Staff

Darrah Bach – Oyster Shell Recycling Program Coordinator

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)

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)

Tyler is a native of Baton Rouge and a graduate of the Southern University Law Center. For the past three years, he has served as the lead staffer for the Louisiana House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment, specializing in natural resources law with a focus on energy and coastal issues. He has drafted legislation pertaining to the CPRA Annual Plan, oyster shell recycling, management of the coastal zone, coastal zone permitting, offshore wind energy production and the disposition of funds generation from Outer Continental Shelf alternative energy production, and numerous other bills that have served to enhance coastal Louisiana.In his free time, Tyler enjoys spending weekends with his wife and two children at his family’s camp in Chauvin. (tyler.bosworth@crcl.org)

Emma is a Tulane University alumna with a bachelor’s in political science and environmental studies who is committed to public service, environmental stewardship and a sustainable future for the state of Louisiana. During her time at Tulane, Emma learned about the unique environmental factors that influence the state and its residents, including issues of flooding and subsidence. Her studies combined with her interest in public service fueled her decision to continue working to address these environmental challenges with local communities. She completed two years of AmeriCorps service and worked on urban stormwater management before joining CRCL. Outside of the office, Emma can be found with a book in her hand and a cat in her lap. (emma.butler@crcl.org)

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)

Addison is helping to plan the 2023 State of the Coast conference; creating content for and helping manage our websites and social media; designing print and digital products; and contributing to development and marketing campaigns. With a passion for environmental justice, Addison enjoys combining other interests in research, writing and photography as tools for meaningful storytelling. She is a small business entrepreneur, an avid adventurer and a creative problem-solver. She loves to spend her days barefoot in her garden, where she grows a range of medicinal herbs, food, and flowers for the pollinators.(addison.ellis@crcl.org)

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)

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)

James is in charge of internal and external communications. He 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) 

Kelly develops and executes our public and private events, and is our lead graphic designer and webmaster. 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. (kelly.messer@crcl.org)

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)