Colorado Trout Unlimited

CTU Staff and Contractors:

David Nickum, Executive Director dnickum@tu.org

As the Executive Director of the Colorado Council, David coordinates state-level TU conservation efforts on Colorado issues from whirling disease to water quality protection. Under his leadership, CTU has successfully reformed state whirling disease policy, secured passage of legislation strengthening Colorado's instream flow program, and conducted a range of on-the-ground restoration projects for stream habitat and native trout recovery. He is the author of "Whirling Disease in the United States", a TU report summarizing the state of the science on whirling disease, and co-author of "Saving A Stream," a primer on how to conduct coldwater habitat improvement projects. Dave holds a B.A. in Public Policy from Duke University. He enjoys fishing in the Rocky Mountain National Park area and hiking and camping in Colorado’s high country with his wife and two children.

Jen Boulton, Legislative Liaison jenboulton@msn.com

Since 2003, Jen has served as the legislative liaison for Colorado Trout Unlimited and Audubon Colorado at the Colorado General Assembly. She has helped secure passage of legislation expanding funding for wildlife habitat protection, prohibiting homeowner covenants that require water-intensive landscaping, and enabling water right holders to make emergency loans for water for instream flow purposes. She is also an accomplished horseback rider.

John Woodling, Water Quality Consultant woodling@colorado.edu

John Woodling received a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Colorado, a Masters Degree from the University of Louisville and a Bachelor of Science Degree from Southern Colorado State College. Professional positions included that of a Researcher with the Colorado Water Quality Control Division (5 years), Project Manager with Camp Dresser and McKee (1 year) and Aquatic Biologist with the Colorado Division of Wildlife (33 years). Dr. Woodling has taught Ecology, Toxicology and Aquatic Biology at the University of Denver (Community College) and the University of Colorado, Boulder Campus. Dr. Woodling has been published multiple times in the popular press, refereed scientific journals and in reports released by the State of Colorado. Studies for the State of Colorado included impacts of metals, nutrients and sediment to the aquatic resources of Colorado. Current research includes the distribution and abundance of fishes in Colorado and sexual disruption of fish downstream of domestic wastewater discharges to waters of Colorado.

National TU Colorado-based staff:

Melinda Kassen, Director, Western Water Project mkassen@tu.org

Melinda is the Director of TU's Western Water Project. Between 1998-2005, she ran the Colorado Water Project. Under her leadership, the project helped pass a law expanding the state’s instream flow protection program, successfully defeated several bad, new water projects in state water court, won a victory in federal court to protect the forest service’s right to require someone taking water from rivers crossing the forest to keep the river wet, and issued a report on solving the front range’s water supply needs. She is the environmental and recreational interest representative on Colorado’s Interbasin Water Compact Committee. Her water experience includes working at the Environmental Defense Fund's Rocky Mountain Office, where she was involved in the fight to stop Two Forks Dam. She has represented water quality and water rights clients with the Colorado Attorney General, including the Water Conservation Board for its instream flow program. Melinda also worked for ICF Kaiser, primarily on the clean up of the Rocky Flats site, was Environmental Counsel to the House Armed Services Committee in the 103rd Congress and spent two years prosecuting domestic violence cases in Los Angeles. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, she graduated from Dartmouth College Magna Cum Laude and from Stanford Law School. With her husband and son, she skis, cycles, and travels whenever possible.

Drew Peternell, Director, Colorado Water Project dpeternell@tu.org

In 2002, Drew joined Trout Unlimited's Colorado Water Project as staff attorney. In that role, he worked to maintain and restore flows in Colorado's rivers and streams, primarily through the Colorado water court system and various state and federal administrative agencies. As the director of the Colorado Water Project, Drew continues the effort toward protection of stream flows, with increasing emphasis on statewide water policy and on-the-ground stream restoration projects. Drew holds a B.A. in political science from Vanderbilt University and a J.D. and Certificate of Specialization in Environmental Law from the University of California, Berkeley. Before joining TU, Drew worked for two years in private practice in Boulder. Away from the office, Drew spends much of his time outdoors, his favorite activities - in addition to fishing - being kayaking and skiing. He grew up in Memphis, Tennessee.

