WRA Staff Spotlight: Celebrating 1 Year at WRA!

We’re celebrating a great group of teammates who marked their one-year anniversary with WRA in 2026! To recognize the milestone, we’re spotlighting a few of them and sharing some of their favorite experiences and highlights from their first year.

We’re grateful for everything they’ve brought to the team and look forward to what’s ahead. Here’s to many more milestones to come!

Hannah del Calle, Plant Biologist

What does WRA’s Vision, “cultivating a sustainable future where people and the environment thrive” mean to you?

Hannah: Throughout college and my career, I’ve always held the belief that we need to protect ecosystems not just for biodiversity’s sake, which is intrinsically important, but for the people that live near and within them. Now more than ever, it is important to emphasize sustainability and longevity when confronting the complexities of a growing population in the face of a degraded environment. I want to be a part of providing effective solutions for people and the environment to exist mutualistically, as healthy ecosystems can provide barriers to rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and wildfires.

What do you enjoy about working at WRA so far?

Being at WRA feels like being a part of a community. We have board game nights and Slack channels dedicated to outside of work interests like crafting, books, and (my personal favorite) pet pics. I’ve made friends that I hang out with on weekends and I’m on a team that I feel truly cares about me, not just as an employee, but as an individual. These kinds of connections help foster an environment where I can grow into my career and not view my job as the place I spend 40+ hours each week, but an integral and beneficial part of my life.

Tell us about an organization that is meaningful to you.

For six years now, I have been participating in cultural burns with Chairman Ron Goode and his wife, Myra Kirk-Goode, of the North Fork Mono Tribe. They host cultural burn workshops each year on a family-owned property in the Sierra foothills, where they invite a diversity of individuals including community members, academics, students, and federal and state agency representatives. Together, we tend to the land, revitalizing basket weaving materials and clearing overgrowth to benefit not only the people that use the space, but the plants and animals as well. Having the opportunity to work as a burn lead guided by Indigenous fire practitioners has influenced me immeasurably in the way that I see the world around me, how I conduct myself as a community member, and the kind of biologist I am.

Richard Hasegawa, Biologist

What is your role at WRA?

I work primarily as a wildlife and plant biologist. I specialize in the biology and ecology of California’s rare and native species, particularly terrestrial invertebrates, plants, and birds; I have also had the chance to work with reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, marine mammals, and fish. I feel most at home when doing fieldwork, but I also work extensively in report writing and research, and I have started to learn more about regulatory frameworks, permitting, project management, and client-facing work.

Why did you decide to join WRA?

In many of my previous roles, I found that the focus of my work was quite narrow, with few opportunities to expand outside the scope of the project at hand. Beyond wanting to work with a wider range of species, I was also hoping to find a balance between field work and a more traditional office life, in which I could build more fulfilling connections with my peers. After speaking with a variety of colleagues, I was very interested in trying work in environmental consulting, which I had repeatedly heard was an excellent way to attain the balance I was searching for. I first joined WRA as a part-time, project-based biologist, and when the opportunity to apply for a full-time position arose, I was excited to step into a role that allowed for an even greater variety of work and projects.

What do you enjoy about working at WRA so far?

In my time at WRA, I have been delighted to find an environment that pushes me to expand my knowledge and to grow professionally in ways well suited to my abilities and interests, and many of my mentors have gone out of their way to create new opportunities for that growth. These opportunities have come in many forms, from external trainings, volunteer opportunities, and professional development events in areas of interest, to shadowing opportunities and mentorship from my peers. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to work in such a supportive environment with people who are passionate and knowledgeable about the field, each bringing a wealth of expertise and unique experience. Consistent with my desire for a dynamic work environment, I find almost no two days are the same because of the highly varied work that I have been encouraged to take on.

What activities do you enjoy outside of WRA?

I like to spend much of my spare time searching for species that I haven’t seen before in various environments around California and beyond, photographing and documenting each one to learn more about its natural history and biogeography. When not specifically looking for new species, I also enjoy spending my time outdoors hiking, camping, backpacking, and fishing. When at home, I enjoy reading—particularly magical realist novels—watching horror movies, and gaming with friends.

Rhona McChesney, GIS Technician

What is your role at WRA?

I’m on the GIS team, which gives me the opportunity to be involved in a massive variety of projects taking place here at WRA. Almost every project that comes in the door involves some level of spatial analysis, whether that be field map setup for data collection, creating figures for reports and presentations, or calculating project impacts for permitting and mitigation efforts. I really enjoy being able to work so dynamically, both in terms of the variety of GIS work that comes my way, and in terms of the coworkers and clients I get to collaborate with on a day-to-day basis.

What do you enjoy about working at WRA so far?

WRA allows you to build the workday that suits you best. I go into the office all the time (biking in to earn a bit of extra paid time off), but can work from home whenever necessary or preferred. With enough communication, you can even slot some downtime into the middle of the day, giving you time to make a nice lunch, head out for a run or to the gym for a midday boost, or just step outside to soak in the sunshine.

What is meaningful to you about WRA’s company culture?

The relationships I get to build with my coworkers! I work out of our Emeryville office, which gives me the chance to work face-to-face with many of the biologists and project managers whose projects I support. This not only gives me a much deeper understanding of the “why” behind the data I’m providing, but it gives us the chance to chat, grab lunch together, or head to a happy hour after work.

To learn more about WRA, how we Make a Positive Lasting Impression™, and opportunities to join our team, visit our Culture and Careers page.