Meet The Team

Emily joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2012 and is based in Anchorage. She brings over fourteen years of experience in the fields of environmental education and environmental law and policy. A Minnesota native, Emily grew up exploring the many lakes, streams and wetlands in and around the state and developed a keen interest in issues affecting fish populations and water quality. After working for several years as an environmental educator and canoe guide in the Midwest and Washington, she attended Vermont Law School where she received a JD and a master’s of studies in Environmental Law. Since moving to Alaska in 2006, Emily has worked as an environmental attorney and legal consultant specializing in water law and fish habitat protection. She has experience representing the diverse interests of Alaska Native communities, NGOs, concerned citizens and commercial fishing groups. In her spare time, Emily enjoys hiking, cross country skiing, canoeing and exploring the Alaska backcountry with her faithful dog, Chance. Email Emily Anderson

Prior to joining WSC, he spent 10 years in British Columbia, working with First Nations to build community-based salmon science initiatives. This research has focused on population monitoring and assessment tools for remote watersheds on the Central Coast of BC, and understanding how fisheries and climate act synergistically to drive salmon population trajectories. He holds an MSc and PhD in Biological Sciences from Simon Fraser University, and a BSc in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences from the University of Washington. In his free time Will enjoys exploring the Pacific Northwest, on foot or by boat with his wife Olivia. | Email Will Atlas

Saulyegul Avlyush joined Wild Salmon Center in 2024 and is based in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Saulyegul has more than 20 years of experience in researching and managing freshwater ecosystems as well as integrated water resources management in Mongolia. She holds BAs in Ecology and Conservation Biology from the National University of Mongolia, a master’s in Aquatic Ecosystem Conservation from the National University of Mongolia, and a PhD (Dr.rer.nat.) in Hydroscience from the Faculty of Environment at the Technical University of Dresden in Germany.

Prior to joining WSC, Saulyegul worked at the Institute of Geography and Geoecology at the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), and the 2030 Water Resources Group hosted by World Bank and Millennium Challenge Account in Mongolia. Outside of work, Saulyegul enjoys hiking, traveling with her family and friends, and baking. | Email Saulyegul Avlyush

Jessica joined Wild Salmon Center in 2022, driven by a lifelong passion for conservation. She earned her BS in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences from Oregon State University, where she developed a deep appreciation for Oregon’s unique fauna through supporting research on the Red Tree Vole (Arborimus longicaudus). Jessica’s diverse career journey has taken her from animal husbandry to library management and K-12 education before finding her niche in nonprofit development and communications. She thrives on organizing memorable events and connecting with WSC’s incredible friends and donors.

A Washington native, Jessica loves exploring the PNW with her husband and seizes any opportunity to dip her toes in the Pacific Ocean. On the weekend you can find her sipping wine in the Helvetia hills, volunteering at a therapeutic equine center, and hunting for the perfect cheeseless pizza. | Email Jessica Baker

Kirk Blaine joined the Wild Salmon Center in the fall of 2024, bringing five years of experience in wild fish conservation. Previously, he served as the Southern Oregon and Northern California Coordinator for the Native Fish Society, where he organized grassroots advocacy and implemented positive changes in wild fish management across Oregon and California. Born and raised in Gillette, Wyoming, Kirk later moved to Montana, where he earned his BS in Business Administration from the University of Montana in Missoula.

He currently resides in Roseburg, Oregon, with his wife and two young daughters. In his free time, Kirk enjoys fly fishing for wild steelhead or salmon, skiing, hunting, boating, and hiking with his family. | Email Kirk Blaine

Luke initially joined Wild Salmon Center as a science intern working on fish passage with Dr. Will Atlas. He now works in our Alaska Program to further WSC’s strategic conservation efforts through community engagement and grassroots organizing.

Born in Kodiak, Alaska, Luke spent his upbringing moving between the island and a tributary of Oregon’s Siuslaw River in a town called Triangle Lake. Fascinated by the contrasting conditions and history of salmon populations in Oregon and Alaska, cultural anthropology, and humans’ impact on environmental issues, he received his BA from Oregon State with a double major in sustainability studies. He also worked as a deckhand on a salmon seiner and did commercial salmon fishing for five summers in Kodiak.

In his free time, Luke can be found in the kitchen, working with seasonal foods and cooking for his friends and family, or somewhere out in the field practicing photography with his trusty TLR. | Email Luke Brockman

Oakley Brooks joined Wild Salmon Center in 2015 as an editorial content developer and communications strategist. With Ecotrust, between 2012-2015, he led media outreach and built a new organizational blog and a digital magazine, Commonplace. Previously, he served as contributing editor at Nature Conservancy magazine.

Michelle joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2022 bringing with her 25+ years of engineering experience in reviewing, designing, and managing stream habitat restoration projects throughout Washington State. She currently serves on Washington State’s Salmon Recovery Funding Board’s Statewide Technical Review Panel to ensure salmon restoration project proposals and designs are technically sound. She was the managing editor of Washington State’s Stream Habitat Restoration Guidelines and the Integrated Streambank Protection Guidelines.

Michelle grew up in the Sierra Nevada foothills of northern California and moved to Washington after graduating from Humboldt State University with a BS in Environmental Engineering. She enjoys boating the Puget Sound and being in, near or on Pacific Northwest rivers. In her spare time, she volunteers at a dog shelter walking and playing with dogs while they wait for their “furever” home. Michelle lives in Olympia, Washington with her husband, two sons and dog. | Email Michelle Cramer

Jody joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2019. Bringing over 20 years of design and communications experience, she has a diverse background working for agencies, higher education, and nonprofit organizations. Jody earned her BA of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Art History from Montana State University in Bozeman. As a native Montanan, Jody’s love of the outdoors and her respect for the natural world was imprinted at a young age. This passion for the outdoors involves volunteering with Harper’s Playground, a local non-profit advocating for outdoor equity and inclusion through innovative and accessible playgrounds. In her spare time Jody enjoys traveling, gardening, bicycling, backpacking, and exploring the beautiful Northwest with her family and friends. | Email Jody Creasman

Cyndi became the North Coast Manager in 2022 after spending five years working with private landowners to restore salmon habitat on the southern Oregon coast. Cyndi is dedicated to supporting local organizations to prioritize and implement restoration projects that will provide ecological, social, cultural, and economic benefits to coastal communities and for future generations.

