Layne Friedrich, President Layne started her own environmental law practice, Lawyers for Clean Water in 1998. Since then Layne and her firm have provided representation to all of the keeper programs located throughout California as well as the National Waterkeeper Alliance. Layne is dedicated to providing legal support to environmental organizations, such as Russian Riverkeeper, to advance environmental protection and enforcement of environmental laws. Layne Friedrich is a resident of Sonoma and joined the board in 2005.

Virginia Strom-Martin, Vice-President Virginia Strom-Martin is a former assemblymember having served the 1st Assembly District from 1996-2002. She taught elementary school in Santa Rosa for 23 years prior to her election.She is currently an education lobbyist. Virginia has lived on the Russian River in Duncans Mills for 32 years and is a 5th generation North Coast resident. Her wish is to see that our precious and life-sustaining environments remain pristine for generations to come.

Doug Lipton,Ph.D. Treasurer Doug is an environmental scientist who founded Lipton Environmental Group after serving for 10 years as a Principal Scientist at a large environmental consulting firm in the SF Bay Area. He received his doctorate from UC-Berkeley in environmental chemistry and did post-doctoral worked at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories where he focused on contamination issues in Central Valley wetlands. He continues to work on wetland restoration projects in the SF Bay-Delta, and provides extensive pro bono work on environmental issues within the Russian River watershed. Doug has served on several local non-profit boards including Sonoma Land Trust, Dry Creek Valley Association, and the Healdsburg Jazz Festival. Doug lives with his wife and two boys on a 15-acre farm in Dry Creek Valley where they grow a wide variety of fruits, nuts, flowers, and produce.

Brian Hines, SecretaryBrian Hines is a native Santa Rosan and has been a Russian River user for over 45 years. He has a degree in Environmental Studies and Political Science from U.C. Santa Barbara and an MBA from Golden Gate University. An energy conservation consultant since 1977, he is the principal of North Coast Solar in Santa Rosa. An avid salmonid fisherman and habitat restorationist, he also served on Trout Unlimited's National Resources Board, is Secretary of TU's California State Council and is a founder of the Healdsburg Wild Steelhead Festival.

Fred Euphrat,Ph.D.Fred Euphrat is a forester and watershed scientist who has conducted extensive management and research in Northern California. He is the author of more than 20 articles and publications, and has presented essays on KRCB Radio in Santa Rosa and KQED Radio in San Francisco. Fred currently is a Principal Consultant to the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture for the California State Legislature.

Jake Whiteley

Jake Whiteley is co-founder of North Street Partners, a green, sustainable development company located in Healdsburg, CA. As a real estate developer, Jake has emphasized storm water control and water reuse and has been a great advocate of creek restoration. He is currently developing a LEED Gold project in Windsor, CA. He feels that he can help Russian Riverkeeper bridge the gap between the development community and the need to preserve and maintain Sonoma County waterways.

Jake, his wife Christine Hanna and their son Brian live on Maacama Creek in a 1917 Craftsman hunting lodge which they have carefully and sustainably restored.

Don McEnhill, Riverkeeper & Program Director
Don McEnhill is a Healdsburg resident with a business background who grew up on the Russian River spending his summers at the family cabin on Fitch Mountain. Working with citizen groups and attorneys, he has researched water supply, water quality and land use issues in the Russian River for the past 8 years. Don is an avid canoer, white water paddler and recreational fisherman - when he can get away from work!

Don McEnhill with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. at the Russian Riverkeeper launch party

Victoria Wikle, Riverkeeper Park Project Manager Victoria Wikle is the project manager for Riverkeeper Stewardship Park. Victoria lives along the river in Villa Grande and has worked on several local native plant revegetation projects at Monte Rio School and even on the Farallone Islands! She has several years of experience in invasive plant removal and native plant restoration. Victoria is also a Creekkeeper Volunteer, a board member for the Sweetwater Springs Water District and on the Sonoma County Open Space District Citizens Advisory Committee. She can be reached at victoriawikle@usa.net .

Kate Wilson, Riverkeeper Program Assistant Kate Wilson is a former Creekkeeper Volunteer and advocate for the upper Mark West Watershed. Originally from the east coast, she has made Sonoma County her home for the past 15 years. She has years of experience in education, environmental activism, organic agriculture, photography and graphic arts. She is also a graduate of the Leadership Institute for the Economy and the Ecology. She can be reached at kate@russianriverkeeper.org.