Lissa Adams
CFO & Grants Manager
Lissa came on staff as the CFO and Grants Manager in 2008. She earned her B.S. in Accounting at the University of Denver in 1983, and went on to study computers and management at San Diego State University's M.S. Program in Information and Decision systems. Lissa has worked in the nonprofit sector since 1995 in a variety of program and financial capacities. She has served on the boards of a number of community organizations as well as volunteering her time to create a more equitable and sustainable society. When not working or volunteering at one of her many "amazing" organizations, she loves to hike, bicycle, and putter in the garden.
503-935-5353
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Call me about:
Grants and cost share programs
Chris Aldassy
Conservation Technician
Chris grew up exploring Oregon's wild places where he developed a love and sense of stewardship for the natural world. He received a degree in Environmental Science in 2000 and promptly went to the tropics to study in the one of the worlds hotspots of biologic diversity in the equatorial Amazon. Upon returning stateside he began guiding wilderness river trips. Soon local natural resource issues began to burden the areas he cherished. It was his motivation to create positive change in the world that led him to The Nature Conservancy and then ultimately to EMSWCD in 2007. His sense of adventure and knowledge of native plant communities and noxious weeds fit him perfectly in his role working on invasive species and streamside restoration projects.
503-935-5372
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Call me about:
Weeds, Restoration
Dave Bowman
Conservation Technician
Dave provides practical how-to options for real-world solutions. His technical assistance in finding cost effective, labor efficient conservation choices can help you onto the winning side of the "do it right, do it once; do it wrong, do it twice" experience.
Dave was raised on a diversified Willamette Valley commercial farm which produced fruit, seed, xmas tree, livestock, and forage crops and has many years of experience in excavation, land clearing/logging, construction, and environmental restoration.
503-935-5361
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Call me about:
Mud and manure,weeds,fencing, erosion, crops and trees, equipment/machinery selection and operation
Julie DiLeone
Conservation Technical Assistance Program Supervisor
Julie has been with the EMSWCD since 2001. Her work with the district includes providing agricultural landowners with information about conservation practices, with a focus on water quality. Julie has expertise in the use of native plants, erosion prevention, and weed control. Prior to joining the district she worked as a researcher with the USDA focusing on wine grapes, berries, hops, and nursery crops. Her work at Oregon State University focused on diagnostics, tree fruits, berries, and wheat. During college, she worked at a nursery, coordinating their integrated pest management program and assisting with propagation, plant maintenance, harvest, and sales.
503-935-5360
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Call me about:
Scheduling a site visit, cost share, noxious weed control, nutrient management, streamside areas, and erosion prevention/control
Jean Fike
Executive Director
Jean has been with the District since 2005. She works closely with our Board of Directors to set, implement and monitor the strategic direction of the District's work. She is responsible for District operations including personnel, legal and policy matters, planning and the budget. Most recently she has led the financing, purchase, rezoning and renovation of the District's new headquarters at 5211 North Williams Avenue in Portland.
Prior to joining the District, Jean managed Pennsylvania's Natural Heritage Program and served as Section Chief for Ecological Services in the DCNR Bureau of Forestry. In that role she led bioreserve design on over 2.2 million acres of public land, oversaw the ginseng program, wildlife management on DCNR land and the state's native plant program. A plant ecologist by training, she is the author of Terrestrial and Palustrine Natural Communities of Pennsylvania, 1999.
503-935-5352
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Call me about:
Partnership opportunities, personnel matters, District strategic plan and budget, legal or policy matters, interest in serving on our Board of Directors, Budget Advisory Group or on one of our committees
Aaron Guffey
Conservation Technician
Aaron has been with the District since 2006. He offers site visits to rural landowners to address their conservation concerns and recommend solutions. Aaron obtained a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Iowa, after which he managed the construction of water systems in the Peace Corps. Prior to joining the District he worked on a small farm.
503-935-5362
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Call me about:
Weeds, mud and manure, pasture management, streamside areas, erosion
Francine Martin
Administrative Assistant
Francine came to EMSWCD in 2011, having worked in various capacities in the public, private and non-profit sectors, most recently in the advertising and creative services industry. She is very pleased to be back in an environment where making a positive difference in our world is key. Francine has a BA in English and an MS in Health Education.
503-222-7645
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Call me about:
General District information, facilities
Laurel MacMillan
Grants Specialist
Laurel joined EMSWCD in 2012 as Grants Specialist, providing additional capacity in administering the District's grants programs. Laurel has twelve years of professional experience in community building and outreach, working across various sectors and audiences. From arts to conservation, leadership development to food security, Laurel has increased community vitality across rural Oregon as well as the greater Portland area.
