Our Story

Virga Labs brings extensive experience working in partnership with governments, non-profits, and universities to solve water and climate problems throughout the western U.S. We specialize in navigating the unique and complex structure of water management, laws, and policies in water-stressed river basins in the U.S. and internationally. We excel in the analysis and visualization of water-related climate risks, economic impacts, and solutions.

We are an energized team with a diverse set of skills and backgrounds poised to help our clients synthesize and make use of the best available data through comprehensive data analytics, dashboard development, and storytelling.

Our Team

Anne Barkett

UX Designer

Anne is a goal-oriented interaction designer who specializes in complex, data-driven software. She loves high contrast, bright colors, and creating elegant, efficient design systems. Anne works on both enterprise and startup projects for the entire product life cycle. Anne initially started in tech at a publishing company, working on web design and frontend development with a strong dash of visual design. She likes simplifying complex user flows, meaningful interactions, and clean architecture – and as a frontend developer she can work with engineers or the data model easily. Anne also works with data scientists on data visualization projects, taking their raw data and turning it into easy-to-understand graphics. Anne has been contracted as Virga Labs' UX Designer since August of 2023. Anne is fully-embedded in the Virga Labs team and our client delivery projects, and she provides guidance and leadership in all things related to user experience and design.

Natalie Coston Daniels

Data Scientist

Natalie aims to use her background in mathematics to better understand the challenging questions at the intersection of data and climate. After completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics with a focus in Environmental Science at Northern Arizona University, she received her Masters in Applied Mathematics and PhD in Theoretical Probability from the University of Colorado Boulder. Natalie spent three years building skills as a Data Scientist at Lumen Technologies before joining the team at Virga Labs where she can now put her knowledge to work by leveraging data to drive understanding of complex systems and enable actionable insights. Born and raised in Tucson, AZ, and currently living in Broomfield, CO, Natalie has always called the southwest her home and is excited to work in the field she is passionate about. When she's not thinking about data, she enjoys spending time in the mountains and getting completely engrossed in a jigsaw puzzle.

Stephen Holsenbeck

Developer

Stephen was compelled to join the team at Virga Labs because it presents an opportunity to serve a cause benefiting humans, animals, ecosystems, and life itself. Inspired by the urgency borne of the fragility and brevity of life, and gratitude for life lived in harmony with nature, Stephen brings his full being into the causes he cares about. He hopes to make waves with data that fosters clear, precise, and effective decision-making for the preservation of the Colorado River Basin. Whether it’s developing Shiny apps to stabilize water demand & supply, growing fruits & veggies, trail running, or cultivating intention and thoughtfulness through meditation and yoga, you can rest assured Stephen will dedicate himself to this work with compassion and vitality.

Shelly McCollum

Head of Service

Shelly began her career as a high school English teacher in Texas public schools. A vocal advocate of classroom technology in the early days of the World Wide Web, she eventually transitioned into an instructional technology role, helping facilitate the meaningful integration of technology into schools and curriculums. Pursuing her passion for all things ed tech, Shelly moved into the realm of elearning where she spent a decade partnering with a variety of clients as they launched online learning initiatives on more than 2000 learning sites across the globe. Shelly joined the Virga Leadership Team in 2023, overseeing client service and support and participating in the company’s strategic planning for their product and service offerings. Outside of her home office, in Dallas, TX, Shelly spends her time camping with her family or getting lost in a good book.

Amelia Pruiett

Data Scientist

Amelia believes that high quality environmental solutions live at the intersection between carefully collected data, thorough analysis, insightful interpretation, and meaningful engagement by a diverse range of stakeholders. She has experience with all parts of the solution process — as a field biologist collecting data, a researcher analyzing data, and a citizen engaging in climate discussions. She grounds her background in biology and mathematics with a deep commitment to finding meaningful, actionable steps to mitigate climate-related problems. She grew up in the high deserts of Eastern Washington and has a special interest in the unique challenges faced by desert ecosystems under climate change. When not writing code, she enjoys racing cyclocross, ballroom dancing, and bird watching.

Lydia Bleifuss

Data Visualization Developer

Lydia strives to bridge gaps between climate risk and climate action at scale. Shaped by her passion for moving water and watershed systems, Lydia is dedicated to grounding western conservation in modern data analyses and adaptive management tools. Lydia holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lewis & Clark College targeted toward river development policy and corresponding social inequities, and a Masters of Environmental Science and Management from University of California Santa Barbara as a Sustainable Water Markets fellow specialized in water resources management and analysis. Before joining Virga Labs, Lydia worked with Trout Unlimited to support watershed restoration and climate resilience through engagement with agricultural communities and agency partners. When not mind-melding with the Virga Labs team, Lydia makes time for morale boosting activities such as scrambling around creek beds and tide pools or sewing accidentally asymmetric clothing.

Dakota Duff

Head of Engineering

With over 20 years of experience crafting custom online solutions, Dakota brings a diverse tech toolbelt to the Virga Labs. A deep love for the natural world fuels their passion to bridge the gap between the digital and environmental realms. Whether it's camping with family, exploring new landscapes with their dog, or simply learning about local flora and fauna, Dakota finds constant inspiration in nature's intricacies. This fascination extends to their professional work, where they strive to create online solutions that seamlessly integrate with and enhance our interactions with the environment. Beyond exploration, Dakota enjoys nurturing native and low-maintenance plants in their yard and bicycling at a nearby creek.

