aforementioned worm, “I painted eight different sheets to be used as decorations at the pumpkin patches. Walking by my desk in the weeks leading up to the pumpkin patches really must have been something to see!”

Stella works mornings in a preschool classroom at The Discovery School, a separate job that she says allows her to bring a unique, insightful approach to WPC’s SGG work at early childhood education centers.

“I have the most fun when I can be in the field with the kiddos!” Stella says, recalling one rainy autumn day when 30-plus fifth graders helped to remove annual flowers from a community garden to prepare the beds for winter. “They all started the day pretty miserable, but by the end we (almost) all were smiling,” she says. “I had so much fun watching them turn things into a game, answering their questions about the garden, and watching them work together as a team.”

“Our land is a gift, as are its natural resources,” says longtime WPC member Steve Parks. “It must be protected and nurtured, so naturally, the Conservancy’s goals align with my own.”

While growing up in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, Steve was surrounded by wooded hills bisected by the Juniata River. He spent his time hiking, fishing, climbing anything vertical and building makeshift cabins and treehouses. This exploration left him confident that nothing is better than all nature has to offer — forests, fields, streams and animals.

After studying landscape architecture at Penn State University, Steve began his career as a landscape architect/park planner with the National Park Service and in 1974 opened his own practice in Hollidaysburg. After a trip to Fallingwater, he became a Western Pennsylvania Conservancy member and has since become an ardent supporter.

Steve’s wife, Angela Ludwig, shares Steve’s passion for the environment. Growing up in a village on Lake Constance on the Swiss border, Angela was accustomed to spectacular landscapes. “I’ve learned that the land ethic in Germany is respectful and protective of all natural resources,” Steve says. “I was impressed by her insight into the natural environment and how important it is to people.”

Steve retired in 2025. He actively advocates for the environment, writing elected officials to share the importance of protecting our natural resources. He still explores the landscape, including by flying over Pennsylvania’s ridges and valleys (he has his pilot’s license). “You can clearly appreciate the topography, forests, streams and cultivated valleys. In any season there is beauty and wonder.”

Steve believes that educational outreach, particularly in public schools, sparks passionate interest and involvement and  “should bring long-term benefits to our efforts to protect our natural resources.”

He includes the Conservancy in his estate plans as an expression of his life’s dedication to Western Pennsylvania ‘s landscapes, and as an intentional way for future generations to experience and care about nature.