Aron Boettcher

Co-founder, Head of Data Science

Favorite thing about being in nature

I love the smell of Ceanothus blooming in the Spring and the many forms of Arctostaphylos.

Bio

Growing up in the Southern California foothills, I had the fortune to experience the diversity of plants, wildlife, and geography that the American West has to offer. I also learned first hand how fire impacts lives. I’ve dedicated my career to understanding how people interact with their environment and applying that knowledge to improve lives.

When we decided to improve home wildfire resilience, I knew we could have a real impact. For me, adapting our ecosystems and communities for wildfire is personal. When I see the places I grew up losing the people, plants, and animals that make them special due to a changing climate, I’m inspired to help our communities adapt and thrive.

I’m an avid disc golfer, beer maker, hiker, backpacker, bicyclist, and all around West Coast stereotype. I’ve lived from the Orange curtain to the Redwood curtain and many points in-between, and look forward to building a resilient future together!

Ivan O'Neill

Co-founder, CEO

Favorite thing about being in nature

Petrichor! The smell of the forest after it rains 🌲

Bio

I am an NFPA Certified Wildfire Mitigation Specialist and Wildland Fire Fighter (FFT-2) and serve on the Board of Directors for a Sonoma County community wildfire non-profit.

I co-founded Madronus to apply skills honed during a fifteen-year career in tech to scale wildfire mitigation and carbon sequestration in threatened communities and forests. We have the tools we need to protect our communities from wildfires and restore our forests, and my goal is to make it simple and affordable for property owners to scientifically mitigate wildfire risk and steward forests in a climate smart way.

As a native West Coaster, I love the people, plants, and wildlife of our beautiful landscapes from Anza-Borrego to the North Cascades. When not working, I can be found trail running in the redwoods, shredding pow in the Sierras and Cascades, learning to surf, woodworking, or hosting dinner parties with my partner.

I look forward to working together!

Ramunė Rastonis

Design Lead

Favorite thing about being in nature

How can I choose one? I have a thing for taking a cold dip in the ocean or in alpine lakes above 10,000 feet.

Bio

Growing up on the east coast, I loved the culture and diversity of urban spaces, but something was missing. My heart was drawn to the west coast in large part because of the rugged coast and the sharp eastern Sierras. I found my ticket to San Francisco when I was accepted into the MFA in Design program at California College of the Arts and I haven't been able to leave.

Over the years, I have worked on a variety of projects from simplifying experiences for innovative digital health technologies, to designing materials for hurricane relief, to starting my own small jewelry business. I am drawn to ways I can combine my skills with my love of nature and do something useful for the environment, which is where Madronus comes in.

When not crafting experiences and pushing pixels, I can be found biking to the beach, searching for the best cappuccino and croissant, hiking/backpacking/skiing in the mountains, making cocktails, crafting mini paper worlds, and photographing all of it on too many different types of cameras.

Tarwin Stroh-Spijer

Software Lead

Favorite thing about being in nature

Growing up in the temperate rainforests of Australia I love getting lost in ferntree gulleys.

Bio

25 years of web development experience. Built everything from games to million-person-a-month services.

David Shew

Strategic Advisor

Bio

David Shew is the principal of Wildfire DefenseWorks, a consulting firm dedicated to improving community resilience and reducing structure loss from wildfires. His clients include the world’s largest insurance and re-insurance companies, the communities of Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Grass Valley, and Nevada City, and Stanford University.

In August 2018, David retired as Staff Chief of the Planning and Risk Analysis Division in the CA State Fire Marshal’s Office where he established and oversaw CAL FIRE’s electronic data programs for pre- and post-fire inspections, land use planning, and GIS analysis. Prior to his firefighting career, David also practiced as a licensed architect.

David also works part time for NFPA as a Wildfire Field Representative with the Firewise USA® Program. He resides with his family in Napa, California.

Steve Quarles

Strategic Advisor

Favorite thing about being in nature

Hiking the hills of Marin with my wife, our always willing dog, and others who want to join 🥾🐕

Bio

I have dedicated my career to improving the durability of structures subjected to wildfires and other wind- and water-related exposures, including those associated with natural disasters. After earning my Ph.D. in Wood Science, I spent 26 years with the University of California, retiring in 2011 from UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) to join the research team at the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). In 2018, I retired as IBHS’ Chief Scientist for Wildfire and Durability and have stayed active professionally as a UCCE Advisor Emeritus and with work on other wildfire-related activities.

From 2007-2008, I developed and coordinated the education and outreach program for the Wildland-Urban Interface Building Code and Standards (also known as Chapter 7A in the California Building Code) while working part-time at the California Office of the State Fire Marshal.

I continue to serve and participate in professional organizations, including:

• American Society of Testing and Materials (and as Chair of ASTM E05.14 - Subcommittee on Exterior Fire);
• National Fire Protection Association (and from 2013-2018 as a member of the NFPA Technical Committee on Forest and Rural Fire Protection);
• International Association of Wildland Fire;
• International Association of Fire Safety Science;
• Forest Products Society (and from 2010-2017 as Editor-in-Chief of Forest Products Journal);
• American Wood Protection Association; and,
• Association of Fire Ecology.