Meet Our LCCC Staff! Rachael relocated to Fort Collins, Colorado to work with the Larimer County Conservation Corps (LCCC), in April 2012. Originally from the east coast, she is a graduate of Unity College in Unity, Maine, where she studied Environmental Writing. As a youth, she became passionate about Corps programs when she had her first Corps experience in high school. She followed up that term with three other Conservation Corps programs throughout the years to support her appreciation of the environment and community. In 2009, during her most recent participation in a Corps program, she worked with EarthCorps, located in Seattle, Washington. This program allowed her to diversify her Corps experience by doing habitat restoration while working along side folks from all around the globe. She is thrilled to be working on the developmental side of a Corps program and supporting the LCCC crews for the summer season. When Rachael is not working, she likes to read, cook and backpack. Isabel came to the corps with a Bachelor’s degree in biology and environmental science and five years of experience working in wildlife biology, conservation, and education across the country and internationally. She joined corps staff in April 2011 to gain perspective and experience working in land management through collaborative, community-based conservation projects. Isabel is currently serving as the Project Manger, providing supervision and support to the summer field crews, and acting as a liaison to project sponsors. Outside of work, Isabel enjoys the variety of outdoor recreation opportunities available in and around Fort Collins, art, and cooking. Her favorite invertebrate is the giant pacific red octopus. Mark has lived in Fort Collins, Colorado for the last fourteen years. He stumbled upon the area with a group of classmates from Western Illinois University as he completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work with an emphasis in Adventure Recreation. Mark began his professional work in Fort Collins with Turning Point Center for Youth and Family Development, a drug and alcohol treatment center for youth. After leading wilderness therapy trips and providing employment transition support for three years to youth, Mark was offered an opportunity to career counsel low-income youth at the Larimer County Workforce Center which ultimately led to Mark’s current position as the Adult and Youth Training Services Manager at the Larimer County Workforce Center. Mark enjoys supporting Maelly and the rest of the Larimer County Conservation Corps (LCCC) team. Mark’s hobbies, outside of spending time with his two sons and wife includes working in his perennial and vegetable gardens. You may even see Mark make a surprise visit to the Agri Corps youth as they support local farmers in our community. As a non-Colorado native, Maelly got here as quickly as he could. After graduating from the University of Kansas with a degree in Cultural Anthropology, he headed to the Pacific Northwest to Olympia, Washington. As an AmeriCorps volunteer for the Washington Conservation Corps, he found his calling in the corps experience and youth development. Since 2004, Maelly has overseen the sustainability of the LCCC and its overall direction. As a father of two boys, he still finds time to enjoy his other passions which include anything bicycle related, traveling the country seeing live music, camping with his family, and all things Kansas Basketball.
Rachael Bahre
AmeriCorps VISTA-Development Associate
Isabel Gottlieb
Summer Project Manager
Mark Johnston
Youth Services Department Manager
Maelly Oropeza
Program Coordinator