MISSION & VISION
Stewardship Partners’ mission is to create people-based solutions that engage Puget Sound communities as caretakers of the land and water that sustain us. We are guided by the vision that when everyone understands their role, has access to resources, and has a sense of belonging to community, land and water, then positive change happens. Mixing optimism, realism and action, Stewardship Partners starts with empathy; we listen then co-create solutions with our partners, connecting them with their environment and each other to improve watershed health.
When Stewardship Partners was founded 22 years ago, Puget Sound was in a steep ecological decline. Industrial pollution, conversion of forest land for development, polluted urban runoff, and ecologically harmful farming practices were quickly degrading salmon habitat and threatening the food supply of our resident orca whales.
Efforts to head off further environmental degradation included new state laws and new nonprofit advocacy and cleanup efforts. But one conservation-minded constituency was almost entirely left out of the conversation: landowners—people with a deep connection to the land and a strong motivation to act as responsible stewards of the ecosystem.
Stewardship Partners stepped in to fill that gap. Starting with one face-to-face conversation with a single farmer in the Snoqualmie River Valley, our organization has grown into a national model for developing effective, people-based solutions and engaging communities as caretakers of the land and water.
Our programs include: Snoqualmie Stewardship (including Adopt-a-Buffer), Salmon Safe, and Green Infrastructure (including City Habitats, 12,000 Rain Gardens, and Sound Impacts).
Stewardship Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Read Stewardship Partners’ Equity and Social Justice Values Statement
STAFF
The staff of Stewardship Partners is highly trained and experienced in the environmental field.
David Burger – Executive Director
David Burger joined Stewardship Partners as executive director in 2000 and brings with him more than 20 years of experience working on community-based salmon recovery and managing nonprofit organizations. David has worked both locally in Puget Sound as executive director for Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group, restoring salmon habitat with landowners, and statewide as program manager for People for Salmon building capacity of organizations statewide to engage community citizens in salmon recovery. He knows the importance of working cooperatively with a variety of stakeholders and developing and fostering relationships with private landowners to protect and restore fish and wildlife habitat — while maintaining the economic viability of farms and forest land. David has served on several boards including, Built Green, First Green, Snoqualmie Watershed Forum, Mid Sound Fisheries, Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust Technical Advisory Committee, King Conservation District Advisory Board, Parks Levy Task Force, and presently on the board of Earth Talk and The Salmon Recovery Council.
Chris LaPointe – Director of Ecological Restoration
Chris LaPointe brings almost 20 years experience in project and program management, grant management, public administration and volunteer management to Stewardship Partners. Prior to joining Stewardship Partners he spent 11 years working with EarthCorps’ Volunteer Program in Seattle, WA. Chris also served as the Programs & Project Specialist II/Grants Coordinator with Arizona State Parks in Phoenix, AZ while in graduate school. Chris specializes in partnership development, community outreach, and program/project planning & implementation. His education includes a BS in Environmental Science/Biology from Northern Arizona University and a Master of Science in Recreation Resource Management from Arizona State University. Since a young age Chris wanted to lead a life that makes a positive impact on the environment and it’s human and non human inhabitants. He believes working as the Snoqualmie Program Manager will allow him to continue to do just that.
Emma Vowels – Program Specialist
Emma Vowels first became involved with Stewardship Partners in 2012, as an intern through the University of Washington’s College of Environment. For her senior capstone project, she worked on the 12,000 Rain Gardens in Puget Sound campaign, and surveyed rain garden owners about effectiveness, maintenance and perceptions of existing rain gardens. Emma is a Seattle native, and enjoys any opportunity to get outside explore the land Stewardship Partners is working to help protect. Emma also has a passion for horses, and works as a riding instructor and horse trainer in Redmond.
Todd Albertson – Program Specialist
Todd Albertson first joined Stewardship Partners in 2018 as an intern. A transplant from Northern California, he received a Masters of Public Administration from the Evans School at UW where he specialized in policy analysis and environmental policy. He is excited to use his policy knowledge to better the Puget Sound region. In his spare time he enjoys hiking, watching sports (Go Dawgs!) and exploring the Puget Sound region.
Geoff Bough – Ecological Restoration Project Manager
Geoff Bough brings 8+ years of experience working as a crew member, crew leader and project manager for habitat restoration projects in the Snoqualmie Watershed. Geoff has extensive experience working in a collaborative manner with project partners and Snoqualmie Valley landowners. He has an intimate knowledge of our restoration projects and partners. When not working on projects in the field, Geoff likes to plan his next international adventure, spend time in his garden at home, collect vinyl records and relax with his cats.
