Board Members
David Katz
Santa Rosa, California
Mr. Katz is the President of the Board of Directors. He is the former California Director of Trout Unlimited, Executive Director of the Sonoma Land Trust, and is currently the President of David Katz & Associates. Over the last thirty-five years, Mr. Katz has been involved in program planning, development, and implementation with many successful nonprofit organizations. Presently, he works as a consultant on management, strategic planning, and natural resources projects throughout California.
Juliette Bohn
Arcata, California
Juliette Bohn is an independent consultant and project manager with over ten yeas experience working in the field of renewable energy / community sustainability. Juliette has a background in project development including solar PV, solar thermal, micro hydro, and setting up resource monitoring systems for both wind and solar energy. One of her most formative experiences was working with a team of students and local experts to design and implement a hybrid micro-hydro/solar power generation system to provide power for the SRA’s Rock Creek Ranch facilities. Ms. Bohn’s most recent work involved developing an organic waste diversion and utilization program based on the use of anaerobic digestion technology.
Juliette has been a lead investigator on three Environmental Protection Agency grants and has participated on several technical advisory groups related to carbon offset protocols, low carbon fuels, and organic waste digestion potential. Juliette currently serves on the Board of Directors for the American Biogas Council as well as the Smith River Alliance and holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Systems from Humboldt State University.
Dylan Caldwell
Arcata, California
Dylan Caldwell is the Secretary of the Board of Directors. Dylan is a geologist with Stillwater Sciences, a consulting firm specializing in science-based, technical approaches to environmental issues affecting rivers and their watersheds. In this role, Dylan consults on numerous interdisciplinary physical and ecological projects in river basins across the western United States. Additionally, Dylan’s graduate research was focused on the physical development of the Smith River watershed. Raised in Crescent City, Dylan has explored the Smith River watershed by hiking, biking, and paddling.
Bradlee Welton
Richmond, California
Mr. Welton is the Treasurer of the Board of Directors. Mr. Welton is a Federal Administrative Law Judge. Previously, he was in private practice based in Nevada City, served as Assistant Director of Save-the-Redwoods League, General Counsel of Friends of the River, Project Manager for the Trust for Public Land and attorney for a Legal Clinic in East Oakland. Mr. Welton has had a long history with the Smith River. He has been on the SRA Board of Directors for more than a decade and prior to that was actively involved in developing the campaign that led to the establishment of the Smith River National Recreation Area.
Caryl Hart
Sebastopol, California
Ms. Hart is an attorney and recognized expert in parks acquisition and management with over 25 years of experience in park advocacy, innovative fundraising, administration, and developing agency and community partnerships. She is a former Director of Sonoma County Regional Parks, Chair of the California State Parks Commission and is a member of the California Parks Forward Commission and the Climate Action Reserve Forest Protocols Work Group. She is also the founder of LandPaths, a Sonoma County non-profit that creates ways for people to experience the beauty, understand the value, and assist in healing the land in their communities. Ms. Hart received her Doctorate from UC Berkeley, School of Natural Resources, with research focus on the potential of parks and public lands to respond to climate change and play a significant role in mitigation and adaptation.
Jerry Davis
Corvallis, Oregon
Mr. Davis is the former Director of the Benton County (Oregon) Natural Areas & Parks Department where he served for more than two decades. Mr. Davis’ successful tenure with the Department included acquisition, development, and management programs for parks, natural and interpretative areas, boat landings, historic parks, and trails and boardwalks. His work for Benton County was particularly distinguished through the development of many partnerships involving human and capital resources with public and private land owners. Mr. Davis is also a former Corvallis City Councilor and President of the Willamette Kayak and Canoe Club. He has been visiting Del Norte County and the Smith River for more than thirty years through recreation pursuits.
Marilyn Linkem
Crescent City, California
Marilyn is a retired CA State Parks District Superintendent. She spent twenty-eight years working with State Parks in various divisions including Natural Resource Management, working in just about every California ecosystem. From 2004 – 2006 she was the CA State Park Sector Superintendent with Redwood National and State Park. In addition, she worked with many non-profits that supported interpretation and education in CA State Parks. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Parks and Recreation Management with an emphasis in Natural Resource Management. Marilyn returned to the redwoods with her husband to live on the Smith River in Hiouchi where she intends to stay for a very long time.
Michael Furniss
Arcata, California
Mr. Furniss is a forest hydrologist and soil scientist, recently retired from the research branch of the Forest Service. He teaches and consults on climate change regionally and internationally in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Israel. Mr. Furniss was the district hydrologist and soil scientist for the Smith River National Recreation Area – Gasquet Ranger District from 1980 until 1991. He is obsessed with effective communication, and employs new, old, and innovative media to help people to think, feel, and work together. He is also a member of Arcata’s Forest Management Advisory Committee which governs Arcata’s Community Forest.
Don Gillespie
Crescent City, California
Mr. Gillespie is an educator, counselor, and conservationist and has lived in Del Norte County for over 45 years. Mr. Gillespie has been active on all the major environmental issues in the County including wilderness, Cal Nickel’s proposal for a strip mine, wastewater treatment for Pelican Bay Prison, and many others. Presently Mr. Gillespie is an educator and counselor with Bar-O Boys Ranch, a successful youth rehabilitation and service program located on the Middle Fork Smith River.
Grant D. Werschkull
Crescent City, California
Grant was the founding Executive Director of the Smith River Alliance in 1980. He returned as Executive Director in 2000. He is an environmental consultant and former staff person to the California Nature Conservancy, Redwood National Park, and Bureau of Land Management Rogue River Program.