Cyndi originally hails from Oklahoma where she received a BS in Natural Resource Ecology and Management and MS in Zoology from Oklahoma State University. She has spent over a decade working on science and restoration projects across the United States, from vegetation surveys in sagebrush steppe to using radio telemetry to track turtles in east coast estuaries. Cyndi finally made Oregon her home in 2017 and has dedicated her career to restoring watershed ecological processes, in particular her interests are in estuaries, riverine floodplains, and stream systems. Cyndi lives in Nehalem with her husband, whose family has resided in the Nehalem Valley for five generations. When it comes to hobbies, Cyndi is a jack of all trades and a master of none. You can usually find her in the ocean, on a river, doing endless house projects, or sneaking away for weekend trips to the mountains. | Email Cyndi Curtis

Ramona joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2019 to help tell its stories. Previously, she was the News and Travel Editor at Portland Monthly, where she also led the fact-checking department and wrote features on subjects including wildlife smuggling and the seafood industry. Prior to Portland Monthly, Ramona ran communications for several nonprofits and directed a Latin American trade association. Her journalism has appeared in Outside, the Believer, and the Seattle Met. She has a BA in English and Latin American Studies from the University of Kansas and an MFA in Creative Writing-Nonfiction from Portland State University. In Portland since 2001, find her running trails, writing-about-town, and enjoying pints with friends and family. | Email Ramona DeNies

Stacey Detwiler joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2022. She brings more than twelve years of experience in clean water policy and river protection, from Washington, DC, to southwestern Oregon. Stacey is a part of the team working to conserve and restore streamflow and advance climate-smart forestry reforms to better protect wild salmon streams.

Prior to taking this position, she worked as the Conservation Director for Rogue Riverkeeper in southern Oregon where she led multiple campaigns to protect and restore clean water in the Rogue watershed. Stacey earned her MS in Water Resources Policy and Management from Oregon State University where she researched the management of forest roads on private industrial forest lands to reduce chronic sediment pollution to streams. She also served on the Board of the Marys River Watershed Council. Before moving west, Stacey spent five years working for American Rivers in Washington, DC, on federal clean water policies that promote green infrastructure and reduce polluted runoff. In DC, she also served on the Executive Board of DC EcoWomen, a nonprofit organization that works to empower women in the environmental field. In her spare time, you can find Stacey hiking, paddling a local river, taking a dance class, fly fishing, or playing her guitar. | Email Stacey Detwiler

Tim Elder joined Wild Salmon Center in 2018. Tim is a native Southern Oregonian and recent graduate from the Environmental Science and Management Department at Portland State University. Tim’s doctoral work focused on human impacts to salmon populations in the Columbia River, with a focus on juvenile survival, life history diversity and morphometrics. Tim holds a BS in Biology from Southern Oregon University. Prior to joining WSC, Tim worked as a fisheries biologist for the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, botany technician for the Bureau of Land Management and wilderness backpacking guide. Be it rivers, lakes or mountains, Tim has a deep connection to the wild places of Southern Oregon. | Email Tim Elder

Erin Ellis joined Wild Salmon Center in 2021. She came to the organization following a long career developing and leading programs in the victim rights movement advocating for a wide range of marginalized communities.

Jon joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2022, bringing with him diverse experience in environmental data science and conservation planning. Prior to joining WSC, Jon worked in environmental consulting as a GIS professional supporting land use planning in several national monuments managed by the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. During his multidisciplinary master’s work, Jon worked alongside a group of his peers and their client American Rivers to develop fuels reduction prioritization methodologies that maximize benefits to river ecosystems in the face of increasing wildfire risk across the West.

Jon holds a GIS Certificate with a Concentration in Environmental Analysis from San Francisco State, a BA in Business Economics from the University of California Santa Barbara, and a master’s of Environmental Science and Management (MESM) from the Bren School at the University of California Santa Barbara, where he also served as a Forest Sustainability Fellow. A California native, Jon enjoys spending his free time exploring his new Pacific Northwest home on a mountain bike, tied into a climbing rope, or paddling down a river. | Email John Hart

Sheila Hanson joined Wild Salmon Center in 2023 with a passion for the outdoors and a history of working with non-for-profit organizations.  Sheila’s professional life has spanned many backgrounds including: research, writing, and mindfulness-based therapy. Outside of work, Sheila enjoys camping with her family, sewing, skiing, and searching for more snacks. | Email Sheila Hanson

Jess joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2018. Prior to taking this position, Jess served as the Executive Director of the Coast Salmon Foundation on Washington State’s beautiful wild coast. Jess earned a BS in Conservation Social Science and a MS in Natural Resources and Environmental Science from the University of Idaho.

When not working to protect and restore salmon and steelhead populations, Jess can be found with her family foraging for Pacific Northwest delicacies, honing her fly fishing skills, whitewater rafting, or climbing steep canyon walls with her pudelpointer chasing the elusive chukar partridge. | Email Jessica Helsley

Lori joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2008 and brings a diverse range of communications experience from working at agencies, corporations and non-profits. From web and media to marketing strategy and design, she has all aspects of communication covered to best tell the Wild Salmon Center story.

Consistently striving to find a balance between her two passions—science and art—Lori has both a BS from the University of Virginia and an AA in Visual Communications Technology. The Pacific Northwest has been her home since 1995. She enjoys exploring all of its wonders with her family. | Email Lori Howk

Rachel joined Wild Salmon Center in early 2025 after relocating to Portland from the Midwest. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting, alongside a Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship that focused on various business models for people and planet mission statements. Prior to WSC, she worked in Chicago’s behavioral health and education sectors, with a focus on accounts payable and general accounting.

