Our History
Canopy Watch International was born in the tropical rainforests of Honduras, Central America in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.
While climbing tall trees to conduct research on forest birds, David was struck by the raw emotional power in the forest canopy that is made from a recipe of dizzying height, spectacular natural beauty, and a feeling of accomplishment after reaching the forest summit.
Wanting to share this experience with others, while realizing that few people have the technical skill to climb tall trees, David founded Canopy Watch as a way to teach tree climbing to as many people as possible.
People
Founders
Board Members
Volunteers
Founders
David L. Anderson, Ph.D.
Co-Founder and Executive Director
David is an ornithologist (bird scientist!) who specializes in the diversity of life living in the forest canopy. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees studying birds in the canopies of tropical rainforests of Honduras. He has lived and worked in Latin America since the 1990's and admits to a lifelong love affair with the people and nature Central and South America.
Jamz has taken a new journey and lives in our hearts while we fulfill his legacy of changing lives one tree at a time.
Jamz Luce - Co-Founder
and Municipal Arborist (deceased)
Jamz is our mentor, teacher, and spirit guide. He was our Lead Instructor for our first 4 International Climber Trainings, bringing over 30 years of experience as a professional arborist, climbing instructor, and research aid. Jamz had a way with people. He was loved and admired by thousands of people around the world.
Board Members
Ellen Wilson – Director & Interim Board Chair
2020 – present
Ellen was born and raised in the Boise, Idaho. She has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Boise State University with additional studies in arbitration/mediation. Ellen is also an artist and enjoys using her creative energy to help the organizations she is involved with. Ellen has over 15 years of experience producing local events, fundraising, and creating opportunities for local artists.
Ezekiel "Zeke" Willard
Board Chair Elect, December 2024
Ezekiel "Tree" Willard has nearly 30 years of experience in the tree industry and holds several of the highest credentials available such as the ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification and Qualified Trainer. Zeke believes strongly in connecting people and trees which aligns perfectly with the goals and vision of Canopy Watch. He brings with him his experience from the Board of Directors of the Pacific Northwest chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture and his more than 20 years of experience as owner of Idaho Tree Preservation in Boise, Idaho.
Nick Bonner
2022 – present
Nick is the General Manager of TreeStuff. With a small team, he manages all the branding and marketing for TreeStuff.com, the world’s largest direct-to-consumer arborist sales channel. As part of the Notch Equipment product development group, Nick influences many of the arborist products on the market today and is the listed inventor on multiple current U.S. patents. Nick has been an avid climber both professionally and recreationally for most of his adult life. As a rock climber, tower hand, and professional arborist, he has experience climbing the tallest trees, cliffs, and man-made structures in America.
Noel Rodriguez
2023 – present
Noel is the owner of Gaea Tree Service located in Seattle, Washington. A native of Mexico, he brings bilingual Spanish-English abilities to the Canopy Watch Team. Noel is a competitor, judge, instructor, and champion at national and international tree climbing competitions. He has been an instructor of our international training program Discovering the Canopy since 2022 and is a naturally gifted instructor.
Kieran Hunt
2023 – present
Kieran is the Manager of Operational Analytics with Asplundh Digital Innovation. He is responsible for working with internal and customer field leadership to interpret, strategize, and find value in operational data. Asplundh Digital Innovation utilizes modern technology to greatly enhance the effectiveness and cost efficiency of utility vegetation management programs. Hunt has a background in municipal and utility tree management, GIS, and urban forestry. He is an ISA Certified Arborist Utility Specialist and New Jersey Licensed Tree Expert with a Bachelor of Science degree in ecology from Rutgers University.
Vania Tejeda – Director
2024 – present
Vania Tejeda is a conservation biologist at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s Center for Conservation and Sustainability in Peru. Her work explores the effects of productive activities on wildlife in the Andes and Amazon regions. As Co-founder and Director of NODO Conservation, she integrates science, conservation, and education with a strong emphasis on gender and inclusivity.
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​Recently, Vania investigated the impact of logging roads on arboreal mammals. Using camera traps and acoustic monitoring, she tested the effectiveness, preferences, and designs of artificial canopy bridges to mitigate forest fragmentation.
Jenise Crane – Director
Director Elect – December 2024
Jenise Crane is a passionate professional with a diverse background including food cooperatives, restaurant management, catering, and event coordination. After opening a restaurant and deli, and running a successful catering business, she also spent time as a social worker and professional actor. Outside of work, she is an avid cyclist, having participated in four Tour des Trees fundraisers for the Tree Research and Education and Endowment Fund. When not riding, you’ll find her hanging out with tree geeks, gardening, hiking, cooking up new recipes, or watching films. She enjoys travel and is always looking for the next adventure.
Volunteers
Great nonprofits flourish from the labor of their volunteers.
We are growing our volunteer corps. Join us if you dare!
Carlos Funes
Education Advisor
Carlos is the producer of our educational video content. A native of El Salvador, Carlos organized our 2018 International Climber Training in Honduras, and was a junior instructor at our 2019 International Climber Training in Colombia. Carlos works tirelessly to produce our videos, is always ready with good advice on what to create, and his sense of humor make everything better around here. ¡Gracias Carlos!
Amy Siedenstrang
Art Director
Amy is the exceptional talent who designs our tree-shirts, flyers, and is the creator of our beautiful logo — our brand. Amy, so that you know, is also keenly intelligent about life and people, has wonderful instincts, and is an all-around excellent advisor. She is the mind and personality behind much of what the public sees in Canopy Watch.
Cherie Cassel
Member Database Management
Cherie’s work for Canopy Watch centers around managing the database and our generous donors. She has spent her career helping wildlife and domestic animals and she brings to Canopy Watch her professional background and training in hardware, software, and databases. Cherie lives in Colorado with her husband Ray, 4 horses, 2 dogs, and 2 cats. “I have a lifelong passion for wildlife. I strive to help wherever I can to ensure the health, humane treatment, survival, and future of the world's wildlife.”
