Meet Our Staff & Board

John and Deb built a home and moved to Teton Valley in 2023 after living in the Lake Zurich Illinois area raising 3 boys. We discovered this amazing valley during ski trips here in the
90’s. John was a biology major at St. Mary’s University in Winona Minnesota and met Deb there. He graduated from Rush University in Chicago with an MD and then went on to complete
a Family Practice residency in Oak Park Illinois. The Kolb’s then settled in LZ where John opened and managed a 8 doctor family practice for 35 years. He was president of the FP department and went on to serve as the president of Good Shepherd
Hospital in Barrington Illinois. John enjoys fly fishing and golf in the Summer and skiing in the Winter. His interest lies in preserving this wonderful gift of the Teton river.

Stephanie is a Colorado native who has lived in Idaho since 2012. She is currently an Associate Professor at Boise State University and leads the Master of Environmental Management Program. Her expertise is in energy and environmental governance. She is a graduate of Cornell University, the University of California at Berkeley, and Boise State University. Stephanie and her family – Eric, Luci, and Elise – have a home in Victor and have spent many days hiking, floating, biking, and skiing in the Tetons.

Betsy first visited Teton Valley as a 10-year-old from Atlanta, GA, on a family trip west (station wagon and pop-up camper in tow), and knew from that point that the Tetons were amazing and the Rockies were where she wanted to be when she grew up. With a B.A. in Biology and an M.A. in Geography, she enjoyed a career in natural resource management with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Forest Service, the last 20 years in Utah and Montana. In 2022, she and her husband Dan started building their home in Tetonia, moving here in 2023, and are enjoying the outdoor joys of the Tetons and getting to know Teton Valley. She enjoys all things outdoors, particularly hiking, mountain biking, skiing, and trying to dabble in bikepacking; loves traveling although finds leaving their senior tabby to be so hard.

Rafe owns and operates Canewater Farm in Victor, Idaho. Rafe studied business at The University of Georgia and organic agriculture at the University of California Santa Cruz.  Rafe brings the unique perspective of the local agricultural community to Friends of the Teton River.  He is a farmer and a fisherman who views the Teton River as the lifeblood of the community.  He advocates for collaboration between agricultural and recreational stakeholders. He is a proud father of two children, Rowan and Emmalou.  He and his family sneak away from the farm any chance they can to camp, fish, ski, bike and explore the beautiful mountains and rivers of the area.

McKenzie is the Program and Development Associate. She supports the Grants Director, Philanthropy Director, outreach efforts and program staff in the field. She aims to assist staff in meeting goals and producing high quality work in service of the Teton River Watershed. She is originally from Santa Barbara, California and grew up visiting her grandparents in Teton Valley. Her passion for the great outdoors and conservation grew when she studied Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado Boulder, and she is excited to continue learning from this organization.

Contact Mckenzie Heras

Hilary grew up in northern Maine and spent her childhood exploring the countless granite-laden rivers of the north country. Her passion for whitewater river sports led her into guiding at an early age, which eventually evolved into a career as an instructor and program supervisor at NOLS (the National Outdoor Leadership School). This work in the outdoor education field brought Hilary to the Tetons, a place that she has called home since 2008. After many years with NOLS Hilary directed her attention to more local, community based efforts. Now a classroom teacher, Hilary enjoys connecting young students with the land and rivers that surround their homes. When she’s not in the classroom, you can find Hilary exploring our local rivers and mountains with her loving husband Dan and their goofy dog Rainey.

Daniel was born on a farm and ranch just southwest of Rexburg ID, near the confluence of the Henry’s Fork and the South Fork of the Snake River. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Systems Technology from Utah State University in 2014. He then worked as a sales representative at the local John Deere dealership for 5 years with a focus in precision agriculture. He brings an established professional network of farmers, ranchers, and landowners forward to the Farms and Fish Program. He is a firm believer in sustainable agriculture and seeing family farms passed down to the next generation. Daniel enjoys snowmobiling in the winter, many sports, helping work cattle on the family farm, and spending time with his wife Kaisee and their two dogs.

Contact Daniel Wilcox

Chris has been actively involved in the Teton Valley fly fishing community both professionally and personally for more than twelve years. Following an internship with WorldCast Anglers and graduating from Trinity College in Hartford, CT, in 2012 he moved West and took up a post at WCA, working his way from shop staff to Vice-President and overseeing their Destination Travel and Guide School programs. When not on the river or in the fly shop, Chris can be found enjoying time with his girlfriend Beth, snuggling with their Chihuahua Pug (Chug) Blue and planning his next international fishing adventure.

Rick moved part-time to Teton Valley from North Carolina in 2020, having fallen in love with the area on fishing trips over the past twenty years. Now retired from a career in finance, he’s dedicated to bringing his professional expertise and passion for conservation to serve on the FTR Board of Directors. Rick jumped in with both feet to learn more about FTR’s programs and projects through our community education events and webinars. Rick is joined by his wife where they reside in Teton Springs through most of the Summer. Rick and Grace enjoy traveling, golf and fishing float trips on the Teton and South Fork rivers.

