RC&D Staff
Denitra Brawner
Administrative Associate
denitra.brawner@somdrcd.org
Lucia Gonzalez Goyco
NRCS Grant Employee -
Program Support Specialist - Charles County
Kimberly Reynolds
NRCS Grant Employee -
Program Support Specialist - Caroline County
A native of Talbot County, Kimberly attended Towson University, where she earned her bachelor's degree in communications. Returning to the Eastern Shore to spend more time with her family, Kimberly worked for many years at a local title company, assisting buyers, sellers, realtors, and lenders with finalizing real estate transactions and loan closings. She later chose to change career paths, helping those with special needs obtain service funding through federal, state and non-profit programs. Kimberly looks forward to supporting NRCS participants and staff in Caroline and Talbot County.
Tracey Shanklin
NRCS Grant Employee - Program Support Specialist - Worcester /Snow Hill
Chase Kolstrom
NRCS Grant Employee - Forester – Southern Maryland
Chase Kolstrom was born and raised in Charles County, MD. After high school and one year at the College of Southern Maryland he transferred to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where he majored in Forestry and minored in wildlife and fisheries science. Before coming over to SOMD RC&D he held a position as a Forester with Maryland DNR in Charles County. Chase is excited for this new career opportunity with RC&D and hopes he can continue to help landowners within Southern Maryland carry out good woodland stewardship on their properties for years to come. In his personal time Chase enjoys spending time with his dog and being outside doing activities such as hiking, camping, kayaking, and hunting.
Casie Curry
NRCS Grant Employee - Soil Conservation Technician - Anne Arundel/Calvert Counties
Casie has been living in Anne Arundel County since 2001 and has been very active in the local dance community and has been in companies such as Chesapeake Ballet Company and Kinetics Dance Theater. She found her love of sustainability later on at the University of Maryland where she received a B.S. in Environmental Horticulture along with her B.A. in Dance. Since then, Casie has been spending her time trying to identify every plant and insect and their ecological value while supporting local farmers as a Soil Technician supporting NRCS.
Matt Tagle
NRCS Grant Employee - Soil Conservation Technician – Prince George's County
Matthew Tagle is a soil conservation technician for Prince George’s County, MD. Originally from Anne Arundel County, MD, Matthew fostered an appreciation for nature and environmental stewardship through his early education and internships. He graduated with honors with his B.S. in environmental science from the University of Maryland, College Park. Recently, Matthew returned to UMD to earn his M.S. degree in Geospatial Information Science, which he expects to complete in May of 2027. His research interests are trying to monitor and improve the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay through remote sensing and he hopes to one day see a healthy Bay. outside of work, Matthew enjoys traveling, trying new foods, photography, and has recently taken up furniture making.
Kelli Tyler
NRCS Grant Employee -
Program Support Specialist - Wicomico County
Kelli Tyler is an Annapolis native who transplanted to the Eastern Shore in the 1990s. She is working on her bachelor's degree in history and will pursue a master's in history, concentrating on the Chesapeake Colonial Era and Archaeology. Kelli volunteers as a grant writer and artisan spinner/dryer/weaver at local historic sites and works part time as an Educator at the local Salisbury Zoo. Kelli's prior work experiences include Grant Writing and Administration, as well as Educational Program Development and Implementation for various historic sites. She has also worked as a Program Specialist for the Trio program at Wor-Wic Community College. Kelli joined Southern Maryland RC&D in July 2017. She is based in Wicomico County.
Emily Smalley
NRCS Grant Employee - Program Support Specialist - Anne Arundel/Calvert
Emily was born and raised in Maryland and will forever call this state her home. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Maryland, College Park. After several years working in marketing, organizational strategy, and creative management, she realized she wanted a career more closely aligned with her values. Her long-standing passion for yoga, conservation, and community inspired her to transition into supporting sustainability work. Emily enjoys traveling, hiking, and exploring the outdoors, and she is excited to contribute her skills to RC&D in projects that support our local farmers and communities.
Brianna Allen
NRCS Grant Employee - Program Support Specialist - Queen Anne
I was born and raised in Anne Arundel county and have lived here my whole life until I moved to Tennessee for college. I earned a B.S. in Environmental Soil Science with a concentration in Agriculture Conservation from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Go Vols! After graduation, I completed an internship with the Department of Natural Resources supporting living shoreline and wetland restoration projects which strengthened my passion for conservation work and protecting our Chesapeake Bay watershed. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my horse and dog. I also love traveling, boating, going to concerts, and finding good restaurants.