Greg Espegren, Aquatics Specialist, Colorado Water Project gespegren@tu.org

Greg serves as the Colorado Water Project's staff aquatic scientist, working as an agency liason, instream flow, water quality and aquatic habitat analyst, and river restoration project manager. Prior to coming to TU, Greg spent 15 years working for the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) as a Water Resource Specialist with the Board's Instream Flow and Natural Lake Level Program. Greg has also worked as a private consultant on various water-related projects including the completion of the CWCB's ArcGIS-based Instream Flow Decision Support System and the Town of Avon's Recreational In-Channel Diversion water right. Greg holds MS and BS degrees in Fishery and Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University.

John Gerstle, Technical Advisor jgerstle@tu.org

John is Technical Advisor for the Western Water Project and the Public Lands Initiative. With a professional background in water resources planning and management, water rights and environmental impact assessment, he worked as a consultant for 30 years on assignments in the US, Norway, Africa and Asia. He testified as an expert witness in legal cases involving water management for several clients, including Trout Unlimited, US department of Justice and US Fish and Wildlife Service, and assisted governments of Bhutan, Nepal and Tanzania in the development of their administrative and legal arrangements for water resource management. He has a BA (Chemistry) from the University of Colorado, and SMCE and CE postgraduate degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

David Petersen, Colorado Field Coordinator, Public Lands Initiative elkheart@hughes.net

David Petersen is a lifelong angler and hunter. For the past 23 years, Dave has lived with his wife, Caroline, in a small cabin on a big mountain in rural Colorado. Dave's degrees are in social sciences and creative writing. A full-time freelance writer before joining TU, he has published 13 books and hundreds of magazine articles focusing on wildlife, wild places and wild people.

Elizabeth Russell, Snake River Colorado Project Manager erussell@tu.org

Elizabeth is the Snake River Colorado Project Manager based in Boulder, Colorado. Previously, Elizabeth worked as the Education and Outreach Coordinator for TU's Colorado Water Project. She recently earned an M.A. in Geography from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and holds a B.A. in Geography from San Francisco State University. Before coming to TU, she worked for eight years doing fundraising and political organizing for various non-profit organizations. Her time off is spent enjoying Boulder's great outdoors with her family.

Randy Scholfield, Communications Director, Western Water Project rscholfield@tu.org

Randy comes to TU from The Witchita Eagle, where he was an editorial writer and columnist writing frequently on environmental and water issues. He also served as community outreach coordinator for the Great Plains Earth Institue, a small nonprofit environmental group, where he helped start community gardening and environmental education projects. He has worked as a frellance writer and taught English and writing at the high school and college levels. Randy has a BA in English from the University of Iowa and a PhD in English from the University of Kansas. In his free time, he enjoys outdoor activities with his wife and two children and pursues a lifelong pasiion fro travel and fly-fishing in the West.

David Stillwell, Office and Internal Communications Manager dstillwell@tu.org

David came to TU from Boulder's Naropa University, where he was the Director of Academic Affairs. He has 12 years of administrative experience in a non-profit environment. He received his BA in English from Bethany College, West Virginia and his MFA in Creative Writing from Naropa University's Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics. He is an avid mountain biker, sumi painter, and writer. David is responsible for managing TU's Boulder Office.

Mely Whiting, Senior Attorney, Colorado Water Project mwhiting@tu.org

Mely Whiting is an attorney with 15 years of experience in natural resources, public lands and environmental law. Before joining Trout Unlimited, Mely was a public lands attorney with Western Resource Advocate. She worked for the Solicitor's Office, Department of the Interior, and was a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in Colorado. She practiced law with the Colorado firm of Moses, Wittemyer, Harrison & Woodruff, and was an Assistant Attorney General with the Colorado Attorney General's office. Mely is a graduate of the University of Utah, where she earned degrees in philosophy and law. She was born in Montevideo, Uruguay and has also lived in Caracas, Venezuela. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast, having climbed a number of peaks, including Mount Rainier and an attempt at Aconcagua, the tallest peak in South America.