related work 

Larissa's project management, planning, and facilitation experience includes work related to non-profit management, visitor and guest experience, transportation, technology, and cultural resources.  

Larissa has a passion for service to her community, and serves as the Governance lead for the Hudson River Watershed Alliance Board of Directors. She served for three years (2016-2019) as President of the Board of Directors for the Eagle River Watershed Council, which advocates for the health and protection of rivers and streams in the Eagle and Upper Colorado river watersheds. In 2019 and 2020, Larissa also served as an elected Director for Holy Cross Energy, a regional electric cooperative in central Colorado. Larissa also has a certificate in sustainable tourism from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Larissa previously served as a volunteer on the City of Boulder's Environmental Advisory Board, analyzing critical issues such as climate change mitigation and energy efficiency, bear activity in the city, and effects of the 2013 flood, providing input to Boulder City Council and other advisory boards. 

Larissa served as a lead and co-facilitator of the NPS System Plan, a plan which looks at the future of the entire National Park Service. She also was the co-lead and convener of the first-ever conference on cultural resources and climate change in the National Park Service.

Larissa served as project manager for Foundation Documents for Aztec Ruins National Monument, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Canaveral National Seashore, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Walnut Canyon National Monument, and Wupatki National Monument. Larissa also served as co-facilitator for the Foundation for the National Mall and Memorial Parks. These documents describe the enabling legislation and fundamental resources and values of a park unit, and help staff look to the future by examining threats and opportunities. An example of a Foundation Document, from Sunset Crater Volcano, can be found here.

Larissa led an interdisciplinary team to develop a guide for "Visitor Experience: An Overview for Long Range Transportation Planning" that helps users understand how to incorporate visitor experience into long-range planning for transportation at NPS park units. It is intended for use by other federal and state transportation partners, and crosses boundaries between the social sciences and traditional transportation planning.  

Outside of natural resources planning, Larissa has worked on internal processes to help teams function better and plan strategically for their futures. She served as project manager for the year-long development of a strategic plan for the NPS Environmental Quality Division, and also led a cross-disciplinary information technology team for the NPS Intermountain Regional Office to develop an internal communication strategy for 90+ park units.