Meet the team
Chad Hanson Ph.D.
Director and Principal Ecologist
Chad Hanson co-founded the John Muir Project in 1996. He first became involved in national forest protection after hiking the 2,700-mile length of the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada with his older brother in 1989. During this hike he witnessed firsthand the devastation caused by rampant commercial logging on our National Forests in California, Oregon and Washington.
Chad finished his Bachelor of Science degree from UCLA after completing the Pacific Crest Trail and then attended law school at the University of Oregon, during which time he also began his career as an environmental advocate working for Native Forest Council and volunteering for the Sierra Club. Chad earned his law degree in 1995, and started the John Muir Project shortly thereafter.
In 2003 Chad returned to school, and earned his Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of California at Davis in 2007, with a research focus on forest and fire ecology and the rare wildlife species that depend upon post-fire habitat in forests of the Sierra Nevada and elsewhere in the western U.S.. He has published an impressive list of scientific research papers on forest and fire ecology, wildlife use of burned forest and fire history and trend.
This past year he and Dominick DellaSala, Ph.D. co-edited and authored several chapters in a new book entitled The Ecological Importance of Mixed-Severity Fires: Nature's Phoenix which is being published by academic publisher Elsevier due out in June/July of 2015.
Rachel M. Fazio
Associate Director and Staff Attorney
Rachel Fazio was inspired to fight for creatures who cannot speak for themselves after seeing the Greenpeace harp seal special on PBS when she was barely 9 years old. She decided early on that she would pursue this fight as a lawyer.
Rachel graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a Bachelor of Science in Conservation and Resource Studies. She then worked for a small company helping other companies comply with regulations regarding hazardous materials and public safety before attending McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. During law school she interned with the United Nations Environment Program in Nairobi, Kenya and worked with several state agencies including the Department of Oil Spill Prevention and Response.
After law school Rachel worked briefly in the corporate world before finding a place with the John Muir Project in 1998. Since being with the John Muir Project, Rachel has filed numerous lawsuits against the United States Forest Service for violating federal environmental laws when planning their timber sales, and she has protected hundreds of thousands of acres of vital forest habitat from destruction. Over time her duties have expanded to encompass more than just litigation, but also developing strategy, day to day accounting, mobilizing staff and volunteers and creating this website.
Rachel is looking forward to finding more creative ways to introduce people to national forest issues and the amazing habitat in need of protection.
Jennifer (Jenn) Mamola
Policy and Advocacy Director
Jenn has been an integral part of the John Muir Project's Washington D.C. office since Fall 2019, serving as our dedicated Forest Protection Advocate.
Prior to her tenure with the John Muir Project, Jenn dedicated five years to championing the health, safety, and security of Peace Corps Volunteers on Capitol Hill.
A native of Southern California, Jenn ventured to the Bay Area to pursue her education at St. Mary's College, where she resided for nearly a decade before embarking on her journey with the Peace Corps. Following a life-altering auto accident that curtailed her Peace Corps service, Jenn found solace and renewal in nature, sparking a deep passion for environmental preservation. Her explorations have taken her through all 48 contiguous states and over half of America's National Parks, fostering a love for wilderness experiences devoid of cellular connectivity.
Rebekah (Bekah) Mamola
Communications Manager
Bekah has been part of the John Muir Project since April 2023, starting as a TikTok Content Creator before transitioning to her current role as Communications Manager. Before joining the John Muir Project, Bekah gained valuable experience in digital communications across various sectors, including county government, small businesses, and nonprofits. She's a proud Texas State University alum with a B.A. in Writing & Rhetoric and recently completed her Masters in Communication Management at the University of Denver.
In her free time, Bekah enjoys exploring the great outdoors, hiking the (moderate) mountains around Denver and surrounding areas, and embracing nature's beauty and challenges. Despite the city's chilly winters, she makes it a point to get out and about whenever possible. Bekah's love for the social and political sectors, as well as her deep appreciation for the tranquility and resiliency of nature, fuels her enthusiasm for driving change and contributing to the mission of the John Muir Project. Like the environment she admires, she strives to cultivate a sense of calmness in the face of challenges and embrace transformative change.