The Guild welcomes Megan Rangel-Lynch on staff

Written by Megan Rangel-Lynch 

Megan Rangel-Lynch joined the Guild in March 2024 as the Fire Adapted New Mexico Learning Network (FACNM) Project Coordinator. In this role, she is committed to fostering meaningful connections and facilitating the exchange of wildfire preparedness knowledge among experts, community leaders, and dedicated groups working across New Mexico. Beyond organizing gatherings and sharing resources among FACNM members, Megan will actively contribute to community and organizational land management projects and support workforce development opportunities. She is eager to strengthen relationships within the FACNM network and create spaces for sharing successes, addressing challenges, and advancing collective efforts toward building more wildfire-resilient communities. 

Megan’s passion for community-centered environmental initiatives was sparked during her undergraduate work in Environmental Studies at the University of Oregon, where she pursued opportunities at the intersection of communities, culture, and climate-driven impacts. Her experiences include researching the economic valuation of labor in climate-adaptation projects, conducting a field study across Belize to explore how land use and stewardship vary along cultural lines, and completing a thesis project focused on community engagement processes during the revision of forest management plans. 

She has also contributed to various land stewardship initiatives, including a season spent restoring wilderness trails in Southwest Oregon and Northwestern California that were in poor shape, fire-damaged, or impassable. In Arizona, she collaborated with local leaders and communities to better understand perceptions of wildfire risk, develop resources to support wildfire preparedness, and contribute to a broader vision of community resilience to wildfire. These experiences deepened her commitment to relationship-building and developing resources and solutions that are place-based and culturally relevant. 

Outside of work, Megan enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, watching sports (especially cheering on the Ducks), and exploring new trails. Whether discovering a scenic hike or soaking in the energy of a game day crowd, she loves staying active, making the most of her time outdoors, and staying connected to the people and places she cares about. 

A note from Megan’s supervisor, Rachel Bean: When we first met Megan, she was working for the Arizona Wildfire Initiative alongside longtime Guild partners at Northern Arizona University, and we were immediately impressed with her skilled facilitation and ability to build collaborative trust and consensus. Her recent experience parallels the goals and objectives of FACNM, so Megan came into this job well-positioned for success and has dived in head-first. In addition to her professional acumen, Megan is warm, personable, and always up for a challenge or learning something new, making her a joy to work with. We are so excited to have her as part of the Guild team and anticipate that she will bring thoughtful and community-oriented growth to the Fire Adapted NM Network.