Administration

Isabella grew up by Mobile Bay, Alabama, and moved to New Orleans to attend college in 2015. Isabella received her master’s degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from Tulane University in May 2020. Her studies focused on plant ecology and marsh ecosystems. Through her studies, Isabella became interested in how the health of our coast informs the health of our communities. In her spare time, Isabella likes to read, garden and continue to learn about the natural world around her. (isabella.donnell@crcl.org)

Advocacy and Outreach

Sofia Giordano – coastal programming senior coordinator

Sofia is a New Orleans native who completed two AmeriCorps service terms through ServeLA with CRCL as the OSRP Technician before joining the staff as the Coastal Adventures Coordinator. She holds a passion for getting more individuals out in the field to learn about the coastal land loss crisis and coordinates individual and group volunteer recruitment, supports volunteer events on-site, and explores new coastal adventure opportunities that support CRCL’s mission. Sofia received her Bachelor of Science from Loyola University in Environmental Science with a concentration in Biology, where she completed an undergrad thesis on the plastic pollution crisis. Sofia is also an avid sailor and amateur potter. (sofia.giordano@crcl.org)

Ethan Melancon – advocacy director

Ethan J. Melancon, MPA, is a native of Thibodaux. He is the former executive director of governmental affairs for the Louisiana Department of Education. In that role, he served as the staff lead for all legislative and policy strategy for the department and was the representative for the department and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education at the Legislature. Prior to that, Ethan served as the policy and research project manager at the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, where he worked on education and workforce development policies and initiatives. Prior to working at BRAC, Ethan worked in both public relations and public policy, through roles at the Pelican Institute for Public Policy, New Orleans public relations firm the Ehrhardt Group and in the office of U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany. He is a proud graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he double majored in public relations and political science. He recently received his master’s of public administration at LSU. In his off time, Ethan enjoys exploring the culinary vistas of our state and collecting Louisiana antiques. (ethan.melancon@crcl.org)

Brett Pickett – outreach coordinator

Brett is a native Louisianian working on the Future Coastal Leaders program. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a M.S. in environmental behavior, education and communication in the spring of 2022. In his free time, Brett enjoys going on hikes, reading about New Orleans history and cooking. (brett.pickett@crcl.org)

Will Thinnes – advocacy and outreach manager

Will is originally from Memphis. He received his bachelor’s of science in ecological restoration and environmental policy from the University of California, Berkeley in 2018. Shortly after, Will moved to New Orleans to become an Americorps member at SBP, where he helped lead volunteers in reconstructing homes in the Lower 9th Ward. Most recently, Will worked at Green Light New Orleans, where he managed their rain barrel program — installing rain barrels around the city, engaging with the community and hosting educational workshops about green infrastructure. Will’s passion for ecological restoration and community engagement drove him to CRCL. In his free time, Will enjoys reading by the bayou, chasing sunsets and asking tourists to pronounce Tchoupitoulas. (will.thinnes@crcl.org)

Communications

James is a former journalist in New Orleans, having worked for many years as an editor at The Times-Picayune. He was on the newspaper’s staff that won two Pulitzer Prizes in 2006. He has also published stories in magazines including 64 Parishes and Preservation in Print. He has been interviewed on the air by NPR’s “Weekend Edition” and on television shows that have aired on the NFL Network, the Travel Channel and National Geographic. A story about his writing was recently published by The New Yorker. He moonlights as a professional competitive eater (formerly the No. 4 oyster eater in the International Federation of Competitive Eating — 15 dozen oysters in 8 minutes) and as an actor, with credits including “NCIS: New Orleans,” “Treme,” and “America’s Most Wanted.” He received his bachelor’s degree in English from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. (james.karst@crcl.org) 

Maeve Maloney – Serve Louisiana social media coordinator

Maeve Maloney is originally from Massachusetts. She graduated from Tulane University in 2024, receiving a bachelor of arts degree in environmental studies and sociology as well as a bachelor of science degree in psychology. As an undergraduate, Maeve interned with School the World and spent a summer as a field technician with CRCL through AmeriCorps. Since moving to New Orleans, Maeve has become passionate about environmental justice and ecological protection. In her free time, Maeve uses her experience as a marathon runner to explore the city. (maeve.maloney@crcl.org)

Morgan Randall – communications senior coordinator

Morgan is a Shreveport native who graduated from Tulane University with a degree in political science–international relations. Her passion for helping Louisiana and its people thrive first brought her to the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities as a marketing coordinator and later to CRCL through the Serve Louisiana/AmeriCorps program. Her favorite part of the job is connecting with people who are just as driven to see Louisiana at its best. In her free time, Morgan enjoys writing fiction, biking around town and organizing with Together New Orleans through her church, First Grace UMC. (morgan.randall@crcl.org)

Development

Donna Betzer is a development and marketing professional with over 30 years of experience. Most recently she served as Kingsley House chief development officer as well as the director of strategic giving for the Kingsley Foundation. She directed development and communications efforts, including the execution of fundraising strategies for individual donors, corporate and foundation supporters, and special events. Prior to this role she served as director of development of the American Diabetes Association Gulf Coast office and director of marketing for Volunteers of America of Greater New Orleans. She holds a bachelor of arts degree from Loyola University in communications and psychology. Donna, a member of Women United and the Association of Fundraising Professionals, lives in Metairie with her husband, David, and enjoys gardening, reading and traveling. (donna.betzer@crcl.org)

Maya grew up in Los Angeles and moved to New Orleans to attend Tulane University in 2016. She graduated with a bachelor of fine arts in musical theater and environmental studies in 2020. As an undergraduate at Tulane, Maya led several fundraising efforts for local musical productions and volunteered and interned at Green Light New Orleans, solidifying her interest in serving the local community. Following graduation, she served as program manager at Sages & Seekers, an intergenerational program designed to develop empathy and diminish social isolation and ageism, and shift lead at Flour Moon Bagels; you may recognize her as their former unofficial bagel hand model. In her free time, Maya enjoys baking, belting showtunes and meandering around New Orleans. (maya.klapper@crcl.org)

Kelly develops and executes our public and private events. She joined the CRCL team in 2007. CRCL has long been known for its well-planned and orchestrated events because of Kelly’s artistic eye and attention to detail. As CRCL’s graphic designer, she is responsible for developing critical informational pieces for both internal and external distribution. Kelly’s expertise in IT has allowed CRCL to incorporate the latest technology into its web design and computer networks. She also develops and maintains CRCL’s extensive database system. (kellym@crcl.org)

Restoration Programs

Darrah Bach – Oyster Shell Recycling Program manager

Darrah served as CRCL’s monitoring and remote sensing technician through Serve Louisiana until joining the staff as the OSRP coordinator. Originally from San Francisco, California, Darrah moved to New Orleans to pursue a degree in environmental studies and sociology from Tulane University. In her free time, Darrah enjoys drawing and collage making.  (darrah.bach@crcl.org)

Gardner is an ecologist, urban enthusiast and avid bicyclist hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina. As suggested by his name, he enjoys working with plants, and he is excited to be leading volunteers to support coastal restoration through native plantings. Gardner holds a degree in environmental studies from UNC-Asheville, and he has years of experience in volunteer management and land stewardship. In his free time he likes to garden, play disc golf and cook with friends. (gardner.goodall@crcl.org)