Steering Committee

Operating under the guidance of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the Western Native Trout Initiative is governed by a Steering Committee that represents 12 western states, 3 federal natural resource management agencies, tribes, and nonprofit fisheries conservation organizations:

  • Chair: Steve Caromile, Inland Fish Program Manager, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • Vice Chair: Paul Dey, Program Manager Aquatic Habitat Section, Wyoming Game and Fish Department
  • Kevin Keith, Research Coordinator, Fish Habitat Research and Restoration, Alaska Department of Fish and Game
  • Zach Beard, Statewide Aquatics Program Manager, Arizona Game and Fish Department
  • Sarah Mussulman, Inland Fisheries Program Manager, California Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • Jenn Logan, Native Aquatic Species Coordinator, Colorado Parks and Wildlife
  • Martin Koenig, Sportfishing Program Coordinator, Idaho Department of Fish and Game
  • Kristen Cook, Native Species Coordinator, Fisheries Division, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks
  • Chris Crookshanks, Fisheries Division Chief, Nevada Department of Wildlife
  • Kirk Patten, Chief of Fisheries, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
  • Tom Stahl, Conservation and Recovery Program Manager, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • Trina Hedrick, Coldwater Sportfish Coordinator, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
  • Steve Caromile, Inland Fish Program Manager, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • Warren Colyer, Western Water and Habitat Program Director, Trout Unlimited
  • Melissa Dickard, Senior Riparian Specialist, Bureau of Land Management National Operations Center
  • Yvette Paroz, Regional Fisheries Program Leader, U.S. Forest Service
  • Kevin Johnson, Regional Habitat Coordinator Fish and Aquatic Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  • Vacant, Canadian Provincial representative
  • Vacant, Tribal Nation or organization representative
  • JD Davis, WNTI Coordinator
  • Julie Carter, Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies representative on National Fish Habitat Partnership Board

The following individuals were instrumental in the development of the Western Native Trout Initiative Strategic Plan, its early management, and formal recognition as a Fish Habitat Partnership by the National Fish Habitat Partnership Board in 2007, and have served as Steering Committee members in the years since. WNTI is appreciative of their foresight and contributions:

  • Alaska – Gillian O’Doherty (Steering Committee member)
  • Alaska – Tracy Smith (Steering Committee member)
  • Alaska – Christopher Estes (Steering Committee member)
  • Alaska – Roger Harding (Steering Committee member)
  • Arizona – Kirk Young
  • Arizona – Julie Meka Carter (Steering Committee member, Vice Chair, Chair)
  • Arizona – Larry Riley
  • California – Roger Bloom (Steering Committee member)
  • California – Dave Lentz
  • Colorado – Harry Crockett (Steering Committee member)
  • Colorado – Harry Crockett (Steering Committee member)
  • Idaho – Jeff Dillon (Steering Committee member)
  • Idaho – Scott Grunder
  • Idaho – Steve Yundt
  • Montana – Chris Hunter
  • Montana – Travis Horton
  • Montana – Lee Nelson (Steering Committee member)
  • Montana – Trevor Watson (Steering Committee member)
  • Nevada – Jon Sjoberg (Steering Committee member, Vice Chair)
  • Nevada – Rich Haskins (Steering Committee member)
  • Nevada – John Elliott
  • New Mexico – Kirk Patten (Steering Committee member)
  • New Mexico – David Propst
  • New Mexico – Michael Sloan (Steering Committee member)
  • Oregon – Bruce McIntosh (Steering Committee member)
  • Oregon – Charlie Corrarino (Steering Committee member, Chair)
  • Oregon – Steve Jacobs
  • Utah – Randy Oplinger (Steering Committee member)
  • Utah – Roger Wilson (Steering Committee member, Vice Chair)
  • Washington – Craig Burley (Steering Committee member)
  • Washington – James Uehara
  • Wyoming – Mike Stone (Steering Committee member, Chair)
  • Wyoming – Dirk Miller
  • Montana Water Center – Kristen Keith
  • Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe- Daniel Fairbank
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Robert Clarke (Steering Committee member)
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service R1 – Vicki Finn
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service R2 – Jim Brooks
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service R6 – Morgan Elmer
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service R6 – Scott Roth
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service R6 – Bill Rice
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service R7/8 – Lisa Heki (Steering Committee member)
  • U.S. Forest Service – Scott Spaulding (Steering Committee member)
  • U.S. Forest Service – Dan Duffield (Steering Committee member)
  • U.S. Forest Service R1 – Kate Walker
  • U.S. Forest Service R3 – Amy Unthank
  • U.S. Forest Service R4 – Dan Duffield (Steering Committee member)
  • U.S. Forest Service R6 – David Heller
  • U.S. Forest Service R7 – Travis Coley
  • U.S. Forest Service WO – Davis Schmid
  • U.S.Geological Survey – Kitty Griswold
  • U.S. Geological Survey – Bob Gresswell
  • U.S. National Resources Conservation Service – Kathryn Boyer
  • Trout Unlimited – Helen Neville
  • NFWF – Krystyna Wolniakowski
  • American Sportfishing Association – Ross Tuckwiller
  • Bureau of Land Management – Jay Thompson (Steering Committee member)
  • Bureau of Land Management – Tom Mendenhall
  • Bureau of Land Management – Karl Stein
  • Bureau of Land Management – Tyler Abbott
  • Bureau of Land Management – John Moore
  • Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Fisheries – Daniel Fairbank

 

Administrative Support and Advisors:

  • Therese Race Thompson, WNTI Coordinator (2014-2023)
  • Robin Knox , WNTI Coordinator (2006-2014)
  • Erica Stock, Director of Strategic Partnerships (2012-2013)
  • Virgil Moore, WAFWA Administrator
  • Rich Haskins, WAFWA Administrator
  • Christopher Estes, Advisor
  • Mike Stone, WAFWA representative to the NFHP Board
  • Ed Schriever, WAFWA representative to the NFHP Board
  • Chris Cantrell, WAFWA representative to the NFHP Board