Member Testimonials

Employee Bios

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Comfrey Biafra Jacobs
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Comfrey Biafra Jacobs, an urban outdoor enthusiast, is a new hire for the conservation corps as of early October, 2009. The WCCC attracted Comfrey because he has a great love for the natural world. Comfrey’s interest in alternative political theory keeps the discussions out in the field lively and educational. Before working at the Corps Comfrey was a community activist and advocate for homeless rights in and around Grand Junction, and still is on his free time. He is also involved in alternative media locally with The Red Pill--Grand Junctions alternative newspaper, and nationally with news sources like Indymedia.us and GNN. Though he has only worked for the corps a little while, Comfrey has expressed enjoying the work WCCC does preserving a balance between human activities and the natural world.

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Henry Dresen

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Henry Dresen started working for the Western Colorado Conservation Corps in August of 2007, and has worked his way up from a crew member to an education mentor as of May 2009. As education mentor Henry presents educational materials to fellow Corps members about the history of the area there are working as well as other bits of information about the environment and wildlife. His favorite project was working at Steamboat Springs, CO for the U.S Forest Service cutting down Lodge Poll Pine, Sprus and Sub Alpine Fur in order to control the Pine Beetle epidemic. Henry is a chainsaw fanatic, he has completed his S212 wild land chainsaw certificate and brings his knowledge and experience of the chainsaw with him to the field. When not at work Henry like to ride his Harley Davidson motorcycle on various bike rallies; he also like to restore classic vehicles. The WCCC provided Henry with his CPR certificate, over 4,000 dollars in AmeriCorps education award money, his herbicide applicator certificate, and is soon going for the S130-S190 wild land firefighter certificate in the spring. Henry is looking into going to school for motorcycle mechanics or working for one of the project sponsors he has worked with at the Conservation Corps such as the BLM or Forest Service.

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Robert Rizzuto
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Robert Rizzuto has been working with the Conservation Corp for 4 years. He started working with the Urban Corps in 2005 when he was 15 and has work four consecutive summers since. This seasoned Corps veteran likes camping, trail work, and working the chain saws the most while at the WCCC. His favorite project at the Corps was the Blue Mesa National Conservation Area (between Montrose county) sculpting tree lines for the National Forest Service. “The Blue Mesa project was really fun, I got to camp out in some really gorgeous terrain and do what I like best [working the chainsaw]” When not wielding the chainsaw at the Corps he likes to stay outdoors playing football, basketball and snowboarding. Robert hopes that his job training at the Corps will help him land a job as a wild-land firefighter in the future.

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Jaime Angel Hernandez

Jaime joined the Western Colorado Conservation Corps on 08/03/09. Since then he has stayed busy giving mother nature a makeover doing trail construction, planting trees and battling invasive species... and doing it all with style. Jaime hails from the Grand Junction area. When not at the Corps he likes to write raps and create music. He says that the time outdoors at the Corps gives him plenty of time to think of his rhymes. Jaime's favorite tool is the shovel "it reminds me of myself" he said, "I'm useful, I'm the sharpest tool in the shed, and people dig me." Jaime's favorite thing about working for the WCCC (besides doing conservation work) is the "all you can take" food pantry that the Corps offers to its employees. After Jaime receives his AmeriCorps education award for working at WCCC he is planning on going to college to receive his welding and business degree.

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Gail Bower
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Gail Bower has been a pivotal part of the WCCC team for over a year. She started at the Corps as a corps member on a field crew in July of 2008 and was the 2009 summer Urban Corps Crew Leader. Gail has also worked with WCCC's home energy conservation program and has also been an Education Mentor. She is currently a Crew Leader and has supervised projects for the National Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Gail finished her degree in art history from the University of Northern Colorado before joining the Western Colorado Conservation Corps. Through the Corps she has recently completed an internship with The Latimer House and earned two AmeriCorps Education Awards.

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