Environmental Professional Program

River Restoration Professional Certificate Program Facilitators:

Janine M. Castro, Ph.D., R.G.

Geomorphologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Technical Director of the PSU River Restoration Professional Certificate Program

Janine Castro is a regional expert in geomorphology with the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Portland, Oregon. She is an integral team member on many of the Service’s restoration programs, reviewing state and federal permits for instream work, working with Service biologists on dam decommissioning and relicensing, and liaising with other state and federal agencies on controversial issues. Dr. Castro is an experienced instructor who provides in-house and national level federal agency training on geomorphology and stream restoration. Prior to joining the Service, she worked for 10 years with the Natural Resources Conservation Service throughout the western United States. Castro serves as a Board Director for River Restoration Northwest.

Willis (Chip) McConnaha, Ph.D.

Senior Fisheries Biologist, Jones & Stokes Associates

Chip McConnaha has worked extensively throughout the Pacific Northwest on fishery issues and watershed restoration. McConnaha is an expert on salmon restoration, fish habitat modeling and watershed planning. He worked for 17 years as a technical advisor and fisheries scientist with the Northwest Power Planning and Conservation Council where he helped design the Council’s fish and wildlife program for the Columbia River. McConnaha has had a major role in development of the region’s scientific review process related to the Endangered Species Act and the Northwest Power Act.

Rob Sampson, P.E.

State Conservation Engineer, U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service

Rob Sampson is an expert in sediment transport analysis and the impact of three-dimensional hydraulic patterns on stream form and function. He is a licensed civil, environmental, and agricultural engineer in Oregon, Alaska, and Idaho. Sampson has designed dozens of instream works and channels that complement the natural tendencies of the stream and enhance fish and wildlife habitat or other values. Sampson ’s designs incorporate physical hydrology, runoff processes, hydraulics, and structural and soil mechanics. His 24 years as an NRCS conservation engineer have extended his restoration practice throughout the western US. Sampson has provided technical leadership to diverse groups of landowners and public entities with wide-ranging goals. As State Conservation Engineer of Idaho, Sampson places special emphasis on communicating interactions between physical processes in stream, riparian and floodplain ecosystems. Sampson is a Regional Board Director for River Restoration Northwest.

Bruce Henderson

President, Henderson Land Services, LLC

Bruce Henderson heads a company that specializes in design-build rehabilitation with environmentally sensitive projects throughout the Pacific Northwest. Henderson regularly consults with corporate, regional, state, and federal interests in development of land use and resource assessments; instream design development; project alternatives evaluation and value-engineering; permit preparation; design documents and specifications; rehabilitation construction; and post-construction project monitoring. This experience has yielded vast experience in restoration team building, collaboration, and communication. Henderson is a frequent speaker on the practice and art of stream rehabilitation design and construction in sensitive environments.

Clayton Anderson

Principal, FWR Ecoresource Consultants

Since working on his first stream restoration project in the summer of 1981, Clayton Anderson has been involved in over 600 projects in, or near, aquatic habitats and other environmentally sensitive areas. Anderson's work, study and teaching/speaking interests include aquatic habitat protection, restoration and enhancement, bioengineering, and low impact urban development.

EPP Course Instructors :

Paul Adamus has taught many courses in wetland assessment for the Corps of Engineers throughout the US, as well as for others internationally. In the early 1980's he authored the function assessment method (WET) used most widely by federal agencies in the decade that followed. After working for 10 years as a contracted researcher in EPA's National Wetlands Research Program in Corvallis, Adamus was enlisted by the Oregon Division of State Lands to prepare their reference-based method for classifying and assessing Willamette Valley wetlands. In addition to his 30 years of experience assessing wetland functions, he has conducted several studies involving collection and interpretation of field data on wetland plants, invertebrates, fish, amphibians, and birds. Adamus also served, since 1995, as State Coordinator of the Breeding Bird Atlas project, the most extensive survey of wildlife ever undertaken in Oregon. Adamus received his Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Science from the University of Maine, and his Master's degree in Aquatic Biology from the University of Utah.

Elizabeth Binney, Ph.D., PWS

Elizabeth Binney has over 20 years of experience in ecological consulting and ecological research in the Pacific Northwest.  She specializes in wetland delineation, wetland mitigation, permitting on the local, state, and federal levels, and habitat restoration for the private and public sector.  Dr. Binney has taught courses in general biology, general ecology, and biostatistics, as well as one-week summer session short courses in wetland delineation and wetland assessment for Western Washington University.  She is on the board of directors for the Society of Wetland Scientists Professional Certification Program and the Washington Native Plant Society. Dr. Binney received her Ph.D. in plant ecology from the University of British Columbia.

Sarah Cooke, Ph.D.

Sarah Cooke has 23 years experience in ecological and geological research and 15 years experience in wetlands ecological research and environmental consulting in the Pacific NW. Her experience includes both the public and private sector specializing in assessment and development of wetland and upland habitats, permitting on the local, state, and federal levels, and development of restoration plans. Cooke has instructed courses in wetland ecology, botany, soils and delineation for the University of Washington and Portland State University. Cooke is also the editor and lead author of the Seattle Audubon book, the 1997 Field Guide to Common Wetland Plants of Western Washington and Northwest Oregon, co-author of the Hydric Soils Guide for Washington State, and main author of the Semi-quantitative Wetland and Buffer Functional Assessment Method (SAM). A talented instructor and wetland botanist / ecologist, Cooke consistently receives exceptional evaluations from her students.

