Meet Our Team
Specializing in expert tree care, ecologically-based forestry, consulting, and habitat restoration services throughout the San Juan Islands.
Founded in 2005, Rain Shadow Consulting provides an array of tree care, environmental, and forestry services to clients throughout the San Juan Islands and beyond. We are a busy and growing company and we are often looking for talented individuals to join our team.
Carson Sprenger, Director
Forester, Restoration Ecologist, Fire Ecologist
M.S. Forest Ecology, College of Forest Resources, University of Washington; B.S. Environmental Science, The Evergreen State College
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Carson Sprenger is a forester and restoration ecologist with 25 years of experience working in the forests of the San Juan Islands. He has 8 years of experience conducting ecological research and is a local expert on historical fires and pre-contact forest structure. Carson recently taught a Tree Worker Basics class through the San Juan EDC and was elected to the San Juan Conservation District’s board of supervisors in May of 2020. Carson specializes in conservation/forest management planning, forest restoration design, forest inventory, design of fuel reduction treatments, and tree health assessments. With professional experience in rigging, hazard tree removal, and large scale tree thinning, he has a keen understanding of on-the-ground project management.
Galen Boydston
San Juan Crew Lead & Lead Trainer
ISA Certified and Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ) Arborist
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Galen began working for Rain Shadow soon after he completed his undergraduate degree from The Evergreen State College in 2010. Galen’s passion for arboriculture and outdoor conservation work is drawn from not only his academic work but also from his upbringing on Waldron Island (3rd generation). He has worked on research and fishing boats throughout Puget Sound and Alaska. Galen is an ISA Certified and Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ) Arborist and lives with his wife Rachel and his 2 children in Friday Harbor.
Jon Stoller
Operations Manager
ISA Certified and Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ) Arborist
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Jon spent six years as an arborist in Toronto before moving to Orcas Island in March 2022. In addition to climbing trees, he has spent the last three years in management with a focus on sales and operations.
Jon has a bachelor’s degree in English literature, an Ontario College Certificate for arboriculture from Humber College, and is an ISA Certified Arborist. He is an avid reader and musician with a deep passion for the outdoors.
Zack Kostechko
Tree Technician & Equipment Operator
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Zach grew up in Colorado riding dirt bikes and driving the family tractor. He moved to Orcas in 5th grade and graduated from Orcas High School in 2014. Zach enjoys excavation work and operating heavy machinery – excavators, dozers, and backhoes. He has two years of operating experience and enjoys the opportunities at Rain Shadow to learn new skills and work on different jobs each day. In his free time, Zach enjoys being outside and fishing.
Luke Hudson
Orcas Crew Lead & Arborist
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Luke joined Rain Shadow in the fall of 2021 and is excited to grow his skills as a tree care groundie and climber. He grew up in Washington and has a wide range of background experience from working as a barista, a sawyer, a general contractor, and as a crew member and supervisor with the Washington Conservation Corps.
Michael Umble
Arborist
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Mike comes to Rain Shadow having grown up on Fidalgo Island. After years of working in restaurants he found himself on a backcountry trail crew, which started his passion for arboriculture and working in Washington’s forests. This work has taken him all over the state as a natural resource technician, wildland firefighter, and park ranger. Mike is based on San Juan Island.
David Jen
Certified Arborist
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David joins the Rain Shadow team after two years with the Washington Conservation Corps, where he discovered his interest in forestry and tree care. He grew up in Pennsylvania and went to college in South Carolina, graduating from Clemson University with a degree in wildlife biology. David enjoys playing sports of all kinds, especially basketball and tennis, as well as outdoor activities like hiking and camping.
Kelly Eckman
Arborist & Assistant Natural Resource Planner
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Kelly grew up in Pennsylvania and recently moved to Orcas with her partner and their two dogs, Mickey and Bailey. She is an enthusiast of all things outdoors, and especially loves long-distance backpacking. Kelly’s work experience includes primitive trail building, wilderness therapy, and working with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). She is excited to learn and grow as an arborist with the RSC team!
Seth Ybarra
Sawmill Operator
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Coming Soon
Victor Hartney
Tree Technician
ISA Certified Arborist
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Victor has been a resident of Orcas Island since spring of 2016. He earned his Permaculture Design Certificate in 2017 at the Bullock’s Permaculture Homestead, then applied many of these principles at the Four Winds * Westward Ho 100+ acre camp in Deer Harbor, where he served as the Gardener and Groundskeeper from 2018-2022. In 2022 Victor earned his ISA arborist certification and started a small landscaping business, Wildwood Alliance. He currently works part-time for Rain Shadow Consulting while growing his landscaping business.
Dylan Johnson
General Administrator
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Dylan spent 20 years as a licensed professional in the hair industry, where he explored every possible outlet to express himself creatively from starting a variety of businesses and educating across the globe, to serving his community and curating a celebrity clientele. Seeking solitude and a different way of life, he took a 3-year hiatus to explore where he belonged in the world.
He comes to Rain Shadow now, from the sleepy Island of Lopez, bringing a passion for nature and for people and a keen sense for how a business can enrich the surrounding world.
He comes to Rain Shadow now, from the sleepy Island of Lopez, bringing a passion for nature and for people and a keen sense for how a business can enrich the surrounding world.
James Karrasch
Shop Manager & Tree Technician
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James grew up on a farm in rural Pennsylvania where he learned many of the skills that he carries with him today. After turning wrenches and fixing equipment on the farm, he went to college where he got into IT and Software Development. While taking a break from his career to bike across the country, he fell in love with the PNW. Now, he is happy to be living here, combining his systematic thinking and his familiarity with a wrench to keep the Rain Shadow fleet up and running.
Blake Bruce
Tree Technician
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Blake is from the beautiful state of Wyoming and moved to Washington state in 2012 to attend the Evergreen State College, where he studied performance arts, stage design, and business, later taking on jobs as a kindergarten teacher and a personal trainer.
Blake spent many summers on Orcas falling in love with its magical vibes and outdoor beauty, making it a goal to make the San Juan islands his home one day.
Now he is part of Rain Shadow’s San Juan Island crew and living his best life on the islands. Blake LOVES karaoke!
Blake spent many summers on Orcas falling in love with its magical vibes and outdoor beauty, making it a goal to make the San Juan islands his home one day.
Now he is part of Rain Shadow’s San Juan Island crew and living his best life on the islands. Blake LOVES karaoke!
Otto Sprenger
Tree Technician & Equipment Operator
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Otto joined the field crew in June of 2023 though has been around the company for quite a few years. He enjoys operating the tracked chipper as well as ground-based chainsaw work and generally helping out where help is needed. Otto was born in Seattle and moved to Shaw when he was just three months old. Along with the rest of his family, he moved to Orcas in 2012. Otto enjoys mountain biking, fishing, and spending time at the gym.