Western Water Project - Staff Directory

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Scott Yates, Director
321 E Main St #411
Bozeman, MT 59715
(406) 522-7291

Scott Yates began working for Trout Unlimited in 1997.  His tenure with TU has included work in the Pacific Northwest on salmon and steelhead issues, the Rocky Mountains on native trout issues, and Idaho and Wyoming for stream flows.  He left TU briefly in 2005 to work for Portland General Electric as the License Manager for the 350 megawatt Pelton-Round Butte Project on the Deschutes River. Scott has an undergraduate degree from Willamette University and a law degree and environmental and natural resource law certificate from Lewis & Clark's Northwestern School of Law.

Randy Scholfield, Communications Director
(303) 440-2937

Randy previously was an editorial writer and columnist for The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, where he wrote frequently on environmental and water issues. As a community outreach coordinator for the Great Plains Earth Institute, a small nonprofit environmental group in Wichita, he helped start community gardening and environmental education projects. He has also worked as a freelance writer and taught English and writing at the high school and college levels. Randy has a B.A. in English from the University of Iowa and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Kansas. In his free time, he enjoys outdoors activities with his wife and two children and pursues a lifelong passion for travel and fly-fishing in the West.

Russ Schnitzer, Agriculture Policy Advisor
(970) 309-0285

Russ Schnitzer is now in his second tour of duty with Trout Unlimited, having previously been on staff with Volunteer Operations and the Sportsmans Conservation Project heading up abandoned mineland reclamation projects between 2000 and 2006. During his "sabbatical," Russ worked for The Nature Conservancy as part of Colorado's fundraising team, and, most recently, as Director of External Affairs for the Wyoming office. He is now part of the Western Water Project, advising on agricultural policy - including the Farm Bill - with an emphasis on the Colorado River Basin. In addition to fly fishing and fly tying, he also enjoys hunting, cycling, running, firewooding, firearms, and adventures with his wife Kelly and their two dogs. He also moonlights as a professional outdoor photographer, and his work can be frequently seen in various fly fishing publications and product catalogs. Russ is a graduate of the University of Idaho.

David Stillwell, Program Coordinator
(303) 827-5625

David came to TU from Boulder's Naropa University, where he was the Director of Academic Affairs. He has 12 years of experience in a non-profit environment. He received his BA in English from Bethany College, West Virginia and his MFA in Creative Writing from Naropa University's Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics. 

Kate Miller, Western Energy and Water Counsel
(503) 827-5700 x 16

Kate began working for TU as an intern in the summer of 2004 and joined the Oregon staff full time in 2005 working as legal analyst focusing on issues affecting salmon and steelhead in the Pacific Northwest.  Kate is a graduate of Tulane University Law School where she received a certificate of study in environmental law and was a student attorney in the Environmental Law Clinic.  Born and Raised up the coast in Tulalip, Washington, Kate worked as an attorney in her home state prior to joining TU. 

California

Brian J. Johnson, California Director
2239 5th Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 528-4772

Brian J. Johnson manages TU's California Water Project, where he works to reform state water law and to promote scientifically sound stream flows for trout and salmon. He came to TU after five years at Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger, a public interest law firm where he represented community groups in battles to protect waterways and other natural resources. Before law school Brian was the Communications Director at the White House environmental office from 1993-97, and the co-creator and manager of EPA's first "Energy Star" initiative for energy efficient computers from 1991-93. Brian grew up in Iowa and graduated from Duke University and Stanford Law School. He and his wife Debbie are busy introducing their toddler son Leo to the great outdoors.

Mary Ann King, Stewardship Coordinator
(510) 649-9987

Mary Ann is responsible coordinating landowner participation in TU's cooperative initiatives to improve instream flows and water supply reliability in California-- Water and Wine and Streamflow Stewardship.  Before coming to TU, she worked at Recreational Equipment, Inc. She received her M.S. in Environmental Science, Policy and Management at the University of California, Berkeley. She has written extensively on water and natural resources law and policy and has been published by the MIT Press and the Harvard Environmental Law Review. She received her B.A. in Political Science, also from UC Berkeley. She is an avid hiker, backpacker and road cyclist.