Originally from Illinois, Rachel grew up camping along the Illinois River and developed a lifelong love for nature and community.  After years of visiting and admiring the PNW, she moved to Portland in 2024 to be closer to extended family   In her free time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and spending time with her two rescue cats. | Email Rachel Jones

Annie joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2023 and is excited to settle into her role as Office Administrator. Annie is a Portland area native and earned a BA in Environmental Studies at University of Oregon. She then traveled east to earn a MS in Environmental Education from Antioch University New England. Prior to joining WSC, Annie’s meandering career path included a variety of positions: Environmental Educator, Early Childhood/Elementary Classroom Teacher, Hospitality Event Lead, and Administrative Assistant. Common threads throughout her work are engaging others in learning, continuously expanding her own knowledge and skills, and finding creative and meaningful ways to bring communities together. In her free time, Annie can be found volunteering with outdoor education nonprofits, working on her garden, laughing at a comedy show, or cheering at a youth soccer game. She and her two kids enjoy hiking, kayaking, camping, and road tripping around the magnificent Pacific Northwest. | Email Annie Kleffner

Greg joined the Wild Salmon Center in early 2025, bringing more than two decades of experience protecting wild salmon in British Columbia.

Growing up on Vancouver Island, Greg spent his youth fishing rivers, lakes, and the Pacific coast—developing a lifelong passion for salmon, steelhead, and the wild places they call home. That passion led him across the province, where he earned a B.Sc. in Geography and a Master’s in Environmental Management, became a certified fisheries technician, and worked with the Nisga’a Nation in the Nass watershed. He also co-owned an ecotourism company, guiding visitors from around the world on grizzly bear viewing, jet boat tours, and fly fishing adventures in the iconic landscapes of northwest BC.

Before joining WSC, Greg served as Executive Director of SkeenaWild Conservation Trust, which he built from the ground up into a respected, multidisciplinary organization dedicated to protecting salmon and their habitats across northwest BC. Under his leadership, SkeenaWild helped secure major conservation wins and fostered deep partnerships with local communities and Indigenous Nations.

Greg also serves on the Northern Panel of the Pacific Salmon Commission. Now based in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island with his family, he continues to fish, hunt, and explore the extraordinary rivers and coast of British Columbia. | Email Greg Knox

John joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2024. He brings over 20 years of experience of developing and leading conservation campaigns and initiatives. John led the organization Pacific Rivers as the executive director for over a decade. He led strategic development of conservation programs, and campaigns, such as the Frank and Jeanne Moore Wild Steelhead Sanctuary campaign, which was passed by Congress in 2019 and directs the US Forest Service to manage the Steamboat Creek watershed (primary spawning tributary for the North Umpqua River) for the benefit of wild steelhead. As a Montana native, John grew up as an avid fly fisherman and spent nearly a decade as a guide and outfitter. His passion for rivers and fish eventually led him to a career in conservation. John earned his bachelor’s degree from Carroll College in Helena, Montana and began as a lobbyist and organizer for the Montana Wildlife Federation. His obsession with salmon and steelhead eventually brought him to the Pacific Northwest as the regional organizer for the National Wildlife Federation. | Email John Kober

Kim joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2011 and oversees its fundraising programs, including the Annual Fund, donor relationships, corporate partnerships, and planned giving. She brings 15 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, previously with the advocacy arm of the American Cancer Society in Washington, DC.

A New England native, Kim’s passion for conservation is rooted in her lifelong love for wildlife and the outdoors, prompting her to relocate to the Pacific Northwest. She holds a BA from Bucknell University and a master’s in Environmental Law from Lewis & Clark Law School. She currently resides in Bellingham, Washington. In her spare time, you can find Kim wading through beautiful rivers, hunting for chanterelles, or exploring new trails with her family. | Email Kim Kosa

Betsy joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2019 to advance our Cold Water Connection work on the Olympic Coast. Growing up in a small Wisconsin town, Betsy spent time planting trees in the family yard, and fishing for bluegill and bass in a local lake. She earned a dual BS in Wildlife Ecology and Geography from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Following her graduation, she directed her early enjoyment of fish, trees, and the outdoors into a 15-year career with the US Forest Service, in national forests on the Olympic Peninsula and the Tongass in Southeast Alaska.

At WSC, Betsy is looking forward to working across land ownerships to reconnect and restore salmon and steelhead habitat on the Olympic Coast. Her home base in Forks includes her boyfriend and a supportive cast of cats, dogs, goats, and chickens. | Email Betsy Krier

Michael joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2022 after decades of work protecting and preserving scenic landscapes, fish habitat and wildlife in the Columbia River Gorge area. Previously, he worked to elect environmental candidates in Oregon and Washington, and also worked for a session in the Oregon Legislature. He studied political science at the University of Minnesota and received a BS Degree in Physics from Oregon State University. While his educational background is in political science and physics, his life’s work is to protect iconic places in the Pacific Northwest. Michael enjoys hiking, trout and steelhead fishing and traveling with his family. His favorite waters include the Deschutes, Metolius, and Nehalem Rivers, and Tillamook Bay tributaries. | Email Michael Lang

James joined Wild Salmon Center in 2024 and is based in Olympia, Washington. James has more than 20 years of experience researching, and managing salmon and trout in the Pacific Northwest and around the globe. James received a BSc from Western Washington University focused on Marine Biology and English, MSc in Fisheries Science from Oregon State University and is in the final stages of completing his PhD at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Prior to joining the WSC team, James held positions with NOAA Fisheries on the high seas exploring factors that affect early marine survival of salmon, and managed fisheries in Washington State for Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. He cofounded the Coastal Cutthroat Coalition, a nonprofit focused on increasing scientific understanding of anadromous trout. Outside of work, James enjoys fishing, surfing, gardening, and traveling with his family and friends. | Email James Losee

Jordan joined the Wild Salmon Center team in 2023 to help manage the organization’s growing pool of government funding. Her past work has focused on the nexus between local economic impact and environmental conservation and she’s thrilled to support WSC’s meaningful work in this space. She holds a BA in Business Administration with an emphasis on sustainability, Her graduate studies focused on environmental and resource economics. Prior to joining WSC, she worked in destination stewardship at Travel Oregon, the state tourism office.

