Our Team

Eli Nielsen
HMFIC + Professional Goat Wrangler

Eli was born and raised in Tucson. Like most Tucson natives, he couldn’t wait to leave this desert hell hole, so at 18 he joined the army, where he became a sergeant and worked as an Intelligence Analyst for five years. After the army he received his degree in Urban Planning from ASU. In 2009 he humbly returned to his hometown - now recognizing it as the lush Sonoran Desert oasis it truly is - and founded EcoSense, with the goal of creating the most badass sustainable landscape company in the galaxy. Eli has two amazing kids (SHEESH!!) who can’t wait to leave this desert hell hole. eli@ecosenseaz.com, 520.575.7005 x3

Cynthia Smith
Operations Manager

Cynthia Smith is originally from Louisiana, she has lived in Tucson since 2005. Cynthia has a Bachelor of Science degree in Retailing and Consumer Sciences, from the University of Arizona. She loves plants and animals, and most humans. Cynthia finds beauty in the places most people never thought to look. cynthia@ecosenseaz.com, 520.575.7005 x6

Sally Hunter
Office Manager

Sally was born and raised in Tucson, with a brief period of exploration in Oregon in her early 20’s. Despite Sally’s steadfast determination to become an astronaut, that goal seemed to wane shortly after attending space camp where she was dorkiest kid there. Sally previously spent over 20 years working in retail management. In their free time, Sally and her husband enjoy travelling to radio telescopes and other exotic locations while contemplating their place in the cosmos. They have 3 adorable cats: Howard, Blanche and Asimov, and Sally makes it a point to introduce herself to every dog she crosses paths with. Sally would also like it to be noted that she is slightly taller than her much (13 months) older sister. officemanager@ecosenseaz.com, 520.575.7005 x1

Mara Almanza
Project Manager

Mara was born in Nogales, Sonora but was raised here in Tucson. She grew up dreaming about being a doctor, until the day she got her first pet iguana, which started her obsession with animals and the environment they come from. Mara graduated from Pima Community College with an Associate of Science and a goal of moving on to the U of A to Study Ecology and Environmental Engineering. She has also volunteered for the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in the Interpretive Animal Collective Department, where she spent two years working with native Arizona wildlife and living out her dream! In her free time Mara enjoys hanging out with her husband and her adorable pitty Serj. They enjoy long hikes on Mount Lemon and night time bonfires under the amazing desert sky. mara@ecosenseaz.com

Dave Scharf
Designer

David Scharf was born in Tucson and received a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Art from Alfred University in Western NY. There he studied ceramics and still works with clay. The critical thinking skills he learned in school continue to inform his personal practice in design and art. He loves the Sonoran Desert and is inspired to help protect it through Rainwater Harvesting Design. Dave's the child of two landscape architects, and his love and respect for plants runs deep. Dave likes getting his hands dirty. Dave grows Chiltepin chiles, bakes bread, and makes cider. design@ecosenseaz.com, 520.575.7005 x4

Tony Rios
Construction Supervisor

Tony has a very critical eye for the details, he specializes in complex rainwater harvesting installs and is the go-to guy for any technical tasks. His skill set includes machining, carpentry, plumbing, tile, and auto work, to name just a few. When Tony’s not installing tanks, you can find him cycling, camping, or spending time with his family.