Who We Are

Our Team

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Baltimore Neighborhood Foresters

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Tyrah Cobb-Davis

Outreach Manager

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Kliffi Blackstone

Neighborhood Forestry Director

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Kwamel Couther

Neighborhood Forestry Implementation Manager

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Dave Coyle

Sr. Director of Workforce Development

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Azya Gibbs

Chief of Staff

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Madden Henning

Grants Manager

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Kajall Hylton

GIS Manager

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Leigh Johnson Schaefer

Neighborhood Forestry Project Manager

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Tyler Lewis

Tree Care Manager

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Sarah Settels

Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps Member

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Bryant Smith

Chief Executive Officer

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Shannon Smith

Nursery Manager

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Dannielle Sturgeon

Sr. Director of Development

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Baltimore Neighborhood Foresters

Chris Ballard

Neighborhood Forestry Technician

Alonso Barrera

Site Prep Specialist

Tyriek Clark

Neighborhood Forestry Technician

Jahzeel Gainey-Smith

Tree Care Specialist

Allen George

Training Supervisor

Camerio Graves

Neighborhood Forestry Supervisor

Donald Jarvis

Neighborhood Forestry Technician

A bearded Black man wearing glasses, an orange safety vest, and a sweatshirt reading "Venom"

Darrious Kennedy

Materials Assistant

Quentin Klein-Alfano

Tree Care Specialist

Louis Middleton

Neighborhood Forestry Specialist

Bernie Rosenthal

Materials Assistant

Noah Scofield

Neighborhood Forestry Technician

Katrell Scruggs

Neighborhood Forestry Technician

Tori Smith

Neighborhood Forestry Technician

Davaugh Stokes

Neighborhood Forestry Supervisor

Adam Weingast

Materials Handler

Malcolm Wilson

Neighborhood Forestry Technician

Join Our Team

At Baltimore Tree Trust, we’re passionate about environmental equity, green thinking, and the power of diverse talents. We’re seeking individuals eager to learn, collaborate, and contribute to a greener Baltimore. If you’re ready to branch into the next level of your career, we encourage you to connect with us!

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Four Black men stand in a garden, smiling and laughing. They wear casual outdoor clothing and high-visibility gear, conveying a sense of joy and camaraderie.

Tyrah Cobb Davis

Outreach Manager

She/Her

Tyrah Cobb-Davis, a lifelong Maryland resident from Prince George’s County, enjoys nature and spending time outdoors. She joined the Tree Trust in the fall of 2023 to support outreach efforts that will help advance tree planting efforts throughout the City. Tyrah served an AmeriCorps term working with an urban tree planting campaign and is excited to continue working in the urban forestry space again.

She received a Bachelors of Science in Environmental Science from Randolph College, and is currently pursuing a Masters in Geography and Environmental Systems from University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Tyrah has interests that span the urban environment, climate change, environmental justice, and so much more. She is excited to engage with the community to get people as excited about environmental initiatives as she is. Here is to making a difference in Baltimore and greening the city, one tree at a time!

Kliffi Blackstone

Neighborhood Forestry Director

She/Her

To be updated.

Kwamel Couther

Planting Manager

He/Him

Beginning his tree care and maintenance journey at just fifteen years old, Kwamel is now a self-proclaimed outdoorsman who loves to see the products of his labor all around the city. Prior to joining the Tree Trust, Kwamel spent several years with Civic Works, Cylburn Arboretum, and in the commercial landscaping industry. He was the recipient of the first annual Ed Miller Award and the 2015 Volunteer of the Year award from Civic Works. Kwamel is currently preparing to sit for the International Society of Arboriculture’s arborist exam.

Dave Coyle

Sr. Director of Workforce Development

He/Him

With a passion for fishing, outdoors, and all things Maryland, Dave began his educational career in 2012 teaching English after earning his Master of Arts in Teaching from Towson University. While engaging Baltimore City youth in the classroom, he discovered that many students preferred a more hands-on approach to learning. This revelation pushed Dave to enter the field of environmental education through the Branches Program at Parks & People Foundation.

For the last five years, Dave worked with high schoolers to assist them in developing an ethic of environmental stewardships, focusing on monitoring and protecting Baltimore’s local waterways– and the Chesapeake Bay watershed as a whole. As the Senior Director of Workforce Development, Dave seeks to expand opportunities for crew members to earn career advancing certifications, provide opportunities for staff to explore career options within the forestry field, and increase the size of the Tree Trust forestry team.

Azya Gibbs

Chief of Staff

She/Her

Azya Gibbs is an experienced executive assistant with a proven track record of several years in administrative roles with businesses ranging from startups to fortune 500 companies. Known as a passionate person who is willing to take on new challenges, she has found joy in streamlining processes and providing seamless support working closely with executives over the years. She is looking forward to serving as an essential tool in maintaining organization and increased efficiency.