Kiersten Hurst – Restoration Crew Member
Kiersten moved to Washington in 2016 to earn her Masters in Conservation Biology. While earning her masters she interned at PAWS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, then proceeded to work at PAWS full time for 4+ years. Since moving 7 years ago, Kiersten has volunteered with organizations such as Woodland Park Zoo, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Snoqualmie Stewardship Partners! She has always had a passion for preserving nature, both flora and fauna. In her free time Kiersten loves camping, baking, gardening, and spending time with her family, including her pets; a senior long-haired black cat named Marceline, and a 10-month-old husky mix named Chicory.
Lauren Mastin – Restoration Crew Member
Originally from Denver, CO, Lauren moved up here for school and fell in love with the pacific northwest. As a recent graduate, Lauren is excited about the opportunity to work in the conservation biology field and learn more about the work being done in the Snoqualmie Valley. She is excited to put her degree to work in the field and expand her knowledge of the region. In her spare time Lauren enjoys hiking and camping as well as playing/coaching lacrosse.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Stewardship Partners is governed by a board of directors. Their collective experience in the fields of environmental conservation, business, government and organizational management provides important oversight and guidance to effectively achieve our mission.
Christopher T. Bayley, Chair, Former King County Prosecutor
Co-founder of Stewardship Partners and chairman of Dylan Bay Companies, Christopher Bayley has been active in the Seattle community for more than 45 years. A Harvard educated lawyer, he has practiced law for private firms and public offices, including King County Prosecuting Attorney. His corporate experience includes Burlington Northern Inc., Glacier Park Company and New Pacific Partners. In 1999, Christopher joined Steven Buri in forming the Resource Action Council, which on January 1, 2002, became Stewardship Partners. His other involvements include the University of Puget Sound, The Bush School, The Seattle Foundation, Corporate Council for the Arts (now ArtsFund), The Nature Conservancy (state and national boards), the Board of Overseers of Harvard College, E.B. Dunn Historic Garden Trust, the National Association for Olmsted Parks and the Sabre Foundation, the Commerce Bank of Washington and Cle Elum Energy.
J. Bowman Neely, Vice Chair, Attorney, Neely Law
Bowman Neely is a graduate of New York University, the Art Institute of Chicago (painting) and The University of Montana School of Law. His legal experience includes clerkships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal Magistrate Judge Lief B. Erickson. He is proficient in French and Spanish, worked for Sotheby’s Auction House in New York and for a private dealer, was an artist with exhibits in New York and Los Angeles — and he has experience working on public-private development partnerships, commercial real estate agreements, land use, water rights and renewable energy matters.
Richard Fichera, Treasurer, Former Puget Sound Site Director and CFO, Boeing
Richard Fichera is a senior financial leader with MBA and 20+ years of demonstrated success guiding critical finance, operations, and strategic planning functions for multibillion dollar business units and product lines. Richard brings incredible experience as the previous CFO & Puget Sound Site Director for Boeing. He recently retired after 38 years at Boeing. Richard has a breadth of experience working on budgeting, leadership and creating and managing strategic partners.
Dakota J. Keene, Secretary, Partner, Mithun
Dakota participates in thoughtful, sustainable space-making to mutually benefit her clients and the community. As a landscape architect she focuses on cultural, corporate, and residential projects, assisting communities in defining a framework that provides a forum for participation. The design intent, formed from a medley of historical and natural influences, is integrated into the original diagrams and gradually woven into the final plan. Dakota’s work integrates the innate processes of nature, art and science with the goal of achieving a flourishing environment.
Kitty Craig, Deputy State Director, The Wilderness Society
Kitty Craig is currently Deputy State Director for the national conservation organization, The Wilderness Society, providing strategic direction, program delivery, operations, and fundraising leadership for the Washington state program. Prior to joining The Wilderness Society, she led The Trust for Public Land’s Conservation Vision program, working to protect threatened landscapes through collaborative landscape planning. Kitty has particular expertise in land-use planning with an emphasis in conservation and recreation, as well as national forest management policy, public lands advocacy, and strategic planning. She has a proven track record working successfully with a range of stakeholders to find common ground and develop community solutions. Kitty has a B.A. in History and German from Whitman College and an M.A. in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon. A Seattle native, Kitty has a deep passion for the outdoors and land conservation. She enjoys cooking, gardening, and getting outside to hike, run, sail and ski with her husband and two children.
