Meet the Team

STAFF

BOARD

PARTNERS

Dr. Nina Schoch, Executive Director

A wildlife veterinarian and biologist, Dr. Nina Schoch has been studying loons in the Adirondacks since 1998. Dr. Schoch practiced small animal medicine from 1991-2002 and is a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. She is a member of numerous conservation and wildlife health related organizations, and has written many scientific and lay articles about the results of the Adirondack loon research. She received the 2018 Adirondack Research Consortium’s Elizabeth W. Thorndike Adirondack Achievement Award, the NYS Outdoor Writers Association M. Paul Keesler NY Outdoor Citizen Award in 2011, and was inducted into the NYS Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame in 2014.

Griffin Archambault, Research Biologist

Griffin grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts. In 2020, he received his Bachelor’s of Science in Wildlife Ecology, with a concentration in Wildlife Science and Management, from the University of Maine (Orono). Griffin has studied and worked with a wide range of wildlife species, including spruce and ruffed grouse, American marten, black bears, white-tailed and mule deer, wild turkeys, and most importantly, common loons. Outside of New York, he has worked in Maine, New Hampshire, Kansas, Georgia, and North Carolina. Griffin hopes to make a difference by bringing his passion for loons and applied conservation to the Adirondacks. Other than working with loons, his hobbies and interests include fitness, hiking, camping, snowboarding, kayaking, and everything else that comes with the outdoors.

Susan Harry, Philanthropy Director

Susan comes to the ACLC having worked professionally and as a volunteer for a variety of wildlife conservation organizations. She is passionate about protecting the environment for future generations to enjoy. Her efforts to raise awareness and funds for the African Black Rhino led to her receiving the 2010 Anna Merz Honorary Award for support of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and golden retrievers. Susan loves hiking, cross-country skiing, traveling, and of course, the Adirondacks.

Denise Silfee, Education and Communications Director

Denise grew up in Pennsylvania but spent most of the past 18 years living in Oregon. She has graduate degrees in education and journalism, and her professional background is in education, volunteer coordinating and storytelling with a focus on science and environmental communications. Denise has served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand, and has worked abroad in Sudan, Egypt, Ghana, and Panama. In 2023, Denise and her partner took a break from work to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. She joins the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation in 2024 eager to help others better understand our interconnected relationships with species and ecosystems. Outside of work, Denise loves her dog, MoMo, backpacking, multi-day canoe trips, skiing, photography and traveling the world.

Karli Wood, Loon Center Manager

Karli grew up in the Southern Adirondacks, where her passion for the outdoors began. She graduated from Castleton University in 2022 with her Bachelor's of Science in Resort and Hospitality Management. Karli has previously worked at a Wilderness Lodge where she volunteered with New York State DEC to maintain a portion of their Trail Camera network in the high-peaks region. Karli has worked for both small Adirondack businesses and in large corporate settings. She volunteered with the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation in the summer of 2023 during the loon banding fieldwork and started working with the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation later that year. In her free time, Karli enjoys unplugging and connecting with nature, whether it be hiking and paddling in the summer, or snowshoeing and snowmobiling in the colder months.