Jim Wiggins, MS, PWS Emeritus
Founder
Mr. Wiggins is past president, retiring, and maintaining a position with ATSI as emeritus biologist. He has a MS degree in ecology with an emphasis on water quality of marine and fresh water systems. Mr. Wiggins is a PWS Emeritus (#214) certified through the SWS PCP. He worked full time as a wetland professional in the Pacific Northwest since establishing ATSI in 1988. He presented on biological topics including environmental ethics, wetland credentialing, wetland mitigation, agricultural land/wetland uses, educational requirements, and wetland science to the general public and government officials at workshops and panel discussions. His expertise is in surface water science and water quality. He worked on contracts as a field scientist to collect water quality data for local businesses and governments and performed sediment and biological analyses within the inland marine waters of WA.
Mr. Wiggins is past member and past chair of the Whatcom County Technical Advisory Committee for rewriting development ordinances. He served as expert witness before the WA State Shorelines Hearings Board and local jurisdictions (Whatcom and Skagit counties) on issues pertaining to wetlands and other critical areas. He served on the Skagit County Shoreline Advisory Committee, the SWS PCP certification and certification renewal committees, and the WDNR WetSAG for the CMER program established by the Forest Practices Board.
Mr. Wiggins was program vice president of the SWS PNW, committee chair for the April 2010 SWS PNW chapter conference in Bellingham, WA, served on the technical sessions committee for the May 2006 SWS PNW chapter conference, and was a steering committee member helping organize the July 2004 international conference in Seattle, WA. In recognition of Jim’s strong leadership skills in the field of wetland science, he was awarded the SWS PNW Leadership Award in 2014.
Mr. Wiggins worked with colleagues for 5 years on legislation in WA state towards a soil and wetland scientist certification bill. The proposed bill was a title act to allow wetland and soil scientists to become certified by WA state.
Karla Gallina, BS, PWS, CERP
President & Senior Biologist
Mrs. Gallina has a BS degree in environmental science with a concentration in natural resources from Paul Smith’s College in New York. She is a PWS (#2340) certified through the SWS PCP and CERP (#0161) certified through the SER CERP program. Mrs. Gallina has experience managing and coordinating projects, conducting biological critical area assessments, identifying and delineating wetlands, performing wildlife surveys, preparing technical reports, mitigation design, and generating figures and maps using AutoCAD. She has been working as a wetland professional with ATSI since January 2008. Her prior experience includes work as a forest surveyor, environmental/pathology laboratory technician, and fisheries biology technician.
- 2010-Present: Whatcom County North Rotary Club Career Choices Presenter
- 2013-2015: Whatcom County Amphibian Monitoring Program
- SWS PNW chapter treasurer and co-secretary
- SWS PCP certification committee
- 2019: SWS, Baltimore, MD
- 2018: SWS PNW SER NW, Spokane, WA
- 2018: SWS, Denver, CO
- 2015: SWS PNW, Olympia, WA
- Organizing committee and special events committee chair
- 2015: CMER WA State Forest Practices Adaptive Management Program Research Conference, Olympia, WA
- 2015: State of the Bay, Bellingham, WA
- 2014: SWS JASM, Portland, OR
- Exhibitor, organizing committee and social, 5k run, & mentor
- 2013: SWS, Duluth, MN
- 2012: SWS PNW East or West Water Defines Us All, Boise, ID
- Organizing committee and registration
- 2010: SWS PNW Isolated Wetlands…Discovering Connections, Bellingham, WA
- Organizing committee, audio/visual and technical support, publicity, social & talent show, & volunteer coordination
- 2008: SWS Wetlands & Global Climate Change, Portland, OR
- 2007 & 2006: Nooksack Recovery Team Salmon Summit, Bellingham, WA
- 2015-Present: Wetland Study Group/Club, Bellingham, WA
- Topics include contractors, drones, beavers, hydrology, soils, vegetation, wetland rating system, & mitigation.