Jordan grew up in Southern Oregon and has been a Pacific Northwest enthusiast her whole life. Her favorite weekend activities include biking around Portland, hiking in the Cascades, and experimenting in the kitchen with local food. | Email Jordan McCauley

Noel joined Wild Salmon Center in 2022. After completing an MS in Animals and Public Policy from Tufts University in 2016, she set her sights on moving to the Pacific Northwest. Her lifelong respect for wildlife and nature has propelled her to seek a career that follows the rule: “leave it better than you found it.” She brings to WSC more than a decade of experience in administrative work, as well as five years of volunteer grant writing for wildlife conservation groups.

Outside of work, she enjoys foraging for wild mushrooms, seeing live music, and savoring the Portland food scene. | Email Noel O’Donnell

Amee joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2010. She has a BA in Journalism and a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management, both from the University of Oregon. Amee has worked and volunteered in a variety of fields including animal advocacy, local food systems, child abuse prevention, international aid, and education in both the United States and Cambodia. When not writing grants she enjoys knitting, reading, gardening, and exploring the great Northwest with her sons. | Email Amee Pacheco

Audie joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2015. She has helped jumpstart its Stronghold Guardian program and grow its Annual Fund. She has her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Biology from the University of Oregon and holds a certification in Permaculture Design. Her passion for conservation has led her to work for Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide and conduct research for the University of Oregon’s Environmental Leadership Program. She currently lives in Portland and in her free time enjoys live music and exploring the rivers and forests of the Pacific Northwest with a fly rod in hand and her pup Frankie by her side. | Email Audie Paulus

Nicole joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2023 to assist with funded fish restoration and future work on the Olympic Coast. Nicole spent the past 16 years working on the Olympic Peninsula for the Port Gamble S’klallam Tribe, Quinault Tribe, and Quileute Tribe conducting water quality monitoring and habitat projects for salmon. Nicole played a role from the beginning stages of the Quillayute River Assessment and Restoration Action Plan, which paved the way for the first ever restoration project in the mainstem Quillayute River and a pathway for multiple projects.

She grew up in the foothills of Enumclaw chasing cutthroat in Newaukum Creek and volunteering with Mid Sound Fisheries. Pursuing her education at Washington State University and the University of Idaho, as well as internships with Weyerhaeuser and US Fish & Wildlife Service, she knew that salmon and the Pacific Northwest were where she wanted to focus her career. Nicole has lived in the town of Forks, Washington, for the past 14 years with her husband and their two daughters, where they enjoy fishing, hiking, surfing, backpacking, sledding, hunting, and getting firewood. | Email Nicole Rasmussen

Matt is a fish ecologist who joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2015, bringing with him 20 years of research experience in the Rocky Mountains, Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and California. His recent research interests encompass all things that influence salmon ecosystem resiliency, including cultural and economic incentives for salmon conservation; biophysical processes that create and maintain salmon streams; and the environmental, physiological, and genetic basis for salmonid life history diversity. He holds BAs in Wildlife Biology and in English from the University of Montana, a master’s in Fish Management from Montana State University, and a PhD in Fisheries Science from Oregon State University. Matt enjoys messing around in and on rivers with his family and occasionally catches a fish or two on the fly. | Email Matthew Sloat

Julia joined Wild Salmon Center in 2024, bringing more than a decade of strategic marketing, communications, and digital storytelling experience in Oregon’s fruit and wine industries. In each of her roles, Julia’s community building and grassroots outreach helped small agricultural companies create big impacts. A University of Montana graduate with a BA in Philosophy, she focuses on the big picture while creating meaningful connections for people, the culture around food and agriculture, and sustainability for the land itself.

As a Montana native, her passion for the outdoors sprung from wild places and tight knit communities. In her spare time, you’ll find her roaming rushing rivers, climbing craggy mountains, and wandering faraway canyons. Julia currently lives Portland, Oregon, the perfect jumping-off point for all kinds of adventures. | Email Julia Smith

Ellie joined the Wild Salmon Center in 2019. She has lived across the United States and developed a love for many different types of environments, preferring the Pacific Northwest to call home. While working for a small nonprofit in San Francisco, she developed a passion for native ecosystems and habitat restoration and still enjoys gardening for wildlife (and food) at her house in Portland. She has a BA in Geography from San Francisco State University, with a focus on GIS. In her free time she enjoys working on any number of house projects, hiking and camping, and dancing to kindie rock with her husband, kids. and animals. | Email Ellie Stair

Tasha joined Wild Salmon Center in 2022. She is a conservation geneticist and molecular ecologist interested in the genetic and evolutionary basis of adaptive diversity in Pacific salmon to inform conservation. Born and raised in Utah, Tasha completed her undergraduate studies at University of Utah. She spent three summers on a hotshot crew fighting fires in the west, including rivers where she later conducted field work sampling juvenile salmonids. Tasha earned her PhD in Integrative Genetics and Genomics at the University of California, Davis, where she helped discover the genetic and evolutionary basis of spring run-timing in Chinook salmon.

Tasha is the inaugural Polsky Conservation Research Fellow at the Wild Salmon Center where she is developing a public database of whole genomes collected from hundreds of Chinook salmon and steelhead across the species’ range. Tasha lives in Oregon on the beautiful North Umpqua River with her husband, toddler twins, and a dog. | Email Tasha Thompson

Morgan joined Wild Salmon Center in 2023 and is based in Southcentral Alaska on Ahtna and Dena’ina homelands. Since coming to Alaska in 2020, Morgan has worked with Alaska Native communities across the state to conduct research on subsistence traditions. Her research included documenting Traditional Knowledge of salmon on the Lower Kuskowim River amid the salmon crisis and assessing the impact on subsistence ahead of a potential development project on Alaska’s North Slope.