Brad Daniels, Staff Attorney
(510) 647-9311

Brad Daniels works at the state level to reform water law and improve management of water supplies, and manages cooperative projects with farmers and other landowners to improve streamflows and water supply reliability. Prior to joining Trout Unlimited, Brad was a practicing environmental attorney in Chicago, Illinois, where he worked on issues pertaining to nearly every major federal and state environmental regulation. Before attending law school, he worked for a number of years as a civil engineer in land development projects in the San Francisco Bay Area Brad is licensed to practice law in California and Illinois and is a Registered Civil Engineer in California. He attended the University of California Hastings College of the Law where he was Editor-in-Chief of the West-Northwest Journal of Environmental Law & Policy. Brad graduated from Stanford with a BS in Geological & Environmental Science and Civil & Environmental Engineering. He strives to be outside enjoying California's various landscapes and waterways whenever possible.

Colorado

Drew Peternell, Colorado Director
1536 Wynkoop Street, Suite 100
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 440-2937

Drew directs Trout Unlimited's Colorado Water Project, the mission of which is to maintain and restore Colorado's rivers and creeks in order to sustain healthy coldwater fisheries. The Colorado Water Project often partners with irrigators on cooperative projects that create mutual benefits for coldwater fish and agricultural operations. Drew oversees these projects, and he works regularly with water rights holders and landowners, state and federal agencies, and the Colorado General Assembly. As an attorney for TU, Drew litigated a number of cases benefiting Colorado's trout populations, including litigation resulting in in-stream flow water rights for the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and litigation limiting public utilities' water diversions from streams. Drew holds a B.A. in political science from Vanderbilt University and a J.D. and Certificate of Specialization in Environmental Law from the University of California, Berkeley. When not working to protect Colorado's waterways, Drew spends much of his time with a fly rod in pursuit of trout.

Rob Firth, Colorado River Headwaters Project Coordinator
(970) 531-3939

Rob joined TU after a 25-year career with the Colorado Division of Wildlife. While at the CDOW he held the positions of district wildlife manager, area wildlife manager and finally chief of law enforcement at the time of his retirement. Having worked for much of his professional wildlife management career in the Upper Colorado, Rob brings a great deal of perspective, familiarity and experience to help conserve and manage these incredible natural resources. Rob lives in Hot Sulphur Springs, along with his lovely wife of 32 years, Julie. He is an enthusiastic and avid outdoorsman and when not actively involved with working on behalf of the resource, he can often be found somewhere out in the more untamed reaches of it - hunting, fishing or hiking.

Amelia (Mely) Whiting, Staff Attorney 
(720) 470-4758

Mely brings experience and perspective to her job, having spent her legal career representing a broad range of interests -including local, state and federal government, agriculture, the private sector, and other non-profit organizations- in public lands, environmental and water matters. She has also taught environmental law courses to undergraduate students. Mely graduated with a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Utah in 1989. Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Mely moved to the United States in 1981.

Brian Hodge, Yampa/White Basin Project Coordinator
(970) 846-0414

Brian will be working with local partners to plan and implement on-the-ground projects that benefit fisheries and landowners simultaneously. To this task, he brings experience in the field of aquatic biology, as well as experience working with private landowners and irrigators. Prior to joining TU, Brian worked for the California Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, where he led a multi-year study of steelhead/rainbow trout in the lower Klamath River Basin. Before that, Brian accrued experience working with the U.S. Forest Service, Cooperative Extension, and a localized watershed group. He holds a B.S. in Hydrobiology from the University of California at Davis, and holds a M.S. in Natural Resources: Fisheries from Humboldt State University. When he's not working, Brian might be found fishing, hunting, or skiing.

Cary Denison, Gunnison Basin Project Coordinator
(970) 596-3291

Cary works for Trout Unlimited’s Colorado Water Project in the Gunnison Basin. His focus is on working with land and water rights owners, state and federal agencies and local TU chapters to develop on-the-ground stream reconnection and restoration projects. Cary, a graduate of Colorado State University, was raised in the North Fork Gunnison River valley where he worked on farms and ranches and gained valuable knowledge about water use and conservation. He later worked as a water commissioner from 2001 to 2006. After working for the State of Colorado, Cary owned and operated a water and land consulting firm where he managed numerous river improvement, restoration, and water diversion projects. In addition to his work in the water resources field, Cary is an avid rafter and fly fisherman, and he has been a member of the Gunnison Basin Roundtable since 2008.

