The Southeast Young Leaders Council (YLC) is open to early career professionals in the southeast region with a passion for advocacy and National Park preservation.
The YLC is an opportunity for professional development and relationship building across the southeast under the mentorship and advisement of NPCA staff, NextGen Advisory Council, and Regional Council. Members of the council are encouraged to explore and deepen their interests in the many facets of civic engagement related to the national park units to build skills relevant to their current or future career goals.
Southeast Young Leaders Council 2025-2026
Rachel Barrick
Atlanta, GA
Originally from South Florida and a proud University of Florida grad, Rachel moved to Atlanta for law school and has loved living there ever since. She is currently an associate at a law firm in Atlanta.
Michelle (Meech) Carter
Durham, NC
Originally from a rural town near San Diego, Meech (she/her) moved to Durham, North Carolina three years ago to pursue her passion of environmental advocacy.
Michaela Collins
Athens, GA
Michaela grew up in the Appalachian Mountains in rural Southeastern Ohio where her love of the outdoors and conservation was sparked early in life by both the beauty and the degradation of the natural world. She earned an Associate’s degree from Hocking College and a Bachelor’s from West Virginia University, both in Wildlife and Fisheries Science.
Claire Denison
Durham, NC
For the past five years, Claire lived and worked in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, where she developed a deep connection to our national parks and the wildlife that depends on them.
RJ Fitzpatrick
Clarksdale, Mississippi
RJ Fitzpatrick is a filmmaker, videographer, and digital media artist from Ruleville, Mississippi, dedicated to preserving the Delta’s civil rights history through photography, documentary film, and oral history.
Hyasen Gray
Savannah, GA/ Raleigh, NC
Hyasen is a designer and entomological researcher who is passionate about finding creative solutions to build stronger connections between art and science.
Melinda Gullett
Crestwood, KY
Melinda is a nature enthusiast and Geospatial Analyst from Crestwood, Kentucky.
Erin Hackenmueller
Tuscaloosa, AL
Erin Hackenmueller is a storyteller, an outdoor recreation enthusiast, a history fanatic, and a community leader.
Lydia Heisel
Clemson, SC
Lydia Heisel is from Austin, Texas, and has recently graduated from Trinity University in San Antonio, majoring in history and environmental studies, and minoring in museum studies.
Julianne Reas
Southeast Young Leaders Council
Julianne Reas is a social scientist, climate and environmental justice advocate, and national park lover. She received her Master of Science in Natural Resources from North Carolina State University, where she also studied communication.
Mickey Rogers
Roswell, GA
Born in Ohio and raised along the Lake Erie coast, Mickey turned her love for nature into an actionable science career. Mickey Rogers, Ph.D. is an atmospheric chemist and was most recently a Linus Pauling Research Fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Sonali Sethi
Cary, NC
Sonali Sethi is a physical therapist and health writer based in Cary, NC. She earned her psychology degree from North Carolina State University and her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Campbell University.
Ashley Toney
Huntsville, AL
Ashley Toney is a junior biology major at Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University from Atlanta, GA. She originally chose biology as her major because she wanted to be a pediatric surgeon.
Anna Whitmire
Waynesville, NC
A Midwestern girl at heart, Anna found her home in Western North Carolina almost a decade ago; trading the vast cornfields for the rolling peaks of the Blue Ridge mountains. As an experienced nonprofit professional, Anna is passionate about connecting with her community and educating on the importance of allyship, conservation, and historical preservation.
Nathaniel Williams II
Clarksdale, MS
Nathaniel was born and raised in the vibrant city of Tacoma, Washington, where the air is filled with the fresh scent of trees and the waters of Puget Sound create a stunning backdrop.
Brian Wuertz
Asheville, NC
Brian is an environmental educator and advocate in Western North Carolina. He manages the Outreach Education program for the Friends of the WNC Nature Center, sparking connections between people and wildlife.
