The Wildscape Team / Our Ecosystem
Our Approach
Wildscape Engineering Services started out as a small engineering firm founded in 2008 by Carol Beahan, PE specializing in river restoration and water quality work. Carol’s professional network and expertise continued to grow in the years following and helped shape how we manage projects today. Our approach is to work collaboratively and holistically with our clients, contractors, biologists, planners, landscape architects, geomorphologists and other professionals. This helps us capitalize on multiple project benefits and maximize the value of ecosystem services. We all share Carol’s passion for environmental engineering and ecological restoration with each team member’s expertise allowing us to deliver even greater value to our clients.
With offices in the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe, our engineering expertise is enhanced by our local knowledge. We have been serving federal and state agencies, counties, cities, nonprofits, private companies, and individual landowners since our founding.
Careers
We're Hiring
We’re looking for a talented Restoration / Storm Water Drainage Design Engineer to join us.
Meet the Team
Carol Beahan, PE
President / Restoration EngineerCarol Beahan, PE, QSD/QSP has been providing civil engineering, environmental planning, and construction management services since 1998. With a previous career in zoology and wildlife education she began work as an engineer at the Santa Clara Valley Water District, providing drinking water treatment design and pilot testing. Within a couple of years, she moved into restoration engineering and has specialized in watershed, river, and wetland restoration work ever since. Carol has led multiple teams assessing and designing for water quality, drainage, fish passage, wildlife habitat, transportation, and recreation improvements. In addition to her expertise in watershed, river, and wetland restoration planning, design and implementation, she also specializes in: drainage and erosion control design; SWPPP services, construction and storm water monitoring; beaver management related to restoration; community outreach; and plan set development. She has provided construction oversight on several successful river and wetland restoration projects, coordinated and led public and stakeholder meetings and community workshops.
Meryl Kruskopf
Environmental EngineerMeryl Kruskopf, EIT, QISP brings a diversity of skills and experiences to Wildscape. With a B.S. in Environmental Engineering from Cornell University and a love for the outdoors, Meryl is passionate about protecting natural ecosystem processes. In addition to her engineering background she has experience in complex problem solving facilitation, natural resource management, and remote sensing. Joining Wildscape in April, 2019 she jumped into managing stormwater compliance for local marinas, and other industrial facilities. She also provides GIS technical support on a variety of projects.
Nolan Platt
Civil EngineerNolan Platt, MS, EIT, joined the Wildscape Engineering team in June 2019. Nolan holds a BS in Environmental Engineering from Colorado State University and an MS in Civil Engineering from Montana State University. His educational background focused on hydraulics and hydrology. Nolan has worked on projects involving fish passage design and assessment, stormwater infrastructure design, stream restoration design, hydraulic modelling, technical report writing, SWPPP implementation, groundwater remediation and water quality monitoring. Since a young age Nolan has been drawn to rivers and streams, he realized his passion for water resource engineering during his time at Colorado State and has been developing his water-related skill set ever since.
Ron Tranchina
Field Technician / Business DevelopmentRon Tranchina has been working as a field technician and business development manager for Wildscape Engineering since April 2015. This is Ron’s second career, one that taps into his extensive sales and marketing experience while also enabling him to develop new skills and enjoy the great outdoors. Having worked as both a VP of sales and marketing for the beer industry and as a startup founder for a beer company, Ron is passionate about helping to grow the business. Much of Ron’s work is project-based field work such as water quality sampling and reporting. He appreciates the perks of his new career: working outdoors in and around beautiful Lake Tahoe and the Sierras connecting with both nature and Wildscape’s clients. Drawing on his sales and marketing background, he enjoys providing those who need Wildscape Engineering’s civil engineering services with information about the company and the beneficial work it does.
Jamie Allec
Administrative Assistant / Field TechnicianJamie Allec wears many hats at Wildscape, serving as both an administrative assistant and field technician. She is currently working on earning her business degree at Lake Tahoe Community College and getting certified in QuickBooks. Jamie has years of experience in human resources, administration, accounts payable, and accounts receivable. She has also completed courses in water quality monitoring and sampling. These business, accounting, and water quality skills converge in her role here at Wildscape Engineering. When she’s not in the office, you’ll often find her helping with various SWPPP and water quality monitoring efforts in the Lake Tahoe area.
John Alexander
Field TechnicianJohn Alexander has been in the construction field since 2010. He began working as a Water Quality Field Inspector for Wildscape Engineering in 2015 where he has developed a passion for preserving the environment. He enjoys his current work in and around Tahoe and the Sierras, advising contractors how to effectively implement best management practices and maintain permit compliance on their construction sites.
Dr. David Thompson, PhD
Hydrologic & Hydraulic ModelingDavid Thompson, Ph.D., PE, PH, an associate with Wildscape started working on hydrology and hydraulic projects more than 40-years ago. He served as a scientist/engineer with U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Water Resources Division, and provided support, consulting, and training to USGS district personnel in hydrology, hydraulics, and hydrodynamic modeling. He worked for a number of consulting firms over the decades, again providing technical hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, modeling, and designs. He has experience with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) risk mapping and is an expert in Letters of Map Change associated with FEMA regulation of floodprone areas. Dr. Thompson was a university professor at Texas Tech University for 14 years where he led teams of researchers and students in the conduct of hydrologic and hydraulic research projects. He oversaw the graduate work of students at the MSCE and Ph.D. levels as well as taught classes, served on national technical committees, and coordinated teams of researchers located at separate research institutions.
Dr. Thompson brings a wide variety of analytic and design skills to Wildscape Engineering projects. He has significant experience in the application of a variety of numerical models and statistical tools to find solutions to hydrologic and hydraulic problems.
Laura Nabity
Group FacilitatorLaura Nabity, M.A. has facilitated groups since 1996. She has helped clients successfully create strategic action plans, resolve complex problems, and constructively navigate conflict. She has worked with senior and staff levels of state government agencies and non-profit organizations. She specializes in the Technology of Participation (ToP®) methods and completed the Institute of Cultural Affairs advanced study course for these methods. She earned a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of San Francisco and has extensive experience with group dynamics. Laura enjoys supporting authentic participation in large and small groups and witnessing the creative and sustainable results that unfold.
