Chris joins the Board with professional experience as a Dining Services manager at Oregon State
University. There he has worked to implement several sustainably-focused initiatives and knows the
interconnected nature of food, community, and education. Father to two 509j students, Chris is eager
to help the good works of the Corvallis Environmental Center. He spends his recreational time exploring
Oregon’s waterways and mountains, disc golfing, and generally being outside. Growing up in Bend and
rural California, Chris has lived in Corvallis since coming to Oregon State University in 2001 to pursue
undergraduate degrees in History and Education.

Matt moved to Corvallis in 2014 to join the engineering faculty at Oregon State University, where he is active in both teaching and research. Having grown up in California and Wyoming, he returned to the West after living in NYC for most of a decade. Oregon quickly converted him from road running to trail running, and you can frequently find him in the local forests, out at the coast, or savoring the great local food and beverage of the PNW. After years of attending SAGE concerts, and inspired by CEC’s many educational and outdoor programs, he joined the board in 2022 to help further the community-minded mission.

Carly graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in Political Science, focusing on Environmental Policy. During and after her studies, she worked on small organic farms, where her passion for gardening and environmental stewardship blossomed. She later returned to Corvallis to build a career in banking, combining her commitment to serving others with her strong connection to the local community. Today, Carly works as a Personal Banker, helping clients navigate their financial journeys with personalized guidance and support. She lives in Corvallis with her partner and their dog, and enjoys spending her free time gardening and staying connected to the natural world. She was drawn to joining the board in 2026 to give back to the community via sustainability-based awareness and education initiatives. 

John Deuel joined the CEC Board in 2024 sharing his desire to educate children on the
importance of experiencing our natural world within their own communities. John came
to Corvallis in 2016 as the Recycling Manager for OSU. He retired in 2023 and now also
volunteers for Corvallis Sustainability Coalition and advises Benton County on
sustainable materials management.

John grew up in Glen Head, a suburb of New York City. He earned degrees from the
University of Rhode Island and San Francisco State University. After managing
community recreation centers and special events for the City of Norfolk, Virginia, in
1991 John became Director of the Norfolk Environmental Commission, a citizen board
advising City Council and engaging citizens in environmental stewardship, waste
prevention, recycling, litter prevention and restoring wetlands. One of John’s big
projects was establishing the Ernie Morgan Environmental Action Center in 1997, a
place for learning, environmental action and community collaboration.

Passionate about conservation, local food systems and outdoor recreation Melaney was eager to join the CEC Board in 2025. Melaney was particularly drawn to CEC due to the youth-centered experiential programming designed to promote the sustainability and health of our local community. Melaney is an environmental conservation professional with a decade of experience in the non-profit sector. She holds a BS in Biology and BA in Environmental Studies from Loyola University Chicago and an MS in Conservation Biology from the University of Minnesota.