Morgan’s family comes from Mid-coast Maine where she grew up surrounded by relatives exploring the oceans, lakes, and rocky coastal mountains. She worked several years as an expedition leader for wilderness education programs in New England before completing an MS in Environmental Studies at Antioch University with a focus in planning for climate change adaptation, mitigation, and resilience. She is an avid adventurer and can be found mountain biking, backcountry skiing, and, as the Alaskan days get shorter in December, sailing in Baja California Sur. | Email Morgan Urquia

Pic joined Wild Salmon Center in 2024 as a full-time employee, prior to which he was supporting fundraising and program development for WSC in British Columbia. Pic is the Founder of Spirit Bear Ventures, a boutique strategy-consulting firm that provides a range of services for nonprofits, social enterprises, and philanthropic clients in the fields of conservation, climate change, and environmental education. He was Alliance for Climate Education’s Executive Director and helped to launch the organization. Prior to leading ACE, he worked at Blu Skye, a strategic consulting firm that develops sustainable business strategies for Fortune 500 clients.

At the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Pic led various research and development efforts for the Environment Team. During his tenure at Moore Foundation, he co-developed the Wild Salmon Ecosystem Initiative, a $220+ million effort to improve the long-term sustainability of wild Pacific Salmon. Pic started his career teaching environmental studies and English at the Canterbury School in Connecticut and has recently taught as a visiting professor at Middlebury College.  He was born and raised in New England, and now raises his three kids – Zelle, Kacy, and Mac – in the hills of Northern California with his wife Heather. Pic holds a B.A. from Middlebury College and an M.B.A. in sustainable enterprise from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He is also a card-carrying member of Red Sox Nation. | Email Pic Walker

Mariah joined Wild Salmon Center in 2023. After studying mass communications and serving six years in the US Air Force as a broadcast journalist, she returned to the Pacific Northwest. She earned her bachelor’s at Washington State University majoring in Accounting, and brings four years of experience in private and public accounting. Mariah was raised camping and hiking all over the Northwest, and enjoys fishing for winter steelhead. When she’s not crunching numbers, she spends her free time rock climbing, trail running, and spending time with her chocolate lab. | Email Mariah Williams

Mitch Zuklie, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the law firm Orrick, is a seasoned business and legal advisor. He counsels innovative companies at all stages, as well as their founders, boards, advisors and investors, and has been named one of the top ten Most Innovative Lawyers in North America by Financial Times.

Mr. Zuklie serves on the board of Fisker Inc., as a Trustee of his alma mater Bowdoin College, and on the advisory board of and several non-profits dedicated to inclusion and innovation in the legal profession. He also serves as chairman of the board of Wild Salmon Center.

A passionate fly angler, Mitch has a lifelong interest in conservation. See our profile of Mitch Zuklie.

Ed Bowles was the Fish Division Administrator for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife from 2000 until his retirement in 2020. His oversight included an annual budget of approximately $90M administered through nine programs and over 850 employees. Ed spent the first half of his career with Idaho Department of Fish and Game as a research scientist, research supervisor and anadromous fish manager. Ed currently works part-time for ODFW and the State of Oregon on Columbia Basin salmon recovery. His ongoing efforts include working with federal, state and tribal sovereigns on the litigation stay extension associated with the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative and associated US Government commitments.

On the freshwater side, his accomplishments include developing and implementing key foundational policies for native fish conservation and hatchery management, lower Columbia River harvest reform, federal Endangered Species Act recovery planning, and helping ensure the Federal Columbia River Power System meets their fish conservation and recovery responsibilities. His leadership resulted in numerous legal and policy successes and continues to provide momentum towards restoration of a free-flowing lower Snake River. Ed’s science and policy leadership has also helped Oregon become an international leader on understanding and addressing climate change.

On the salty side, Ed’s accomplishments include leading Oregon’s effort to develop and implement a system of marine reserves and marine protected areas. His leadership also helped establish Oregon as a science and policy leader on ocean acidification and hypoxia associated with climate change. He also represented the west coast as an advisor to the Obama Administration on the National Ocean Policy, represented Oregon on the West Coast Ocean Alliance, and represented the Governor on the Ocean Policy Advisory Council. Ed was a long-standing member of the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission where he served as a Commissioner for Oregon.

Ed has graduate and undergraduate degrees in fisheries science from the University of Idaho and the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. In his free time, Ed enjoys foraging in coastal habitats, swinging flies in tidewater for Chinook, taking his wooden dory out for tuna, ocean coho and whale watching, and spending as much time as possible with his new granddaughter.

John W. Childs is the Chairman of J.W. Childs Associates, L.P., a private equity and special situation investment firm founded in 1995, currently focusing on life science, real estate and consumer brands investments.

Previously, Mr. Childs was Senior Managing Director of the Thomas H. Lee Company from 1987 to 1995, where he had broad responsibilities for originating, analyzing, negotiating, and managing leveraged buyout transactions, such as Snapple and General Nutrition Company.

Prior to that Mr. Childs held various executive positions in the investment area at the Prudential Insurance Company of America, ultimately serving as Senior Managing Director in charge of the Capital Markets Group. He is currently a Director of Realm, LLC, a premium Napa wine company, Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Pyramid Biosciences, OMAX Health, VeraDermics and Basin Holdings. Prior to their sale, he was Chairman of the Board of Kosta Browne, Sunny Delight and CHG Healthcare Services.

Mr. Childs is also on the board of Delta Waterfowl, Waterfowl Research Foundation and Wild Salmon Center, focusing on wildlife conservation. Mr. Childs has a B.A. from Yale University and a M.B.A. from Columbia University. See our profile of John Childs.

