Jesse Reebs

Sr. Project Manager/Biologist

Jesse Reebs is an extremely hard-working and experienced biologist who joined our team in early 2020. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Evergreen in Olympia, Washington where he studied temperate and tropical rainforest ecology. Jesse has a diverse and full background having lent his expertise to the U.S. Forest Service in Washington, Idaho, and Alaska, the Jane Goodall Institute in Oakland, the Hermann Institute of Biological Studies in Costa Rica, the Yukon Bird Club, and an impressive list of environmental consulting companies over the past two decades. An extremely knowledgeable and skilled biologist, Jesse currently holds a 10(a)1(a) recovery permit for Alameda whipsnake, San Francisco garter snake, California tiger salamander, and California Ridgway’s rail. Jesse fell in love with nature at a young age growing up in the forested shadows of Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens in southwestern Washington State.

Although Jesse is passionate about many of the incredible species we work with here at Sequoia, one of his favorites are salamanders because they’re always smiling like his yellow lab, Abby. When asked what his favorite part about working at Sequoia is, Jesse replied: “Every day is different in environmental consulting. Even when we don’t physically travel to some of our project sites, we’re always getting to know different parts of the country – their habitats and species.” Although Jesse is often busy keeping the proverbial wheels on the bus as one of our venerable project managers, he still finds time to bring his expertise to the field. When asked if he had a field memory or story Jesse recalls a time when “I almost got mauled by a bear working in Southeast Alaska on a project where they would drop us off by helicopter in remote areas for a week at a time. I think that happened three times. One is a story but three times is just….too many.” Out of all the extraordinary creatures with whom we share this planet, Jesse feels he most identifies with the giraffe because they’re both really tall and like to reach things in high places; he just hopes they don’t share the high blood pressure too.

When he is not hard at work, Jesse enjoys many hobbies and pastimes such as hiking, listening to new music, and pretending he’s in a post-covid world where concerts are happening again, reading by fireplaces or in bathtubs, and baking cookies.

Jesse’s favorite place in the world to enjoy the natural world is Scotland because “recency bias, and it’s just absurdly beautiful – the country and the people.” The most memorable field observation of his career thus far was when he was fortunate enough to watch humpbacks bubble-net feeding next to his canoe in the Inside Passage outside Juneau. This observation really sticks out because he thought he was in a shallower part of the channel and hadn’t seen any orcas or humpbacks all day until the bubbles rose next to him and a whale came straight up out of the water with its mouth open just feet away from his boat.

If Jesse were not helping to lead the charge at Sequoia, he would likely pursue a career in counseling because he loves working with people and is grateful for the restorative power of conversation and connection.

Thank you, Jesse, for all your hard work and dedication. We are so lucky to have you on our team!