Amber Taylor, She/Her
Assistant Crew Lead
Seasons of OLC: Spring 2025, Fall 2025, and Spring 2026
Share a little bit about your past experiences in OLC and why you decided to come back as the Assistant Crew Leader?
I really love doing this job, I get to make a difference in my community and that what we do contributes to global wide efforts for conservation. We are able to tackle a huge conservation problem (invasive plants) that are often hiding right underneath our noses, while learning a wide variety of new skills and having fun along the way. As the Assistant Crew Leader (ACL), I am especially enthusiastic for the opportunity to practice my leadership skills, putting into action what I already know while learning from my new experiences. I thoroughly enjoy problem solving as well, and I knew I would have many chances to practice that here in a supportive environment. Sharing my knowledge and skills with the team has been the extra cheery on top. I get to share what I know and love while working with people I enjoy, what could be better than that?
What are you most looking forward to during your season as a restoration assistant?
It has been delightful returning to familiar favorites to see how they change throughout the seasons after the progress we have made. Seeing new plants and spring ephemerals pop up in places I've personally worked on that were once a blanket of invasives has been invigorating and strengthens my determination to continue making a difference. I also look forward to the new sites we are working on this season to discover the unique challenges they pose and to increase our impact on the region.
What inspired you to pursue a career in Conservation/ Restoration? Was there a specific moment that solidified your passion for this field?
One summer, I worked as a camp counselor teaching nature and ecology to scouts grades K-5 that helped me realize my passion for conservation. I looked forward to teaching them about every nature question they asked and sharing passion with them which increased their engagement with nature. I love the hands-on aspect of restoration and being able to physically make a measurable difference that I can see myself.
What hobbies or activities do you like outside of OLC?
In my free time, I am an avid Dungeons & Dragons player, board game enthusiast, house plant collector, sailor, gardener, and I spend a lot of time volunteering with Scouting America.
How has your experience been so far this season/what's been your favorite site you've worked at?
My experience this season has been challenging, but in the best rewarding way. I end my days tired, but satisfied, because I know that all my energy was spent making a positive impact, doing what I love. Especially as the ACL, I appreciate the extra hands-on experience I get and the time to practice my skills. My favorite site is Duckett Creek. It's a familiar favorite to me with lots of space, spring ephemerals this time of year, many trees above head, a beautiful creek, and I've been to this site every season so I get to see all the impact we've had!
Quinn Swope, They/Them/Theirs
Restoration Assistant
Seasons of OLC: Fall 2025 AND Spring 2026
What did you most enjoy about Outdoor Leadership Corps that inspired you to return for another season?
The work we did was so meaningful, and I felt like I was truly helping the environment, and the city that we inhabit. Each site offered a unique challenge and goal, and this season, I wanted to expand on that. The crew is also so important! I found myself genuinely connecting with the people that I was working with, and that trend has continued into this season. I am more than excited for what the second half has in store!
What are you most looking forward to during your season as a restoration assistant?
Definitely the opportunities to better my leadership skills and to continue to spot new wildlife! We have already had a Barred Owl follow us around at Duckett Creek, and a few snakes. Seeing these animals is just another way of measuring the value of what we do, and it creates a sense of hope that we are truly helping who we are working for (Nature!).
What inspired you to pursue a career in Conservation/ Restoration? Was there a specific moment that solidified your passion for this field?
Before joining OLC, I was a part of the Outdoor Youth Corps, a sister program that is also workforce development based. I completed nine seasons with that crew and found that it was finally time to stretch my wings and move a step up. Conservation is so important for our planet. We cannot exist unless the spaces we occupy are also friendly for what was here before us. Restoration just means turning the clock back and trying to fix what we have unfortunately made complicated for wildlife.
What hobbies or activities do you like outside of OLC?
I adore reptiles and care for several of them! Reading is also a passion of mine, as well as writing, hiking, and thrifting on occasion. Expanding my identification skills and using them in my native landscapes is more related to my job, but is still a passion project.
How has your experience been so far this season/what's been your favorite site you've worked at?
This season has been so much fun. My favorite site is Duckett Creek. I truly saw the most difference in our work there, and the number of animals combined with interesting plants spotted was amazing. Seeing what we completed last season was enlightening, too. I hope that we end up working at Lower Meramec this season, though! That was my favorite from last season.
