Callie Puntenney is the engagement coordinator on the NEON engagement team. She provides engagement support to all NEON staff in aid of NEON’s mission to provide high-quality, long-term ecological data and infrastructure to a scientifically and culturally diverse set of users. Her work helps foster connection and communication between NEON and its partners, stakeholders, and communities.
Laura grew up spending her summers in the southern heat teaching horseback riding at Girl Scout camps across central Alabama. Her time at summer camp encouraged a love of nature and ecology and led her to pursue a bachelor’s in Zoology from Auburn University. After graduation, she moved back to Tuscaloosa and joined the NEON Domain 08 team as a temporary technician.
Steve Stone is the Application Development Manager for the NEON Program, running the team responsible for the design and development of software components needed for ingest, processing, and delivery of data input streams.
Jeff is the Field Support lead for the NEON program, managing Systems Integration and Maintenance, Construction, Permitting, Logistics, Service Desk/Incident Response and Insurance for NEON Operations. Prior to this role, Jeff was the Director of Facilities and Civil Construction on the NEON Construction Project beginning in 2010. He has over 30 years of construction and maintenance experience. Jeff is a graduate of Western State Colorado University with a B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis in finance, in addition to having his PMP.
Margaret is the Flora Field Ecologist III at the Appalachians and Cumberland Plateau Domain (D07) based out of East Tennessee and has been with NEON for over 9 years. Her role involves leading a team of technicians to collect ecological data and ensures the accuracy and integrity of the flora-related data products. In addition, she is a NEON Certified Trainer, is the office’s IT liaison and Outreach liaison, and schedules all Terrestrial Observation activities. She has an M.S.
Wilmarie is a Technician Specialist - Botany and Below Ground Mass Lead in Domain 04: Atlantic Neotropical. She has worked with NEON since 2015. Currently she is also the D04 Outreach Liaison, a safety officer, certified trainer, video assessment team leader, and member of the collaborative collective execution and review team. Wilmarie has a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science from the University of Puerto Rico, and an MBA in Human Research from Interamerican University.
Caleb is currently in a split role at NEON shared between Field Science and the Terrestrial Instrument System (TIS) Science Team. For Field Science, Caleb maintains NEON flux towers and soil sensor arrays in the Great Lakes Domain. For the TIS Science team, Caleb focuses on Observatory TIS monitoring and data quality improvement /optimization for the eddy covariance gas system.
Zack Lafaver has been with the NEON program since 2016, holding positions ranging from temporary technician to aquatic technician specialist. He has worked at NEON's D06, D17, and D10/13 offices, where he currently works. Zack earned his Bachelor's in Biology from Nazareth College and a Master's in Ecology from SUNY ESF.