Board of Directors 2015

Don Butterfield, Sedro Woolley, WA

Don has lived on the SamishRiver for 25 years, establishing a personal relationship with salmon and watershed changes in the SkagitBasin. Due to this interaction, he has a keen interest in maintaining and restoring fish habitat for future generations. After managing his own acupuncture business for 25 years, Don is ready to direct his energy towards giving back to the community through active involvement with SFEG. Don is seeking his first term on the Board of Directors.

Ned Currence,Lyman, WA

Ned has been working on salmon and trout habitat issues in northwest Washington for some time, and is currently working as a biologist for the Nooksack Indian Tribe primarily focusing on salmon recovery planning. He has conducted stream habitat monitoring for USForest Service in SkagitCounty, and was a habitat biologist for the Makah Tribe on the outer Strait of Juan de Fuca and NorthCoast where he reviewed land uses and worked on watershed analyses. He lives on Wiseman Creek and serves as a land steward for the Skagit Land Trust. He currently serves on the Sedro Woolley Farmer’s Market board as well. Ned has served on the Board since 2005

Jim Fukuyama,Mount Vernon, WA

Recently retired, Jim is an avid biker and hiker who is in continual awe of the wonderful vistas prevalent throughout the Pacific Northwest. Prior to retiring, he was a research chemist at General Electric’s Research & DevelopmentCenter in upstate New York and a patent lawyer at an intellectual property law firm in New York City. Jim enjoys volunteering with several conservation related organizations including the Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group, Skagit Land Trust, and Skagit Conservation District. He is also a board member and volunteer for the Pacific Northwest Trail Association and the Skagit-Whatcom-Island TrailMaintainingOrganization.

Mary Janda, Marblemount, WA

Recently retired, Mary taught Science as well as other subjects at ConcreteMiddle School for 21 years. Throughout her school years and work with Boy Scouts she has led her students in outdoor activities. One of these activities was restoring Lorenzan Creek with the leadership and education of the Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group (SFEG). Mary also took students camping with NCI and KomoKulshanOutdoorSchools. She also worked with the NorthCascadesNational Park as they helped guide the designing and building of a school trail. This partnership continued and joined forces with SFEG working with Mary and her students using the Junior Stream Stewards program.

Robin LaRue, Mount Vernon, WA

Robin grew up in SkagitCounty and has always been interested in the outdoors and fishing since childhood. Robin worked for Skagit County Public Works for many years in the Engineering and Solid Waste Divisions. He is a Land Steward with the Skagit Land Trust and served on their board of directors for one year. Robin feels strongly that we need to protect natural areas and fish habitat or future generations will not have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Robin has served on the Board since 2009.

Boshie Morris, Anacortes, WA

Boshie is a self-employed seamstress residing in Anacortes. She has a passionate interest in the outdoors and conservation of natural resources. Boshie has volunteered with SFEG in a variety of capacities doing monitoring, planting, education and outreach activities. Her hobbies include sailing and rowing. Boshie has been on the board since 2008

Bob Mottram, Anacortes, WA

Bob studied journalism and wildlife management at South DakotaStateUniversity, and spent more than 40 years as a daily newspaper reporter, editor and a wire service correspondent in several regions of the country, including New England, the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. For the last 24 years of his career he was outdoor writer for The News Tribune in Tacoma, where he wrote extensively about the science, the politics and the law that govern salmon management in Washington. He has written two books about salmon that deal with how to catch them and how to understand the myriad factors that affect decision-making by state and tribal salmon managers. Bob is a long-time member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and is a current member of the board, of the Northwest Outdoor Writers Association. Bob is seeking his first term on the Board of Directors.

Gabe Ng,Bellingham, WA

Gabe is a water resources engineer with more than 12 years of public and private sector experience working on a diverse spectrum of roadway, bridges, culvert crossing and stream restoration projects both on the design and construction side. Gabe's passion to work in water and the outdoors started when he was young. He now finds great joy to be in and around the outdoors as much as possible bringing his family and children with him when he can to teach them the importance and respect of our natural world. Gabe is an avid sportsman, master hunter and conservationist. This is Gabe's first year on the board where he hopes to provide value, growth and opportunity to its members and community.

Mike Olis,Burlington, WA

Mike’s interest and enthusiasm for salmon and the protection of their habitat began in Alaska as a sport and commercial fisherman. Since 1994 he has worked as a biologist in the Skagit and SamishRiver Basins with the Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and currently with the Skagit River System Cooperative (the tribal cooperative working on salmon issues). Mike has expertise related to culvert assessment for fish passage, construction experience, habitat enhancement as well as local fish use and distribution.

Sheila Tomas,Anacortes, WA

Sheila is a member and active volunteer with WSU Skagit County Beach Watchers. She is passionate about preserving salmon habitat and salmonids and has been volunteering with SFEG since 2009 participating in salmon spawning surveys, Salmon in the Classroom, stream structure monitoring, tour guiding at the Marblemount hatchery and planting parties. Besides being passionate about all things salmon, Sheila is also very passionate about nursing. She has been nursing for over 23 years and has her own nursing business in Skagit and Whatcom Counties. When Sheila isn't nursing or volunteering you may find her out sailing the San Juan's, fly fishing the local lakes and rivers or in her local bookstore buying books about fish.

Jon Vanderheyden, Mount Vernon, WA

Jon received his BS in Forestry from MichiganStateUniversity and MS in Forest Hydrology from OregonStateUniversity, beginning a successful career of Forest and Watershed Management. He worked for the US Forest Service in both Oregon and Washington for over 33 years, with the last 22 primarily focused on stream restoration and forest recreation. Jon served 20 years as the coordinator for the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest’s budget committee, and spent a majority of that time in the SkagitBasin. He views the SkagitRiver watershed as a significant national ecological feature with a key salmon habitat component. In his post-retirement, Jon seeks to continue his involvement in restoration of the SkagitRiver watershed.