The People of FTR

Staff

Lyn Benjamin served as the staff hydrologist for the Henry’s Fork Foundation between 1995 and 1998 while conducting research for her thesis on the operation of the Island Park Reservoir and its effects on the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River fishery. Her research was used extensively by the Henry’s Fork Foundation, Fremont-Madison Irrigation District, U.S Geological Survey (USGS) and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) to understand the hydrology of the Upper Henry’s Fork Basin and to assess Island Park Reservoir operations in the context of the downstream ecosystem. Between 1998 and 2001 she worked as a consultant for the USGS, USBR and Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory to conduct research into the groundwater hydrology of the Henry’s Fork Springs. She used innovative environmental isotope techniques to model aquifer properties in the Henry’s Fork Basin. The research has since been used to understand water supply for irrigation and ecosystem needs. Her research has been published in Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Intermountain Journal of the Sciences, and Western North American Naturalist. All of her work has been presented to the Henry’s Fork Watershed Council and she has served on Watershed Council committees since 1995. She was involved in starting Friends of the Teton River in 2000 and has served as its Executive Director since 2001. Her extensive background in education, as a middle school science teacher and Outward Bound instructor, has enabled Friends of the Teton River to be effective in communicating to the public about the scientific work that has been undertaken in the Teton Valley. She has served in an advisory capacity to the Teton County Commissioners and the City of Driggs and is currently the Teton County Delegate to the Forest Service Resource Advisory Council.

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Mike Lien joined Friends of the Teton River in the summer of 2002 and will be completing his fifth year of habitat assessment research of the Teton River in summer of 2007. Mike has been a hydrological technician for 10 years for the U.S. Forest Service responsible for installation and data analysis of stream temperature monitoring programs. He has performed channel condition assessment surveys in floodplain stream reaches using standard hydrological methods. His duties have included cross-sectional and longitudinal profiles, substrate data collection, large woody debris counts and inventory of pools. A resident of Driggs, Mike spends the winters surfing in Baja, Mexico.

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Anna Lindstedt joined FTR in September 2004 as the Education and Outreach Director. She graduated from Montana State University in Bozeman with a degree in anthropology and an emphasis in outdoor education. From 2002-2004 she worked for the Rocky Mountain Nature Association and Rocky Mountain National Park. She coordinated efforts between the non-profit partner and the National Park Service to create a youth service and education program focused on garnering student's interest in natural resources conservation careers. Anna began her first 3 years of work at FTR as the Education and Outreach Director, completing a Teton Watershed Curriculum for Kindergarten-12th grade students. She took the postition of Development Director in April 2007.

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Amy Verbeten holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology, with a minor in Geology, from the University of Washington, a Master of Arts in Education from Prescott College, and a Colorado State teaching license with an endorsement in Secondary Science. Amy has been fortunate to combine her passion for education with her love for the outdoors, teaching hands-on science indoors and out since 1994. She has worked in the classroom as a math and science teacher at Red Canyon High School of Expeditionary Learning in Colorado, and a professor of biology and outdoor education at Colorado Mountain College. While employed at the Stanislaus County Office of Education in California, Amy worked to create and modify state outdoor school standards, and served on a committee to make recommendations on revision of the state Science Framework. She has authored several articles on environmental leadership and curriculum design for the National Outdoor Leadership School. Most recently, as the Youth Programs Director for the Gore Range Natural Science School in Colorado, Amy mentored graduate students in Natural Science Education, and worked with classroom teachers to develop standards-based natural science curriculum. Amy also serves as an advisor for graduate students in Prescott College’s Master of Arts Program in Environmental Studies.

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Ty Mack grew up fishing the streams and lakes of the Wind River Mountains around his hometown of Lander, Wyoming. In 1999 he earned a B.S. in Geohydrology from Montana State University and has been working with rivers ever since. Ty’s diverse work experience includes years working on the Wind River Indian Reservation, both mediating water rights disputes as Deputy Tribal Water Engineer and later directing Wind River Alliance, a startup nonprofit watershed group. Most recently, he worked for the State of Vermont’s River Management Program developing and implementing an innovative program working collaboratively with Vermont municipalities to protect river corridors to mitigate flood and fluvial erosion hazards. Ty and his wife Rose are excited to be settling in the Teton Valley after nearly nine months of surfing, rock climbing, bicycle touring, and Spanish language immersion in South America.

