Association Board Members

	ASWM STAFF

	Jeanne Christie, Executive Director, Association of State Wetland Managers, Inc. (ASWM). Jeanne has been with ASWM since 1999 and Executive Director since 2001. From 1995 to 1999 she was a Resource Conservationist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Wetlands and Watersheds Division where she was national program leader for the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program. She worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wetlands Division (1988-1995) moving from the staff level to Section Chief and Acting Branch Chief. As an environmental planner at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (1985-1988) responsibilities included the Green Bay Remedial Action Plan and the 208 Watershed Plan for Southeastern Wisconsin. She has a B.A. in Political Science and a B.S. in Environmental Science, both from the University of Maine at Presque Isle. Jeanne is a 2007 winner of the National Wetlands Award for Education and Outreach. During her spare time she competes in ultra runs, teaches digital photography, and does volunteer work with the Maine Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club, and Riding to the Top Therapeutic Riding Center. She lives in an 1860 farmhouse in Windham, ME with her husband Larry and their ‘rescued’ animal companions Lucy, Tux, and Massey.


	Jon Kusler, Associate Director, Association of State Wetland Managers, Inc. Jon is a lawyer, writer, and educator with more than 35 years of experience with wetlands, floodplains, and riparian areas. In addition to a law degree, he holds a M.S. in Water Resources Management and an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Land and Water Management from the University of Wisconsin. He has served on the staff of the University of Wisconsin and Massachusetts. He served as a consultant to the U.S. Water Resources Council and other federal agencies for many years. He was an Institute Fellow with the Environmental Law Institute from 1976-1978. He helped found the Association of State Wetland Managers in 1983 and served as its Executive Director from 1990 to 2001. He received EPA's National Wetland Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990 and the Gilbert White award in floodplain management in 1979. He has authored many books and reports concerning wetlands, floodplains and such as Our National Wetland Heritage: A Protection Guide, Regulating Sensitive Lands, and Wetland Creation and Restoration: The Status of the Science (co-editor with Mary Kentula). He lives in an old farmhouse in Berne, New York with his wife Pat, two children (when they are home), many cats, and two lizards.



	Leah Stetson, ASWM Staff Leah Stetson joined the Association as a writer-editor in fall 2006. She edits the monthly e-newsletter, Wetland Breaking News, writes feature articles for the membership newsletter, Wetland News, and develops content for ASWM’s latest webpages, such as “How to Design a Wetlands Education and Regulatory Workshop” and “Wetlands & Climate Change.” A published poet, writing teacher and conservationist, Leah graduated from College of the Atlantic with a master’s degree in human ecology. She has over 10 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations, where she wore several different hats—including a Smokey the Bear “Stetson” at Acadia National Park. She likes to hike, swim and dance when she’s not writing about salt marshes, bogs and fens.

	Steve Palmer, Project Bookkeeper Steve has a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Maine. His early work experience was in sales and marketing. Steve's later business experience was in manufacturing supervision and management. Steve "re-tooled" and has become a specialist for bookkeeping and tax preparations. He has worked for ASWM for four years. A flexible schedule has allowed Steve to donate some of his time to charity nonprofits. Steve is quick to point out that a nonprofit must manage resources the same as a for-profit in order to reach mission goals. Steve participates professionally in skill builder courses. The latest training he attended was provided by the Maine Association of Nonprofits on the new Form 990 requirements. Steve and his wife, Dottie live on a five-acre woodlot, one mile from Sebago Lake. They enjoy living in Maine with their Springer Spaniel, Jennie.

	Laura Burchill, ASWM Staff Laura is the office manager in the Windham office and has been with the association since 2004. She is responsible for maintaining the membership information; assists with the many tasks involved in preparing for conferences and workshops; handles publication orders; as well as general office duties. She has 25+ years experience in graphic design and also works part-time for Parent & Family, a local publication. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband David, two teenagers, Chris and Stefanie and dog, Jack.

	Sharon Weaver, ASWM Staff

	ASWM BOARD MEMBERS

	Peg Bostwick, Chairman Peg is an Environmental Quality Specialist in the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality in Lansing. Since 1989, she has served as the Section 404 Coordinator for Michigan's state-assumed 404 Program and is currently the Chief of the Wetlands, Lakes and Streams Unit. This group provides technical support for wetland permit staff and also works in non-regulatory areas including wetland mapping, monitoring and assessment, outreach and education, and watershed planning. Her primary responsibilities are to ensure that state actions under Michigan's 404 Program are consistent with federal law, to provide technical assistance to staff in interpretation of federal regulations, and to serve as a liaison with federal agencies regarding 404 issues. She has also been particularly interested in working with Michigan's research institutions to encourage the development of improved wetland assessment methods. Peg joined the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in 1979 after completing a B.S. in fisheries and wildlife and additional graduate work in limnology at Michigan State University. As a limnologist in the Inland Lake Management Program, she participated in statewide lake water quality surveys, reviewed dredge and fill permit applications for projects impacting inland lakes, and worked extensively with the federal Clean Lakes Program. Peg has been an active member of the Association of State Wetland Managers for a number of years and currently serves as the Board Chair. She is also a member of the Society of Wetland Scientists. When not at work, Peg and her family raise Jacob sheep on a small farm in Clinton County, Michigan.

