Meet the Team
Jacob Bopp
Jacob Bopp is a young conservation biologist starting his career in wildlife conservation. After working across the western US with incredible endangered and threatened species, Jacob is now focusing his efforts on his home state of Louisiana. Jacob has a vision for the Northshore to be a place where people and nature come together as a symbiotic union. He is excited to help his community come together and protect Louisiana's natural heritage.
Dylan Maras
Having grown up in a rural part of Saint Tammany Parish, Dylan Maras has a deep affinity for our native pine forests. With an unwavering passion for conservation, he communicates the beauty of our local flora and fauna through his work as a photographer and videographer. Studying animal behavior as well as bringing awareness about different species and ecosystems are constant themes in Dylan’s work. He is committed to empowering others in their own endeavors to protect and nurture these unique places for future generations.
Aaron Maras
Aaron Maras is a musician and artist who grew up outside of the Bogue Chitto Wildlife Reserve in Bush, Louisiana. He became serious about conservation after a chance sighting of an Ivory Billed Woodpecker in 2021. He also cares deeply about the need for housing, and he hopes to see smart housing in Saint Tammany Parish that does not reduce critical habitat. Aaron believes, “We can have housing that is done smarter, and we can live in a way that doesn’t destroy our beautiful ecosystems. But we have to make that decision as a community.”
Madeleine Maras
Madeleine Maras is a New Orleans born Family Medicine doctor who has nurtured a passion for the native woodlands of the Northshore region. Now a well-rooted Abitian, she is deeply inspired by the surrounding forests and the influence that they have on her wellbeing. She believes firmly that bringing the community together for conservation will have the greatest positive impact on this special place she calls home . She can often be found listening for bird calls or watching for fireflies, a gift she wants to empower others in sharing.
