Employee Spotlight: Mara St. Amant

Chestnut is comprised of a dedicated team with 75+ years of combined experience across fields including forestry, energy, land acquisition, and data science. We’ve developed and supported over 50 carbon projects across both compliance and voluntary carbon registries—bringing unrivaled rigor, transparency, and long-term thinking to nature‑based carbon solutions.

Our mission is to lead by example, acting with integrity and striving to be the preeminent nature-based carbon project developer, delivering the highest quality products to the market. 

We’re spotlighting members of our team so you can learn how we do it. 

Mara St. Amant
Carbon Analyst
Product team
Based in Denver, Colorado

Mara St. Amant brings expertise in forest modeling, carbon markets, and data analysis to her role as Carbon Analyst—skills that are critical to ensuring the integrity and effectiveness of Chestnut’s improved forest management (IFM) program.

Before joining Chestnut, Mara worked as a Research Assistant on a global ecosystem modeling project at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. This experience laid the foundation for her work today, where she combines scientific rigor with practical applications in the carbon markets.

Turning Data Into Action

Mara plays a central role in transforming forest data into meaningful climate outcomes.

Her work involves modeling forest growth, quantifying forest carbon storage to generate carbon offset credits for landowners, and communicating the intricacies of carbon accounting to both internal and external stakeholders. Her technical depth, paired with the ability to translate complex concepts, is crucial for transparency throughout the process.

Her academic background equipped her with advanced technical capabilities across tools like ArcGIS, Forest Vegetation Simulator, R, Python, and Excel. Just as importantly, her experience with western forest ecology and silvicultural practices gives her a nuanced understanding of forest management and Chestnut’s West Coast IFM landowners.

On any given day, Mara might be:

• Modeling and analyzing forest data to estimate carbon credit potential for a landowner
• Testing new proprietary software to improve internal systems
• Building tools to streamline workflows for the Landowner Originations team

Supporting Landowners and Strengthening Communities

For Mara, one of the most rewarding aspects of her role is seeing the direct impact of her work on landowners.

“Directly contributing to enrolling landowners in our program—and then hearing their testimonies of trust, gratitude, and excitement to be able to conserve their forests how they’ve always wanted to—is incredibly fulfilling,” she says.

The carbon credits she helps quantify aren’t just numbers—they form the foundation of financial packages that enable landowners to adopt healthier, more sustainable forest management practices. This work helps mitigate climate change while expanding access to carbon markets.

Building a Lasting Legacy of Impact

“In the interest of our members, credit buyers, and the climate, we hold ourselves to the highest standard of quality in the voluntary carbon market,” she says. “Integrity is the driving force for all the quality control, testing, and rigorous analysis I do day to day.”

Transparency is equally important. Whether she’s collaborating internally or engaging with stakeholders, Mara is motivated by a commitment to clearly explaining the complexities of carbon accounting and ensuring trust in our work.

Looking ahead, she is energized by the long-term benefits of Chestnut’s programs.

“The co-benefits of our work are endless”, Mara says. “From climate change mitigation and improved biodiversity to long-term sustainable forest stewardship, we’re helping integrate carbon into the global economy in a way that supports a climate-friendly future.” 

It’s a legacy she’s proud to help build—one rooted in both environmental and economic resilience.

A Team That Inspires

Mara’s journey to Chestnut began at a college outreach event, where she met team members whose passion for the mission left a lasting impression.

“Their passion for Chestnut’s mission drew me in like a magnet,” she recalls. “They were down-to-earth, and the tangible impact of their work made it clear this was where I wanted to be.”

Today, that same energy is what she values most about working at Chestnut.

Connect with Mara on LinkedIn! 

“Our team makes all the difference”, she says. “The work is so rewarding, but being surrounded by unique, passionate, and knowledgeable individuals from all over the country makes every day of working at Chestnut a dream.”