Click each staff’s name below to read more about each person on our incredible team!
Abby Colehour, Uplands Program Manager | 541-654-8965 ext 103 | abby@longtom.org
Alejandro Mejia, Restoration Projects Coordinator | 541-654-8965 ext 102 | alejandro@longtom.org
Amanda Reinholtz, River Scientist & GIS Specialist | 541-654-8965 ext 102 | amanda@longtom.org
Haley Case-Scott, Upper Willamette Stewardship Network Tribal Liaison | haley@upperwillamette.org
Jed Kaul, Fish Biologist | 541-654-8965 ext 102 | jkaul@longtom.org
Kyt Bergstrom, Finance Manager | (541) 654-8965 ext 101 | fiscal@longtom.org
Lucy Walsh, Urban Waters & Wildlife Partnership Coordinator | (541) 654-8965 ext 104 | lucy@longtom.org
Miranda Hawkes, Landscape Designer & Stormwater Specialist | (541) 654-8965 ext 104 | miranda@longtom.org
Sara Worl, Restoration Projects Manager | 541-654-8965 ext 103 | sworl@longtom.org
Sarah Whitney, Urban Waters & Wildlife Program Manager | (541) 654-8965 ext 104 | urbanwaters@longtom.org
Stasie Maxwell, TEIP Program Associate | teipadmin@longtom.org
Sydney Nilan, Upper Willamette Stewardship Network Director | (503)-443-5686 | sydney@upperwillamette.org
Abby Colehour, Uplands Program Manager
pronouns: they|them
(541) 654-8965 ext 103
Abby Andrus Colehour works as the Uplands Program Manager for the Long Tom Watershed Council, specializing in oak, prairie, and wetland ecosystem restoration. They are involved in a range of collaborative projects including oak woodland thinning, hazardous fuels reduction, reseeding, biochar making, social forestry, vegetation monitoring, targeted animal grazing/browsing, prairie conversions, and management plan writing. They are a member of the Upper Willamette Stewardship Network Tribal Partnerships and Decolonizing Forum and have firefighter type-2 training with intentions to support prescribed burning in the Willamette Valley and beyond. Raised in the oak savanna and mixed deciduous forests of Minnesota, the lush forests and tall trees of Oregon enticed them to Eugene after graduating with an undergraduate degree in Biology from Macalester College. Abby is working towards a vision of land management in which ecology and human culture are inextricably linked, starting by uplifting Indigenous leadership and sovereignty. They like to weave willow baskets, make herbal medicines, and process firewood in their spare time.
Alejandro Mejia , Uplands/Riparian Projects Manager
pronouns: he|him
(541) 654-8965 ext 102
Alejandro Mejia supports the Long Tom Watershed Council as the Restoration
Projects Manager, assisting in the development and implementation of restoration projects throughout the Long Tom Watershed. Alejandro hails from the rolling limestone hills of Central Texas, where cool spring water from the Edwards aquifer dances with the Texas wild rice. He graduated from Texas State University with a B.S. in Wildlife Biology and has assisted in the management of various restoration efforts in Texas and Oregon since 2018.
Having had the privilege to work for nonprofits and the U.S. Forest Service, he has assisted in vegetation restoration efforts in remote areas of Oregon, like the subalpine meadows of the Cascades, the Umpqua National Forest, and in communities at risk of wildfire. Alejandro enjoys spending time in his canoe, exploring the emerald waters of Oregon, as well as shooting film, and botanizing.
Amanda Reinholtz, River Scientist and GIS Specialist
pronouns: she|her
(541) 654-8965 ext 102
Amanda joined the LTWC in August, 2016 to provide support to both the Working Lands and Habitat Program and the Urban Waters and Wildlife Program. Amanda contributes her experience in GIS, remote sensing, and geomorphology. She earned a B.S. in Geographic Science from James Madison University in Virginia, and an M.S. in Geography from the University of Oregon. Prior to joining the LTWC, Amanda worked first as a remote sensing field technician, then as a survey analyst and coordinator, for Quantum Spatial, a geospatial company specializing in the collection and processing of LiDAR and other remote sensing products. Originally from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Amanda’s hobbies include pretty much anything that will get her outdoors, from backpacking and climbing in the mountains to walking and biking around the city. Amanda has been a resident of Eugene since 2009, and feels lucky to be able to call this valley home.
