Rick Boatner is the Invasive Species, Wildlife Integrity Coordinator for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. In this position his main responsibilities include coordinating the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program, Feral Swine Removal Program and Prohibited Species Program.  Rick has worked for ODFW for over 20 years in various capacities: Five years as an Assistant Wildlife Biologist: working with wildlife population monitoring, wildlife diseases and wildlife damage problems.   Five years as Fishery Biologist on the Willamette Sport Fishing program; working with steelhead and spring Chinook. Seven years as a seasonal, working on such projects as the Columbia and Willamette Sport Fishing program, Salmon Trout Enhancement Plan, Marine Mammals at Willamette Falls, spawning ground surveys and any other opportunity that would help him gain more experience with fish and wildlife.   
Rick has a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources from Western Oregon University and an Associate of Science degree in Animal Science from Linn-Benton Community College.

Dan Hilburn is currently Administrator of the Plant Division, Oregon Dept. of Agriculture.  He oversees the Nursery, Insect Pest Prevention & Management, Noxious Weed and Native Plant Conservation programs.  Dan has served on Oregon’s Invasive Species Council since 2002 and the State Weed Board since 1995.  From 1990 to 1995, he was an ODA Entomologist involved with detection surveys and eradication of exotic insects such as gypsy moth and Japanese beetle.  Before moving to Oregon, Dan was the Plant Protection Officer for the Bermuda Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.  Prior to that, he managed the Insect Identification Lab for the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service.
 
Dan has a B.A. in Biology from Middlebury College in Vermont, an M.S. in Entomology from the University of Maine, and a Ph.D. in Entomology from Virginia Tech.

Sam Chan is an Assistant Professor in Fisheries and Wildlife and Marine Resources Management at Oregon State University (OSU).  He is the aquatic invasive species and watershed health extension specialist and the Assistant Extension Program Leader for the Oregon Sea Grant College Program. Sam's education and research focuses on both the biological and social dimensions of invasive species prevention and early detection in the context of watershed health for both professional and youth audiences.  Prior to joining the faculty at Oregon State University, Sam served as research plant physiologist with the USDA Forest service where led studies on riparian area ecology, function and management.

Dana Green is the Natural Resources Program Manager for the Port of Portland, with
program responsibilities at the Port’s airports, marine terminals and commercial properties. He is responsible for all aspects of natural resource management on airport properties, as well as for providing guidance to the wildlife hazard management program specific to aviation safety in an airport environment.   

 

Before joining the Port in 2001, Dana worked for 15 years as a Natural Resources Manager for the United States Air Force, holding management positions on Eglin Air Force Base, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and Peterson Air Force Base.  He has over 35 years of career experience in the fields of forestry, fire ecology, wildlife management, threatened and endangered species management, and natural and cultural resources program management.  Dana graduated from the University of Montana with a B.S. in Forest Management.

 

Doug Daoust is the Director of Forest Health Protection for the Pacific Northwest Region, USDA Forest Service, in Portland, Oregon (since 2001).  During his 35 year career he has worked as a Forest and Regional Budget Officer, Forest Silviculturist for the Mt. Hood National Forest, and District Silviculturist for the Olympic and Siskiyou National Forests.  Doug has a Bachelor’s degree in Forest Management from Oregon State University, and graduate studies in forest ecology from University of Washington.  He directs the forest health protection (insect and disease program), invasives program and air quality programs for Oregon and Washington.  He has also been an elected city councilor for Troutdale, OR since 1997.

A botany and forestry graduate from NCSU and Yale Forestry School, Thea holds an MAT degree from Lewis & Clark College and has served as a middle school teacher for 21+ years.  She is a WISE teacher with the OSU Sea Grant program with expertise in public education and communication, project development and implementation, and research methods.  Thea has worked in the public, non-profit and private sectors, and has a keen awareness of the economic and social needs of all three.

