Happy Holidays from RECON

RECON extends its sincere gratitude for the privilege of working with our valued clients and colleagues this year. In 2025, we reached several milestones, including being recognized for the fifth consecutive year as a San Diego Union-Tribune Top Workplace and receiving the Work/Life Flexibility Award! Our team has worked incredibly hard this year in a collaborative spirit, and we are pleased to share some of our key highlights from the year below.

2025 Employee Milestones

Congratulations to our team members reaching milestone anniversaries this year! Their dedication, talent, and contributions have helped shape our success, and we are sincerely grateful for all they do.

Celebrating Two Exceptional Careers

We are excited to honor the incredible careers of two outstanding RECON team members as they embark on their next adventure!

Susy Morales, Senior Environmental Planner
Susy has built an exceptional career as a senior project manager and environmental planner. Her expertise and leadership have shaped countless land use, renewable energy, infrastructure, and recreation projects throughout the Southwest.

Stacey Higgins, Senior Production Specialist
Stacey has exemplified precision, professionalism, and commitment throughout her career at RECON. Her work as a production specialist set the benchmark for accuracy and quality, leaving a legacy of excellence that will guide our team for years to come.

We wish them all the joy, relaxation, and fulfillment retirement has to offer!

Susy Morales and Stacey Higgins Retiring in 2025

Award-Winning Achievements

RECON, in collaboration with the City of Chula Vista and the City of San Diego, received the 2025 Association of Environmental Professionals Outstanding Environmental Document Award for the Nakano Project Environmental Impact Report! Our team enjoyed celebrating at the Del Mar Social Club and recognizing industry peers for their achievements at the annual Association of Environmental Professionals San Diego Awards and Scholarship Banquet.

Meagan Olson and Rob Hobbs celebrate RECON's SANDAG Award win

RECON is honored to once again receive Platinum Tier recognition from the San Diego Association of Governments for our Employer Commuter Program. We promote sustainable commute choices by offering flexible hybrid work schedules, carpooling to project job sites, and our bicycle commuter and mass transit benefit programs. Our annual pit stop for Bike Anywhere Day served as a great opportunity for us to champion cycling as a sustainable and healthy transportation choice and connect with our community.

Continuing RECON’s Work at
Mission Trails Regional Park

RECON is proud to continue our decades-long partnership with Mission Trails Regional Park, where we have led numerous habitat restoration efforts. Now, supported by a grant from the San Diego River Conservancy, we have teamed up with the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation and the City of San Diego to enhance native habitat and reduce wildfire risk. Read more at the link below.

Read More Here

Thought Leadership

Senior Biologist Anna Leavitt and Restoration Associate JR Sundberg provided a tour of the Otay Ranch Preserve at the Annual Multiple Species Conservation Program Workshop, hosted by the City of Chula Vista on November 7. The tour highlighted insights on coastal cactus wren habitat, restoration strategies, and the role of regional collaboration in supporting long-term conservation. More than 30 participants joined RECON to learn, share, and enjoy the day outdoors.

Environmental Program Manager Nick Larkin presented at the City of Oceanside’s public scoping meeting on October 30 regarding RE:BEACH OCEANSIDE. The project is being pursued by the City in response to chronic beach erosion, disruption and reduction of coastal sediment supply, increased shoreline vulnerability associated with climate change, and the need for more effective coastal management.

RECON is supporting the effort with an innovative joint project-level/programmatic environmental impact report evaluating both the site-specific pilot project and the broader RE:BEACH Program, which would provide for phased implementation of additional coastal resilience strategies along Oceanside’s southern shoreline.

RECON was a sponsor at the 30x30 Partnership 2025 Summit, held on August 14 at the San Diego Natural History Museum. The summit showcased the State of California’s and partner organizations’ efforts to conserve 30 percent of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030. As part of the event, RECON co-hosted a field trip to Mission Trails Regional Park on August 15, highlighting how our restoration and enhancement projects can support this ambitious statewide goal.

Environmental Program Manager Callie Amoaku presented at the Western Section of The Wildlife Society’s Bumble Bee Field Course in Truckee on July 29. The workshop covered the vital role bumble bees play in our ecosystems, the practical steps one can take to support their survival, and how to assess the California Endangered Species Act candidate species in consulting. From life cycles and habitat preferences to lessons on capturing and identifying species, the session was packed with information and hands-on learning.

Callie Amoaku at the Wildlife Society's Bumble Bee Field Course

Welcome to the Team!

We are pleased to announce the newest members of the RECON team.

Callie Amoaku, Environmental Program Manager
Elias Potashov, Restoration Analyst
Steven Gaughran, Production Specialist

Thank you for being part of our journey this year!

We appreciate your continued support and partnership, and we look forward to all that 2026 will bring. We wish you a peaceful winter season and a bright start to the new year.