Grow Back Stronger
About WES Community
About WES Community
Founded in 2011, Whiskeytown Environmental School Community (WES Community) is a nonprofit organization 501 (c)(3) that supports the outdoor education and science mission of Whiskeytown Environmental School (WES). As a result of the 2018 Carr Fire and temporary school closing, WES Community now serves as the official philanthropic fundraising partner for the National Park Service at Whiskeytown for the rebuild of Whiskeytown Environmental School.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Call for Applications
WES Community, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011, is seeking dedicated board members. We support the Whiskeytown Environmental School (WES)—an outdoor education center serving students since 1970 in partnership with the National Park Service and Shasta County Office of Education. Though the 2018 Carr Fire damaged the site, WES Community now leads efforts to rebuild facilities and restore hands-on, nature-based programs for K–8 students. By joining our board, you can help ensure that every child continues to experience the wonder of outdoor environmental education at WES.
WES – Whiskeytown Environmental School
Since 1970, WES has been a public, outdoor education school serving K-6 students in 5-day overnight programs, 1-day programs, and week-long summer day camps. Using Next Generation Science (NGSS) Standards, WES provides an immersive science experience for students. Additionally, the WES experience helps students acquire a sense of place and a concern for the stewardship of our outdoor places.
After temporary closure because of the Carr Fire, WES reopened in 2021 for daytime K-8 programming only. Please contact the Shasta County Office of Education to attend a field trip.
For further information on current programming at WES, visit the Shasta County Office of Education website.
Our Team
WES Community is comprised of local volunteers with the unified goal of supporting the outdoor education and science mission of Whiskeytown Environmental School (WES).
Melinda Kashuba Ph.D.
President
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Melinda’s three children enjoyed the benefits of the WES Camp Experience as sixth grade students. She served as a volunteer counselor for a week during one of her children’s stays. Impressed by the excellent curriculum, she has returned to demonstrate global positioning system (GPS) technology to students and the public during open house events at the camp. Prior to her retirement from Shasta College, she taught Geography for 15 years and earned the Hayward Award for teaching excellence from the California Community Colleges. Melinda has a background in environmental planning and resources management. She also owns her own historical research and writing business in Shasta County.
Cassie Simons
Vice President
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Cassie has been with the board since 2019. She is currently a 7/8 science teacher and soccer coach at Buckeye School of the Arts in Redding. She served as Environmental Education Coordinator at Whiskeytown Environmental School for 11 years. She also worked for the Forest Service as a Botanist and served in the AmeriCorps Watershed Stewards Project working in fisheries biology, environmental education, and conservation projects. She also has led teenage backpacking trips in Lassen National Park. She has a BA in Environmental Studies from Michigan State University and a teaching credential from UC Davis in Biological and Earth Science. Her current passions are hiking, astronomy, and playing pickleball.
Kathy Hill
Treasurer
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Kathy has been active on the WES Community Board since 2011, as a founding member. She has experience guiding students as a Naturalist for both the WES Day field trip program, serving grades K through 4, and the WES Residential program serving grades 5 and 6. Kathy is enthusiastic about science, curiosity and community. In addition to her passion for hiking through the hills, she also enjoys painting landscapes.
Kathy holds a B.S. in Environmental Biology from Humboldt State University and is a certified California Naturalist by the University of California.
Francesca Huntsman
President Emeritus Board
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Francesca joined the board in 2011 and again in 2020 She has a varied background working with people, both as a teacher and vocational rehabilitation counselor. Her “retirement-fun” jobs have been working seasonally with the National Park Service and 10 years as a naturalist at Whiskeytown Environmental School. She’s an outdoors enthusiast and exposed her students to field trips at Lassen Volcanic National Park and Whiskeytown NRA. She accompanied her 5th grade students to WES for 10 years. Seeing the positive impacts on her students at WES, she is passionate about environmental education for future generations. Her children are adults and continue the family tradition of hiking and camping. Francesca has a teaching credential and holds a degree in Anthropology. She has traveled extensively throughout the world.
Tallianna Richey-Miller
Board Member, Lead Science Education
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Tallianna has been part of Whiskeytown Environmental School since 2014, beginning as a summer program volunteer. In 2017, she started leading environmental education programs at Mount Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene, Oregon. She joined the WES education staff in 2021 and became the Lead Science Educator for the Shasta County Office of Education in 2022, overseeing daily operations and serving as a liaison between schools, WES, and Schreder Planetarium.
She serves on the CREEC North Leadership Team, where she facilitates workshops and professional development. In 2025, Tallianna completed the Environmental Educator Certification Program through the Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education and was honored as the 2025 Environmental Educator of the Year – Instructor of the Year. That same year, she joined the WES Community Board.
Tallianna is dedicated to connecting students and the community with nature, while supporting efforts to restore and expand hands-on outdoor science experiences for all.
Ellen Petrick
Board Member
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Ellen retired from a career with the National Park Service during which she managed interpretive operations and youth programs at Yellowstone, Curecanti, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. She also worked for state wildlife agencies, nonprofits, and in formal education (primary, secondary, and university).
Her strengths are teaching, leadership, mentoring, evaluation, and partnerships. She connects people to special places, ecologies, primary source documents, artifacts and the many deeper meanings these things embody, while also connecting people to each other – all ages and walks of life.
