MRT Staff

Joe Moll - Executive Director                                
jmoll@mckenzieriver.org

Joe came to the Trust in January 2005 after working mostly with grizzly bears and landowners in Montana and Hokkaido, northern Japan.  Outside of his work with Trust, he likes to spend as much time as he can running trails and exploring new places outdoors with his wife and three boys. 

Jodi Lemmer - Land Steward              
jlemmer@mckenzieriver.org

Jodi has a B.S. in Environmental Science, Fisheries and Wildlife from Oregon State University.  She worked previously for the Umpqua Soil and Water Conservation District as the Watershed Technical Specialist, implementing the USDA, NRCS Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. She also worked for the East Lane Soil and Water Conservation District. She is a certified Oregon Conservation Planner.

Ryan Ruggiero - Land Protection Manager
rruggiero@mckenzieriver.org 

Ryan joined the Trust in June 2008 after working for four years with Vigil-Agrimis, an environmental planning and design firm based in Portland. Ryan has a bachelor and masters degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Oregon and a BA in Human Ecology from the College of the Atlantic. In his free time, Ryan can be found tele-skiing, botanizing and canoe camping with his wife, two children and dog.

Chris Vogel - Green Island Project Manager
cvogel@mckenzieriver.org

Chris joined the Trust in June 2008 after working in the Rogue Basin for six years on both public and private lands focusing on fisheries and riparian enhancement projects.  Chris has a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology from Colorado State University. Aside from his addiction for casting flies for steelhead and trout in rivers through the west, Chris enjoys exploring new cultures and landscapes with his wife and son. 

Brandi Ferguson - Development Manager
brandi@mckenzieriver.org

Brandi joined the Trust after working as the Administrator and Research Manager for an airport consulting group for over 7 years.  Beyond her work at the Trust, Brandi leads volunteer habitat restoration work parties at the city park she adopted.  She also enjoys cycling, oil painting, gardening, yoga, photography and exploring the outdoors with her family.

Liz Lawrence - Operations Manager
llawrence@mckenzieriver.org

Liz became the Trust’s Operations Manager in June 2010 after working as the Living River project intern.  She holds a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Oregon and a B.A. in Studio Art from St. Mary’s College of Maryland.  When not at work she volunteers for MECCA: The Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts, and the Common Ground Garden.  She is a bike commuter and backyard chicken-owner.

Nicole Nielsen-Pincus - Willamette Field Representative
nicole@mckenzieriver.org

Nicole joined the Trust in August of 2010.  She has broad experience as a biologist focusing on avian ecology and threatened and endangered species, and as a conservation educator.  She has a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of New Hampshire and a M.S. in Wildlife Resources from the University of Idaho.  She spends her free time scheming ways to continue to run, garden, ski, hike and camp with three young kids in tow! 

MRT Board Members

Roger Robb, President      
Roger is a retired Chief Financial Officer with PW Eagle, Inc. He is a past board member for Oregon Field Ornithologists and Eugene Ballet Company and a founding member and regional coordinator for the New York State Breeding Bird Atlas. Roger hold a BS in Wildlife Biology from Cornell University and MBA from the University of Oregon.

Bill Sheppard, Vice President
Bill served as Executive Director of Planned Parenthood for Southwest Oregon from 1977-2006. He was an assistant professor and research associate at the University of Oregon, 1967-1976. Bill is a University of Michigan graduate earning a BA in 1964, MA in 1965 and Ph.D. in 1967. His interests include whitewater rafting, skiing, fly-fishing, international travel, and gardening. Bill has been married to Patricia Sheppard for 40 years.

Charlie Ward, Treasurer                                           
Charlie has been the treasurer for MRT since near its inception. He is a long-time practicing CPA in Eugene and currently a partner at Isler CPA. He is the VP of Finance for Planned Parenthood of Southwest Oregon and also serves on the board of the Eugene Challengers, a local American Legion baseball affiliate. Past associations include Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority, South Eugene Babe Ruth Baseball and returned Peace Corps Volunteer.

Kit Larsen, Secretary
Kit is a retired systems analyst with the Computing Center at the University of Oregon. He is a founding member of Friends of Eugene Springfield Habitats and past treasurer and board member for Oregon Field Ornithologists. Kit is a past board member, field trip leader, and field notes editor for Lane County Audubon Society and sat on the Oregon Breeding Bird Atlas Steering Committee.

