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Meet the Council Members
Council members represent diverse stakeholder groups throughout the
Tualatin Basin. Many members volunteer their time to attend and participate
in Council meetings, committees, activities and events.
Meet our members and staff:
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Craig Burnham
Vice Chair |
In Memoriam, 1957-2006.
Craig served as a Council member from 2002 (alternate for Washington
County Small Woodlands Association), (Tualatin SWCD primary representative
Jan 2006) and as Vice Chair from 2004-2006. Craig will be missed by
all of us --- especially in his sense of humor, willingness to help
out and genuine interest in each person and life. |
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Brenda Bateman
Tualatin Valley Water District |
Dr. Brenda Bateman is the public policy coordinator
for Tualatin Valley Water District (TVWD). TVWD is the second largest
provider of municipal water supplies in the state of Oregon and purchases
its water from two sources: the Joint Water Commission and the City
of Portland.
The District covers an area of 45 square miles
in Washington County, including portions of Hillsboro, Beaverton, and
Tigard.
Brenda has helped the District formulate its five-year water conservation
goals, its water supply shortage plan, its approach to emerging issues,
and currently coordinates the District’s community outreach. Brenda
serves on the Legislative Committee of the Tri-County Water Resources
Association, which provides policy direction to the Special Districts
Association of Oregon
She has a B.A. in International Relations from the
Johns Hopkins University, an M.A. in International Law/Conflict Management
and International Economics from Johns Hopkins' School of Advanced
International Studies (SAIS), and a Ph.D. in a Ph.D. in Public Policy
from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. She has authored
several books and articles on these subjects, including her doctoral
thesis, Assessing the Water Management Practices of Philippine
Economic Zone
Prior to TVWD, she worked in not-for-profit and for-profit organizations
in Washington, D.C., analyzing the environmental and social effects
of policies intended to promote economic growth. Brenda is a newly
appointed official for the City of Sherwood’s Urban Renewal Policy
Advisory Committee (SURPAC).
She has a newborn son and three year-old daughter. If she ever finds
free time again, she would love to sit down and play her grand piano. |
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Greg Schifsky
Citizen at Large |
Greg Schifsky is a primary Citizen at Large representative on the
Council. Greg is active in Bridlemile Creek Stewards, an organization
which he and Steve Mullinax founded in 1998. Bridlemile Creek Stewards
works in the upper headwater reaches of Fanno Creek and has received
seven grants for enhancement projects in this reach, working with neighbors
and volunteers to enhance numerous sites in this basin. Albert
Kelly Creek Restoration
Greg is a licensed Landscape Contractor, gardener, tree specialist,
landscape designer/consultant, has knowledge of native plant materials
and ornamentals. He also serves as chairperson on the Bridlemile
Neighborhood Association; formed an ad hoc Tree Preservation committee
in SW Portland that is now city-wide; and participates in Portland
Parks and Recreation and city wide land use meetings. Greg occasionally
travels -- 2006 to Big Bend National Park, Grand Junction, Colorado,
Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, camping and biking, and if he has any spare times
enjoys model railroading. |
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Tom Nygren
Washington County Small Woodlands Association |
Tom, the primary representative for Washington County Small Woodlands Association,
is a professional forester, retired from 35 years with the US Forest
Service and also a small woodland owner.
The Washington County Small Woodlands Association represents about 2,000
small woodland owners in Washington County . The Association interacts
with other organizations in the County and state in matters affecting
small woodlands, including the Department of Forestry, other State
agencies, County, Oregon State University, other interest groups,
schools, business organizations, Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation
District, Natural Resources Conservation District, as well as the
Tualatin River Watershed Council. The primary interests of the Association
are woodland owner education, tax and regulation equity, market opportunities,
forest and environmental health, generational transfer, and social
and economic viability of woodland ownership.
Tom's role in the organization includes editing a monthly newsletter, serving
on the Board of Directors, and leadership of a variety of projects
designed to provide increased educational and marketing opportunities
to woodland owners. In Tom's spare time, he enjoys working on his
163-acre woodlands properties in Washington and Douglas counties.
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Michael McMahan
Fisher Farms
(Nursery Alternate)
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Michael McMahan, a horticulturist at Fisher Farms LLC, serves as the Nursery
alternate representative. At Fisher Farms, Michael coordinates all
the plant protection products applications (i.e., insecticides, fungicides,
herbicides), cultivar selections, physical and chemical properties
of the growing media and water, as well as being responsible for the
fertility program.
Fisher Farms operations produces over 3.5 million plants yearly on 300 acres
located on three sites in Washington and Yamhill counties. It markets
and sells to retain garden centers, landscape contractors, re-wholesalers
and growers through the Intermountain West region, the Midwest, East
Coast, Northwest and Northern California . This includes shipping
over 400 semi-truck loads yearly of high quality plant materials.
Its inventory includes over seven million plants annually, producing
over 1100 varieties of evergreens, broadleaf, deciduous and perennial “containerized”
plants as well as many varieties of “ball and burlaped”plants.
The Gaston and Sherwood sites use the Tualatin river water for irrigation
which is recycled during the irrigation season as its primary water
source. Fisher Farms collects the water a series of bio-swales and
an artificially created water feature, designed by an OSU doctorial
student. This ensures the cleanest water possible for re-use in irrigation.
Michael also chairs the invasive species
sub-committee of the Oregon Association of Nurseries. He also
has worked with The Nature Conservancy, introducing the St.
Louis Code of Conduct for Professional Nurseryman. In his
spare time Michael is an avid gardener and enjoys fishing,
hiking and any activity that entails spending time outdoors |
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Tim Erwert
Primary Representative Cities (Hillsboro) |
Tim,
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April Olbrich
Watershed Council Coordinator |
April Olbrich is the Coordinator of the Tualatin River Watershed
Council. April as the paid Council staff person supports the Council
as it implements its Action Plan and work plan. This includes overseeing
the Council’s restoration, education and outreach projects, coordinating
with various partners and committees involved with Council and basin-wide
projects, preparing for Council meetings and managing the office.
The Council works with federal, state, and local agencies landowners,
private groups and the general public in the 712 square mile basin
to promote watershed health efforts and improvements.
In her spare time, April enjoys bicycling the rural roads in the
Tualatin Basin and paddling her canoe on the Tualatin River. |
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