Ellen has a BS in Biology from Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, an MA in Environmental Education from Montclair State Universtiy in Upper Montclair, New Jeresey, and a teaching credential from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.
Nathan Fairchild
Science Coordinator SCOE
SCOE Liaison
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Nathan Fairchild began his career as an interpretive park ranger and wild animal trainer/educator, then moved into environmental education before becoming a classroom teacher in 1994. He has worked in public, private, and charter schools, teaching mostly science to middle school students. He has been the Director of Science Programs at the Shasta County Office of Education since 2014, providing science support to teachers, directing Whiskeytown Environmental School and Schreder Planetarium, and acting as the liaison with charter schools.
Tammy Reynolds
Friends of Whiskeytown, Inc.
Friends of Whiskeytown Liaison
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Tammy Reynolds joined WES Community as the FOW Inc. liaison (Friends of Whiskeytown, Inc.) in 2019. She currently serves on the board of FOW Inc. and has volunteered at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area's Ranger-led Kayak/SUP Tours since 2017.
After moving to Redding in 1991, she and her husband volunteered at both Turtle Bay Exploration Park and Kids Kingdom. They also produced Shasta Highlands Renaissance and Celtic Faire at Anderson River Park raising over $500,000 for many local charities over a period of 7 years.
Tammy has an A.A. in Business and Accounting from Shasta Community College. Her two daughters grew up in Redding and attended WES in grade school. She has enjoyed Whiskeytown Lake with her family for the past thirty-three years.
Laura Shaskey
Division Manager, Resources and Interpretation, NPS Liaison
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Laura Shaskey joined Whiskeytown National Recreation Area as the Division Lead for Resource Management and Interpretation in 2020. At Whiskeytown, she leads a team of staff to monitor, conserve, and interpret natural and cultural resources to ensure they remain unimpaired for present and future generations. She has also been collaborating with National Park Service (NPS) staff and WES Community on various aspects of reestablishing the WES site for educational programs. In 2024, she stepped in to serve as the NPS liaison for WES Community.
Laura has a long career in land management for conservation and with environmental and science education. Prior to her career with NPS, she worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Nature Conservancy, where she managed land to provide wildlife habitat and led tours and activities for the public and school groups. During the first decade of her career, she also served as a science teacher both inside and outside the classroom, ranging from the elementary to the college level. Laura has a Bachelor’s Degree in Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology from UC Davis and a Master’s Degree in Biology from Sonoma State University.
Laura's own attendance at residential environmental education camps were formative experiences of her youth. Traveling to science camp in both 6th grade and 8th grade had a large impact on her interests in environmental conservation. She feels that all children should be given such opportunities, and she is looking forward to the full return of residential outdoor education to the WES campus.
Frequently Asked Questions
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WES Community is a non-profit organization founded in 2011. It supports the educational and scientific mission of Whiskeytown Environmental School (WES). Following the 2018 Carr Fire, WES Community became the official fundraising partner for the National Park Service at Whiskeytown, focusing on the rebuild and enhancement of WES.
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In 2018, WES suffered extensive damage due to the Carr Fire, leading to the temporary closure of the school. Since then, the school has reopened with limited daytime programming, and efforts are underway to rebuild and expand its facilities.
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You can support the rebuild effort by making a financial gift, participating in fundraising events, or volunteering. Your generous gifts go towards rebuilding student cabins and teacher housing, as well as enhancing educational facilities. Learn more →
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Before the Carr Fire, WES offered week-long programs, day-long field trips, and summer day camps. Currently, only day-long K-8 field trips are offered. Plans are to bring back full-time programming, including overnight stays with comprehensive educational experiences, and summer camps.
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Yes, WES Community is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
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WES Community promotes immersive outdoor learning experiences that align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The focus is on hands-on science and fostering a love for the environment among students.
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Yes, volunteers are always welcome. There are various opportunities to help, from assisting in fundraising events to contributing to the rebuilding efforts. Volunteer Information →
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WES Community is collaborating with the National Park Service, the Shasta County Office of Education, and other local organizations and businesses in the rebuilding efforts. Our partners are instrumental in supporting our mission and goals.
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Gifts are used for several purposes, including the construction of new student cabins, rebuilding the amphitheater and paying for technical surveys to move the construction project forward. Transparency in fund usage is a priority for us.
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For the latest updates, please visit our News & Events. You can also subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates on our progress and upcoming events.
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At WES Community, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all individuals, regardless of age, background, or ability, in our outreach and programs, events, and activities. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is integral to our mission of connecting children with nature and promoting environmental stewardship.
Developing, Enhancing, and Maintaining Equitable Systems
We ensure that our policies, practices, and systems are equitable and accessible to all.
We continually evaluate and improve our WES Community outreach to meet the diverse needs of our community.
Offering Equitable Access to Resources
We support opportunities for participation at Whiskeytown Environmental School for individuals from all backgrounds.
We remove barriers that have historically prevented full participation from underserved and underrepresented groups in the outdoors.
Fostering Success for WES Staff, Students, Schools, and Community Partners
We support the professional and personal growth of WES Community Board members and volunteers through training and development to recognize bias and its impact upon equity and inclusion.
We support the efforts of our partners, the National Park Service and Shasta County Office of Education, in their efforts to create a welcoming environment for all at WES.
We build partnerships with diverse organizations and communities to enhance our impact and reach.
Contact Us
For more information about our DEI efforts or to provide feedback, please contact us at