Jim Reichman

Jim retired from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he was Director of the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis.   He is a past President of the American Society of Mammalogists and Chair of the Board of Directors of BIOSIS Corporation.  He served as a Program Officer in Ecology at the National Science Foundation, as Associate Vice Provost for Research and Director of Konza Prairie at Kansas State University, and as Assistant Director for Research of the National Biological Service (Department of Interior).   His interests include traveling, hiking and camping with his wife, and fly-fishing.

Galen Phipps                                      
Galen Phipps has been working with Looking Glass Youth and Family Services, a local non-profit agency since 1981.  Through Looking Glass, he has developed several programs including the New Roads Program, the Center Point School and the Station 7 Program. All these programs serve homeless and runaway youth ages 11-21.  Galen holds a Master of Social Work degree and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.  He has been the recipient of many awards including the Lane County United Way Professional Leadership Award in 2000 and in 2007 he was awarded the Positive Youth Development Community Champion by the Lane County Youth Action Board.  Galen is currently chair of the Oregon Homeless and Runaway Youth Coalition (OHRYC), statewide advocacy group.  Galen has served as a MRT Board member since 2005.  He lives in McKenzie Bridge, is an active hiker in the McKenzie River watershed and is committed to preserving Oregon’s rivers and habitat.

Rolf Anderson

Rolf served forty years with the U.S. Forest Service throughout the state of Oregon. He was a founding member of the Sweet Home Community Foundation and is currently an active member of the Long Tom Watershed Council where he volunteers his time and knowledge on projects. He is retired and lives in Alvadore, Oregon.
                          

Bob Parker
Bob is an instructor in the University of Oregon's Planning, Public Policy and Management Department and is director of the Community Planning Workshop. Bob is an associate with ECO Northwest, a regional consulting firm and is an active member of the Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) and American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). Bob is also a McKenzie basin landowner.

Douglas DuPriest
Doug is currently an attorney with Hutchinson, Anderson, Cox, Coons & DuPriest, P.C., specializing in real property and land use. He is a past president of the Oregon Environmental Council and Lane County Home Health Agency and past board member of Oregon Environmental Foundation and Friends of the University of Oregon Museum of Art.

Ben Miller

Ben is an attorney with Harrang Long Gary Rudnick P.C. in Eugene, Oregon.  His practice focuses on defending local governments in civil litigation and enforcing air quality laws.  Prior to entering the private sector Ben worked for the Oregon Department of Justice in the areas of litigation, energy, forest and water law.  He holds a BS in Fisheries and Wildlife Science from the Oregon State University Honors College and a JD from the University of Oregon School of Law.  He also serves on the Board of the Northwest Habitat Institute.  Ben has spent his entire life in Oregon and hasn't run out of places to explore.  Most weekends you can find him fishing for steelhead, snowshoeing, bird hunting, or backpacking in one of Oregon’s wilderness areas. 

Paul J. Utz

Paul is a retired technologist and small business owner/CEO specializing in emerging technologies. He is a University of Michigan engineering graduate and has a lifelong passion for outdoor activities related to rivers and wild/scenic places. Paul has partaken in recent studies in applied fluvial geomorphology and watershed stewardship. He is a current member of the USFS Rogue/Umpqua and alternate member of the BLM Roseburg District Resource Advisory Committees. Paul is the past president and director of The North Umpqua Foundation and is currently a member of the Douglas County Biomass Study Group and Jefferson Public Radio Foundation Board.

Neil Hutchinson

Neil is a retired aerospace professional with a stellar career working with the US Navy, NASA, Rockwell International and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). After graduating from Willamette University with degrees in mathematics and physics, and fascinated by space, he quickly gravitated to NASA where he held various management positions in human spaceflight operations including launching the first two Space Shuttles as a Flight Director in Houston Mission Control. His last position with NASA was as the first manager of the Space Station Program. Upon his NASA retirement, Neil continued his aerospace career in private industry. He eventually became the first General Manager of SAIC's Space, Earth and Aviation Sciences Group. After a 47 year career in the aerospace industry, Neil and his wife returned to his hometown of Portland, Oregon. He also maintains a home on the McKenzie River and is an avid supporter of the preservation of the McKenzie and surrounding habitat.