Jon is an early stage venture capitalist and co-founder of True Ventures. He has been in the venture capital business since 1991 and built three companies of his own. His first was Mountain Bike Outfitters, Inc., which he created at age 18. Jon started his venture career as an associate at Summit Partners and then joined Greenhouse, AOL’s venture capital investment group and incubator. He entered the internet market early by joining CMGI’s @Ventures group in 1996. Before founding True, Jon was a managing director at Globespan Capital Partners.

First as a founder and now as an investor in early-stage technology companies, Jon’s direct startup experience has allowed him to see the world through an entrepreneur’s eyes. Jon’s career has been driven by a deep belief in the power of human creativity to improve our world.

Jon received a bachelor’s degree in government from Dartmouth College and an MBA, with distinction, from Harvard Business School. He was recently the Chairman of the National Venture Capital Association. When he is not empowering the entrepreneurs of tomorrow, you can find him talking about airplanes or hanging out with his wife and four boys.

Amy Errett founded Madison Reed, named after her daughter, with over 30 years of business and operating expertise as a four-time entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and social mission visionary. In addition to being the founder and CEO of Madison Reed, Amy is also a Venture Partner at True Ventures, focusing on investments in consumer startups.

Prior to Madison Reed, Amy was a general partner at Maveron, a venture capital firm co-founded by former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, and Chief Asset Gathering Officer at E*TRADE. She has been featured on Fast Company’s Queer 50 list of LGBTQ women and nonbinary investors, Inc Magazine’s Female Founders 100 list, and was recently named an Entrepreneur Of The Year winner by Ernst & Young.

Amy currently serves as a board member of University of Connecticut Foundation, Madison Reed, Holey Grail Donuts, Wild Salmon Center, and is a member of San Francisco’s  Barbary Coast chapter of YPO.

Amy holds a Master of Business Administration from Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Liberal Arts from the University of Connecticut. She lives in the Bay Area with her wife, Clare, their Bernedoodle, and THE Madison Reed when back from college breaks.

Rick Halford is a lifelong Republican who served for nearly 25 years in the Alaska State Legislature. He retired as Senate President in 2003. He was an Alaska State House Representative from 1978-1982, and an Alaska State Senator from 1982-2002, during which time he served multiple terms as both Senate Majority Leader and President.

As a commercial bush pilot, he launched the Halford Guide Service and served as owner and operator of the Susitna Lodge and Flying Service. From 1968-1975 he was a member of the Alaska Air National Guard.

Former State Senate President Halford is well-respected for his role as a political leader in Alaska. And with about 10,000 hours in the air over Alaska as a commercial pilot and big game hunting guide, Mr. Halford has a 54-year view of Alaska’s incredible values in renewable and nonrenewable resources. He is an avid outdoorsman, and now spends his time working to protect Bristol Bay fisheries. He and his wife Rona have three daughters and three sons.

Loretta Keller began her San Francisco culinary career at Jeremiah Towers’ revolutionary Stars. She opened Bizou in 1993, and transformed the concept and menu in 2005 into COCO5OO, a San Francisco Chronicle “Top 100” restaurant. In 2009 she garnered a James Beard nomination for Best Chef California/Pacific region.

In 2008, Chef Keller partnered with Charles Phan of The Slanted Door to launch the Moss Room Restaurant and the Academy Cafe at the California Academy of Sciences. Since selling COCO5OO in 2014, she has focused on developing educational programs, such as through her partnership with the Exploratorium and SEAGLASS Restaurant. CUESA, Street Smart, Share Our Strength, Meals on Wheels, Food Runners, and Tibetan Aid are among her charity interests.

Chef Keller was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, raised in Los Angeles, and has a literature degree from the University of California Santa Cruz.  She has a lifelong passion for the natural world and enjoys fly fishing, hiking, hunting, and foraging. See our profile of Loretta Keller.

Multi award-winning writer/producer David E. Kelley is the mind behind some of America’s most groundbreaking and distinctive television dramas that address contemporary issues such as social justice, diversity, and privilege. He is the creator of the Emmy, Peabody and Golden Globe Award-winning shows “Big Little Lies”, “Boston Legal,” “The Practice,” and “Ally McBeal,” the critically acclaimed dramatic series “Boston Public,” “Chicago Hope,” and “Picket Fences.”

Before venturing into the world of entertainment, Kelley was an attorney practicing law in Boston. While still a lawyer, he wrote the feature film “From the Hip,” which earned the attention of “L.A. Law” co-creator Steven Bochco. He joined “L.A. Law” as a writer in 1986, quickly climbing the ranks to producer. Mr. Kelley has gone on to create over twenty television series, credited with writing over 500 episodes.

Born in Waterville, Maine, Kelley graduated from Princeton University in 1979, where he served as captain of the hockey team. He received his law degree from the Boston University School of Law in 1983. Kelley’s background in law has greatly influenced his storytelling and ability to create thought provoking television that resonates with viewers across the world. Kelley also has a large interest in wild fish conservation, which led him to found the sustainable aquaculture company Riverence, which has fourteen land-based trout and trout-egg farms across Idaho and Washington State.

Ray Lane is an American business executive specializing in technology innovation in data science, machine learning, foodtech and information strategies. Mr. Lane is best known for a “go to market” overhaul of Oracle Corporation in the 1990s, which led to a ten-fold increase in revenues and a 65X increase in market valuation. He is cited as being the catalyst for Oracle turnaround in the 1990s, establishing the platform for Oracle’s remarkable growth since then.

Mr. Lane is currently a Managing partner at GreatPoint Ventures, a firm he co-founded. GPV invests in early-stage technology companies innovating in Enterprise Data Strategies, Personal Wellness and Digital Health. He is also a partner emeritus at Kleiner Perkins, a venture capital firm in Silicon Valley where he was a Managing Partner for 14 years.