- 2008-Present: Wetland Professional Group, Bellingham, WA
Olin Anderson, MLA
Biologist
Mr. Anderson received a Master’s in landscape architecture from the University of Illinois, a BS in geography from Northern Illinois University, and a Certificate in wetland delineation from Skagit Valley College. His career has emphasized design, habitat restoration, landscape ecology, wetlands, water quality, salmonid fisheries, and planning. Joining ATSI in December 2019 as a Biologist, he is proud to be a part of an ambitious, growing firm with a strong presence in the Pacific Northwest. Olin brings an array of skills such as GIS, CAD, technical writing, client relations, public speaking, grants, and working with Native Tribes. Restoring natural landscapes and expanding ecological function in our built environment drive his passion.
- 2019-2020: Whatcom Land Trust, wetland assessment for project site
- 2018-Present: City of Bellingham, Lake Whatcom Watershed Advisory Committee
- 2017-2019: Sustainable Connections, Spring Eco-Home and Landscape Tour
- 2014 & 2015: River Restoration Northwest, Skamania, WA
- 2013: Resilient Landscapes: Planning for Flood, Drought and Fire. Soil and Water Conservation Society, Reno, NV (Poster presentation)
- 2013: National Congress of American Indians, Mid-Year Conference, Reno, NV (Joint presentation on climate change adaptation)
- 2012: USEPA Region 9 Tribal Conference, San Francisco, CA
- 2011: USEPA Tribal Water Quality Conference, Santa Fe, NM
- 2009: San Francisco Flower and Garden Show, San Mateo, CA (Demonstration garden of an ecological landscape)
- 2020: Wetland Study Group/Club, Bellingham, WA
Nathan Goldschmidt, BS, WPIT
Biologist
Mr. Goldschmidt obtained his BS degree in biology with a marine emphasis from WWU and is a WPIT (#325538) certified through the SWS PCP. He has experience performing native and non-native plant identification and monitoring, collecting biometric data and applying external/PIT tags on endangered fauna, performing biostatistical analysis, writing scientific reports, and preparing figures and maps using AutoCAD. He has been working with ATSI as a biologist since November 2016. His prior experience include 5 years working in the environmental field as a biologist, marine science instructor and researcher, and aquatic invasive species monitoring/prevention specialist.
- 2016-2017: Whatcom County Amphibian Monitoring Program
- 2016: Research assistant for leatherback sea turtle conservation at La Reserva Pacuare, Limon Province, Costa Rica
- 2019: SWS, Baltimore, MD
- 2018: SWS PNW SER NW, Spokane, WA
- 2015: SWS PNW, Olympia, WA
- 2016-Present: Wetland Study Group/Club, Bellingham, WA
- Topics include contractors, drones, beavers, hydrology, soils, vegetation, wetland rating system, & mitigation
Kelly Werdick, BS
Associate Biologist
Ms. Werdick obtained her BS degree in environmental science from Huxley College of the Environment WWU. She has experience performing native and non-native plant identification and monitoring, database management, biostatistical analysis, salmonid surveying, SEPA Environmental Impact Assessment preparation, writing scientific reports, giving professional presentations, and preparing figures and maps using GIS. Ms. Werdick has been a member of the ATSI team since May 2018 as a Field Technician Intern and July 2018 as an Associate Biologist.
- 2019-Present: Whatcom County Amphibian Monitoring Program
- 2018: SWS PNW SER NW, Spokane, WA
- 2019-Present: Wetland Study Group/Club, Bellingham, WA
- Topics include contractors, drones, beavers, hydrology, soils, vegetation, wetland rating system, & mitigation
Frances Jose, BA
Executive Assistant
Ms. Jose obtained her BA degree in business administration with a marketing concentration from College of Business and Economics WWU. She has experience in a diverse set of business roles such as marketing, web design, finance, creating presentations, public speaking, project management, and general administrative work. Ms. Jose has been working with ATSI since April 2019 as the Executive Assistant where she provides support to the team and clients to ensure ATSI's daily business operations run smoothly.
- April - September 2018: Marketing and Office Assistant for the City of Kirkland
- 2019: Money Talk, Bellingham, WA
- 2018: Wealth Retreat, Seattle, WA
- 2017: National Achievers Conference, Seattle, WA
- 2019-Present: WWU CBE Alumni
ATSI encourages and supports each of its team members to continuously grow their knowledge in the environmental, ecological, and biological fields beyond their formal education. Each year, ATSI team members participate in classes, training, workshops, webinars, and meetups to expand their expertise and better serve their clients.