Utah Conservation Corps Main Office	(435)797-0964 7205 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-7205
Sean Damitz Department Director	(435)797-0964 x 5	email Sean
Kate Stephens Program Director	(435)797-0964 x 4	email Kate
Dave Bastian Program Coordinator	(435)797-0964 x 3	email Dave
Mark Blaiser Student Sustainability Coordinator	(435)797-0964	email Mark
Joy Merket Office Manager	(435)797-0964 x 2	email Joy
Nicolle Ashton Recruiter	(435)797-2596	email Nicolle

Staff Bios

Sean Damitz, Director

e-mail Sean Damitz

Sean Damitz is the Director and co-founder of the Utah Conservation Corps. Sean received his B.A. in Psychology from St. Norbert College in 1998 and a Master's Degree from Utah State University in Technical Communication in 2007. Before UCC, Sean served two years as an AmeriCorps VISTA at Utah State University's Val R. Christensen Service Center. He and his wife Krista reside in the shadow of the Bear River Mountains with two dogs and six chickens. When not overseeing projects that get UCC AmeriCorps members completely covered in dirt, Sean enjoys skiing, backpacking, triathlons, playing music, and putting a dent in his wife's "honey-do" list. 

Kate Stephens, Assistant Director

e-mail Kate Stephens

Kate has served as the Program Coordinator and Assistant Director for the Utah Conservation Corps since 2002. She received her M.A. in Environmental Education and Wilderness Leadership from Prescott College and her B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX. Prior to the UCC, Kate was the founder and executive director of Common Ground Outdoor Adventures, a non-profit that provides outdoor recreation opportunities to people of all abilities. She has been a national service junkie since 1993, serving as a VISTA volunteer, an AmeriCorps VISTA Leader and an AmeriCorps supervisor. From 1999 to 2001, she served as a Peace Corps volunteer in a remote cloud forest village in Northern Ecuador. Here, she started Jambi Sacha, a community based ecotourism project and successfully led the first indigenous women's ascent of Cotopaxi. Kate has chosen to dig her roots in Logan where she enjoys playing in the mountains that surround her home with husband, Jimbo, and their 3 year-old daughter, Maya.

Dave Bastian, Program Coordinator

e-mail Dave Bastian

Dave Bastian originally hails from Northern California but has spent the past 15 years living in Utah.  Prior to coming to the UCC, Dave was the Director of Operations at Save Our Canyons and the Membership and Outreach coordinator for the Utah Rivers Council.  When not at work, Dave spends his time riding his bike, playing guitar or banjo, backcountry skiing, kayaking, climbing, or sitting in a chair reading. 

Joy Merket, Office Assistant

e-mail Joy Merket

Joy Merket is the Office Assistant for the Utah Conservation Corps. She served with the Canyon Country Youth Corps down in Southern Utah during the Summer of 2007. Though she grew up all over the western United States she has been in Logan for three years. She is currently attending Utah State University pursuing an Exercise Science Major with a Chemistry Minor, her ultimate career goal is within the field of medicine. Aside from school and work, Joy volunteers throughout the Cache Valley community and is always trying to discover new hobbies and exciting things to do in her free time.

Nicolle Ashton, Recruiter/Volunteer Coordinator

e-mail Nicolle Ashton

Nicolle grew up spending her time in the high deserts of Utah and the tropical forests of Costa Rica. Between raising her two children, running a chainsaw, binding books and climbing the West’s many cliffs she has found time to get a degree in International Studies at the University of Utah. She has spent the last few years teaching English in Japan, studying trail design in the Wasatch, and working with the National Children’s Study. Nicolle spent 2011 as the Field Boss for the Bilingual Youth Corps and will be returning in 2012 as our Recruiter and Volunteer coordinator. 

2012 Field Bosses
 

Adam Stoldal, Field Boss

Adam was born and raised in the deserts of Nevada. He has spent the last half decade working as a technical climbing guide in Red Rocks National Conservation Area, as a crew supervisor for the Nevada Conservation Corps, and as a Recreation Specialist for the Bureau of Land Management. A recent transplant to Utah he serves the UCC as a Field Boss based out of Logan.

Adam Trunzo, Field Boss

Adam grew up in the woods of Virginia where he also attended James Madison University, majoring in anthropology. Since then he has worked with the Boy Scouts of America as a wilderness guide trainer in New Mexico. In between seasons in the backcountry he works as a faculty advisor for youth leadership conferences across the country. He has most recently served an AmeriCorps term as a youth crew leader in the Alaskan wilderness. Now he serves as a Field Boss for the UCC and will be based out of the Moab field office.

Chris Brothersen, Field Boss