I am very excited to begin this new chapter with NRCS supporting local landowners and staff in Queen Anne’s and Kent Counties!
Erin Kibelstis
NRCS Grant Employee - CREP/CRP Planner - Worcester/Snow Hill Counties
Erin Kibelstis is the CREP/CRP Conservation Planner for the Southern Maryland RC&D. Based in the Worcester Soil Conservation District office, she will cover Worcester, Somerset, Wicomico, and Dorchester counties. She originally moved from her hometown in southern New Jersey to Northeastern Pennsylvania to continue her education. She received a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from Keystone College, where she also minored in Environmental Science. From there she continued to Bloomsburg University to complete a M.S. in Biology focusing on environmental and ecological studies. Since completing her education, Erin has joined the team at the Southern Maryland RC&D and is excited to begin her role as a CREP/CRP Conservation Planner.
Anna Hutchison
NRCS Grant Employee - Soil Conservation Technician - Talbot County
I’ve lived on the Eastern Shore of Maryland my whole life. I was born into a farming family which helped fuel my passion for agriculture. Growing up I was a member of 4-H and I joined FFA once I started high school and served as the Vice President for two years. I attend school at Chesapeake College working towards a Liberal Arts Degree. Prior to working with RC & D I worked as a grant employee under Maryland Department of Agriculture as a Soil Technician at Talbot Soil Conservation which helped me gain a lot of knowledge about conservation work with agriculture and resource concerns.
Jason Sierra
NRCS Grant Employee - Urban Conservation Planner - Prince George's County
My name is Jason Sierra, and I was born and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland. I have been involved in agriculture since my freshman year of high school, which sparked a passion that has guided my education and career. I earned a Professional Science Master’s degree in Urban Agriculture from the University of the District of Columbia. Over the past two years, I have worked directly with urban farmers, providing conservation planning, technical assistance, and support to help strengthen sustainable farming practices. I am passionate about advancing urban agriculture and empowering local growers to build resilient and productive food systems in their communities.
Joey Davis
NRCS Grant Employee - Forester -Lower Eastern Shore
My name is Joey Davis, and I am the new Forester for Southern Maryland RC&D starting on 5/11/2026. I am originally from Gloucester, Virginia and obtained my undergraduate degree at Virginia State University majoring in Aquatic Sciences under the Agricultural department. Prior to getting this current role I was an NRCS employee for 13 years working in the following states: Michigan, Virginia, Alabama, North Carolina and Nevada. After leaving the agency I worked for a non-profit organization, San Jose Conservation Corp and Charter School where I was a Natural Resources Management Supervisor/Park Patrol Services. Working with the Corp I had two roles: Assisting California Department of Food and Agriculture in removing fruit and vegetables in neighborhoods affected by the Mediterranean fruit fly and Park Ranger/Park Patrol Service at Bedwell Bayfront Park in the city of Menlo Park, California. Outside of my professional career I do enjoy exploring nature, festivals, reading and video games on my spare time if I’m not napping (best off the clock activity).
This is my first time on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, so I am open to all suggestions on restaurants and fun activities. I’m looking forward to working with you all.
Mark Parish
NRCS Grant Employee - Forester– Upper Eastern Shore
Richard “RJ” Shepard
NRCS Grant Employee - Soil Conservation Technician – Caroline County
VACANT
NRCS Grant Employee - Soil Conservation Technician – Prince
George's County
Maria Drake
NRCS Grant Employee - Monitoring Biologist - Worcester & Snow Hill Counties
Maria Drake is the Monitoring Biologist for Southern Maryland RC&D. This position is part of a cooperative agreement with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Maria is responsible for completing annual easement monitoring in Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties. These easements are enrolled in NRCS programs including Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) and lands formerly enrolled in the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP). Originally from the Poconos, Maria grew up surrounded by forests, lakes, and wetlands. This fueled her love for nature and dedication to protect it. Maria attended Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania where she received a bachelor's and master's degree in biology with a focus in Ecology and Environmental Conservation. After graduation she worked for a conservation society (Pocono Environmental Education Center) located in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Maria looks forward to working with landowners and collaborating with NRCS to restore and maintain wetland areas.
Amaya Remmel
NRCS Grant Employee - Soil Conservation Technician - Calvert County
Benjamin Stewart
NRCS Grant Employee – Livestock Specialist – Southern Maryland
Adam Gabor
NRCS Grant Employee - CREP / CRP Planner - Queen Anne County