*Read More for Board Candidates & Voting Information!*
All members of the Long Tom Watershed Council—that is any adult who supports the purpose and mission of the Council and is connected to the watershed community—may sign in during the Annual Meeting and Celebration and vote to elect our slate of volunteer board members and approve any bylaws updates.
2021 Board Election
Each year, the Council recruits and recommends a slate of Board of Directors candidates for election at the Annual Meeting & Celebration that balances the diversity of perspectives and geographic and land use representation in the watershed.
This year’s board election will look a little bit different, and will include an opportunity for community members to vote to approve the incoming slate either during a live poll at the September 30th virtual event, or in person during one of the tours. Join us in helping to welcome these volunteers in their service to the Long Tom Watershed!
Click here if you haven’t yet registered for the September 30th Live Event – Register by Sept 27!
Below is the 2021 slate of board candidates and their bios. We will be voting on the candidates below as a single slate. The full list of board member bios is also available on our website here. Feel free to contact Clinton for questions or more information (coordinator at longtom dot org).
Board Candidate: Confirming a Mid-Year Vacancy
Christopher Finn has worked in federal land management for 25 years. Currently he is the Supervisory Forester for the Siuslaw Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management. Christopher moved with his family to Eugene in 2005. Originally from the mid-west, he received his BS in Forestry at Michigan State University. Through his career with the BLM and Forest Service, he has focused on ecosystem restoration through vegetation management, wildlife enhancement and aquatic improvements. Christopher and his family spend most of their free time exploring from the coast to cascades, and enjoy all things outdoors including backpacking, skiing, fishing, rafting and mushroom picking.
Christopher stepped in to fill a mid-year vacancy on the board and is standing for election for a 4-year term.
Board Candidates: Standing for a 2nd Term
Jabrila Via is the former owner and manager of the farming operations at Winter Green Farm, a 171-acre organic farm in the Upper Long Tom sub-basin near Noti. While she sold the farm business, she still owns the property, lives there, and continues to conduct food and farm education activities there — include the September 26th tour as part of this event! While she sold the farm business, she still owns the property, lives there, and continues to conduct food and farm education activities there. She enjoys connecting the community to its local food and is interested in food justice and security issues. Jabrila shares: “I am interested in working with the community. We all come from different walks of life, and I want to be learning and sharing together to help keep the Long Tom Watershed healthy, to educate, and include the public in taking care of our environment.”
Jabrila joined the board in 2017 and is standing for re-election for a second 4-year term.
Shelly Miller has worked in fish and wildlife conservation and management for over 20 years. During her career, she has worked for fish and wildlife agencies in West Virginia, Virginia, and Oregon. She has also worked for The Nature Conservancy. Currently, Shelly works for the City of Eugene Parks and Open Space Division as the Ecological Services Team & GIS Team Supervisor. She has lived in the Eugene/Springfield area since 2005 and loves it. Shelly and her family enjoy the outdoors, exploring cultural opportunities in the area, and traveling.
Shelly joined the board in 2017 and is standing for re-election for a second 4-year term.
Taylor Evans is the Regional Coordinator for the nonprofit Alzheimer’s Association in Eugene. Her background is in city planning and education and she recently completed her Master of Nonprofit Management at the University of Oregon. Prior to that, she served as the RARE Program Community Development Coordinator for the City of Monroe. Taylor shares: “I have learned a lot about ecosystems through writing the City’s 5-Year Total Maximum Daily Load Implementation Plan regarding stormwater management and through various projects with the Long Tom Watershed Council. It is due to this that I was inspired to join the LTWC’s board. Some fun facts about me: I have been a martial art instructor for over five years; I really enjoy biking, hiking and bouldering; and I recently started the Monroe Farmers Market because I think it is crucial to have access to fresh food!”
Taylor joined the board in 2020 and is standing for re-election for a second 2-year term.