About Us

As a facilitator and mediator, Greg has worked to develop and implement cross-sector collaborative processes for over 20 years. His work has included projects on multiple levels, including processes at the local, regional, statewide, and international levels.
Before joining RBP in 2018, he was the Executive Director of the California Urban Water Conservation Council (now the “California Water Efficiency Partnership.”) He spent the first 24 years of his career as a Professor of Law at the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law, in Sacramento CA. There he taught and wrote about Water Resources Law, Civil Procedure, Administrative Law, Negotiation & Mediation.
Greg is an avid cyclist and photographer.

Amy Wilson grew up on a cattle ranch in Jackson County. After studying horticulture at Oregon State and International Agricultural Development at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, she served in the Peace Corps in Niger, first as volunteer and then as Associate Country Director. She served as Coordinator for the Southwest Oregon Resource Conservation and Development Council for over 17 years. On behalf of the Council, she worked with a wide variety of citizen-based groups to implement projects and activities related to natural resources and rural community needs including salmon restoration, noxious weed control, fire prevention, historic preservation, and much more. She finished her federal career at Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument as Community Engagement Specialist with the U.S. Forest Service. Amy began working with local folks to form the Jackson and Josephine Cooperative Weed Management Areas in 2003 and is happy to continue work with noxious weed collaboration in the Rogue Valley.

A native of New Zealand, who grew up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains around Tahoe, Eugene choose the Rogue to be his home nearly 20 years ago after falling in love with fly-fishing the Rogue and exploring in the Siskiyou mountains. Each day since that decision he has sought to apply himself to actions that protect and build resilience in the natural systems of the State of Jefferson with the goal of leaving the next seven generations of people and wildlife with an ecological base that can sustain them. Eugene has worked for the US BLM, Forest Service, USGS, UC Davis, Rogue Valley Council of Governments, and as a private contractor performing biological studies and managing fish and wildlife resources. Eugene is currently a Restoration Project Manager for The Freshwater Trust’s work here in Southern Oregon. On his free time, Eugene can be found on the river or up in the mountains with his wife and two sons enjoying all the natural beauty Southern Oregon has to offer.

Kari Gies was born and raised in Downers Grove, Illinois. Kari graduated from Grinnell College in Iowa with a Bachelor’s degree in biology and a secondary teaching endorsement. After several years of teaching math and science in Albuquerque, New Mexico, she moved with her family to Ashland, Oregon. There, Kari completed a Master’s Degree in Environmental Education from Southern Oregon University and then began a 17-year career with the Ashland Parks and Recreation Department. In this position, Kari co-founded and directed the North Mountain Park Nature Center, overseeing a variety of programs related to environmental education, interpretation, and restoration. Kari has also served on the Ashland Conservation Commission, has authored a guidebook to the Klamath Basin, and co-founded the Southern Oregon Regional Environmental Education Leaders (SOREEL) networking association. Kari is currently serving as president of the Schwemm Family Foundation, is on the board of the Jackson County Master Gardeners Association, and is doing interpretive contract work with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

MS in Watershed Science from Colorado State University and a BS in Environmental Science from the University of Connecticut. Greg has worked for the Colorado Division of Wildlife, as an Environmental Consultant in Denver Colorado prior to moving to Oregon in 2000. After a short stint working for a local watershed council, Greg started working at RVCOG and has been there for 16 years working his way up to be the current program manager.

Greg has lived in the Rogue Valley for 17 years and has enjoyed working to protect and restore resources in the Rogue basin. He has also enjoyed the collaborative nature of the region and working with local communities (Cities and Counties), agencies, watershed groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), education groups, schools, and the public. Greg has served on the board as secretary since near RBP’s inception. He aspires to be the type of person his dog thinks he is.

Kelly Coates is the Water and Environmental Resources Program Manager for the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians. Kelly works on natural resources issues including stream and riparian restoration, monitoring, project management, implementation and tracking, grant writing and consultation within the Tribe’s Ancestral Territory. Kelly has a Bachelor of Science in Aquatic Wildlife Biology and a Master of Science in Organismal Biology and Ecology from the University of Montana, Missoula. Kelly has worked for the Cow Creek Tribe since November of 2011. Previously, she worked for the non-profit river conservation organization, The Pacific Rivers Council for 2 years as the Umpqua Legacy River Coordinator. Kelly has been working in the field of natural resources for 10+ years and has experience working in river and fisheries ecology, air quality/chemistry, and with superfund sites. Kelly has been working with the RBP for three years, and was actively involved in the RBCC to RBP transition, and the Rogue Basin Restoration Plan.

Shane has worked in conservation since 1990, protecting habitat and endangered species at the Center for Biological Diversity, Siskiyou Project, and the Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center. Since 2007, his focus has shifted more toward ecosystem restoration and workforce development. Currently, as program director at Lomakatsi Restoration Project, he serves in coordination with Lomakatsi’s leadership team to develop and implement programs and services, including communications and fundraising, that restore ecosystems and the sustainability of communities and economies of Southwestern Oregon and Northern California.

In his free time, Shane enjoys woodworking, camping, hiking and whitewater rafting.

Charles Lane has over 35 years’ experience as a geologist, practicing primarily in Oregon, California, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, although his work has been international in scope. He has background in industry, small business, and continuing consulting experience in environmental geology and hydrogeology, as well as 30 years’ experience in academia. He currently serves as Professor of Geology in the Environmental Studies Department at Southern Oregon University.