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Missy Barnes joined the FTR staff in July of 2005 as the bookkeeper. She graduated from the University of Washington in 2002 with a B.S. in Zoology. She then went to work with the U.S. Forest Service during the summer months of 2003 & 2004, conducting stream habitat assessments in Idaho, Oregon, and Montana. During the winter months, she spent her time in Driggs as a bookkeeper and decided to become a full time resident last year. She can be found all over town doing the books for 4 other businesses, including 2 other local nonprofits. When not working, she spends her time exploring the valley with her horse, Annie.

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Board of Directors

The FTR board is a group of 15 committed, diverse individuals including farmers, fishing guides, businessman, artists, scientists and retired citizens.   Each board member generously contributes with both time and financial resources and participates in one or more of the following committees:  fundraising, research, education and outreach, and legal.   If you have questions for any individual board member, please feel free to contact them at their respective email addresses.

John Siverd (age 58) and his wife (Nancy), both retired, have been residents of Alta for over 3 years, and they enjoy the winter months in Florida. In the 15 to 20 years prior to living in Teton Valley, they traveled frequently in Wyoming and Montana, enjoying fishing the Teton, Snake, and Gallatin Rivers, and biking, hiking, and hunting. John received a BS in finance from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the University of Massachusetts. Professionally, John’s background was in finance, with a career on Wall Street in institutional sales and investment banking. John participated in community volunteer activities in New Jersey, such as the Jaycees (starting one of the first recycling centers in NJ) and the local volunteer ambulance corps (of which he was President and a volunteer EMT). John will use his previous professional and volunteer experience in his role on the FTR Board, and plans to participate in “hands on” projects on the river.

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Diane’s love for water started with whitewater canoeing and touring the legendary Boundary Waters in her home state, Minnesota. She grew up on the family’s dairy farm, and so the importance of water was instilled at an early age. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Art History Degree. She and her family have been hopping around the Western states the past few years, searching for that perfect place to settle. With Teton Valley’s wide open agricultural space and recreational opportunities, they declared Teton Valley “home.” Diane and her husband Steve look forward to raising their children, River and Roy, in the Teton Valley. Diane is committed to the community, public service and collaboratively working to preserve the natural resources of the valley. She also serves on the Teton County Housing Authority Commission and is currently employed at Nelson Engineering as a land use planner and project manager.

Email Diane Temple

Tim and his wife Margot have owned a piece of land at the headwaters of the Teton River for a number of years. They recently moved to Teton Valley on a permanent basis with their five children. For the past eleven years Tim has owned a small business based out of the mid-west. Prior to that, he had worked for several financial institutions in both commercial and investment banking on the east coast and in the mid-west.

Email Tim Watters

Dan Burr and his wife, Patti, moved to Teton Valley Idaho so that they could be surrounded by the great fishing rivers and streams that inspired his father and grandfather to love this part of the country so much. Dan has earned a Masters Degree in illustration from Syracuse University ISDP program and continues in his career as an illustrator. Dan and Patti live in Tetonia, Idaho with their great kids, two dogs, two cats and two horses, on twelve acres of river bottom where they can explore and enjoy the world around them, and of course paint some of it as well. Recently, Dan was awarded the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s highest honor and was named to the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels. This commission is given to individuals in recognition of noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding service to a community, state or the nation.

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Brian’s entire life has centered around the Teton Valley Lodge and the Teton River. His parents met while working at the lodge, and his family lived in one of the lodge’s cabins when he was young. Many of his earliest memories center around playing, swimming, and fishing in the river that runs through his backyard. Brian began guiding in 1996, and is now one of the owners of the lodge. Brian became a board member for Friends of the Teton River in 2007.