Lynda Saul, Vice-Chairman
Lynda is the State of Montana Wetland Program Manager. She leads the state-wide Montana Wetland Council to increase the protection of Montana's wetlands through non-regulatory approaches and enhanced coordination. Wetland Program highlights include: mapping, inventory, assessment and net change tracking; targeted education and outreach to landowners, local decision makers and realtors; and voluntary and incentive based wetland protection. In 2006, she was appointed to the Governor's Task Force on Riparian Protection. She is the current Vice Chair of ASWM and brings a rural western state's perspective to the ASWM board. She received the 2007 National Wetlands Award
for State, Tribal, and Local Program Development.

Lynda has worked on water issues in Montana since 1986 after completing a B.S. in Geology from Tulane University and a M.S. in Forest Hydrology from the University of Montana. In addition to developing a wetland protection program for Montana, other state agency work included coordinating the FERC hydropower relicensing of 9 dams on the Madison and Missouri Rivers; negotiating Federal Reserved Water Rights, modeling irrigation use and watershed planning.

Lynda spent 2004 at EPA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. on a year long job exchange in the Wetland State Strategies and Programs Branch of the Wetlands Division. She returned to her state position in Montana in February 2005. She missed her dog, cross country skiing and mountain biking.




	David Davis, Secretary/Treasurer Dave is the Director of the Office of Wetlands & Water Protection at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. In this position, he is responsible for Virginia’s independent nontidal wetland regulatory program and non-regulatory wetland programs. He is also the lead technical expert for VDEQ on wetland science issues, drafts regulations and guidance on State wetland policy, serves as a liaison with federal agencies regarding 404/401 issues, and manages several federally-funded wetland grants. Dave represents DEQ on several state and federal interagency wetland committees, taskforces, and work groups – state-wide, nationally and throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Prior to joining DEQ in 2001, Mr. Davis was a partner in a wetland consulting firm in Richmond. In 2000, he was nominated by then-Lieutenant Governor John Hager to serve on DEQ's Technical Advisory Committee to draft regulations implementing new State wetland laws. In 2002, he was appointed to the Virginia Board of Certified Soil Scientists and Wetland Professionals by then-Governor Mark Warner, and was re-appointed to the Board in 2006 by Governor Tim Kaine. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology (Music minor) from The College of William & Mary and a Master of Environmental Studies degree in Environmental Policy and Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a certified Professional Wetland Scientist and a Virginia Certified Professional Wetland Delineator. His professional affiliations include the Society of Wetland Scientists and the Association of State Wetland Managers. In his spare time, Dave plays bass trombone with the Richmond Philharmonic Orchestra, bass trombone and tuba with the European Wind Ensemble of Richmond, freelances on both tenor and bass trombone; he is active with The College of William & Mary's mentoring and career counseling programs and is an alumni advisor for Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity. A native of Chincoteague Island, Virginia, Dave has resided in Richmond since 1990, is married, and has a precocious daughter who is in the “but why, Daddy” stage.


	MEMBERS AT LARGE

	Richard Gitar, Fond du Lac Reservation - Office of Water Protection Rick is a Water Regulatory Specialist for the Fond du Lac Reservation - Office of Water Protection (located in Northeastern Minnesota). Rick began working as a Wetland Specialist for the reservation in 1998, developing a Wetland Protection and Conservation Plan, as well as up-dating their National Wetland Inventory dataset on GIS. Since then, his duties have increased to include the development of a wetland regulatory program, developing a Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401 Tribal Water Quality Certification program (based on EPA approved Tribal Water Quality Standards), and oversight of the CWA Section 402 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) on the reservation. Rick has been a member of the Association of State Wetland Managers since 2001. He also serves as a Board Member and Habitat Committee Chairman of the St. Louis River Citizens Action Committee (CAC), which conducts and/or coordinates numerous restoration projects in the lower St. Louis River area (communities of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin). He has also served on numerous local, state and national workgroups and committees in the areas of wetlands, invasive plant species, and storm water management. Rick completed a B.S. in Biology and Journalism (double major) from the University of Wisconsin - Superior (UWS) in 1992. While working as an instructor for UWS (1993-1997), Rick worked on a M.S. in Environmental Biology at the University of Minnesota - Duluth. At the same time, he also operated his own environmental consulting company, which specialized in rare plant surveys and wetland mitigation monitoring. In his spare time, Rick enjoys camping, fishing, canoeing, trail building (for the Superior Hiking Trail system), or just spending time at home with his wife, two children, two dogs, one cat and one bird in Duluth, Minnesota.