Madden Henning

Grants Manager

They/She

Madden joined the Baltimore Tree Trust in the winter of 2024 after spending several years in civics education and arts & culture fundraising. Madden thrives on mission-driven work that examines, reimagines, and repairs broken and harmful systems and practices. They hold a BA in English Literature from Wesleyan University. As Grants Manager, Madden focuses on storytelling that secures and maintains the funding needed to further the Baltimore Tree Trust’s mission. Madden is a Baltimore transplant of almost a decade who promises they are not an invasive species.

Kajall Hylton

GIS Manager

She/Her

As an avid fan of Maryland, Kajall Hylton moved to the Baltimore area to complete her bachelors in Environmental Science from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in 2023. Originally from the Silver Spring area her love for the environment started at a young age, she hopes to grow her knowledge of plant biology and forestry during her time at the Baltimore Tree Trust. As the GIS coordinator, she hopes to bring her experiences to help better serve Baltimore Tree Trust in serving the Baltimore community.

Leigh Johnson Schaefer

Site Prep Manager

She/They

Leigh joined Baltimore Tree Trust in the summer of 2024, bringing experience in ecological restoration and wildlife research from across the country. Her previous work includes researching sooty grouse population trends with Oregon State University, establishing meadows at Lassen National Forest, processing data for the USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, and restoring sagebrush communities in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. Although she primarily worked in remote and rural settings, Leigh is eager to establish herself in urban forestry. She recognizes that humans are intrinsic to ecological systems and looks forward to integrating the needs of Baltimoreans into project planning.

Tyler Lewis

Tree Care Manager

He/Him

To be updated.

Sarah Settels

Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps Member

She/Her

Sarah is the 2025-2026 Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps member at Baltimore Tree Trust. Originally from DC, she graduated from Amsterdam University College with a Bachelor's degree in Science, writing her thesis on drivers of mangrove deforestation in El Salvador. This past summer, she worked on a climate warming research project in the Northwoods of Minnesota, measuring plant growth, physiology, and phenology. Interested in the interconnectedness between humans and ecological systems, she is excited to explore this relationship within an urban setting and develop hands-on skills after years of theoretical training. She looks forward to exploring the different neighborhoods of Baltimore and planting many, many trees.

Bryant Smith

Chief Executive Officer

He/Him

A native of East Baltimore, Bryant joined the Baltimore Tree Trust in 2019 after more than three decades in the urban forestry industry with the U.S. Forest Service, Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, and other regional environmental nonprofits. At the Tree Trust, Bryant leads our staff, stakeholders, and the organization’s Board of Directors to execute the organization’s strategic priorities. Bryant is a past Warnock Foundation Fellow, as well as a licensed commercial pilot, who founded an organization in 2015 to fly relief missions to victims of natural disasters.

Shannon Smith

Nursery Manager

She/Her

Shannon was led to our Neighborhood Forester Team in 2021 through her love of all things outdoors. An East Baltimore native and strong advocate for environmental justice, she is currently pursuing a degree in Environmental Sustainability from the University of Baltimore with a specialization in Environmental Science. As Project Coordinator for the Tree Trust, Shannon works closely with planting teams to plan and manage the daily operations of our various project sites throughout the city. Shannon also assists with the organization of our warehouse tools, materials, and vehicles.

Dannielle Sturgeon

Sr. Director of Development

She/Her

Dannielle Sturgeon is a Michigan native who moved to Maryland in 2018 to pursue a career in fundraising. She has a strong background in strategic fundraising and has achieved success in a wide range of organizations, with a focus on arts, community development, and workforce development. Ms. Sturgeon currently serves as the Board President of Mind on Fire Baltimore and also holds the role of Vice President of Membership Services for the Association of Fundraising Professionals Maryland. She aims to utilize her passion for native gardening and fundraising expertise in her role as the Senior Development Director at the Baltimore Tree Trust.

Who We Are

Our Team

Jump To Section

Tyrah Cobb-Davis

Kliffi Blackstone

Kwamel Couther

Dave Coyle

Azya Gibbs

Madden Henning

Kajall Hylton

Leigh Johnson Schaefer

Tyler Lewis

Sarah Settels

Bryant Smith

Shannon Smith

Dannielle Sturgeon

Baltimore Neighborhood Foresters

Chris Ballard

Alonso Barrera

Tyriek Clark

Jahzeel Gainey-Smith

Allen George

Camerio Graves

Donald Jarvis

Darrious Kennedy

Quentin Klein-Alfano

Louis Middleton

Bernie Rosenthal

Noah Scofield

Katrell Scruggs

Tori Smith

Davaugh Stokes

Adam Weingast

Malcolm Wilson

Join Our Team

EMAIL SIGNUP

Tyrah Cobb Davis

Kliffi Blackstone

Kwamel Couther

Dave Coyle

Azya Gibbs

Madden Henning

Kajall Hylton

Leigh Johnson Schaefer

Tyler Lewis

Sarah Settels

Bryant Smith

Shannon Smith

Dannielle Sturgeon