Richard Van Gytenbeek, Colorado River Basin Organizer
(307) 690-1267

As Trout Unlimited's Colorado River Basin Organizer, Richard is responsible for enlisting support for healthy river flows in the Colorado River Basin from local agricultural interests, sportsman groups and river dependent businesses. Richard is educated as a Fisheries Biologist (BS - Humboldt State Univ.) and as a Landscape Architect (MLA - Univ. Colorado at Denver). He practiced as a licensed LA in Jackson, Wyoming for 27 years specializing in rural planning, stream restoration and wetland design. While in Jackson he was a long time planning commissioner for Teton County and spent six years as a board member for the Jackson Hole Land Trust. Originally from Colorado, Richard and his wife Jane located in Grand Junction to be close to the mountains and deserts where they enjoy trail running, biking, skiing and trying to keep water out of their 40 year old drift boat.

Jesse Kruthaupt, Upper Gunnison Project Specialist
(970) 209-0976

Jesse comes from a background of recreation and agriculture. Jesse, his wife, and two sons live and help run their family's cattle ranch along the Tomichi Creek east of Gunnison, CO. For much of his life he has been involved in various aspects of agriculture, and has focused the last 7 years on developing strategies to manage their property to ensure a sustainable future. Jesse graduated from Western State College with a BS in Therapeutic Recreation; he worked during his college years for the BLM in Western Colorado on the Gunnison River below the Black Canyon, the San Miguel, Escalante, and Dolores. After getting his degree he worked for a nonprofit to develop and facilitate recreation activities for individuals with disabilities. Jesse has been fortunate to be able to envision how healthy rivers, agriculture, and recreation can work together.

Idaho

Kim Goodman Trotter, Idaho Director
151 North Ridge Ave, Ste 120
Idaho Falls, ID  83402
(208) 552-0891 ext. 712

Kim Goodman Trotter is the director of the Idaho Water Project, a statewide effort to find creative ways to enhance and protect fisheries and instream flows.  Before coming to TU, Kim was a nonprofit consultant for organizations throughout the Greater Yellowstone area, and was a land protection specialist with the Teton Regional Land Trust.  Kim has worked with many conservation organizations throughout Idaho, and completed her graduate work in central Idaho with the Nature Conservancy.  Kim was raised in eastern Idaho and has a BS in biology from University of Puget Sound and a Masters of Environmental Management in Resource Ecology from Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences.  Living at the base of the Tetons with her husband and pets, she hikes, backcountry skis, cycles, and travels whenever possible.

Peter Anderson, Staff Attorney
(208) 345-9800

Peter has 23 years of water law experience, having worked as a deputy attorney general for the Washington and Idaho water resource agencies and having been a hearing officer deciding water rights cases for the Idaho Departments of Water Resources and Environmental Quality.   His varied career has also included stints as a commercial real estate attorney and a deputy prosecuting attorney.  He graduated from Whitman College with a degree in political science and from the University of Michigan Law School.

Jerry Myers, Upper Salmon Project Manager

Jerry works with water users, agencies and other interested parties to enhance instream flows and improve coldwater habitats in central Idaho. An Idaho farming and ranching native with 33 years of river and fishing guide experience on 2 of Idaho's premier wilderness rivers, the Salmon and Middle Fork Salmon, Jerry has served as vice president of the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association and served 10 years on the Board of Directors of IOGA. Jerry also served for 10 years on the Board of Directors of Idaho Rivers United, Idaho's largest river conservation organization, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Salmon Valley Stewardship, a nonprofit citizen organization promoting sustainable use of local natural resources. Jerry and wife, Terry, live just off the Salmon River near North Fork and manage Indian Creek Ranch.

R. Chad Chorney, Southern Idaho Project Manager
(208) 420-4096

Chad was hired in the fall of 2011 to initiate and coordinate stream habitat and flow restoration projects in Southern Idaho, with a particular focus on the Portneuf River watershed. Prior to coming to TU, Chad was employed by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, where he developed solid relationships with state and federal agencies. At TU, Chad will partner with those agencies, along with private landowners, to protect, re-connect, restore, and sustain native trout fisheries. Chad received a B.S. in Fisheries Biology from Mansfield University in Pennsylvania, and has been a professional fly fishing guide in Idaho's Wood River Valley. In addition to a passion for fly fishing, Chad is an avid photographer and spends the fall bird hunting with his English setter, River.

