Welcome to Our 2026 Field Crew Leader!

WNY PRISM is excited to welcome our 2026 Field Crew Leader Sam Parelius! Sam will provide supervision for seasonal staff and will help coordinate and implement invasive species management and habitat/restoration projects throughout the WNY PRISM region.

 

Sam graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology. Their experiences with invasive species started in 2024 working in Albany with the Plant Protection and Quarantine division of USDA APHIS where they performed agricultural pest surveys, import and export inspections, and emerald ash borer biocontrol efforts. After graduation, she spent 2025 working in her home state of New Jersey as a land steward with Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS). There, Sam worked across the state removing invasive plants, performing trail maintenance and building native habitat plantings. As they step into western New York, Sam is itching to get back into the field, now as a part of WNY PRISM’s dedicated team. When not out hunting invasives, Sam enjoys gardening, puzzles, and playing video games with friends and family.

 

Welcome to the WNY PRISM team, Sam!