Josiah McElmurry, He/Him
Restoration Assistant
Seasons of OLC: Spring 2026
Why did you choose to be a part of the Outdoor Leadership Corps?
Over the past few years, I’ve really enjoyed biking along the greenways as a way of experiencing nature in St. Louis, identifying various species as I go. I’m also about to finish a degree in Horticulture from STLCC, with a particular focus in conservation and native landscaping. So, it felt like a great way to pair those two interests together.
What are you most looking forward to during your season as a restoration assistant?
Exploring new areas and getting more familiar with the various pockets of natural, local habitats that I might have otherwise never discovered.
What inspired you to pursue a career in Conservation/ Restoration? Was there a specific moment that solidified your passion for this field?
After studying architectural engineering for my first two years of college, I spent a summer working as a tour guide at a botanical garden within the Tongass National Forest in Juneau, Alaska, and it completely opened my eyes to a different direction I could take my life. I switched to geography and sustainability for the rest of my undergraduate degree, and haven’t looked back since.
What hobbies or activities do you like outside of OLC?
Making music on my guitar and piano, painting, photography, and hanging out in the woods with my dog.
How has your experience been so far this season/what's been your favorite site you've worked at?
My experience so far has been great. Duckett Creek along the Busch Greenway has been my favorite site we’ve worked at - I loved getting to experience the difference on my bike after we finished clearing out the bush honeysuckle that was directly between a winding, downhill section of the greenway and a loud, rushing creek.
Henry Simmons, He/Him
Restoration Assistant
Seasons of OLC: Fall 2025 and Spring 2026
What did you most enjoy about Outdoor Leadership Corps that inspired you to return for another season?
Returning to OLC seemed like a no brainer for me. The opportunities provided in this experience really helped me make the decision to stick around. I also felt like staying for another season would help me make deeper connections and become more familiar with the sites we work at.
What are you most looking forward to during your season as a restoration assistant?
I am looking forward to working in the Spring weather, getting to see the difference in work from the Fall season, visiting new greenway sites, and meeting new people.
What inspired you to pursue a career in Conservation/ Restoration? Was there a specific moment that solidified your passion for this field?
I studied Natural Resource Science and Management at Mizzou, and I had an emphasis in Fisheries and Wildlife, which I eventually switched to Human Dimensions. This switch exposed me to more conservation and restoration ideas, and I have been interested ever since.
What hobbies or activities do you like outside of OLC?
Outside of OLC, I enjoy golfing, trivia with friends, video games, and watching hockey and UFC.
How has your experience been so far this season/what's been your favorite site you've worked at?
I have enjoyed this season so far, I think we have worked at some very interesting and beautiful sites that reinforce my confidence in our goals and remind me of the importance of urban restoration. Shady Creek has been a fun site to work at, seeing what a site looks like before a greenway goes in. I also enjoyed returning to Duckett Creek, a site where we worked in the past, where we are able to see the impacts of the work we have done.
Hana Scheuermann, She/Her/Hers
Restoration Assistant
Seasons of OLC: Spring 26
Why did you choose to be a part of the Outdoor Leadership Corps?
I chose to be a part of OLC because it perfectly combined the work I aspire to do as a recent Environmental Science graduate from Missouri S&T. Both workforce development and field work are crucial areas of interest for an uprising career woman in the environmental field.
What are you most looking forward to during your season as a restoration assistant?
In OLC, I am most looking forward to discovering where I would like to take my passion in the environmental sciences. I have always been interested in fieldwork, but education also appeals to me; therefore, I would like to work more on the outreach aspect of my career.
What inspired you to pursue a career in Conservation/ Restoration? Was there a specific moment that solidified your passion for this field?
The connection with nature is what most inspires me to be in Conservation/Restoration. It’s what drives me in everything I do and has ever since I discovered my love for nature.
What hobbies or activities do you like outside of OLC?
Outside of OLC, I am an avid hiker and poet. I love writing and the arts. Please go support the arts where you can.
How has your experience been so far this season/what's been your favorite site you've worked at?
I’ve loved working in OLC so far. My favorite site to work at has been Duckett Creek. The weather, combined with the scenic stream and hikes, has allowed me to enjoy taking in the sights and the sounds whilst working there.
You can learn more about Outdoor Leadership Corps here!