	Maryann McGraw, New Mexico Environment Department Maryann is the Wetlands Program Coordinator and the Wetlands and Department of Transportation Team Leader with the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Surface Water Quality Bureau. Maryann has managed projects funded by CWA Section 319(h) since 1998. Maryann also manages projects funded by CWA Section 104(b)(3) and the newly created New Mexico Wetlands Program since 2003. Previously, Maryann worked for the New Mexico Department of Transportation (DOT) as an Environmental Specialist beginning in 1993 where she provided input for natural resources protection as a part of transportation project design, wrote NEPA documents and was in charge of developing mitigation plans and projects for wetland impacts. Presently, she serves as the NMED liaison to the DOT. Maryann is a current board member of the ASWM. She brings to the board the perspective and challenges of a newly formed and growing wetlands program. She has previously taught landscape ecology and restoration classes at Santa Fe Community College including Wetlands, Riparian Restoration, Dryland Restoration, Bioremediation, and Natural History of Arid Lands. Maryann holds Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Geology from the University of Texas at Austin, Texas. Maryann paints en plein air in pastel, concentrating on New Mexico's scenic vistas and how time and seasonal changes affect those places.



	Janet Morlan, Oregon Department of State Lands Janet is the Wetlands Program Manager at the Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL). DSL implements the state's Removal-Fill Law and the 1989 Wetlands Conservation Act. Janet joined DSL in 1989 as the Wetlands Inventory Specialist and became the Wetlands Team Leader/Program Manager in 1997. Janet's primary responsibilities include development of state wetlands policy and programs, coordinating state interests with federal programs, rulemaking, working with cities engaged in state-mandated wetlands planning, and providing wetland-related education and training. Janet has managed many EPA grant-funded projects, including development of HGM guidebooks and regional status and trends studies. She also provides technical assistance to staff, other agencies and the private sector on wetland determination and jurisdictional issues, and has a particular (inexplicable?) interest in agricultural wetland determination and policy. She enjoys providing wetland delineation training, and has been an active participant in development of the Arid West and Western Mountains, Valleys and Coasts regional supplements to the 1987 Corps Wetlands Delineation Manual. Janet received a B.A. degree in geography (with minors in wildlife management and journalism) from Humboldt State University and obtained her M.S. degree in resource geography from Oregon State University. Her thesis research was on salt marsh restoration at the Salmon River estuary, Oregon. Janet has been an active member of ASWM for many years. She's also active with the Society of Wetland Scientists as past president of the PNW chapter and as a member of the International Education and Outreach Committee, and she serves on the Professional Wetland Scientist Certification Program Ethics Committee. For fun, Janet enjoys exercise, gardening, and competing in agility and canine musical freestyle with her Belgian Tervuren, Kobe.




	Alan Quackenbush, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation Alan is the Wetland Program Coordinator in the Department of Environmental Conservation at the Agency of Natural Resources in Vermont. Originally from central New York, Alan had an early affinity for wetlands that were prevalent on the farm where he grew up. This interest was strengthened when he took a summer course at Colgate University in bog ecology during his high school years. He received a B.A. from the University of Rochester, Rochester, New York. After a two-year Peace Corps enlistment in Benin (West Africa), he worked in a number of social service positions. He changed course, decided to focus on his earlier interests, and earned a M.S. in botany from the University of Vermont. While still enrolled in graduate school, he started his career with the Vermont DEC Water Quality Division. He has since worked in the Lakes and Ponds Section, the Biomonitoring and Aquatic Studies Section, and the Wetlands Management Section, where he has been for the last 10 years. He assumed his duties as supervisor of the Vermont Wetlands Program in May 2005 following the retirement of his predecessor, Carl Pagel, who had been the State Wetlands Coordinator for thirty years. He lives in the Green Mountains, just a few miles from work, with his wife Audrey and his dog Sadie.




	James Stoutamire, Florida Department of Environmental Protection Jim has been with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection since 1982. Previously he was the Assistant Program Administrator, Florida Coastal Zone Management Program from 1982-1991 where he supervised the grants program including development of sovereignty submerged lands rules and aquatic preserve management plans. From 1991-1998 he was the Senior Management Analyst, later Environmental Administrator - wetlands policy development and wetlands data management (GIS) section. He was the Environmental Administrator - sovereignty submerged lands and wetlands policy development and wetlands data management section from 1998-2001. He is the Administrator with the Office of Submerged Lands and Environmental Resources since 2001 and responsible for policy development and programmatic support of the statewide sovereignty submerged lands and wetlands regulatory programs. He holds a Ph.D. in Archeology from the University of Missouri, 1975 and Research Associate from Florida State University, 1975-1981. His hobbies include hunting and saltwater fishing.

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