Tom Rutherford, Strategic Priorities Director
Heather Pritchard, Targets Coordinator
Lisa Maria Fox, Managing Director
Jill Thompson, Project Coordinator, Communications
Tom Rutherford, Strategic Priorities Director
Tom worked with Fisheries and Oceans Canada for 35 years. He brings a strong technical background in salmon habitat inventory and restoration, stock assessment, stock enhancement and public outreach/citizen science. Tom has experience planning and implementing technical processes and partnerships with First Nations, providing scientific direction and guidance for program delivery activities, supervision of staff, and successful development of strategies to meet Sr. Government resource management objectives.Tom served as the Watershed Board's "top dog" (small pack) since 2016 and has now stepped back to enjoy more hiking time, but still serves as the CWB's Strategic Priorities Director, working to support our Partners in their ongoing efforts to ensure enough water for salmon by a) replacing the Cowichan Lake weir, and b) creating a whole of watershed solution to low flows in the Koksilah River, through a Water Sustainability Plan and other tools.
Heather Pritchard, Targets Coordinator
Heather is a Registered Professional Forester with 30 years’ experience in natural resource management. She brings expertise in applying ecosystem-based management principles in forest and land management with focus on protecting community and domestic water sources and fish habitat.Heather has been supporting the Cowichan Watershed Board's 4 Technical Working Groups since 2019 to review, refine and revive the Board's 7 Targets for Watershed Health, and measurable progress indicators for each. Watch the Targets section of the website for the new Targets soon!
Lisa Maria Fox, Managing Director
Lisa is a sustainability professional and environmental policy specialist with a passion for watersheds and a strong background in nonprofit management. She founded and managed a non-profit environmental education and sustainability-focused consulting firm in Alberta for over 10 years. A large portfolio of Lisa’s professional contributions included the development of policies, plans and programs for climate sustainability and watershed management. Lisa recently relocated back to Vancouver Island and looks forward to learning from and working alongside our community and local governments to steward and protect the Cowichan Watershed.
Jill Thompson, Project Coordinator, Communications
Jill comes from Eastern Maritime roots, and grew up in the Grand River watershed, Six Nations Territory. She moved to Vancouver Island (Clayoquot Sound) in 1996, and has worked to engage communities in protecting threatened ecosystems ever since. Jill holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies and a Bachelor of Arts, and has 30 years’ experience in environmental education and non-profit program leadership, fundraising, community engagement, and somewhat begrudgingly, non-profit administration. Jill is an experienced community builder who seeks out people who feel motivated to work collaboratively for an ecologically thriving and sustainable future, while having a bit of fun. She found the Watershed Board teeming with them!
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