Tana Kramer

CFO / Controller

Tana brings over 20 years of experience helping businesses through their next level growth for entrepreneurs and business owners. She has a true love for accounting and provides a heart-centered framework of knowing the numbers to better inform business decisions that ultimately leads to company-wide growth. Tana brings light and heart to the financial support system of the business and excels in creating calm out of the chaos that is running a business.
Outside of the office Tana can be found adventuring with her husband and family, practicing yoga, and finding ways to participate in her community.

Vance McGrady

Developer

Born and raised in Phoenix, AZ, Vance began building software and participating in conservation efforts alongside other activists during his undergraduate studies at Arizona State University. To Vance, water represents the most fundamental intersection between resource and right. He was excited to join the Virga Labs team because it presented an opportunity to combine two of his greatest passions: building excellent software and environmentalism. Vance is inspired by the intersection of software, data, and solving real world problems. He specializes in engineering web-based solutions and believes that the tools that he is helping to engineer at Virga Labs will have a tremendous positive impact on many people’s lives who share his home in the Southwest.

Maria Sevillano

Data Scientist

Maria recently completed a PhD in Civil Engineering at Northeastern University. In her latest research initiatives, she assessed microbial populations in drinking water systems through genome-centric metagenomic data analyses. She is passionate about data analytics and visualization, particularly using R to translate results from statistical analyses into clear visuals. At Virga Labs, Maria leverages her analytical and visualization skills to develop tools that empower various stakeholders to pursue water conservation efforts in the Colorado River Basin. She is based in Boston, MA, and enjoys traveling, reading, and going on walks with her puppy.

Jeff Callender

Head of Delivery

Jeff has a proven track record of over 25 years of project and product delivery. He possesses a unique ability to navigate the intricacies of business and customer relationships, having forged strategic partnerships with industry giants like Apple and AT&T, and has an insatiable curiosity and unwavering belief in the power of technology. Building technology organizations is Jeff's forte, and he has a natural talent for assembling top-notch teams that deliver exceptional results. As a founder of a startup himself, he understands the challenges and triumphs that come with entrepreneurial ventures. Jeff has been contracted as Virga Labs' Head of Delivery since October of 2022 and is a member of the Virga Leadership Team. Jeff leads all aspects of client project delivery, and he provides technical guidance and leadership to our team of developers, devops engineers, and data scientists.

Wylie Hampson

Data Visualization Developer

Wylie possesses an innate passion for environmental science and conservation, which fuels him to help combat the problems we are facing from climate change. While studying Biology at the University of Washington, Wylie worked with numerous organizations that emphasize the importance of protecting our planet, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Park Service, and the Washington Conservation Corps. Each of these experiences served as meaningful stepping stones in his conservation journey, and ultimately inspired him to continue learning at the University of California, Santa Barbara in their inaugural Environmental Data Science Masters program. Wylie has loved his position at Virga Labs as a Data Visualization Developer, getting the chance to help solve the conservation problems centered on the Colorado River. As a Washington State native, Wylie can be found skiing and backpacking in the mountains or cooking new recipes from all over the world.

Season Martin

CEO

Season brings over ten years of experience to solving problems. She is driven by a deep sense of justice, a passion for wild places, and an aspiration to bridge design, data science, and conservation to create game-changing solutions. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in geology and environmental studies from Whitman College; and a Masters of Environmental Science and Management with a specialization in Economics and Policy of the Environment from University of California Santa Barbara where she was a member of the first cohort of Sustainable Water Markets fellows. Prior to Virga Labs she served as the Water Projects and Sustainable Finance Director for The Nature Conservancy’s Colorado River Program and was a Restoration Coordinator at the Tamarisk Coalition. She resides in Tucson, AZ, where she cultivates her cactus garden and enjoys gatherings to celebrate the desert.

Adam Price

Water Resources Modeler

After teaching elementary school in New England and the Pacific Northwest, Adam went back to school to study hydraulic engineering. Upon finishing a master’s degree, he joined the Army Corps of Engineers, where he spent 10 years working on various aspects of their river and reservoir management mission. This included hydraulic design of structures, synthetic hydrology development, emergency flood management response, and using Riverware to model basins large and small. Out of all those roles, Riverware modeling was the favorite, and Adam was delighted to join Virga as a Water Resources Modeler in 2023, focusing on Riverware model development, deployment and support. He lives in Seattle, Washington, with his wife, son and dog, and plays oldtime banjo to relax.

Thomas Whitney

Developer

Tommy recently graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ with a Bachelors in Computer Science. His recent focus has been on climate change research and he now brings his programming experience and data analysis skills to help water conservation in the western United States. He is passionate about climate justice and working on resources and tools that assist in restoration efforts. Born in Arizona, he grew up visiting the Grand Canyon and more recently enjoys hiking the many beautiful trails that lead to the Colorado river. After living in Vermont throughout his childhood, he is now living in North Carolina. When not searching Stack Overflow, he can be found disc golfing, climbing, biking, or camping in the back of his car.