Meet the team

A  St. Louis native, Lisa G. Ross, attended the University of Tulsa before beginning her career in banking, specializing in merchant bankcard  sales. After nearly a decade in Charlotte, NC, she returned to her STL roots while dedicating 25 years to raising her four children—Gigi,  Frankie, Vincent, and Ellie. Now, as her children step into their  futures, Lisa is launching into hers with Missouri Native Stewardship Services, combining her lifelong passion for nature with a deep commitment to land stewardship.

Lisa’s connection to the land runs deep—rooted in childhood visits to her  grandparents’ farm in Northeast Missouri, where she learned firsthand the value of working in harmony with nature. her love of the outdoors has shaped her approach to landscaping, leading her to transform her own home (affectionately called "435 Local") into a model of sustainable gardening. She installed a rain garden as part of the Deer Creek Watershed Project, established a native pollinator prairie to reduce mowing and support vital ecosystems, and continues to transition her gardens to native plantings that enhance biodiversity.

At Missouri Native Stewardship Services, Lisa is channeling her hands-on experience and passion for conservation into meaningful work by helping others protect and restore Missouri’s natural landscapes. Lisa's mission is clear: not just to maintain, but to enhance the land for future  generations.  

Lisa's favorite native: Blue Wild Indigo(Baptisia australis). 

Chuck Caverly grew up in the St. Louis area, spending weekends camping all across the state with his family and Boy Scout troop. The idea of being a botanist first started after earning  the Botany merit badge at S-F Scout Ranch just outside of Farmington,MO. While attending Truman State University, Chuck was able to intern with the taxonomy department of the Missouri Botanical Garden. College weekends and afternoons were spent  "botanizing" all across Northern Missouri. During those field trips, Chuck was able to collect several county and state records for native plants.  Some of those collections can be found in the herbarium at  Truman State as well as the herbarium at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

With  almost forty years of experience in the landscape design and  maintenance industry, Chuck has become a recognized, "go to" source of   information for design professionals and neighbors for all things  native. 

David Pierson, is a dedicated professional with 6 years of experience in Conservation and Environmental Stewardship. Originally from San Diego,California, David now resides in the St. Louis area with his wife  and  two dogs, where he continues to contribute to the protection and preservation of the natural world.

David’s approach to stewardship is grounded in his belief that effective solutions require a blend of scientific understanding, practical  action, and community collaboration. 

He is committed to making a lasting positive impact and inspiring others to join in safeguarding the environment for future generations.

David’s Favorite Native :

Rattlesnake master ( Eryngium yuccifolium )

Amanda Dieckhaus, is a Missouri Native, born and raised in Washington, MO. After graduating Southwest Missouri State with a BS in Accounting she worked for Deloitte and Touche, LLC (audit department) and Midwest Technology Services (Controller and Business Operations Manager).

Moves across the US took her to Kansas City, Atlanta, Michigan and Texas. During those years she grew her family, ran the household and volunteered with the PTO, having Treasurer and Volunteer Coordinator positions along with Chairperson of the annual fundraising gala.

Life brought Amanda and family (husband Jeff, daughters Mary and Emily) the  opportunity to move back to the StL area in 2015. The last few years have been busy caring for and coordinating kids school and sports, family activities and travel.

Amanda is organized, diligent, friendly, and excited to be a part of Missouri Native Stewardship Services and the commitment to our local  communities, the maintenance and stewardship of our environment, and ready to provide great service to all our clients and customers. 

Amanda's favorite native:

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

Missy Castro graduated from Washington University with a B.F.A. in Communication Arts. Over the years, she has built a diverse career, working across industries such as video game design and brand identity to mural painting and gallery shows.  This broad range of experience has equipped Missy with a versatile skill set, making her adept at tackling creative and strategic challenges. A constant thread throughout Missy's career has been her deep commitment  to environmental stewardship. Her passion for plant life and sustainable practices aligns perfectly with her current role at Missouri Native Stewardship Services, where she proudly helps advance the organization’s  mission of preserving and promoting native ecosystems.Missy resides in Webster Groves, Missouri, where she and her husband raised their three daughters. Their home is a sanctuary for a variety of animals,  dogs, cats, chickens and a thriving collection of plants. When she’s not tending to her green space, Missy enjoys paddleboarding on Missouri’s scenic rivers, playing guitar, drawing, painting, and pouring candles. 

Missy's Favorite Missouri Native:

Bee Balm (Monarda bradburiana).

Brian Welch Is a Missouri Native. He graduated from Missouri State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology. He has over 3 years of diverse experience in conservation as well as terrestrial and aquatic invasive removal.

Brian also has over 3 years of heavy equipment operation. 

In his free time he enjoys spending time with his wife and dogs, fishing, and  kayaking.

A fun fact about Brian, he has a pet African Bullfrog named, "Kong",

Brian's  favorite native:

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus Florida).

Payton Ginestra grew up in Southern Illinois, and graduated from Purdue University with her degree in environmental science. Through her experiences with stewardship groups in Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri, she found an interest in native plants, landscape design, and environmental sustainability. Since then, she has been fortunate to work with a variety of St Louis institutions in the environmental and urban design spaces, and has built her skills in restoration, plant identification and machine use. During her free time, she likes to travel, cook, go hiking and kayaking, and spend time with her community. 

A fun fact about Payton- She plays on a local women’s rugby team 

Payton's Favorite Native- Illinois Bundleflower, (Desmanthus Illinoensis)

Mackenzie Jackson grew up in southeast Missouri and recently moved to St. Louis from Canyon, Texas to pursue her passion for horticulture at STLCC Meramec.  

Her interest in native plants began while hiking through Palo Duro Canyon (TX) and Cimarron Canyon (NM), where she developed a deep appreciation for the natural landscapes of the Southwest. 

Over the past two years, Mackenzie has gained hands-on experience in landscaping  and gardening, creating outdoor spaces using native plant selections. 

As an avid hiker and camper, Mackenzie is excited to align her love for the outdoors with a conservation-focused career.

A fun fact about Mackenzie is that she is also an artist who loves to paint, collage, and craft anything she can get her hands on. 

Mackenzie's Favorite native :

Blue False Indigo (Baptisia Australis )

Zack Lyeki grew up in Saint Louis, Missouri, He graduated from Fontbonne University with a degree in graphic design. His interest in native plant stewardship comes from growing up outside and having a deep appreciation for nature, as well as, recently working for an agricultural technology company.  With this background, he is ready to jump into a career in environmental sustainability and conservation. In his free time, Zack  enjoys hiking, disc golfing, and traveling. 

A fun fact about Zack - He has a twin brother that also works in the conservation field.

Zack's favorite native: 

Sycamore (Platanus Occidentalis)