He has served as the chairman of the board of trustees at Carnegie Mellon University, and led the institution’s capital campaign to establish a Silicon Valley campus in 2002. He has also served as Chairman of the Hewlett Packard Corporation where he continues to serve on the board of HPE. Mr. Lane’s philanthropic interests include work in higher education, the Special Olympics and cancer research. See our profile of Ray Lane.

Dr. Nate Mantua leads the Salmon Ecology Team at NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center in Santa Cruz, California. From 1995-2012, Dr. Mantua worked at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he co-directed the Climate Impacts Group.

In 2000, Dr. Mantua received NOAA’s Presidential Early Career Award for his work on the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and its impacts on Pacific salmon. He has served on multiple national and international scientific advisory panels, including the Royal Society of Canada’s Expert Panel on Climate Change and Oceans, the National Research Council’s panel on Alaska Stellar Sea Lions and the Groundfish Fishery, and the Pacific Salmon Commission’s Fraser River Sockeye Panel.

Dr. Mantua grew up in Bodega Bay, California, earned a B.Sc. in atmospheric sciences from the University of California Davis, and a Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences from the University of Washington. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the Scripps Institute for Oceanography in a project focused on seasonal climate forecasting. His passion for the ocean, salmon, and steelhead guides his research, service, and recreation activities. See our profile of Nate Mantua.

Mike Overcast is the co-owner of the Tordrillo Mountain Lodge in Alaska. After 20 years of pioneering and guiding heli terrain, along with his extensive experience as a snow blaster, avalanche consultant, and wilderness guide, Mike Overcast has become regarded as an expert in anything that involves snow in Alaska, having guided skiers in Valdez, Girdwood, Seward, Hatcher Pass, and in the Tordrillo and Neacola Mountain ranges.

In addition to being an owner of Tordrillo Mountain Lodge, he was a founding partner of Chugach Powder Guides where he worked with some of the best avalanche experts in the industry including Dave Hamre and Frank Coffey.

Born and raised in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, he has been pioneering river corridors throughout Southcentral Alaska since 1992 when he and business partner Olympic ski racer, Tommy Moe, started their first outfitting business, guiding guests down some of the most difficult whitewater rivers in Alaska. Today, he splits his time between Jackson Hole and Tordrillo Mountain Lodge, spending winters skiing and boarding and summers fishing and running whitewater. Mike’s certifications are WFR, OEC, Level 3 Mechanized Heli ski guide, and BLS.

Under Mr. Rahr’s leadership, Wild Salmon Center has developed scientific research, habitat protection and fisheries improvement projects in dozens of rivers in Japan, the Russian Far East, Alaska, British Columbia and the US Pacific Northwest, raising over $200 million in grants, establishing fourteen new conservation organizations, and protecting 35.7 million acres of habitat including public lands management designations and ten new large scale habitat reserves on key salmon rivers across the Pacific Rim.

Mr. Rahr earned a BA in English Literature from the University of Oregon and an MA in Environmental Studies from Yale University. Before coming to the Wild Salmon Center, he developed conservation programs for Oregon Trout, the United Nations Development Programme, the Rainforest Alliance, and Conservation International. Mr. Rahr is a member of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Salmon Specialist Group, and is a passionate fly fisherman and fly tyer. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, Lee, and their three sons.

Dr. Mary Ruckelshaus is the director of the Natural Capital Project and a Senior Research faculty at Stanford University. She has also led the Ecosystem Science Program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle. Before that, she was an assistant professor of biological sciences at Florida State University. The main focus of her recent work is developing ecological models including estimates of the flow of ecosystem services and changes in human wellbeing under different management regimes around the world.

Dr. Ruckelshaus serves on the Wild Salmon Center Board, and the science council of The Nature Conservancy, and is a past trustee on its Washington Board and worldwide Board of Directors. She also has been a member of the United Nations’ High Level Panel on Building a Sustainable Ocean Economy, and is a past chair of the Science Advisory Board of the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis and of COMPASS. She was Chief Scientist for the Puget Sound Partnership—a public-private institution charged with achieving recovery of the Puget Sound terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems.

Dr. Ruckelshaus has a bachelor’s degree in human biology from Stanford University, a master’s degree in fisheries from the University of Washington, and a doctoral degree in botany, also from Washington. See our profile of Mary Ruckleshaus.

Joel Starlund/Sk’a’nism Tsa ‘Win’Giit, Executive Director, Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs, Wilp Wii Litsxw of the Lax Gibuu Clan with territory at Meziadin.

Joel has been a tireless leader dedicated to the GHCO for 13 years, with a remarkable track record of successful initiatives and completed projects that have positively impacted the lives of the Gitanyow Huwilp.

Joel’s commitment to preserving tradition and culture reflects a profound respect for Gitanyow’s rich heritage. He advocates for the community’s rights and well-being, ensuring that all levels of government hear Gitanyow’s concerns and that future generations are protected.

Joel is an avid hunter, fisher, trapper, and loves playing and watching sports.

Rhea Suh is the president and CEO of the Marin Community Foundation (MCF), applying her full breadth of philanthropic, environmental and public policy experience to help enhance the northern California community’s quality of life.

Before joining MCF, Rhea served as the president of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), where she helped the organization grow by more than $50 million and led the creation of a new ten-year strategic plan. From 2009-2015 she served as the Assistant Secretary for policy, management, and budget at the U.S. Department of the Interior under the Obama administration, where she led several cross-cutting initiatives on federal land conservation, climate adaptation, international affairs, and youth programs.

Prior to her appointment to the Interior Department, Rhea created and managed a $200 million program dedicated to conservation and clean energy in her role as a program officer for the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Rhea developed similarly far-reaching programs at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, where she designed the foundation’s clean energy and climate change initiatives and led the effort to create the Great Bear Rainforest – one of the most successful land-protection campaigns in North America.

Rhea earned her bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Barnard College and received a Fulbright Fellowship to research environmental movements in Seoul. She returned to the States and earned a master’s degree in education, administration, planning, and social policy from Harvard University.

