Ben moved to southeast Alaska in 1981 for the amazing skiing and paddling opportunities.  He started working for Alaska Department of Fish & Game in 1984 and spent over 10 years as the Habitat Biologist for northern southeast Alaska, including Haines, before retiring in 2008.  One of his last and favorite projects was helping to found watershed councils throughout southeast Alaska, including TWC.  This work reinforced his understanding about the connection between a healthy community and a healthy watershed. He believes community involvement and participation is critical to meeting these goals.  Ben is also on the Steering Committee of Rivers Without Borders, a transboundary conservation organization.

President

Richard is a Fishery Biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game. He moved to Haines in 2003 with young family, and has stayed because Haines is a great place to raise kids.

Secretary

Norman first visited the Chilkat Valley in 1982 to fish subsistence coho salmon.  He later moved to Haines in 1984 and took up commercial salmon gillnetting.  He has been the owner and operator of the F/V Chilkat since 1988.  He serves on several fishery-related community and non-profit boards including United Southeast Alaska Gillnetters Association, Douglas Island Pink and Chum, Lynn Canal Gillnetters Association and represents Douglas Island Pink and Chum in United Fishermen of Alaska.

Treasurer

Deborah came to Alaska in 1971 to go backpacking in the Brooks Range, fell flat out in love with it, and never left.  She guided hiking trips to the Brooks Range for twelve summers.  After law school in the late '70's (Boalt Hall, U.C. Berkeley) she served as an assistant attorney general for the state until retiring in 1999.  She mostly collected taxes from the oil industry.  She moved to Haines in 2001.

Scott has been working as a wilderness guide and environmental educator in Haines for over 20 years.  He lives off the grid with his wife and little girl and is currently working on finishing his dissertation in Sustainability Education.  As the director of the Alaska Outdoor Science School, he leads multi-day courses in environmental education and sustainability.  

Tim and his wife Ann moved to Haines from Bethel Alaska in 1984. Tim taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grade in Haines and Ann became the Haines Borough Library Director until retirement for both in 2005. Active community involvement has always been a priority in their lives. Tim is the secretary of Hospice of Haines, the chair of the Upper Lynn Canal Fish and Game Advisory Committee, and until recently the treasurer of the Alaska Chilkoot Bear Foundation. The opportunity to be involved with and support such a vital, scientific, community focused organization as TWC is a gift for this “retired guy”.

Mark was lucky enough to be brought to Haines as a child and has made it his home ever since. An early interest in natural history led him to pursue studies in aquatic ecology, and a love of the sea led to a career as a commercial salmon and halibut fisherman. As well as fishing, Mark pursed an interest in habitat restoration and natural enhancement, working as a consultant and for the State of Alaska to design and oversee the construction of many restoration projects in southeast Alaska. He worked as a senior fisheries biologist for Inter-Fluve, a river restoration consulting firm, researching and designing projects throughout the U.S. He spearheaded the founding of the Takshanuk Watershed Council in 2002, serving as the coordinator during the initial formation of the Council. Mark is now retired from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, having ending his working career as Manager of the commercial fisheries in Haines.