Ben Alexander
Ben is co-owner of Sound Native Plants and oversees the installation projects as well as consults on projects and permitting. Ben's experience includes:

- Creating and implementing plans for steep slope stabilization, including reconstruction of banks using live cribwalls, vegetated geogrids, willow fascines, geotextiles, and native plantings.
- Designing and installing restoration projects for streams, marine bluffs, wetlands and wetland buffers, and lakeshores in western Washington.
- Compiling and evaluating weed control techniques for invasive species commonly found on restoration sites in western Washington.
- Designing and installing low-flow irrigation systems for restoration sites.
- Serving as Environmental Planner for Thurston County Stormwater Program for five years; primary author of comprehensive drainage basin plans.
- Supervising the activities of the Thurston County Stream Team.
- Developing and managing wilderness restoration projects for Olympic and Yosemite National Parks.

Ben holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Planning from the Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA, and is qualified to conduct the Riparian Function and Fish Habitat modules for Washington Department of Natural Resources Watershed Analyses.

Ben has several publications to his credit, including: McAllister/Eaton Creek Comprehensive Drainage Basin Plan, Thurston County, WA, 1994; "Restoring Yosemite's Wildlands" in the Bulletin of the Yosemite Association, CA, 1989; contributing author, Oaks of California, ed. John Evarts, Cachuma Press, CA, 1992; Photographic Documentation: Soleduck Revegetation Project, USDI National Park Service, Denver, CO, 1991. E-mail Ben.

Susan Buis
Susan is co-founder of Sound Native Plants and is a recognized authority on propagating northwest native plants. Currently, Susan is on leave from the business to take on a new challenge as horticulturist for the Washington State Department of Transportation. She continues to consult and give workshops for Sound Native Plants on occasion.

Susan is a contributing editor to the Native Plants Journal and speaks widely on the subjects of writing specifications for native plants for restoration and mitigation projects, native plant propagation and other topics. She has taught classes and workshops for the University of Washington, Society of Wetland Scientists, the Society for Ecological Restoration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Washington State Departments of Ecology and Transportation, the Washington Native Plant Society, and numerous local community projects and groups. Susan's professional experience also includes:

- Designing and installing wetland mitigation projects in the Puget Sound area.
- Creating and implementing plans for restoration of stream banks, marine bluffs, and lakeshores in western Washington.
- Producing a model native plant nursery propagation and management program for the City of Kent.
- Authoring a National Park Service guide to propagating and using common native plants for restoration purposes in western Washington.
- Developing and managing wilderness restoration projects, including nursery operations, for Olympic and Yosemite National Parks.

Adrienne Basey
Adrienne began working for Sound Native Plants on the installation crew early in 2004, and was hired as nursery crew leader soon after. She is also a restoration ecologist with the business performing wetland delineations and monitoring services. Adrienne’s experience includes:

- Performing vascular plant, bird, and mammal surveys and follow-up rapid assessments on newly acquired public lands for Washington Fish and Wildlife.
- Performing wetland delineations throughout Thurston and Mason counties.
- Conducting headwater stream amphibian surveys including habitat analysis and species identification.
- Developing and teaching environmental education programs for Multnomah County Education Service District, the Audubon Society, Deerdance, Portland Metro, and Friends of Tryon Creek State Park, leading instruction in classroom and extended field trips.
- Instructing students at The Evergreen State College on introductory plant
biology and analytical instrumentation theory and application.

Adrienne holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington. She also received wetlands training through the Environmental Professional Program at Portland State University. E-mail Adrienne.

Amee Bahr
Amee worked for Sound Native Plants as a dedicated member of our nursery crew from 2000-2002. She re-joined the business as office manager in December 2003. Amee is also a restoration ecologist with the business and performs wetland delineations and monitoring services. Amee’s experience includes:

- Eight years’ experience working for nurseries and greenhouses in Washington state, the majority spent working with Pacific Northwest native plants in the Puget Sound area.
- Managing the school greenhouse for Spokane Community College, including training new students and creating propagation and maintenance plans.
- Performing wetland delineations using the US Army Corps of Engineers methodology and applying the Washington State Wetland Rating System.
- Propagating and maintaining a wide variety of western Washington native plants.
- Creating theses projects on topics such as food safety, agriculture, ecological footprints and restoration ecology.

Amee holds an Associate of Applied Science in Horticulture from Spokane Community College and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from The Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington. E-mail Amee.

Melanie Pischalko
Melanie is a restoration ecologist with Sound Native Plants and has been the Olympia-based installation crew leader since 2007. Melanie also worked as a member of the installation crew from 2005-2007. Melanie ’s experience includes:

- Installing and maintaining restoration plantings.
- Installing erosion-control plantings and bioengineering projects on steep slopes.
- Surveying and monitoring vegetation for WA Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Natural Resources.
- Propagating and maintaining a wide variety of western Washington native plants.
- Soil sieving as part of bulkhead removal monitoring.
- Volunteering with the Native Plant Salvage Project including salvaging plant material and potting up salvaged plants.