STAR is a national, non-profit organization established to develop and expand the STAR framework for conservation practice evaluation, implementation, and valuation. Designed and led by producers, the STAR tool utilizes science and experience to target local solutions for local natural resource concerns, and to support farmers and ranchers on their conservation journey – wherever they are.

Andrew McClintick brings nearly three decades of software and database development and project management experience in a variety of industries to Heartland. He has worked for Heartland since 2016 managing product development, coding in Python, designing and managing MongoDB and PostgreSQL databases, and providing client and user support. His education includes a certificate in Project Management from DePaul University and a BA from Principia College.

Brian Fischer leads GIS and technology services offered by HEI. As a Nebraska native and someone who grew up in a rural farming community, Brian is passionate about the agricultural industry because he knows how it affects people—and not just the farmers and landowners. This passion has led him to focus on creating numerous software development projects aimed at improving the environment and water quality. Brian has worked with stakeholders across the country to develop unique systems that focus on improving data management.

Thayer Tomlinson has worked in organizational communications for the last 15 years. At STAR, she manages national STAR communications and supports STAR Affiliates. She supports/has supported a number of organizations focused on agriculture and climate change, including the International Biochar Initiative, Coalition on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases, Dairy Research Institute, and Ecosystem Services Market Consortium. She also provides the EPA’s ENERGY STAR program research and technical support for small business and congregational energy efficiency.

She holds a Masters in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and was a Peace Corps volunteer in Mongolia. She lives in rural Vermont where she enjoys gardening, hiking, reading and watercolor painting.