Welcome to Our 2023 Lead Stewards!

WNY PRISM’s 2023 Watercraft Inspection Stewardship Program is in full swing! Join us in welcoming our two Lead Stewards, Rebekah Myers and Jessica Castellan.

Rebekah and Jessica are helping with training, scheduling, supervising and reporting for the Watercraft Inspection Stewardship Program.

Rebekah Myers, Lead Watercraft Inspection Steward/Environmental Educator

Rebekah Myers is native to the Buffalo area and has a master’s degree in Integrated Natural Resource Management from Humboldt University of Berlin in Germany and a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Science from SUNY ESF in Syracuse, NY. In between her degrees, she worked at a field station in Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire taking behavioral data on habituated wild chimpanzees and helping to manage the camp. Thereafter, she conducted a pilot study on aquatic invertebrate community ecology with the Free University of Berlin. After moving back to Buffalo in 2019, she worked with her family running a forest-raised hog farm and guest house. She enjoys disc golf, horseback riding and spending time with her nephews and dog. Rebekah is thrilled to start working with WNY PRISM as the Northern Lead Boat Steward and looks forward to learning new skills and educating people about invasive species. 

Jessica Castellan, Lead Watercraft Inspection Steward/Environmental Educator

Jessica Castellan is a graduate of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Management. She also has an Associate of Applied Science degree in Environmental and Natural Resources Management from the SUNY ESF Ranger School. Jessica has previously volunteered with New York State Parks’ Friends of Recreation, Conservation, and Environmental Stewardship (FORCES) doing invasive species removals. Through a recent internship with the NYS DEC, Jessica collected data across western New York on invasive species in forests. She is excited to work with WNY PRISM to further learn about invasive species while preventing the spread of them. In her free time, Jessica likes to go hiking with her dogs, kayaking, and play tennis with her friends.