Maddy Johnson grew up in Evergreen, Colorado and spent her formative years camping and skiing in the Rocky Mountains with her family. A love for the outdoors led her to attend the University of Montana to experience the rivers and mountains of northwest Montana. After graduating, she moved to the Tetons for “one winter” and has now called this area home for more than a decade. She currently is the director of communications for Grand Teton National Park Foundation and has spent the last eight years connecting people to the mission and impact of the organization. Prior to her current position, Maddy was a lead instructor for Teton Science Schools’ field education program where she gained a passion for teaching students about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. In her free time, Maddy enjoys backcountry skiing, mountain biking, and fly-fishing with her husband Brian and their pup, Ruby.

Patrick Leary was born and raised in northern Utah. As a youngster, he developed a strong passion for nature while fishing for trout in the Uinta Mountains. Patrick graduated from Willamette University in 2011, and in 2013 he moved to the Tetons. For nearly his entire career, Patrick has worked in the environmental nonprofit sector. He has been an educator, naturalist, wildlife guide, administrator and fundraiser for several organizations throughout the West, including at Teton Science Schools, and most recently at Grand Teton National Park Foundation. In 2025, Patrick joined Friends of the Teton River as the Director of Philanthropy, where he is eager to help people of all backgrounds connect with and invest in the Teton River watershed. Beyond his role at FTR, Patrick focuses his time and energy on skiing, fly fishing, making pottery, hunting, gardening, and raising small barnyard animals in Victor, ID alongside his wife and their two young daughters.  

Contact Patrick

Mark Anderson is a retired attorney and CPA with extensive experience in corporate and business transactional law.  He first worked in public accounting and later served as the Vice President Corporate Controller of a real estate investment company.  Upon graduation from law school Mark worked as a partner in a San Francisco based law firm where he served as the leader of the Commercial Law Department.  Upon leaving the law firm, Mark became the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Dolby Laboratories where he was responsible for global legal compliance.  Mark has significant experience in working with and serving on both for profit and non-profit boards.  Mark and his wife Robin have had a home in Teton Valley since 2002 and have been full-time residents since 2014.  Mark enjoys fly fishing, horseback riding, hiking and  spending time in the beautiful landscape of Teton Valley.

Rick Richter, special agent provocateur for the forces of good, was born in Florida and reared in the Republic of Texas. He graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a B.A. in Finance, minor emphasis in Spanish. Upon completion of his studies, Rick moved to Western Colorado and entered a long-term relationship running whitewater. For 20+ years, he has run rivers as an enthusiast, a professional guide, and as an educator. Rick’s river running experience is primarily in the Intermountain West, but has international exposure, particularly working with the National Outdoor Leadership School and Expeditions India on multiple downriver descents in India..  Rick also has a business background through Keys Wi-Fi, his company that builds wireless infrastructure in the Florida Keys and the Lazy Triple R, which produces the finest quality asparagus in Teton County.

Doc Frangos is a Cheyenne, Wyoming native.  His family moved to Colorado where he received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Colorado. Doc recently retired from a full-time surgical practice in Urologic Oncology but continues to work part-time as physician volunteer serving the uninsured in Mobile, Alabama.

Doc and his wife Katherine have three fly fishing children.  Doc’s youngest daughter will tell you that “fly fishing is a rite of passage in our family”.  Doc’s free time is spent fly fishing and teaching fly casting.  He is a Master Certified Casting Instructor by Fly Fishing International.

Lynn Bagley is a lifelong resident of Teton Valley with deep roots in the agricultural community.  Lynn was a dairy farmer for 30 years and today he farms hay and barley in Victor. Lynn and his wife LeRae have four children who were born and raised in Teton Valley.  Lynn has served on the Trail Creek Sprinkler Irrigation Company board for over 20 years, has been a member of the Teton Soil Conservation District Board for 28 years, and is the chair of the Teton Water Users Association.  Lynn has previously served on the Victor Planning and Zoning Commission and on the Idaho Association of Conservation Districts Board. Lynn joined the FTR board in 2018 because he knows how important water is to the agricultural base of the community and is looking forward to bringing FTR and the agricultural community together through common goals.

John moved to Teton Valley full time in early 2013 and lives with his wife Kris in Teton Springs. He is retired after spending 43 years in the design and construction of airports and transit systems worldwide. During his career John lived internationally in Seoul Korea, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia and Dubai United Arab Emirates. John and Kris moved to the valley to be near his son Mark and his family and to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and activities in the area. John is an avid golfer when time and weather permit. John was on the board and board chair of the Teton Valley Foundation prior to joining FTR in October 2018. He is currently also on the boards of the Teton Springs Foundation and the Teton Springs HOA.

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