William C. Hartmann, IT Consultant
Will Hartmann is an entrepreneur, private investor, consultant and advisor to startups. Currently working on a new venture, he was COO of HyBlue, Inc. and a co-founder of Boston- based Breakaway Solutions, an IT consulting firm that went public in 1999. Will also worked for Dell Computer, and has extensive international work and travel experience including projects in Jamaica and Japan. His conservation credentials include work with the Massachusetts Secretary of Environmental Affairs, with the Environmental Business Council of Massachusetts, and studying fish habitat and fighting forest fires in the Umatilla National Forest in eastern Oregon.
Rose Jordan, Vice President, Greenprint Partners
Rose is a green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) program manager, strategic communicator, and community activation leader who advocates for inclusive processes and equitable outcomes in GSI development and delivery around the country. At Greenprint Partners, a women-owned social enterprise on a mission to get the most good out of green infrastructure, she leads a national community activation practice; manages programs centering frontline communities in the development of GSI projects; and consults on equity strategies for public sector agencies and engineering consultants. Rose earned a community-based urban planning BA from the University of Washington and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Robert Manelski, Former Director, 787 Manufacturing – Everett
Bob Manelski is the former Director of Manufacturing for the 787 in Everett Washington. In this role, he was responsible for providing leadership and direction for 787 manufacturing operations on the Everett site. Prior to this, he served the 787 program as leader of Business Operations, with responsibility for business operations as well as program planning and control. Manelski was previously the Director of Business Operations for the Fabrication division. He also served as the Director of the Electrical Systems Responsibility Center, a Boeing Fabrication business unit. A 31 year veteran of Boeing, Bob has held a wide variety of assignments and traveled extensively while working directly with customers. Other assignments included: Director of Crew Information Services for Commercial Airplanes, Director of Boeing’s Operations Center, Commercial Airplanes chief mechanic; Manager of Airplane Systems Technical Services, 747-400 Field Service; 777 design engineering; and Service engineering. Bob has been married to Deanna for 24 years and they have two teenage daughters.
Samantha Neukom, Partner, Chief Brand Officer, Northbound
Samantha Neukom is the Chief Brand Officer for Northbound, where she provides clients a unique depth of experience, perspective and process insights. From east-coast big agency to west coast boutique, Sam has honed her craft to a laser focus. For more than 17 years she has contributed to a wide variety of businesses such as Starwood Hotels, Bank of the West, P&G, Snapple, Odwalla, Tanqueray, Microsoft, Redfin, Pfizer, Tylenol, Lenscrafters, Apptio, NetApp, Thomson Reuters, and Kaiser Permanente.
Mark Wolfram, Vice President of Channel Partnerships and Sales, Azuqua
Mark is a Technology Executive with over 20 years of experience at Microsoft in several key roles including GM Worldwide Partner Sales, GM M&A Integration and GM for the Pacific Northwest. He is currently VP of Channel Partnerships and Sales at Azuqua, a Seattle cloud integration start-up with funding from Ignition Partners. Previously Mark spent 6 years in Australia with BNY Mellon running the Australian market. Mark recently completed a 10-year stint as a Board of Trustee of Cascadia Community College which is a State of WA Governor appointment. He is currently on the Cascadia Foundation Board. He and his wife Lynn run a CSA (Foggy Ridge) in the Woodinville area which focuses on Aronia products. Mark and Lynn have 2 children (Katie and Max—who has interned at Stewardship Partners) as well as horses, cows, miniature donkeys, dogs, chickens and ducks.
EMERITUS BOARD MEMBERS
Grant Jones – Principal, Jones & Jones Ltd.
John Rose – Leora Consulting Group
Jim Vesely – Retired Journalist, The Seattle Times
Dana Rasmussen – Former Regional Administrator EPA
Rick White – Former US Congressman, 1st District
Bruce Chapman – Chairman of the Board, Discovery Institute
Craig Gannett – Partner, Davis Wright Tremaine
Lucas St. Clair – Community Volunteer
Karen Lane – Former Vice President, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Elliot Marks – Former Washington State Director, The Nature Conservancy
Steven Buri – President, Discovery Institute
Heather Redman – Principal and Senior Vice President, Summit Power Group LLC
Bill Baldwin – Founder and CEO, Baldwin Resource Group
Bill Bryant – Chairman, Bryant Christie Inc.
Sasha Visconty – Principal, Axis Environmental LLC
Peter Dykstra – Partner, Plauche and Carr
Kenan Block – Founder, Kenan Block Media and Communications
Alice Shorett – Founder, Triangle Associates
Steven M. Patneaude – Director of 787 Systems, Boeing
Eugene Carlson – Former Journalist, Dow Jones & Co.
Barbara Snapp – Former Garden Club Conservation Chair
Cal McAllister – Principal, Creative Director, CEO Wexley School for Girls