The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council’s Board of Directors is composed of a broad range of stakeholders who all share a common interest in collaborative watershed restoration. This diversity is important to ensure that we remain connected to the many different communities present in the Upper Deschutes River watershed.
Bill has been connected to the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council since its inception in 1997 first as a Forest Service partner working on the restoration of Whychus Creek to a wild and free flowing stream and then in retirement as a volunteer on its Board of Directors. He supports the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council as a Board member because of its professional, science-based, and collaborative approaches to watershed monitoring and restoration and its amazing community education and stewardship development programs.
Davíd Pilz is a consultant working on water and watershed management challenges across the western U.S. and beyond. In addition to his professional connection to watershed work, David supports the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council because its education program is helping create new generations of stewards for our watershed.
Cris Converse is a former rancher and previous manager/part owner of Pine Meadow Ranch in Sisters. Her first introduction to the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council was in 2009 when approached by them to explore ways to help fish migrate past the ranch’s irrigation dam. The end result of our collaborative project was thirteen miles of upstream habitat being opened up, one cubic foot per second of senior water rights permanently protected instream, and her lifelong commitment to support the work of UDWC.
Kelley Hamby was formerly the operations manager for the Central Oregon Irrigation District. Kelley supports the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council by offering his professional photography skills and supporting their local fundraising efforts because he considers the Deschutes River a part of his home and values river stewardship, community education, and restoration.
Lisa Keown is a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Coordinator and Environmental Club Advisor for Bend Senior High School. She is connected to the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council through her passion for watershed education. As an avid outdoor enthusiast, she believes that watershed education is vital to restoring and sustaining our most valuable natural resources.
Will Groves is the planning manager for Deschutes County, as well as their Certified Flood Plain Manager. He supports the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council because its amazing team of professionals efficiently and effectively protects and enhances our watershed at the intersection of restoration, monitoring, and education.
Michael is a newly retired college administrator and professor with a background in forestry and rangeland resource management. He loves being a part of the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council for a multitude of reasons, but especially enjoys working with such a great staff and Board and getting to be a part of the incredible work the UDWC does.
Smita Mehta is a water quality scientist with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. She supports the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council as a Board member because they strive to make Central Oregon a better place with their on-the-ground work restoring watersheds and connecting communities to the natural resources we rely on.
Sunny serves as the Executive Director of National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies (NAFSMA) where she is dedicated to championing the interests of public agencies by advocating for policies that prioritize community safety, flood risk reduction, environmental sustainability, and effective water resource management. In her free time she loves to fish, hike, and ski with her husband, two sons, and dog! Sunny serves on the Board of the UDWC because she feels the Deschutes River is such a special place that’s she lucky to live near and she wants to help preserve its magic and beauty for all to enjoy!
Jason is the Forest Hydrologist and Watershed Program Manager for the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and the Crooked River Grassland. Throughout his professional career in the Deschutes Basin, he has collaborated with the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council on a wide variety of projects. Jason enthusiastically supports the UDWC as a board member because of the lasting and positive impact the organization is making on the land and in the communities of Central Oregon.
Beth Bailey is a fisheries biologist with Portland General Electric, bringing over a decade of experience in monitoring and researching fisheries within the Deschutes Basin. She values the work of the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council in preserving and restoring the lands and waters of Central Oregon. She appreciates observing firsthand the impacts of restoration projects on local fish populations, as well as connecting the community with the valuable natural resources we have.
As a practicing physician living in Sisters, OR, Joe brings a disciplined science-based approach to problem-solving and is comfortable asking analytical questions, reviewing metrics, and thinking critically about how to measure impact. Additionally, Joe is a passionate outdoors enthusiast with a deep appreciation for Oregon’s natural landscapes and believes the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council plays an important, local role in protecting and restoring the ecological health of the Deschutes River watershed
Jen is a public relations professional with a specialty in tourism and hospitality, the arts, and real estate. She began her career managing a firm in Santa Fe before serving as Deputy Secretary of Tourism under Governor Bill Richardson, where she helped shape statewide tourism strategy and developed the country’s first statewide ecotourism program. In 2011, Jen founded JLH Media, where she develops and revitalizes brands for hotels, resorts, and legacy cultural institutions such as the Georgia O’Keefe Museum and the century-old Indian Market, as well as communications for major Western land transactions. These projects have deepened her understanding of land use, conservation, and resource management which she believes will be complementary to her work on the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council board. In 2018, Jen and her family relocated to Bend and quickly embraced whitewater rafting as a shared passion. Originally from Idaho and a lifelong fly fisher, Jen brings to her work and community service a deep belief in the value of the environment, outdoor recreation, and the transformative power of the places we live in and love.