Haley Case-Scott, Upper Willamette Stewardship Network Tribal Liaison
pronouns: she|her
(541) 654-8965 ext 101
Haley is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, and a descendant of the Klamath Tribes, Yurok Tribe, and the Sakaogan Band of Chippewa Indians. Haley graduated from the University of Oregon in 2018, and is an experienced climate change and environmental justice leader. Prior to her position with the Upper Willamette Stewardship Network and partners, she served as a Policy Assistant with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in their Climate and Environment division. Haley also served as a Climate Justice Grassroots Organizer with Beyond Toxics and the NAACP and as an intern with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and Pacific Northwest Tribal Climate Change Project. Haley enjoys spending time outdoors and with her family whenever possible. (Haley is shared staff across the Upper Willamette Stewardship Network)
Jed Kaul, Director of Programs | Fish Biologist
(541) 654-8965 ext 102
pronouns: he|him
Jed is LTWC’s Fish Biologist, working with private and public landowners to improve fish and wildlife habitat and water quality in the Long Tom and Willamette Rivers since 2008. He has 20+ years experience working on stream and floodplain habitat restoration and monitoring and managing projects with stops at the US Forest Service and in the private sector before joining LTWC. He was born and raised on the Oregon Coast, and enjoys exploring all parts of Oregon, from 50 miles out in the Pacific chasing albacore, to snowshoeing and backpacking in the Cascades.
“I am inspired by the landowners we work with, that are willing to have an open mind and consider different ways of managing their land to help improve habitat and water quality for the good of the watershed and all its residents, from fish to humans.“
Kyt Bergstrom, Finance Manager
(541) 654-8965 ext 101
pronouns: she|her
Kyt joined the Council in February, 2024 as our Fiscal Manager overseeing grant fund management, accounting and payroll duties, and providing financial advice and direction. She brings a vast array of knowledge and experience around business financial management, managing her own businesses, and financial research.
Kyt grew up on the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean, spent time in the South and the Midwest, and recently relocated to Oregon to be closer to her family and the Pacific Ocean. She holds three degrees: B.S. in business analytics and finance, B.S. in process engineering, and an M.S. in organizational management. In her free time, Kyt enjoys spending time with her spouse and huskies, swimming, kayaking, camping, hiking, crabbing, and deep sea fishing.
Lucy Walsh, Urban Waters & Wildlife Partnership Coordinator
pronouns: she|her
(541) 654-8965 ext 104
Lucy is an experienced community builder and Earth scientist who takes pride in creating science-driven, collaborative, and trusting social environments that let participants thrive on their way to project success. As the Long Tom Watershed Council’s Urban Waters & Wildlife Partnership Coordinator, Lucy supports community actions that promote and sustain voluntary urban stormwater management improvement projects in the Upper Willamette urban areas. She holds degrees in Geology (B.S., M.S.), is a certified Master Recycler, and has spent her professional career building resilient communities through the development of public safety tools and programs. You may know Lucy from her work as Oregon’s ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning coordinator. Lucy finds joy breathing in the forests of Oregon, spending time with her family, volunteering, and catching up on pop-culture podcasts while weeding her garden. She celebrates the opportunity to join a network of folks who care so much about long-term ecological and community health.
Miranda Hawkes, Landscape Designer & Stormwater Specialist
pronouns: she|her
(541) 654-8965 ext 104
Miranda joined LTWC in October 2018 and currently serves as Landscape Designer and Stormwater Specialist. In this role she focuses on design and drafting support for voluntary stormwater retrofit projects, as well as graphic design for public outreach materials at the Council. She works closely with our Urban Waters & Wildlife Program Manager, Sarah Whitney.
