Our team is dedicated to restoring, enhancing, and protecting our tree canopy.

Executive

Andrew Schichtel, Executive Director
Rob Shaut, Chief Operating Officer
Mark Buscaino, Senior Advisor
Diane Mason, Special Projects Manager

Administrative

Veva Johnson-Milton, Human Resources Generalist
Laura Cooper, Human Resources Associate
Matt Hansen, Business Manager
Brian Norwitz, Accounting & Finance Manager
Davis Pipher, Maintenance Specialist

Communications

Vince Drader, Director
Brandi Porter, Communications & Marketing Manager
Elizabeth Benjamin, Communications Assistant

Development

Valerie Fitton-Kane, Director
Nanu Gelda, Institutional Giving Manager
Henrietta Key, Annual Fund Manager
Emily Koppel, Partnerships Associate

Policy & Land Conservation

Kelly Collins Choi, Director
Spenser Balog, Conservation Planner

Education

Melinda Peters, Director
Madeline Carreño Karp, Youth Programs Manager
Emma Joy, Youth Programs Associate

Tree Operations

Liam Ulasevich, Director
Nick Smalley, Field Manager
Maddie Hoagland-Hanson, Design & Horticulture Manager
Nathan Bradley, Urban Forestry Foreman
Alex Palacios, Urban Forestry Foreman
Andrew Roberts, Urban Forestry Foreman
Francis Siaya, Urban Forestry Crew Chief
Andy Solorzano, Urban Forestry Crew Chief
Jamal Evans, Urban Forestry Crew
Marian Cooper, Urban Forestry Crew
James Leach, Urban Forestry Crew
Brian Spinner, Urban Forestry Crew
Michaila Musman, Senior Program Manager
Matthew Marchese, GIS Manager

Tree Farm

Kyle Derr, Director
Dan Martin, Farm Field Manager
Scott Patterson, Farm Crew Chief
Danny Guenthner, Farm Crew
David Fletcher, Farm Crew
Deanna Higgerson, Farm Operations Associate

Research Partnership

Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories and Chris Riley, Ph.D – Research Scientist & Technical Support Specialist

Leadership

Andrew Schichtel, Executive Director
Andrew Schichtel is the Executive Director of Casey Trees, overseeing its strategic direction, operations, and ensuring the fulfillment of its mission and vision. With over 15 years at the organization, he previously served as COO, facilitating significant growth and program expansion. Andrew is a graduate of The Catholic University of America and serves on the board of the Baltimore Tree Trust. He is also an active member of Leadership Greater Washington and proudly resides in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington, DC.

Rob Shaut, Chief Operating Officer
Rob Shaut is the Chief Operating Officer at Casey Trees, responsible for operational management, staff oversight, and program implementation. Rob has more than a decade of experience in horticulture and urban forestry, including previous roles at Longwood Gardens and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. He holds a degree in business management from Clemson University and is an ISA-certified arborist. Rob also serves on the boards of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture (MAC-ISA) and the TREE Fund.

Jeff Stoiber is the President of the Casey Trees Board of Directors. Jeff is a graduate of The Ohio State University, a registered architect, a member of the American Institute of Architects, and the President/Founder of Stoiber+Associates Architects in Washington, DC. The firm has delivered award-winning residential, commercial, and institutional projects and received recognition in publications such as Washingtonian Magazine.

Kevin Spence Kelso is the Vice President of the Casey Trees Board of Directors. He has been a volunteer with the organization since 2007 and joined the Board in 2014. Kevin attended the University of Iowa and is a graduate of The George Washington University. He also serves on the Board of the Cleveland Park Historical Society and is a certified Master Naturalist in the District of Columbia.

Tom Suber is the Treasurer of the Casey Trees Board of Directors. Tom retired in 2017 after serving as President of an agricultural not-for-profit trade association for 21 years, as well as having a career in international trade, including work in the forest products sector. He also serves as a corporate board director for a large dairy product manufacturer and supplier. Tom holds an MS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a BA from Colorado State University.

Joe Bondi is the Assistant Treasurer of the Casey Trees Board of Directors. Joe is the Senior Vice President for Development at Mount Vernon, the home and final resting place of George Washington, where he leads estate-wide fundraising efforts. Previously, he held senior development roles at George Washington University, where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. In addition to his role with Casey Trees, Joe previously chaired the Alexandria Seaport Foundation.

Christy Dunkle is Secretary of the Casey Trees Board of Directors. Christy moved from Colorado to Virginia in 2001, and retired in 2025 after 24 years as the Community Development Director for the Town of Berryville, VA. She holds a B.A. in Visual Art from the University of Northern Colorado and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Colorado Denver. Christy also serves on the board for the Foundation of the State Arboretum in Boyce, VA. She currently works as a full-time artist. 

Mansur Abdul-Malik Mansur Abdul-Malik is Senior Vice President at The NHP Foundation, overseeing affordable housing acquisition, development, and financing. He holds a BS in Entrepreneurship from the University of Baltimore and an MS in Real Estate Development from the University of Maryland. Aside from his professional experience, Mansur mentors students through multiple local organizations and volunteers as a youth sports coach.

Betsy Huffman is the Garden Club of America representative on the Casey Trees Executive Board and Finance Committee. She is a member of the GCA Board and serves as its Committee Leadership Coordinator and serves on the Audit Committee. Betsy is an architect and project manager with a degree from the University of Illinois. She is also a yoga teacher with numerous classes throughout the DC metropolitan area.

Thomasina Poirot is Counsel at Venable LLP.  She represents pharmaceutical and laboratory companies in personal injury litigation involving drugs, medical devices, and genetic testing.  She is very committed to community service initiatives, including serving on various nonprofit boards and representing individuals and nonprofits on pro bono bases.  

David L. Porter is Chief Financial Officer at Associated Builders and Contractors, with over 25 years of accounting experience. He is a goal-aligned leader who has worked in multiple globally recognized corporate and nonprofit organizations. David is also a licensed CPA in the state of Maryland and a graduate of Frostburg State University.

DeLane Porter is the representative to the Casey Trees Executive Board and the Finance Committee for The Garden Club of America (GCA). She has served in numerous GCA leadership positions, including the Executive Board. DeLane has been involved in agribusiness for over 50 years and is active in historic preservation, conservation, and horticulture in Virginia. She is a graduate of Westhampton College of the University of Richmond, and has worked as both an educator and a reporter.

Kathy Robertson is Director of Project Management at the American Battlefield Trust. She brings expertise in project management, historic land preservation, and real estate development, driving preservation efforts on significant historic battlefields across the U.S. She is a long-time Team Leader and volunteer with Casey Trees, and holds degrees from the University of Scranton and the University of Maine School of Law.

Michael Williams is a partner at the law firm Hogan Lovells, where he practices in the corporate group representing nonprofit healthcare organizations in strategic transactions. Michael joined Hogan Lovells in 1985 and became a Partner in 1993. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia (B.A., J.D.) and Cambridge University (LL.M.), and serves and has served on several charitable boards. Michael lives in Millwood, VA, not far from the Casey Tree Farm. His favorite tree is a Burr Oak.