As the Collaborative Forestry intern for MSI, Matt balanced his time between collecting forestry data in the field and coordinating data and communications for the San Juan Headwaters Forest Health Partnership. Although he's back at school now, Matt still helps MSI and the San Juan Headwaters remotely.

Matt is currently finishing work on his B.S. of Ecosystem Science & Sustainability at Colorado State University, where he also studies Peace & Reconciliation. Initially starting out in medicine, he has also studied visual arts and philosophy and spent a couple years wandering across Australia and Asia before discovering his true calling as an ecologist. He hopes to steer his career towards landscape and ecosystem restoration, transcending international boundaries.

In addition to MSI, he has worked in geospatial analysis & mapping, sound ecology, and a range of odd jobs spanning volunteer disaster relief via pirate ship to things Mike Rowe wouldn’t be caught doing. His middle name is Powell, a la John Wesley Powell, and he's really trying to live up to his namesake. Matt is a hikin’, bikin’, scuba divin’, rock climbin’, poetry writin’, piano playin’, pen doodlin’, river runnin’, joke crackin’, philosophizin’ human intent on saying yes to the opportunities that make for great campfire stories.