Staff
Mike Auger – Conservation Director
michael@northolympiclandtrust.org, (360) 417-1815 ext. 7
I deeply enjoy being able to help our community conserve some of its most important areas through land protection and stewardship. I’ve been involved in the land trust field for over 25 years and since 2019 have been leading the Conservation Department for North Olympic Land Trust. Part of my day-to-day work includes forging close relationships with willing landowners to develop land protection projects to permanently conserve important land in our County. In my spare time I enjoy botanizing, being outside, genealogy, and traveling.
I love where I live because it reminds me of where I grew up (in Maine), but with bigger trees and mountains! I’m honored to be living in the incredible landscape of the Olympic Peninsula.
Angela D. Bailey – Operations & Finance Director
angela@northolympiclandtrust.org, (360) 417-1815 ext. 9
I’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest my entire life and made the Olympic Peninsula my home in 2023, drawn by both its natural beauty and strong sense of community. I’m proud to bring my background in sustainability, humane education, and business analysis to my role at the Land Trust. As Operations & Finance Director, I focus on strengthening the internal systems that support our mission—from financial stewardship and HR to process improvement and organizational planning. My career has spanned education, real estate, and nonprofit leadership, and I’m passionate about building the kind of behind-the-scenes infrastructure that helps teams and communities thrive.
I love where I live because every day offers a reminder of what we’re working to protect—whether I’m swimming or kayaking in our incredible waterways, exploring forested trails with my wife and dogs, enjoying food grown on local farms, or breathing in the salt air from the Strait on my walk to work. This place nourishes and grounds me, and I’m honored to support the Land Trust’s efforts to conserve its farms, forests, waterways, and natural spaces for future generations.’
Annabelle ByrneStrong – Administrative Assistant & Community Relations Coordinator
annabelle@northolympiclandtrust.org, (360) 417-1815 ext. 1
After several years of earning my bachelors degree from Willamette University and working in Hawai’i, my partner and I decided to return to our roots on the North Olympic Peninsula. Moving home to Sequim in 2023, we were ready to start the next chapter of our lives. Having lived and traveled in some amazing places, I have developed a deeper appreciation for my home. I always knew it was a special place growing up, however, with each passing year I become more protective and infatuated, with the landscape, people, and ecosystems.
After attending Willamette University and earning my Bachelors in Environmental Science and Economics, I interned with The Washington State Institute for Public Policy and spent several years pursuing culinary arts in Hawai’i and Washington. I am currently working part-time as a nearshore biologist/administrative assistant for the Coastal Watershed Institute. Both of these experiences have given me the opportunity to engage in initiatives to conserve, research, and protect ecosystems of the Olympic Peninsula.
I love where I live because the Olympic Peninsula has been foundational to who I am. I could not have achieved the same amount of personal and professional success without the communities and environments that nurtured me.
Jesse Greer – Land Protection Specialist
jesse@northolympiclandtrust.org, (360) 417-1815 ext. 5
I grew up in a small town in rural, southern Colorado. As the state’s population rapidly grew, I became acutely aware of the need to protect land that is essential to local communities for its agricultural, ecological, and recreational value. After getting my degree from the University of Colorado, I worked for Boulder County’s Conservation Easement Program for two seasons which gave me the opportunity to work with hundreds of landowners who had conserved land that provided vital resources to the local community and economy. I am so excited to begin my work with The North Olympic Land Trust and forge similarly close relationships with members of the community who want to permanently conserve important land in Clallam County.
I love where I live because the Olympic Peninsula is such a unique place with a diverse and vibrant community. The easy access to the stunning Olympic Mountains as well as the majestic waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean is something truly special. You can find me out exploring the peninsula during my free time.
Scott Gremel – Land Manager
scott@northolympiclandtrust.org, (360) 417-1815 ext. 4
I grew up in the fast-growing suburbs of central Indiana, birding and exploring the few natural areas that remained undeveloped and accessible to the public. After doing my undergraduate research at Indiana University on the effects of timber harvest on bird communities, I moved to Washington State where I worked a series of jobs in forestry and wildlife. For the last 30 years I’ve lived on the Olympic Peninsula, working as a wildlife biologist for the National Park Service, managing a small tract of forestland on Blue Mountain and trying to get out as much as possible to explore the incredible variety of public lands, many of which are protected by the Land Trust. I am honored to be entrusted with the stewardship of the properties owned by the Land Trust for the benefit of our local community.
I love where I live because it allows me access to real wilderness, diverse natural areas and year-round birding opportunities, all from the great little city of Port Angeles.
Ayisha Jaffer – Community Relations Director
ayisha@northolympiclandtrust.org, (360) 417-1815 ext. 2
For more than a decade, I’ve worked in public media across the country, telling stories that connect people to their communities and the natural world. Throughout my career in public radio and NPR-affiliated newsrooms, conservation has remained a common thread, most recently earning a first-place Public Media Journalists Association award for an interview exploring air quality and environmental health.
My passion for conservation has always extended beyond the newsroom. Earlier in my career, I worked as a park ranger at Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge and guided wildlife expeditions through the Inside Passage from Washington to Alaska. Those experiences introduced me to the extraordinary landscapes and ecosystems of the Olympic Peninsula and sparked a lasting appreciation for this region. I’m grateful to return and help tell the story of conserving these special places alongside our community.
I love where I live because there is always another trail to explore, another river to paddle, and another story waiting to be discovered. The beauty of the Olympic Peninsula is unmatched, and I feel incredibly fortunate to experience it both recreationally and through conservation. You’ll usually find my four-legged companion, Yukon, and me wandering forest trails or paddling the quiet lakes and rivers that make this place so special.
Caty Parham – Conservation Easement Steward
caty@northolympiclandtrust.org, (360) 417-1815 ext. 8
After getting my Bachelor’s of Science in Geography with a GIS concentration at Appalachian State University, I began pursuing work within natural resource management, focusing on trail stewardship, terrestrial surveying and botany. With varied experiences in conservation, I relocated to the Olympic Peninsula from Moab,
UT, to pursue my new role as Conservation Easement Steward. I look forward to working with the people in this vibrant community to protect important tracts of land. I am so excited to be supporting the protection of land and waterways in this incredible place. It is truly an honor to work in such a beautiful and biodiverse landscape.
I love where I live because it allows me to spend time in truly remote and diverse areas. In my spare time, you can find me biking, hiking, skiing and fly fishing on the Peninsula.
Tom Sanford – Executive Director
tom@northolympiclandtrust.org, (360) 417-1815 ext. 6
I really enjoy finding ways to help build a community that together strives for a local future with a strong economy, healthy and diverse environment, and diverse and vibrant culture. My role at the Land Trust is to work with really talented colleagues and community members and provide what they need to achieve our mission of conserving the lands that sustain our community. In addition to my work at the Land Trust I’m proud to volunteer on the boards of the North Olympic Healthcare Network, Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce, and Jefferson Land Trust.
I love where I live because within minutes of my house in Port Angeles, I can explore and discover amazing places with my family and friends. We sometimes see Orca on our walks! I can then come home and we can create an amazing meal highlighting the food we get from our CSA at Salt Creek Farm.