About

Specialties
I specialize in multi-objective stream planning and disaster recovery, Fluvial Hazard Zone mapping and mitigation, post-fire hazard assessments, sediment transport, riparian function studies, and stream and floodplain design. My focus is on how human actions and interventions can influence a river system—and vice versa—with a goal of helping communities navigate the inter-connectedness and inter-dependencies of the physical and social landscape within watersheds.

Biographical Sketch
I was born and raised in the mountains of Colorado and when asked what sparked my initial interest in water and the environment, I will tell stories of the outdoor experiences and education I had as a child while roaming through the forests and glacial valleys of the Colorado Rockies. I began my formal training in Seattle with a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Seattle University and followed that with several years of work in Seattle focused on river restoration. In 2007, I left Seattle for Northern California and completed a M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley. I was then awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to do post-graduate research at TU Delft in The Netherlands where I focused on frameworks that merge the fields of flood management and river restoration. Upon returning to the US, I worked on projects that promoted and integrated ecologic objectives—namely floodplain restoration and reactivation—into flood control plans for the Central Valley in California. I returned to Colorado in 2012 and I started Watershed Science and Design in 2014. While here, I have been the deputy program manager for the State of Colorado’s 2013 Emergency Watershed Protection flood recovery efforts and was a lead author of the State of Colorado’s Fluvial Hazard Zone Delineation Protocol which was published in the summer of 2020. These days, I am becoming increasingly involved with pre-fire watershed planning and wildfire recovery both of which have profound implications on the future of the river systems and communities of the West. In my free time I enjoy skiing, paddle boarding, hiking, rafting, and baking bread.

Statement of Interest
My initial interest is in assisting RRNW with knowledge sharing, information exchange, educational opportunities, and mentorship within the river community. I also have a strong interest in working on ways to facilitate the incorporation of local knowledge into river and stream management work. Additionally, I hope that by being in Colorado I will serve as a two-way exchange of knowledge and understanding—I plan on bringing the best of the organization to the greater restoration and stream community in Colorado while simultaneously bringing to RRNW perspectives and experiences related to stream management that were gained in a different geographic region with different drivers, stressors, values, and constraints.

Specialties
My career over the past 20+ years has been centered on applying our understanding of geomorphic and ecologic processes to improve and restore ecosystem function, especially in streams and rivers. In support of that, my technical experience includes characterization of geomorphic history and evolution, hydrologic and hydraulic analysis and modeling, stream and wetland field assessment, and habitat characterization.

Biographical Sketch
My early years and academic life were rooted in the Pacific Northwest, where I received a B.S. in Geological Sciences at the University of Washington and an M.S. in Geosciences and Civil Engineering from Oregon State University. For my Master thesis, I studied the geomorphic impacts of a hydrocomplex on the Lower Deschutes River in eastern Oregon in the context of dam relicensing efforts. My professional career has been in the consulting realm, specifically with smaller restoration-focused firms, including Philip Williams & Associates (now part of ESA) in San Francisco, then 20 years with Biohabitats, and now with Herrera Environmental. Over that time, I’ve supported or led stream and wetland restoration projects across the country and observed many trends in our industry.
Over the years, I’ve also picked up some skills outside of my academic training. I became a certified Senior Ecologist with the Ecological Society of America and a registered Professional Wetland Scientist with the Society of Wetland Scientists. I’m also a non-certified “bird nerd.” Beyond that, I enjoy all the usual PNW outside-oriented pursuits, especially biking, hiking, and backpacking—followed by a good sour beer.

Statement of Interest
RRNW shines regionally and nationally as a restoration-focused non-profit organization. The RRNW Symposium, the focal piece of the organization, is the best national forum for restoration professionals to meet and exchange ideas. I have been an active attendee of the Symposium (2004, 2015-2019), the Stories of our Watersheds film event, and the Portland Speaker Series. The founders deserve much credit for developing RRNW into what it is today. Its strong legacy continues and grows through the hard work of many dedicated volunteers. (For example, the COVID-driven pivot to digital forums and the upcoming “Practicing Biocultural Restoration” event are awesome!) I offer my time and enthusiasm to contribute to the Board’s ongoing execution of RRNW’s mission and goals. I bring some similar experience from serving on the Maryland Stream Restoration Association board years ago. Transparency, equity, and good communication are all important principles to me in organizations and leadership. I see those values and skills in play in the folks I already know on the RRNW Board, and would seek to further contribute to a healthy, collaborative working culture. Science and our rivers need us more than ever.