Prior to joining EMSWCD, she managed the Community Building programs at the Community Food Security Coalition and was the Economic Vitality Program Manager at Rural Development Initiatives. Previous government experience includes managing the Arts Builds Community and Arts Services grants programs for the Oregon Arts Commission and managing economic development programs at the Portland Development Commission and City of Gresham. Laurel also served in AmeriCorps, through Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE), a University of Oregon program. In her free time, Laurel enjoys exploring and photographing the rivers, lakes, beaches and deserts of the Pacific Northwest, testing new restaurants in Portland, and when time allows, seeking out cultural adventures abroad.
503-935-5370
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Call me about:
Grant opportunities, assistance with grant applications, grant payments and final reports.
Rick McMonagle
Land Conservation Program Specialist
Rick McMonagle is an experienced land and water conservationist having served as the first Executive Director of the Friends of the Mississippi River in St. Paul, Minnesota and at the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust in River Falls, Wisconsin before moving to Oregon in 2008. He worked as the Director of Development and Communications at the McKenzie River Trust in Eugene, Oregon from 2008 to 2010. He is the father of two amazing daughters and has lived in rural and urban places and enjoys both. He is a published poet, enjoys hiking, gardening, carpentry, kayaking, cooking and hot springs
503-935-5374
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Call me about:
Land conservation projects
Katie Meckes
Outreach Coordinator
Katie came to EMSWCD in 2008. She coordinates and promotes educational workshops and special events such as the Annual Native Plant Sale and Naturescaped Yards Tour. She is your go-to person if you are interested in attending or hosting a workshop, or brainstorming new and creative ways to promote programs.
Katie's love for clean water began as a youngster while swimming in and exploring Minnesota's many lakes, shorelines, marshes & wetlands. For the past 15 years she has enjoyed fostering her appreciation for nature by working to create a positive impact locally through natural area restoration work, environmental education program development, and ultimately through community outreach.
503-935-5368
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Call me about:
Hosting or scheduling a workshop, workshop registration
Lucas Nipp
Conservation Technician
Lucas has been with EMSWCD since 2007. He works on large-scale noxious weed control projects in rural East Multnomah County, primarily focusing on control of garlic mustard in the Columbia River Gorge and watershed-based knotweed control. He also leads field efforts to restore native vegetation along Beaver Creek as a part of our StreamCare program. Another exciting program Lucas is involved in includes working with partnering groups on developing an "Early Detection and Rapid Response" program to prevent new weeds from gaining a foothold in the region. Lucas received a degree in Environmental Science and Biology from the University of Oregon and prior to working for the district performed marine research on the Oregon coast.
503-935-5363
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Call me about:
Weed control and streamside areas
Kathy Shearin
Sustainable Urban Landscapes Program Supervisor
Kathy has been with EMSWCD since 2002. She is the program supervisor for the Sustainable Urban Landscapes Program, best known for their Naturescaping and Rain garden workshops. Kathy has degrees in Sociology and in Plant, Soil and Insect Ecology.
Prior to her position with the Soil and Water Conservation District here in Oregon, she worked with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA/NRCS) and the Soil and Water Conservation District for Pima county in Tucson, Arizona where she managed a water conservation program.
503-935-5365
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Call me about:
Naturescaping workshops, presentations on native plants, naturescaping, and invasive plants
Rowan Steele
Farm Incubator Manager
Rowan came to the District in 2012 with a background in community food planning, stewardship, and small-scale agriculture. He works directly with incubator farmers, program partners, and the surrounding community to leverage the resources at Headwaters Farm for District constituents. He's your primary contact for all questions related to the incubator program and Headwaters Farm.
Rowan accredits his own success as a farmer to his two years at the Arcata Educational Farm — a farm incubator program in northern California. He and his wife live in Corbett, OR where they own and operate Fiddlehead Farm, growing a variety of mixed vegetables for direct market sales.
503-935-5355
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Call me about:
New farmer development and resources, program partnership opportunities, Headwaters Farm
Candace Stoughton
Sustainable Urban Landscapes - Low Impact Development Specialist
Candace has been with the EMSWCD since 2007. She works on urban conservation issues with a current focus on sustainable stormwater management. Candace has expertise in low impact development methods that protect streams and rivers from urban stormwater runoff. Before joining the district, she worked as a watershed manager for The Nature Conservancy in Georgia and as a biologist with the Environmental Protection Agency.
503-935-5366
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Call me about:
Rain garden workshops, pervious pavement, ecoroofs, and more
Jon Wagner
Conservation Technician
Jon came to EMSWCD in May 2012. Jon works to find and remove noxious and invasive weeds such as: garlic mustard, knotweed, English ivy, and clematis. He loves being outdoors working to protect native plants and animals. In his spare time, Jon is a freelance artist and cartoonist. Jon has a BA in Biology and a Master's Certificate in Science Illustration.
503-935-5369
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Call me about:
Weeds