The People That Support Your Project

Tangled Bank Conservation is comprised of a knowledgeable team that can bring you results for your projects in the field or in the lab. The team enlists the expertise of multiple scientists and field technicians. 

Founder and Lead Scientist

JJ Apodaca

JJ Apodaca is the Founder of Tangled Bank Conservation and the Executive Director of the Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy. He received his B.S. in Biology at the University of South Florida in 2004 and his Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Alabama in 2010…

His dissertation work focused on prioritizing areas important to the conservation of amphibians in the southeast at both the macro and micro scales. He has worked on numerous conservation projects across the country, helping some of the most imperiled species in the United States. This list includes the Red Hills Salamander, Bog Turtles, Green Salamanders, Hellbenders, Sicklefin Redhorse, Appalachian Cottontails, and several other species of conservation concern. His research combines multiple fields and methods (i.e., conservation genetics, habitat modeling, life history studies, etc.) in order to develop and inform optimal conservation and management decisions. JJ served as the national chair for Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) for 4 years, working with various partners to push forward amphibian and reptile conservation.

Director of Conservation Genomics

Alex Krohn

Alex Krohn is the Director of Conservation Genomics at Tangled Bank Conservation. He has a BA from Oberlin College, and a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. He has worked with genomic datasets for over 10 years now, including studying convergent evolution, captive reintroduction feasibility, species and subspecies boundaries, and identifying species with metabarcoding. At Tangled Bank, Alex is responsible for data analysis, bioinformatics, report writing, and project management. 

Conservation Program Coordinator

Hope Killian

Hope Killian is the Conservation Programs Coordinator at Tangled Bank Conservation and oversees the company’s field program. Hope earned her B.S. in Biology and Environmental Studies from Warren Wilson College. At TBC, she manages the majority of field conservation projects, including habitat restoration and augmentation efforts, wildlife surveys, environmental consultations, and more. She also specializes in GIS analysis, including species distribution modeling, connectivity analysis, and prioritization models. She has extensive hands-on experience working with some of the region’s rarest species, including southern bog turtles and Hickory Nut Gorge green salamanders.

Laboratory Scientist

Riley

Riley is a laboratory scientist for Tangled Bank. She received a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Spanish from Georgia College & State University in 2019, and spent several years working in diagnostic and industry labs before joining TBC. Although she has spent a significant amount of time extracting samples and running qPCR assays, her primary role in the lab is with NGS prep. She specializes in RADseq, metabarcoding, bait/hybrid capture, UCE’s, and more!

Laboratory Scientist

Hannah Nelson

Hannah Nelson is a Laboratory Scientist for Tangled Bank Conservation. She is currently working on completing a B.S from University of North Carolina. Hannah is skilled at extracting DNA from a wide variety of sample types including plants, snake sheds, fin clips, tissues, blood, eDNA filters, egg, scat, feathers, soil, swabs, and nail clippings. Hannah manages our sample collection at TBC which includes thousands of extracts, tissues, and specimens. She also performs microsatellite analyses, qPCR assays, PCR, gel electrophoresis, and sample quality control and troubleshooting.

Grants & Administrative Coordinator

Galen Marshall-Clark

Galen is the Grants and Administrative Coordinator for Tangled Bank Conservation. She has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.S. in Environmental Science from Prescott College. She is currently completing a graduate certificate in GIS from NC State University. At TBC, she is the liaison between office, lab, and field operations and assists with bookkeeping and project management. She also collaborates with the field team on spatial analysis and mapping. Her previous experience includes work in sustainable land management, ecotourism, and both nonprofit and business administration. 

Conservation Scientist

Rian Burris

Rian Burris is a Conservation Scientist for Tangled Bank Conservation. Rian has a B.S. and M.A. in Biology from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. Much of Rian’s work consists of surveying for species such as alligator snapping turtles, Appalachian cottontail rabbits and Hickory Nut Gorge green salamanders to name a few! Rian has also worked to restore several Southern Appalachian mountain bogs, one of the rarest habitat types in North America. 

Conservation Scientist

Aidan Phillips

Aidan has a B.S. in Biology and Environmental Studies from Gettysburg College. His previous work includes conducting population studies for imperiled turtle species in Louisiana and invasive treefrog monitoring and removal. At TBC, he conducts field surveys for rare amphibian and reptile species across the eastern United States. He also performs environmental DNA collection and southern bog restoration to maintain habitat for the critically endangered Bog Turtle.

Laboratory Scientist

Magenta Fougerat

Magenta has been a Laboratory Scientist at Tangled Bank Conservation since 2024. She holds a B.S in Biology with a concentration in Genetics from the University of North Carolina. Her interest in conservation began during her undergraduate research, where she gained experience in CRISPR genome editing, as well as SNP and microsatellite testing of both invasive and threatened local plant species such as the American Ginseng. She was also previously an Environmentalism Intern with the Biltmore Company to assist with surveys and the relocation of a Gray Bat colony. Currently, as a member of the TBC team, she applies her skills to DNA/RNA extractions, qPCR/PCR, Sanger, and NGS assays.
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Director of Ecological Data Analysis

Julianne Pekny

Julianne is the Director of Ecological Data Analysis at Tangled Bank Conservation. She has a BS in Biology from the Pennsylvania State University and a PhD in Ecology with a designated emphasis in Conservation Ecology from the University of California, Davis. Julianne brings 10+ years of experience leading conservation-focused research programs, bridging individual-level animal behavior and physiology studies with landscape-scale predictive modelling of environmental change. As Director of Ecological Data Analysis, Julianne assists in study design, data analysis, and reporting. She specializes in time series analyses, field experiments, biodiversity inventorying, occupancy and abundance modelling, hotspot mapping, and mixed effects modelling for understanding the relationships between management actions and observed ecological patterns.