Melissa Paulsen manages Northern CA projects, focusing on partnership building and climate-smart reforestation in the wake of catastrophic wildfires. Melissa first worked with American Forests as a member of the California Cone Corps and Sierra Corps Forestry Fellowship programs where she helped increase the pace and scale of post-fire recovery work in the Northern Sierra through supporting planting implementation, cone collection, and fire-affected community engagement. Melissa earned bachelor’s degrees in Geography and Environmental Science from the University of Utah. Before joining American Forests, she spent her post-college years bouncing around the West, building skills in various conservation fields- including silviculture, environmental education, and snow and climate science, in the context of both federal agencies and nonprofit organizations. She is dedicated to working with partners to restore forests that support both ecosystems and communities.