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Tom Fenger has fished and hunted waterfowl on the banks of the Teton for over 25 years, and this river is his home. He guides professionally, and has seen many changes in these few years and looks forward to giving to a river that has given so much to him. Tom has a B.S. in Environmental Studies from Utah State University.

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Linda is an avid outdoor enthusiast and a part-time cross-country ski instructor and snowshoe guide at Beaver Creek. She enjoys hiking, biking, and running during other times of the year. She is also a consummate birder and naturalist and runs Barley Creek Camp in Driggs, ID. Linda has a gourmet cookie business and is an activist for stroke awareness. She is the co-founder of the Unland Company, a global marketing and business strategy firm based in Edwards, CO with her husband John.

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Kay McIlroy and her husband, Dick, have been part time residents of Driggs since 2001. Once introduced to the Teton River and the surrounding mountains, they knew this was where they wanted to settle. Prior to moving to Idaho, they lived in the midwest where Kay was active in volunteering. Kay was a primary teacher and has always had a interest in children and their education. She also served on various boards over a 25 year period including Project Self Sufficiency, Indianapolis Museum of Art - Columbus, Indianapolis Symphony - Columbus, and Columbus Service League. Kay and her family feel that the Teton River is the lifeline of this valley and that it is vital that it be protected and given every opportunity to prosper.

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Mr. Gillett, 38, oversees Grand Targhee Resort, WorldCast Anglers, the Victor Valley Market, and various real estate ventures in Teton Valley. Geordie received his B.A. from Middlebury College in Middlebury, VT. He received Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Finance degrees from the University of Denver in Denver, CO. Geordie and his family live in Victor, Idaho. He is on the board of many Teton Valley community organizations, including Friends of the Teton River, Teton Valley Foundation, Teton Basin Ice and Recreation, and Teton Area Advisory Forum.

Email George (Geordie) N. Gillett, III

Seven years ago, Jim Reinertsen�s passion for fly fishing led him to move to Alta, where he lives on Teton Creek with his wife, Cheryl, and a Giant Schnauzer named Chance, whom he describes as �a terrible fishing dog but a wonderful companion.� Born and raised in South Africa, Jim is a graduate of St. Olaf College and Harvard Medical School, and practiced rheumatology for 20 years in Minneapolis. He is the former CEO of two large hospital systems: Park Nicollet Health Services in Minneapolis, and CareGroup in Boston. He currently heads The Reinertsen Group, a consulting and teaching practice focused solely on working with the Boards and senior leaders of hospitals and health care systems to improve the quality and safety of health care. Jim joined the FTR Board because he feels strongly that the Teton River and its tributary streams should be protected and strengthened so that future generations can enjoy these rare jewels.

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Eric Spitzer moved to the Teton area in 1992 to “spend a winter skiing” after college. As countless many before and after him, he never found a good enough reason to leave. Having grown up in Arizona, Eric has long known the importance of water to all living things. Fly-fishing trout streams throughout Colorado on vacations, he is very thankful to his father for introducing him to the sport. Eric began a career in real estate in 2001 and is currently an Associate Broker with Sotheby’s International Realty, and part of the Big Fish Property Services team. Eric lives in Victor, Idaho—where the Teton River originates—and enjoys a multitude of outdoor sports in all seasons as well as spending time with his wife, Kathy, and their daughter, Quincy.

Email Eric Spitzer

Email Maurice "Mo" Brown

Bruce Smithhammer and his wife, Katrin, settled down in Teton Valley several years ago after most recently living and working in the Yukon Territory and southern Chile. The abundance of excellent fly fishing and other, year-round outdoor opportunities, combined with the amazing community of people, were the biggest factors in their decision. With a background of 12 years in non-profit outdoor and experiential education, Bruce currently works as a freelance writer and fishing guide, and writes the weekly fishing column for the Teton Valley News. Bruce has been continually impressed with the accomplishments of FTR since moving to the valley, and is excited to be contributing to moving FTR forward.

Email Bruce Smithhammer