With her expertise in environmental and public health solutions, Suh is a media commentator making frequent appearances in the New York Times, Washington Post, MSNBC, NPR, and other outlets.

Rhea was born in Boulder, Colorado and spent much of her childhood camping, fishing, and hiking. She is an avid fly-fisher and “marginal” duck-hunter.

Read our profile of Jonathan Armstrong here.

Read our profile of Stephanie Carlson here.

Ken Morrish has worked within the fly fishing industry for the past 30 years. Starting out as a guide in Alaska, Oregon, and California, Ken has taught fly fishing, managed fly shops, and is widely known as a fly designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants. Ken is an accomplished writer and photographer whose work has appeared in Patagonia, Outside, Fly Fisherman, Wild Steelhead and Salmon, and other popular publications. Ken’s images have also appeared in dozens of books including Lani Waller’s A Steelheader’s Way.

In 1999 Ken started Fly Water Travel, a fly fishing travel company specializing in international angling destinations. Ken runs the company with his business partner Brian Gies and serves as their Director of Travel Sales, their primary photographer and catalog copywriter. Ken is also a dedicated environmentalist whose primary focus is on the cold water fisheries of the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. Ken lives in Ashland Oregon with his wife Mia and his children Max and Lilli.

Learn more about Fly Water Travel.

Kate grew up in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia but found her calling as a salmon fisherman in the wilderness of Washington. In 2008, she began guiding in Bristol Bay, AK for all five species of salmon, rainbow trout, char and dolly varden, and in 2010 began guiding winter steelhead trips in coastal Oregon. Kate and her husband Justin co-own Frigate Travel, which specializes mostly in all-inclusive guide experiences in Oregon and Alaska. She is a brand ambassador for Patagonia, Loop Tackle, Costa, Fishpond, and Rising Tools. Kate is also an environmental activist, a member of Rockaway Beach Citizens for Watershed Protection, and an advocate for reforming Oregon’s harmful private lands logging practices.

Learn more about Frigate Travel.

Jeff taught himself to fly fish at a young age. Growing up in a lodge on Mt. Hood that he helped his mom manage, he learned hospitality early. He saved up his housekeeping wages to buy his first Spey rod at age 12. Hitchhiking to the river before and after school, Jeff was doomed to a life of fishing addiction. This led to fly shop employment, guiding in Oregon and Alaska, and even managing a bonefishing lodge in the Bahamas.

Jeff has been guiding since 2002 and now owns and operates Fish The Swing, a fly fishing guide/outfitter service specializing in two-handed rod fly fishing for steelhead. Fish The Swing is the parent company under which he also owns and operates a jet boat tent camp on the Deschutes River, Winter steelhead lodges on the Clackamas and Oregon Coast rivers, as well as Kimsquit Bay Lodge on the Dean River in British Columbia.

Jeff is a passionate conservationist and with his extensive time spent on the water has gained a unique knowledge of these rivers, the fish that inhabit them, and the conservation challenges they face.

Learn more about Fish the Swing.

Billy and his family have been an integral part of the Lower Dean River Lodge (LDRL) since his father founded the lodge in the mid-sixties. He is active in the protection of the Dean watershed and has assisted scientists with many salmon, steelhead and wildlife research studies throughout BC’s central coast, providing transportation, enumeration and collection services. Through his efforts, LDRL has supported Nuxalk’s SEAS program for the last five years. As a key stakeholder on the Dean River, he has been an important member of The Dean River Advisory Committee for 20 years. Billy’s in-depth knowledge of the central coast’s wild salmon and steelhead runs comes from a life spent exploring its many marine channels and rivers.

Learn more about the Lower Dean Lodge.

Dan is an owner, manager, chief bottle washer, poet, philosopher, humorist (bad) and visionary at the multi-award-winning and Orvis Endorsed Crystal Creek Lodge – a top tier fly-out lodge in Bristol Bay that features guided fishing, bird hunting, and wildlife viewing adventures.

Dan’s personal mission statement is: “I am the possibility of inspiration through hospitality, adventure, and interaction with nature”.  He oversees operations at Crystal Creek Lodge, hosts guests, flies one of the bush aircraft, and guides guests at the lodge, too. Dan is originally from Minnesota, where he lived the outdoor life from a young age and obtained his college degree from the University of Minnesota. He helped build the original Crystal Creek Lodge in 1988 and at that time began guiding in the Bristol Bay region. He purchased the lodge in 1995 and has managed it since. Dan says, “What originally began as a summer adventure has become a life’s work” – a mindset that shines through in his passionate support for the protection of Bristol Bay from the proposed Pebble Mine.

Dan is married to Lynnette Michels, and when they are not overland traveling live in Wasilla, Alaska during the off-season.

Learn more about Crystal Creek Lodge.

April Vokey began fishing as a toddler. After discovering a passion for fly fishing in her late teens, she soon dedicated her entire life to the pursuit. April began her guiding career on the Fraser and Harrison in British Columbia but left in 2007 to found her own guiding operation, Fly Gal Ventures.  She has since established herself as a respected authority in the sport and has traveled the globe in pursuit of gamefish on a fly rod.

April’s writing has appeared in Fly Fisherman, Outside, Fly Rod & Reel, and Fly Fusion magazines. She is in the process of authoring her first book. April has also been featured on the Outdoor Channel, 60 Minutes Sports, the Discovery Channel, and WFN’s Fly Nation TV. Most recently, April wrote and hosted her own series, ShoreLines with April Vokey, focusing on fly-fishing’s rich history and diverse characters.  She has since branched out with her podcast, Anchored with April Vokey, to archive stories from some of fly-fishing’s most influential people.

For the last eight years, April has split her time between northern B.C. and Australia to be with her family and pursue her passion for saltwater species. She is a FFF certified casting instructor, a fly-tying instructor, traveling speaker and an eternal student of life, love, and conservation.

Learn more about Fly Gal Ventures.