Patrick Edwards

Patrick Edwards is a doctoral student in the ESR department. Edwards recieved his BS in Environmental Analysis and Planning in 1995 from Frostburg State in Frostburg, Maryland. In 2001, he received a MS in Science Teaching from the Center of Science Education at Portland State University, Portland, Oregon. Edwards' research focus is on the effect of excessive fine sediments in streams on aquatic macroinvertebrates. Other research interests include biomoniotoring and science education. Since 2001, Edwards has worked as an instructor in the Science in the Liberal Arts curriculum at Portland State University and Portland area high schools.

Shane Latimer, Ph.D.

Shane Latimer is a Senior Ecologist and Project Manager with ICF Jones &
Stokes. Since coming to the Portland Office 13 years ago, Shane has specialized
in permitted large, long-term, and often controversial facilities such as landfills,
mines, prisons, roadways, and utilities. Permitting these facilities typically
involves land-use, wetlands, water quality, cultural resources, endangered
species, and wildlife issues. Thus, his projects typically require integrated, multiagency
permitting, often requiring compliance with the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) and the State-wide Goal planning system. His areas of
technical expertise include plant ecology, environmental toxicology, riparian and
wetland restoration planning, design, implementation, construction quality
assurance, and monitoring. Shane currently manages over 700 acres of wetland
and riparian restoration projects, including several mitigation banks, most of
which require site-specific approaches with regard to grading and revegetation.
Dr. Latimer is also an expert in advanced computing, including statistical
analysis, computer-aided design (CAD), and Geographical Information Systems
(GIS), especially as they relate to defining regulatory permitting.
Dr. Latimer received his bachelors degree from Southern Oregon University in
1989 and his Ph.D. from Tulane University (New Orleans) in 1994. He also
completed a post-doctoral fellowship in environmental toxicology at Tulane in
1995. Throughout his academic and consulting career, Dr. Latimer has continued
to teach and present findings from various work.

Charlie Newling

Wetland Training Institute, Inc.

Charlie Newling has 26+ years experience in wetland delineation, development, restoration and court testimony on wetland related matters. While working for the Corps of Engineers, Newling participated in the writing of the 1987 federal "Wetlands Delineation Manual", still in use today. Newling is an exceptionally respected, knowledgeable and talented wetland instructor and wetland curriculum development expert. He is noted for being completely current, skilled, approachable and engaging. Newling received the Outstanding Environmental Educator in a Formal Setting Award (1999 ~ 2000) from the Environmental Education Association of Washington.

Phil Scoles

Soil Scientist, Terra Science, Inc.

Phil Scoles owns his own earth science consulting firm, specializing in delineations, soil science and restoration. Scoles' technical knowledge and working skills with West Coast hydric soils and wetland hydrology is firmly and richly practical as well as academic. As a respected and professionally based soil scientist, businessman and instructor, Scoles delivers both good science as well as a professional hands-on approach to the everyday complexity of wetland business.

Dyanne Sheldon, M.Ed., PWS

Dyanne Sheldon has worked as a naturalist and educator since 1976, and as a field ecologist in the Pacific Northwest since 1981.  She is an excellent wetland ecologist with decades of experience in wetland delineation, impact assessment, regulatory compliance and compensation design, implementation, and monitoring. Sheldon has taught habitat restoration courses for nearly a decade including courses for the Army Corps of Engineers, Dept of Ecology, and WA Dept of Transportation wetland ecologist and landscape architects staff in order to improve their design approach and conditioning of mitigation plans. She has taught for the Wetland Science and Management Certificate Program at the University of Washington for over 10 years, receiving their Teacher of the Year award based on consistent student evaluations for excellence. Sheldon has worked as both an agency staff person and a private consultant, so she has a deep understanding of the ecological processes and the implications of applying regulations.

Andrew Simon

Geomorphologist, USDA, ARS-National Sedimentation Laboratory

Andrew Simon is a Research Geologist at the ARS-National Sedimentation Laboratory in Oxford Mississippi. He has 27 years of research experience (16 with the USGS) in sediment transport and unstable landscapes, particularly incised channels and streambank processes. Simon is the author of more than 100 technical publications and has edited several books and journals. Simon is an adjunct Professor at the University of Mississippi, Special Professor in the School of Geography, University of Nottingham, UK and is on the Editorial Board of the journal Geomorphology.

Colin R. Thorne, Ph.D.

