Sitting and smiling as a Mexican spotted owl snaps Eric’s photo in the Gila National Forest.

AtoZec Environmental Consulting, founded by wildlife biologist and found-object artist Eric Herman, blends science, art and intuition in service of the natural world. Specializing in wildlife surveys throughout Arizona and the Southwest, AtoZec also offers biological consulting and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) services. Eric runs the company solo—working out of his truck with field tools, data reports and a passion for the unknown. “I feel a bit like Ned Schaper, founder of nonprofit Mat Bevel Company,” he says. “I’m a one-person theater. I have to wear all the hats, belts and outfits.”

AtoZec has been a long-standing supporter of nonprofit Mat Bevel Company, including during the 2024–2025 ‘Plant The Seed’ campaign. Though the two organizations differ in scope, they share a core commitment to discovery. “To get to discovery, I use the scientific process,” Eric explains. “That means creating a repeatable process that others can plug into. It’s how we find accuracy.”

Eric’s approach to field work is immersive and instinctive. Observation is the first step—engaging all the senses, even taste, when necessary. And then there’s the “sixth sense” that guides him to his destination or end point: “It’s like a new color I’ve never seen. That’s how I know where the owl is before I see or hear it. It’s another dimension of feel.”

Eric stopping by the bone, grass and blue shinies of the original found object artist in the Australian Outback…the bowerbird.

Making mistakes, learning, and adjusting are all part of his daily scientific process. “There’s probably not an invention out there that was made on the first take,” he says. “The unknown is a large element of my every day.”

Beyond science, Eric is also a found-object artist who lets materials “choose their own path.” His process again mirrors that of Ned Schaper. “I never know what I’m going to find. I may have a bone and a bottle, and they somehow find a way to be friends,” Eric says. “Mystery is part of the fun. You don’t have to know how things will come together. Just keep exploring to see the story unfold. If you knew the ending, you wouldn’t need to explore.”

Eric also gives back generously—sharing his work and wisdom with young people and aspiring scientists. He mentors emerging biologists in the field, participates in career fairs and was part of The Universe Within new guest series this year called Meet Your Local Superheroes. As he travels for work, he brings small relics from nature—bones, feathers, rocks, and stories—to inspire curiosity in local communities, especially with youth.

For Eric, his work is more than a job—it’s his calling. “It’s my bedrock,” he says. “And I wish that for others, too, especially kids. My advice to them is simple: Follow your passion, kiddos. Every time.”

Denise Bowdon, Community Specialist for South32’s Hermosa Project.​

South32 is a global metals and mining company, headquartered in Perth, Australia​. They currently have operations in Australia, Southern Africa, and South America and are investing heavily in growing their presence in North America at the Hermosa project in the Patagonia Mountains outside the town of Patagonia, Arizona. South32’s Hermosa project is currently the only advanced mine development project in the United States that could produce two federally designated critical minerals—manganese and zinc—both of which are essential minerals for powering the nation’s clean energy future.

During the 2024-2025 school year, South32 supported Mat Bevel Company’s STEAM world-building program, The Universe Within, which has served over 800 youth in Santa Cruz County through hands-on, project based discovery learning.

Denise Bowdon, Community Specialist for the Hermosa Project, shared that South32’s approach of making a difference and improving people’s lives now and for generations to come, aligns with the work that Mat Bevel Company carries out through its programs. She said, “We are trusted by our owners and partners to realize the potential of their resources. Our values of care, trust, togetherness and excellence align with Mat Bevel Company’s programs which open new ways of being and learning through world-building to transform individual lives and our communities – we believe in lifting up the community in which we operate.”

Through the Hermosa project, South32 is setting a new standard for sustainable mining in Southern Arizona. It’s a next-generation mine with a small footprint and an all battery-electric fleet for safety and emissions.

Denise Bowdon and her team at the Centro groundbreaking on Thursday, April 24, 2025.

Denise explains, “Our focus is on responsible mining, water conservation (90% less water use than traditional mines), using advanced technology and our commitment to supporting the local workforce with an aim of hiring 80% local. We’re investing in education, skills training and collaborations to ensure long-term benefits stay in the community.”

This year Mat Bevel Company’s fundraising theme was ‘Plant The Seed.’ South32 is planting seeds of innovation and entrepreneurship through their mining operations, integrating the latest technology and innovative problem-solving to benefit the region. Through a state-of-the-art water treatment facility and a remote operations center called Centro in Nogales, Arizona, South32 encourages an entrepreneurial spirit and new ideas. Of note, Centro will accommodate employees and the automation technology needed to remotely monitor and operate some of the underground and surface equipment located at the mine site. Centro will host around 200 full-time employees over several shifts in a 24-hour period. Denise explains, “Imagine sitting in your gaming chair with operation equipment located twenty-eight miles away and three thousand feet underground!”