His academic experience spans over 30 years, beginning with an appointment at California Lutheran University while completing his PhD studies at UCLA. Upon completion of the PhD he received an appointment at Hardin Simmons University (Texas) where he became a department chair and Director of the HSU Natural Resources Institute. He arrived at Southern Oregon University in the Summer of 1994, where he currently serves. His professional interests/activities have been in hydrogeology, hydrology, and water resources. He currently is working on issues associated with dam removal activities in the Rogue River basin; his most recent publication was a sediment accumulation analysis on the (now removed) Gold Ray Dam. His academic administrative experience includes service at the Chair, Director, Dean, and Provost level. He is a Fellow of the American Council on Education (ACE). An evaluator since 1998 for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, he also serves the state of Oregon as a member of the OUS Inter-institutional Faculty Senate (IFS).

He has been an active member of numerous boards and councils over his career, from the local to the national level. He is a member of several boards/councils at this time, including the Science and Engineering Education Council for the Universities Space Research Association (USRA), a STEM organization.

Blair is a Certified Forester, Presidential Field Forester, and Fellow of the Society of American Foresters. He retired after 38 years practicing Forestry for both private industry and government land management agencies in the forests of Northern Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Southern Oregon. Blair brings to the board career knowledge on the forest products industry, the economics of logging systems, biomass utilization, and agency stewardship contracting.
Blair has served in leadership positions on numerous local non-profit community and regional professional boards including Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative, Southern Oregon University Foundation, Advisory Council SOU ES Program, United Way of Jackson County, Big Brothers of Flagstaff, Mt. Ashland Association, Society of American Foresters, Northern Arizona University Advisory Council for the College of Forestry, Southern Oregon Timber Industries Association, and the Oregon Logging Conference.

With the Rogue River across the street from her home, Paige happily talks about the smell of the river air, the wildlife who live here, her favorite swimming hole and nearby walks with her human and canine companions. She moved to the Rogue Valley in 1998 to enjoy abundant access to public lands and to participate in a community that cares about its natural resources. Paige’s passion for sustainability extends beyond her daily lifestyle to a 25-year career with government agencies and nonprofits groups, primarily as a consultant focusing on renewable energy, waste prevention and civic engagement. She completed a Master of Public Administration in 2017 and began work with the Oregon Legislature in 2018. Paige is serving her second term on the RBP board and is Chair of the Governance Committee.

BS Fisheries Biology, Zoology, Colorado State University. JD Law, University of Denver College of Law.

Terry worked in environmental consulting over 35 years. Her primary work involved evaluating compliance with environmental, transportation, hazardous waste, and energy laws and regulations. She spent the last 4 years of her career as a planner for the City and County of Denver Department of Public Works. She, her husband and their cats retired to southwestern Oregon 5 Years ago to enjoy a longer growing season, milder winter and different insects. The Rogue River was a draw to the area and the health of the watershed is an utmost concern of hers. She has been part of the Rogue River Watershed Council Board of Directors since its inception in 2015 and sees the need for all partners in the basin to be connected. All of the members of the partnership should understand what each is focused on in order to maximize the effectiveness of their individual programs.

Jack has a BS in Agriculture Science from Texas Technological College in Lubbock, Texas and a MS in Resource Planning from the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon.

Jack worked as a Resource Planner for the US Forest Service; Resource Planner for the City of Helsinki, Finland; Park and Recreation Director and Public Works Field Service Director for the City of Grants Pass; Volunteer Medical Aid Coordinator for Rotary International in Mexico; Volunteer in Mateguas with Architects and Planners in Support of Nicaragua.

Jack is founder and general partner of Troika Investment’s; founder and member of Green Leaf Industries; founder and member of the Applegate Partnership and Watershed Council; founder and member of the North Applegate Watershed Protection Association; founder of the Rogue Basin Coordinating Council; founder of Sustainable Northwest; founder of the Greater Applegate Community Development Corporation; founder and member of the southwest Oregon Prescribed Fire Council; past member of the Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative; past member of the Oregon Board of Forestry; past member of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board; past member of Headwaters; past member of the Agriculture Advisory Committee of the Oregon Environmental Council.

Jack’s accomplishments: Josephine County Tree Farmer of the year in 2000; Oregon’s Sasquicentennial 2000 edition of the Portland Oregonian listed Jack as one of 150 Luminaries in Oregon’s history; 2005 awarded the first National Community Leadership Award by the US Forest Service in Washington DC; Governor Ted Kulongoski’s Commission on Youth; Governor John Kitzhaber’s Healthy Streams Partnership; Governor John Kitzhaber’s Coastal Salmon Recovery Plan Team; Western Governors’ Association “Enlibra” Advisory Council

Rich has a BS in Range/Wildlife Management and a 32-year government career in natural resource management. Experience as a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) executive included confronting and resolving complex public policy issues in natural resources and energy while balancing diverse public, private sector and tribal interests. Rich has spent 16 of those years in the Rogue Valley working on forest health issues both with government and the nonprofit sector. Rich is the co-founder of three nonprofits and served on six nonprofit boards. Rich was president of his own company that focused on Organizational Development and Leadership including strategic planning for nonprofits. Rich is also a certified mediator/facilitator.