Montana

Laura Ziemer, Montana Director
321 E Main St #411
Bozeman MT  59715
(406) 522-7291

Laura Ziemer opened the Montana Water Project office for Trout Unlimited in August of 1998. In Montana, Mrs. Ziemer has expanded Trout Unlimited's water leasing program through legislative improvements to the program as well as completing a number of stream restoration projects by converting irrigation water rights to instream flow rights. Before joining Trout Unlimited, Mrs. Ziemer had been practicing public-interest environmental law since 1993 as an attorney with the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund (now Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund) out of Seattle, Washington and later in Bozeman, Montana. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan, graduating cum laude from the Law School while earning a Master's Degree in Resource Ecology with honors from the School of Natural Resources.

Stan Bradshaw, Staff Attorney
(406) 449-9922

Stan has been an attorney for the Montana Water Project since May 2001.  In his position, he works on a variety of instream flow initiatives. Previously, Stan was the Resource Director for Montana Trout Unlimited, where he was responsible for working with various state agencies on resource issues related to cold-water fisheries, with a heavy emphasis on instream flows. From 1976 to 1979 he worked for the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences on subdivision and water quality issues.  From 1981 through 1986 he worked for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, where he was Chief Counsel. As part of his duties at MDFWP, he was actively involved in the statewide water rights adjudication and stream access litigation. In addition to his conservation work, Stan was a principal in Greycliff Publishing with his wife Glenda and the late Gary LaFontaine. When he's not talking water with ranchers or anyone else who will listen, he spends as much time as he can on water, in one form or other--he is an accomplished whitewater canoeist, enthusiastic fly fisherman, and an avid skier.

Utah

Tim Hawkes, Utah Director
443 S 225 E
Centerville, UT 84014
(801) 294-5624

Tim Hawkes started working for Trout Unlimited in 2004, where he immediately began work on a bill to give Trout Unlimited the freedom to work directly with farmers and ranchers and lease water to protect stream flows.  The bill, passed by the Utah legislature in March of 2008, marks the first significant change to Utah's instream flow law in over 20 years.  Currently, Tim and his team are working to identify and implement cooperative projects to demonstrate how the new legislation can benefit sportsmen and agricultural producers alike.  Before coming to TU, Tim spent several years in private practice in Washington, D.C. and Tokyo, Japan.  He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Brigham Young University and a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law.
 

Paul Burnett, Coordinator, Weber River Native Fish Program
(801) 781-7180

Paul Burnett serves as TU’s Coordinator in the Weber River Native Fish Program. Before coming to TU, Paul worked for 8 years at the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources as a Habitat Restoration Biologist and Cutthroat Trout Conservation Biologist. Paul received a BS in Ecology from Idaho State University in 1999 and a MS in Fisheries Biology from Utah State University in 2003. He has extensive experience in stream restoration and fish passage design. Paul also serves as the GMU leader for Northern Bonneville Cutthroat Trout conservation team and manages the Bonneville cutthroat trout Status Assessment Database.

Philip Jensen, Field Coordinator
(435) 671-0027

Philip joined the Western Water Project after Trout Unlimited spearheaded the passage of Utah's landmark legislation allowing the leasing of water to enhance the state's fisheries. He is working with Utah's water community to show that instream water leasing can benefit not only fish and anglers, but also farmers, ranchers, and rural communities in Utah. Philip grew up in Utah, worked as a wilderness survival counselor in the Escalante area, and spent four summers leading whitewater rafting trips on the Colorado and Green Rivers. He earned a B.S. from Brigham Young University and a J.D. from the University of Southern California Law School. Prior to joining TU Philip practiced law in the non-profit sector.

Washington

Lisa Pelly, Washington Director
Washington Water Project
103 Palouse
Suite 14
Wenatchee, WA 98801
Phone: (509) 888-0970

Lisa Pelly, director of Washington Water Project for Trout Unlimited, has over two decades of experience working collaboratively on water and natural resource issues. She serves on the boards of Columbia River Advisory Group, Washington Environmental Council and Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition. Past experience includes serving on the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, a Governor appointed position representing hunting, fishing and conservation organizations to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department. Lisa attended both the University of San Diego, California and the University of Washington in Seattle.  She has extensive experience completing innovative instream flow transactions working with water right holders, tribes, governmental agencies and others to enhance stream flows in Washington State.

Aaron Penvose, Project Manager
(509) 881-7689

Aaron has worked on Pacific Northwest fisheries issues for the last 10 years in the public and private sectors, with experience ranging from field work in wilderness areas to project management and consulting. For TU he works with landowners, water right holders and agencies across the Upper Columbia Region, in North Central Washington to promote water conservation and improved instream flow. Aaron has a B.S. degree in geology from the University of Montana and serves on the board of the Upper Columbia Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group. Aaron spends his spare time fishing and hunting, with his spaniel.

