Kentucky Heartwood Council, 2020

​Xyara Asplen
Doug Osborne
Chris Schimmoeller
Angela Powell
​Cora Weer
Chris Smith
Lauren Kallmeyer
Julian Campbell
Stephen Dorsett
Dave Cooper
Levi Gordon
Bluebird Whitehead
Clay Goebeler

​Kentucky Heartwood currently supports four staff for a total of 2.25 full-time equivalents and is governed by the Kentucky Heartwood Council. The Council currently includes 13 of our most active volunteers and serves as our board of directors. 

Kentucky Heartwood Staff

​Jim Scheff, Staff Ecologist

​​Jim Scheff worked as the Director of Kentucky Heartwood from 2008 through 2020, transiting to his new role as Staff Ecologist in October, 2020. Before moving to Kentucky, Jim was active in national forest protection efforts on the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri from 2000 through 2008, and has been involved with several regional and national forest protection groups.

Jim earned his B.S. in Biology from Webster University in St. Louis, M.A. in Environmental Science from Washington University in St. Louis, and M.S. in Biology and Applied Ecology from Eastern Kentucky University. The subject of Jim's graduate research at EKU was an investigation into the development of old-growth forest characteristics in second-growth forests in the Daniel Boone National Forest.

When not actively working to protect our public lands and wild places, Jim prefers to spend his time outside removing invasive species, hiking, or climbing various trees, rocks, and mountains. Jim lives in Berea. 

Chris Karounos, Ecosystem Defense Coordinator

Chris Karounos is an ecologist and activist that's driven to protect and steward the sacred forests the planet depends on for survival. In addition to helping his partner, Sarah, start Among the Oaks Herb Farm, Chris has led a team to launch an environmentally themed mobile game called 10 Degrees that raised money for reforestation. Chris has studied forests and plants in Kentucky, Michigan, California and Ecuador, presenting his research at several national and international conferences. He received a Master’s Degree studying community-based reforestation at the University of Michigan after doing undergraduate research at the University of Kentucky. While a Master's student he became deeply enveloped in a tumultuous but successful campaign to get his university to divest. Having grown up in Kentucky, Chris feels a strong connection to his local forests and their stewardship in the context of a wildly changing climate and world. In his free time Chris enjoys sitting by the river, playing chess, and rock climbing.

Tress La'Ree, Administrator

​Tress La'Ree accepted the position of Administrative Associate with Kentucky Heartwood in February of 2017, and now serves as our Administrator.  She grew up in the Pacific Northwest, with the forest as her playground. Tress became passionate about protecting our nations’ forest after witnessing widespread clear cutting, without restoration in the 1980’s.  After moving to Berea in 2008, she became a member of Kentucky Heartwood and her family became involved in 2010 during the Save Climax and Little Egypt campaign. 

Tress lives in Berea, Kentucky with her partner, Jason who is a music instructor.  Her cats, Walter, Mango and Lyra and her dogs, Hazel & Gus keep her company. She spends her time with her friends, family, and enjoying music and dancing. She is passionate about her other endeavor as an out of hospital Midwife and herbalist.