Vern Holm is the Coordinator for the Western Invasives Network (WIN), a multi-agency network of individuals and organizations concerned with rural and urban invasive weed issues in northwestern Oregon and southwestern Washington.  His duties include increasing the organizational and technical capacities of eight Cooperative Weed Management Area covering 14 Oregon and 7 Washington Counties. Vern has been working as WIN Coordinator for 10 years; prior to that he was a Resource Conservationist concentrating on outreach/education for the Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation District in McMinnville, Oregon. In addition to his work with WIN, Vern is also on the Board of Directors for the Institute for Applied Ecology, Corvallis, a regional representative on the newly formed Oregon Cooperative Weed Management Association, and a director with Oregon Vegetation Management Association.

In 2007, Rian became the states ballast water program manager where he is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to prevent the introduction of AIS to Oregon waters from commercial shipping activities.  His background includes over ten years experience in marine science research and education, with special emphasis on the ecological impacts of non-indigenous zooplankton, and the influence of climate variability on ecosystem dynamics in Oregon’s coastal waters.  He has earned degrees from the University of Oregon (B.Sc., Environmental Sciences) and San Francisco State University (M.Sc., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology).   In 2009, Rian became DEQ’s first representative on the Council.

Wyatt Williams joined the Oregon Department of Forestry in September of 2012 and serves as the agency’s Invasive Species Specialist.  He manages and coordinates projects focused on the detection, monitoring, and management of priority invasive species of forest ecosystems, including invasive plants, insects, and tree diseases.  Primarily, he provides technical assistance to state and private landowners, develops strategies to prevent and mitigate damage by invasive species, conducts research and field investigations, and advises the Board of Forestry on issues related to invasive species of Oregon’s forests. Wyatt holds a PhD from Colorado State University where his research focused on the genetics and control of invasive plants.  He has worked for the US Forest Service, USGS, and the Colorado Department of Agriculture as an entomologist and field technician focusing on invasive insects and plants.  Wyatt has also worked in the private industry developing new pest monitoring and control technologies that have been implemented domestically and internationally. He holds a Master’s degree in biology from Boise State University and has conducted research on the Douglas-fir beetle and fungal associates of wood borers. 

Dominic Maze is the Invasive Species Coordinator and a biologist for the City of Portland, Environmental Services.  His duties include coordination of various activities and programs which seek to limit the economic and environmental impacts of invasive species: targeted control of invasive species’ populations, risk assessments, extensive outreach to the public and partners, and ensuring that policy and code reflect city resolutions addressing invasive species.  Prior to this, Dominic worked around the state as a conservation biologist with the Institute for Applied Ecology in Corvallis and in the nursery and restoration industries as both an employee and business owner. Dominic holds a B.S. in Plant Sciences from the University of California at Santa Cruz and an M.S. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University.  While at these universities, Dominic designed and executed research dealing with invasive plants and animals and rare plant populations. Finally, as a member of the steering committee for the 4-County Cooperative Weed Management Area, he is able to support many of Portland’s goals on a regional scale.  http://www.portlandonline.com/bes/invasives

Mark Porter is the Watershed Stewardship Director for Wallowa Resources.  Wallowa Resources is a non-profit located in Wallowa County working to develop, promote, and implement innovative solutions to help the people of Wallowa County and the Intermountain West sustain and improve their communities and their lands.  Wallowa Resources’ Stewardship Program works within the local community to implement on the ground work ranging from fuels reduction and stream restoration to Aspen conservation and noxious weed control.  Most of Mark’s ten years with Wallowa Resources have been spent coordinating the Wallowa Canyonlands Partnership, a Cooperative Weed Management Area in the rugged canyons of the Imnaha and Lower Grande Ronde River Watersheds. The program treats weeds across public property and private ownerships in NE Oregon and SE Washington. Mark earned a B.S. in wildlife biology from Oregon State University. He has extensive field experience in northeast Oregon ranging from ranch work to backcountry trail work to stream surveying.

Mark Sytsma is the Chair of the Department of Environmental Science and Management, Director of the Center for Lakes and Reservoirs and co- director of the Aquatic Bioinvasion Research and Policy Institute at Portland State University. He directs projects and research on the biology and management of aquatic invasive species. He co-authored the Oregon Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan and is responsible for implementation of the Plan in collaboration with local, state, and federal agencies with direct management responsibilities. Mark is a founding member of the Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species, the Pacific Ballast Water Group, the Pacific Northwest  Economic Region Invasive Species Committee, and the Oregon Invasive  
Species Council.

null