Jeri Timm, Project Manager, Salmon Safe Coordinator
(509) 881-7690

Jeri Timm is a Washington native. She grew up in the Okanogan Valley and has been immersed in agriculture activities her entire life. She earned a B.S. degree in biology from Whitworth University and gained a passion for working with fish after completing an internship at a Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife fish hatchery. Her post college career began by working for the Okanogan County Planning Department where she obtained valuable knowledge in environmental law. She also has experience working for the United States Forest Service on projects including forestry and rangeland conservation. Jeri enjoys fishing and ranching activities.

Jason M. Hatch, Project Manager
(509) 888-0970

Jason began working for Trout Unlimited Washington Water Project in January of 2011. He received a BA in Political Science from the University of California at Santa Barbara and a M.S. in Water Resource Policy and Management from Oregon State University. He brings to TU more than 20 years of public interest experience, including work with the California League of California Voters, Friends of the River and a graduate project studying the social impacts of small dam removal on the Sprague River, Klamath County, Oregon. He was raised in the Six Rivers region of Northern California and enjoys fly-fishing, snow-shoeing, running and kayaking coastal bays and estuaries.

Wyoming

Cory Toye, Wyoming Director
250 N First St .
PO Box 64
Lander, WY 82520
(307) 332-7700 x 14

Cory Toye has worked for TU since the fall of 2007 and is currently the Director of the Wyoming Water Project. Cory is a Wyoming native and lives in Pavillion, WY with his wife Morgan, new born baby Joe and a variety of pets. When not working to reconnect and restore trout habitat with private landowners, he enjoys spending time with his friends and family in big, wonderful Wyoming.

Jeff Streeter, Project Manager, North Platte River Water
(307) 332-7700

Jeff joined TU after serving as a consultant to the TU North Platte River Fishery Conservation Assessment Project.  After receiving a B.A. from Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, he began guiding on the North Platte and Encampment Rivers in south central Wyoming.  He was the Old Baldy Club Streams and Outdoor Recreation Manager for twenty-seven years.  Jeff brings to TU an intimate knowledge of the Upper North Platte and its tributaries, and an understanding of the Valley's people and land and water use practices.  He teaches fly fishing and cross country skiing for Western Wyoming Community College and provides workshops and casting clinics to local youth groups.  Jeff has participated in a number of fly fishing instructional TV spots for both PBS and OLN.  An avid whitewater boater, he has been a trip leader on many of the West's most challenging rivers.

Nick Walrath, Project Manager, Green River
(307) 532-0753

Before serving as a consultant for TU in the upper Green River Nick worked for the Wyoming Game and Fish and throughout the state on a number of fisheries projects. He has also been a volunteer for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Park. On these projects Nick worked with trout and other native fish. Nick is a graduate from the University of Wyoming with a B.S. degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Management. As a native from Wyoming he is familiar with the ranching and farming communities. For TU he is working to identify on-the-ground projects on public and private land within the upper Green River basin. When not working, Nick could be found floating down a western river, skiing, or hunting.

Tommy Thompson, Bighorn Basin Project Manager
(307) 250-7339

Combining his professional background as a biologist with his younger years spent working on his family's alfalfa farm, Tommy has the ability to bridge cutting-edge conservation and traditional agriculture. He puts his skills to work for TU in Cody, and fiercely defends his claim that he has the best job in the best town in Wyoming. He is a Rocky Mountain native, a graduate of the University of Montana, an ardent hunter, and has rafted and kayaked thousands of river miles in search of trout, salmon, and whitewater. When he's not rowing, paddling, casting, or shooting, he can be found enjoying time with his brilliant wife and two small children.

Katie Jo Becker, Wyoming Water Project Program Assistant
(307) 856-1570

With over 15 years of office experience, Katie, keeps the field staff of the WWP current in all aspects of their numerous on-the-ground projects in the State of Wyoming. As a 12 year employee of First American Title Company, she has searched real estate and done escrow closing for some of the biggest farms and ranches in Southeast Idaho. An ag-business graduate of Ricks College, Katie has a deep appreciation of the agriculture industries and the Rocky Mountain outdoor lifestyle.

Now living in the Wind river mountains of Wyoming and working for Trout Unlimited, is where you will find Katie helping her husband on the ranch, riding, and enjoying outdoor activities with their three beautiful daughters.