As the daughter of a career Forest Service employee, Miranda spent her childhood surrounded by nature, which inspired strong values related to recreation and environmental stewardship. She came to Oregon for college and holds degrees in architecture and landscape architecture from the University of Oregon (B. Arch 2011, MLA 2015). Academically, she pursued coursework on water systems and human impacts to our environment; she is excited to apply this focus in her work with the Council and brings several years of professional design experience to the role. When not working, Miranda enjoys spending time outdoors, especially camping, hiking, and gardening. She unwinds by cooking and bread making and dabbles in landscape photography and various fine art media.
Sara Worl, Restoration Projects Manager
541-654-8965 ext 103
pronouns: she|her
Sara joined Long Tom Watershed Council as Restoration Projects Manager in September 2023, although she’s been involved with the Council since 2018 as a volunteer, intern, and contractor. She’ll continue working with the Traditional Ecological Inquiry Program, collaborative prescribed fire, oak and prairie restoration, as well other Working Lands and Habitats projects. She holds a BA in Planning, Public Policy and Management, a graduate certificate in nonprofit management, and a MS in Environmental Studies, all from the University of Oregon.
Growing up in the wetlands and oak prairies of Beaverton, and living in the Long Tom Watershed since 2002, Sara is constantly in awe of these precious habitats. She is honored to be a part of the great efforts of people working together to care for our interconnected social and ecological communities. Sara enjoys spending time with her family, baking, gardening, gathering, camping, and can often be found near a river.
Sarah Whitney, Urban Waters & Wildlife Program Manager
pronouns: she|her
(541) 654-8965 ext 104
Sarah Whitney, Urban Waters & Wildlife Program manager, joined LTWC in July, 2014 and has built the Amazon Creek Initiative into a broader Urban Water & Wildlife Partnership, serving the Eugene/Springfield Metro Area. Sarah brings unique skills to the Council including decades of experience creating restorative urban landscapes including green stormwater infrastructure. Previous to this position, Sarah was the primary instructor in the Water Conservation Technician program at Lane Community College for 5 years, and 13 years as the lead landscape designer and cofounder of Habitats, Inc., a design/build firm that accomplished several successful green roofs in Eugene. Sarah has degrees in Landscape Architecture (University of Oregon), and Fine Arts Management (University of Long Island at Southampton). She is a Registered Landscape Architect, a Certified Erosion & Sediment Control Lead, and a certified Sustainable Building Advisor.
Stasie Maxwell, Traditional Ecological Inquiry Program Associate
pronouns: she|her
Stasie is Inupiaq (Native Village of Unalakleet), German, Czech, English, Irish, and Scotch. She joins Long Tom Watershed Council as the TEIP Program Associate and looks forward to weaving her skills and experiences together with joy, in service to the families and interns of the Traditional Ecological Inquiry Program. Stasie brings an array of experiences to her position, including administrative support and logistics, program and curriculum development, and leadership and co-facilitation in DEI, mindfulness and meditation, and Indigenous Health and Wellness workshops. Though born in Alaska, she has spent most of her life in the homelands of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Cow Creek Umpqua, The Klamath Tribes, Takelma, and Shasta (known as the Rogue Valley).
Stasie has a B.S. in Psychology and a certificate in Native Studies from Southern Oregon University. She has two teen boys, two dogs, is mischievous if you really get to know her, and has a creative streak as wide as the Willamette River.
Sydney Nilan, Coordinator for Upper Willamette Stewardship Network
pronouns: she|her
(541) 654-8965 ext 106
Sydney came on board in July of 2019 as the Coordinator for the Upper Willamette Stewardship Network. Sydney’s position brings together the Coast Fork & Middle Fork Willamette, Long Tom, and McKenzie Watershed Councils, the McKenzie River Trust, and the Friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah, helping them to leverage each organization’s unique strengths to create new opportunities and landscape scale impact throughout the Upper Willamette basin. Sydney has a BA from the University of Oregon and her master’s from the University of Florida’s Tropical Conservation and Development program and has spent the last decade working at the intersection of community based natural resource management, conservation, and sustainable development in Latin America. Having spent 6 years living and working with indigenous communities in the Amazon rainforest, Sydney is glad to be back home in Oregon enjoying the seasons and the great pacific northwest with friends and family. (Sydney is shared staff across the Upper Willamette Stewardship Network)