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Meet Our Crew

Douglas Liva

Owner / ISA Certified Arborist

Originally from Northern New Jersey, Doug got his first taste of living in the Southwest when he moved to Arizona for college in 2006. After graduating, he moved back to NJ and became involved with the tree service industry just after Hurricane Sandy, while working as a fence contractor.
From 2012 to 2017 Doug had a joint fence & tree company in Northern NJ working from Warren to Bergen County. Since he spent most of his winters in the Wasatch Mountains, Doug decided to relocate his tree service business & make the permanent move to Park City where his family has had a residence since 2006. He started Canyon Cutters in the spring of 2018 and enjoys the new lifestyle that has come along with it.

John Hill

Operations Manager / Safety Administrator

Born and raised in Massachusetts along the shores of Cape Cod, and the woods of Eastern Maine- John grew up sailing and hauling brush, depending on which Grandfather he was with at the time.

Bouncing around North America as a professional Chef, John arrived in Park City in 2011. Eventually, cooking and butchering for a living had reached a crossroads with his family roots, so he decided it was time for a change and got involved with the tree service industry. John joined the crew of Canyon Cutters in June 2018 during the company’s infancy. Covering all the bases in the woods from felling trees, to operating machinery, John hopes to continue learning the trade alongside the Canyon Cutters team.

Jesse Gardner

Foreman

Lifelong Utah native. Working in the Tree Industry for 5+ years now, specializing in Mountain Operations and Fire Mitigation. Tree work is my passion along with being a father to my two year old daughter. I love anything outdoor and adventure related. I chose to work in the Tree Service industry because it requires constant evolution and continuous education. I love seeing the impact I have on forest sustainability / habitat conservation and I take great pride in what I do.

Nate Potter

Foreman

Nate grew up in the Northeast, with a deep love for the mountains and forests of New England. Throughout his youth, he enjoyed camping, hiking, and skiing in New Hampshire and Maine. He moved to Salt Lake City in 2013 to attend Westminster College where he majored in Marketing. During his time at Westminster, College Nate worked for Doppelmayr building ski lifts in Utah, Montana, and Idaho. This experience taught him about working in the mountains, where he continues to enjoy the winter and summer seasons and the wilderness of the West.

Robert Valencia

Foreman

Hey, I’m Robert Valencia and I was born in Salinas, CA. Went to College and graduated from Notre Dame de Namur University back in 2015. Right after that I joined the Marine Corps and became a Combat Helicopter Mechanic and Huey Crew Chief. Deployed twice, and experienced the world. Rejoined the civilian world in 2020 and worked in Construction in Santa Rosa, CA.

There were major fires occurring in the area and I felt the need to do something about it so I joined a forestry division managing and preventing forest fires in the Napa Valley. In June of 2022, I signed a reservist contract for the Army National Guard and now continue to work on Helicopters and fight fires as a Crew Chief on Black Hawks.

I love tree work and it definitely keeps me humble. I went to academies to climb and remove/maintain trees and I have experience with tree felling. I enjoy operating equipment and have the desire to upkeep and hold standards to make the tree industry great.

Patrick Quino

Patrick was born in Torrance California but grew up in Port Orchard, Washington, and Las Vegas, Nevada. With a history of horticulture, spending 6 years as a head grower in the cannabis industry, becoming an arborist was an easy transition. Patrick would rather be outside than in, breathing as much fresh mountain air and exploring as many landscapes as possible. Plants, trees, and wildlife are his passions and he takes great pride in all his work to help them thrive.

Logan Duvall

My name is Logan, and I was born and raised in Ogden Utah. I love Mother Nature and everything she has to offer us, and I love our relationship with her. I’m constantly learning who I am and what I’m here to do, so I’m glad to be lucky enough to work on the Canyon Cutters crew making a difference. I’ve done many different things for work, and nothing compares to being in the woods bettering the environment as part of a meticulous company with a drive to be the best. It’s a dream to be running power saws with happy, inspired, hardworking individuals!

Jake Cahoon

My name is Jacob! I’m from Mesa, Arizona and I moved to Northern Utah in 2017. I originally worked for the Forest Service doing wildland fire and trail maintenance. 2022 is my first season being an arborist with Canyon Cutters. I’m grateful I made the switch and get to fell trees every day with an awesome crew! During my off time, I love to snowboard and mountain bike. I also love camping and exploring new places in this beautiful country.

Lou Chiappetta

Louis was born in Central Maine and raised in the great outdoors. Louis has been working in various outdoor industries for the last decade including rafting, skiing, and leading backcountry trips. He found a passion for forestry work while involved with the Maine Conservation Corps in 2018. This is his first season with Canyon Cutters, and he most enjoys picking up small twigs off the ground.

Brian Barnes

Raised in Lake Murray, South Carolina, Brian originally came to Utah to pursue a college degree. He fell in love with the mountains and now works winters as ski patrol for PCMR and in the summers as a commercial fisherman in Alaska. off the Alaskan coast before joining Canyon Cutters

Holden Stephenson

I’m Holden and I grew up in Salt Lake County Utah. I graduated from Corner Canyon HS in 2024 and I’m looking forward to a new career with Canyon Cutters. I enjoy Fishing, watching sports and Skiing. I find it super fun to work alongside the rest of our great crew, and I enjoy learning something new everyday.

Kade Jolley

I’m Kade Jolley, born and raised in Utah. I graduated from Provo High in 2024 and I love playing Soccer and outdoor adventures. I’ve spent my whole life on the field and in nature. Whether I’m Mountain Biking, Hiking, Camping, or Snowboarding, I thrive on the freedom and challenges that the great outdoors bring. Always up for an adventure, I live for the rush of exploring new places and pushing my limits. This is my first season with Canyon Cutters, and it’s the best job I’ve had. This job brings together an amazing group of cool dudes and offers the opportunity to be in the beautiful mountains.

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