SYRCL is excited to formally welcome our newest AmeriCorps to the team. 

 AmeriCorps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. AmeriCorps provides opportunities for Americans of all backgrounds to serve their country, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, and improve lives and communities. Every year, they enroll more than 200,000 individuals to serve organizations making a difference in communities across America. 

Anika Lechner Armitage 

Restoration Coordinator 

Anika grew up in Boise, Idaho, where she loved exploring the nearby foothills and rivers. Her passion for environmental protection blossomed in high school when she served in the Idaho Conservation Corps, contributing to restoration projects across the Idaho wilderness. She graduated from Oregon State University in spring of 2026 with a degree in Environmental Science with a concentration in Applied Ecology and a GIS certificate. While there she worked on multiple freshwater stream monitoring projects and fell in love with these ecosystems and the important habitat they provide. She had the honor of working in the Ansel Adams Wilderness in summer of 2026 which has drawn her to the awe-inspiring beauty of the Sierra Nevada. Anika is excited to contribute to restoration projects in the Yuba River Watershed and to explore new ecosystems! In her free time, Anika enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, dancing, cooking and backpacking. 

Maia Stewart 

River Monitoring Coordinator 

Maia grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. She spent summers swimming and kayaking in the rivers of Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee and backpacking in the Blue Ridge mountains. Building on an appreciation and curiosity for the outdoors, Maia pursued a bachelor’s degree in Earth Sciences with a focus on geomorphology from Dartmouth College. After graduating in 2025, she spent time kayaking instructing in WNC, crewing at a hiking lodge in the White Mountains of NH and working as a geospatial consultant. As SYRCL’s 2026-2027 SNAP River Monitoring Coordinator, she is excited to contribute to the ongoing efforts to steward the Yuba watershed. In her free time, she enjoys biking, playing tennis, brewing kombucha, and watching SNL.