Other “seeds” that South32 plants are through education and training, by investing in programs like The Universe Within which provides youngsters in fourth through eighth graders with above grade-level exposure to physics. In addition, South32 provides STEM scholarships to high school senior winners throughout Santa Cruz County. This year South32 will present four $2,500 scholarships at each Santa Cruz County High School, to graduating seniors based on essays, grade average and admittance into a four-year college to study STEM.

Denise shares, “My first scholarship I was able to present was to a Patagonia Union High School senior. As a local resident of Patagonia this was extremely satisfying. The student went to the University of Arizona and came back to Patagonia to work on site for South32’s Hermosa project.”

South32 is planting seeds through its new Santa Cruz County Electrician Program as well. This fall, a first cohort of 16 students will start and complete this higher education program together, in partnership with Pima Community College and the Santa Cruz Center, training them for local jobs at South32. In addition, they have been sponsors of the Technolochica’s Program for middle school girls and Robotics camp in Santa Cruz County for several years.

Denise shares, “What I like most about working with South32 is that the company truly cares about the environment, community and the people that work here. There is so much thought and actions put into everything that is done on and off site to protect the environment, community and the people that work here.”

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT SOUTH 32!

The Raise the Bar Team who supports Mat Bevel Company’s work and youth programming for rural communities.

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In 2009, Jennifer Tersigni founded her company Raise the Bar Consulting to provide support for nonprofits that are doing great work in communities. The company offers growth and transformation strategies to help organizations thrive through three core areas of support: fundraising and revenue growth, organizational development, and transitional leadership solutions.

This year Raise the Bar Consulting was the first to donate on June 1 during Mat Bevel Company’s (MBC) ‘Plant The Seed’ fundraising campaign. Founder and CEO Jennifer Tersigni says, “I was inspired to support Mat Bevel Company’s STEAM world-building program called The Universe Within this year because it’s benefiting youth in the rural communities of Santa Cruz County. Growing up in a rural area myself, I understand the challenges faced in America’s rural communities firsthand. In fact, my childhood is one of the transformative experiences that led me to work in and for the nonprofit sector.”

Jennifer has long supported MBC’s vision to build cultural enrichment and opportunities for youth through arts and science education, not just because it’s needed, but because she believes what the nonprofit offers is extraordinary and visionary. She explains, “Their work inspires children (and adults) and creates a sense of awe and wonder, like a spark that lights the creative fire.”

Jennifer has been a fan of MBC Founder Ned Schaper’s work dating back close to 25 years. At the old Mat Bevel Institute, she witnessed people of all ages and stages of life being inspired. The property offered a format of art that was mesmerizing, the kind few people had ever seen. Jennifer adds, “Folks would leave the shows and talk for days about their experience. It was amazing.”

When the Mat Bevel Institute building was torn down in the mid 1990s, she never imagined that someday MBC would purchase its own property, and that the nonprofit would also open a satellite location in rural Patagonia, AZ.

Jennifer says, “Few artists and innovators make such a move, truly offering access to those who might not have it otherwise. What an incredible gift to Patagonia and Santa Cruz County to have access to such creative programming, usually reserved for urban centers. I was once again inspired by MBC’s transformation to build something bold, visionary, and new. I decided to make a sponsorship gift to support MBC’s vision of providing cultural enrichment and opportunities for youth through arts and science education, especially in underserved rural communities.”

Jennifer believes that every child, regardless of their background, deserves access to transformative experiences that inspire creativity, critical thinking, and resilience.

Raise the Bar Consulting, much like MBC, has planted many seeds over the years that have led to significant growth and opportunities for youth, families, and communities. Its current and past work with noteworthy partners like LPKNC, SARSEF, Arizona Youth Partnership, Institute for Better Education, Literacy Connects, Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus, Beads of Courage, and many others have allowed them to be a small thread in the tapestry of support for the arts, science education, and youth development.

Jennifer says, “As we celebrate our 15th anniversary and expand our work with schools, we are excited about new ways we plan to partner to support youth, arts, and education—nurturing hope, instilling confidence, and fostering a sense of belonging that will last for generations. The opportunity to philanthropically support organizations like MBC feels good, builds dreams, enriches lives, and helps others. After all, it wasn’t that long ago when some of us were those very kids in a rural town where someone else did the same for us. Now, it’s our turn to pay it forward.”

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT JENNIFER AND RAISE THE BAR CONSULTING!