Colin Thorne is Professor and Chair of Physical Geography at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom. He has over twenty-five years of professional experience, including appointments at Colorado State University, the US Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station, and the USDA, Agricultural Research Service National Sedimentation Laboratory. Thorne has published over 120 journal papers, authored 2 books, and edited a further 7. His research concentrates on fluvial hydraulics and sediment transport in natural, modified and managed rivers, particularly with respect to the implications for erosion, sedimentation and flood risk.  Thorne performs original research and consultancy nationally within the UK and internationally throughout Europe, the USA, China, Bangladesh, Argentina, Ethiopia and New Zealand, concentrating particularly on large rivers and their coastal deltas. Currently, he is leading a project to establish trends and changes in sediment loads carried by the Lower Mississippi River as part of plans for the conservation, protection and restoration of the Louisiana coast. Thorne is also a PI on the UK Flood Risk Management Research Consortium (www.floodrisk.org.uk) and a joint China-UK study of future flood and coastal erosion risks in the Taihu Basin around Shanghai.

River Restoration Professional Certificate Program Core Instructors:

Jeff Barry, Ph.D.

Fluvial Geomorphologist, ENVIRON International Corporation

Jeff Barry is a water resource engineer and hydrologist, specializing in applied fluvial geomorphology and numerical prediction of hydrodynamic and sediment transport processes.  For the past 12 years he has served public and private interests on a variety of projects, focusing on the fate, transport and remediation of contaminated sediments and the design, maintenance or restoration of stream channels and waterways for water conveyance, flood control, water quality, aquatic habitat, and recreational purposes.  He has designed and implemented channel restoration designs throughout the US and is an expert in fluvial geomorphology whose contributions to the field of sediment transport processes are widely recognized.  Dr. Barry received his PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Idaho.

Greg Ciannella

Greg Ciannella is a project manager for the Johnson Creek Watershed Council.  He has five years of experience managing ecological and stream rehabilitation projects on river systems in the Portland, OR area.  Ciannella works with private landowners, local jurisdictions, and government agencies coordinating restoration efforts on-the-ground. He has an interdisciplinary background in applied field ecology, vegetation dynamics, watershed process and function, grant development, and project management. Ciannella is a 2006 graduate of PSU's River Restoration Certificate Program.

Roy W. Koch

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, 2005 to the present

Roy W. Koch, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Portland State University, joined the faculty at PSU in 1982 as assistant professor of Civil Engineering after completing his doctoral work at Colorado State University. He was director of the Systems Science Ph.D. program 1989-1992. He became professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering in 1991 and served as vice provost for research and dean of Graduate Studies 1992-1997. He became professor of Environmental Sciences in 1997 and served as interim director and director of the Environmental Sciences and Resources Program from 1999-2005. Dr. Koch received the George C. Hoffmann Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2001.

Matt Koozer

Matt Koozer lives a double life as Henderson Land Services’ Senior Design and Construction Project Manager for stream and wetland restoration efforts.  In the winter months, he can be found in the office working on design development, digital terrain modeling, construction plans and drawings, and construction cost estimating.  During the summer, he is at home in the field managing crews and subcontractors on HLS’ river and stream construction projects.  Specialties include sequencing development, erosion prevention, excavation oversight, in-water work diversion and dewatering systems, and large woody debris installations.  Koozer recently became a CPESC (Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control).   

Randy Reeve

Randy Reeve worked for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) for 22 years as a fisheries biologist in various positions. As the statewide ODFW/ODOT coordinator, he developed rules and statewide strategies to protect fish and wildlife, and to minimize the time and cost impacts that these strategies have on construction and maintenance activities. He developed and coordinated ODFW’s responses to ODOT policies and guidelines, and assisted in the establishment of BMPs for construction and maintenance practices. Reeve provided technical expertise in planning documents, project development, and in the field with construction and maintenance projects (i.e., fish passage, dewatering plans, noise avoidance measures, wildlife passage, wildlife exclusion designs, habitat restoration designs, habitat protection options, in-water timing issues, permit requirements, and construction sequencing).  Reeve's most recent work is as a senior consultant for Parametrix (PMX) on environmental and construction issues.

Bianca Streif

Bianca Streif has over 25 years of experience in fish and wildlife biology and expertise in aquatic systems.  She works for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as the Aquatic Projects Coordinator in Oregon, and previously worked for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.  She has extensive experience in fish habitat and stream restoration issues in California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, and has worked on numerous regional and national stream and watershed efforts.  Her current work includes leadership to conserve and restore lamprey populations in Oregon and rangewide.  She also works on a variety of Endangered Species Act issues such as bull trout recovery planning and critical habitat designation.  Streif has developed riparian and stream assessment tools, provided training and technical assistance on stream restoration activities, fish passage improvements, project design, and aquatic habitat inventories.  She frequently teaches topics on fish, watershed concepts, stream ecology, and stream restoration to a variety of audiences.  As an active member of the American Fisheries Society she has coordinated numerous restoration and lamprey workshops.

Dan Warren, Fisheries Biologist, MBA, PMP

President, D.J. Warren & Associates Inc.

Mr. Warren has over 28 years of experience in project, operations and administrative management in rapidly changing organizations in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. He is specifically knowledgeable about natural resource issues and management in these geographic areas. Mr. Warren operates his own project management and planning services business, D.J. Warren & Associates, Inc. from Philomath, Oregon. His company specializes in application of business practices, specifically project management and planning, in natural resource related projects. He combines his education and experience in science and business to support project and planning and development in natural resource areas.  Mr. Warren’s specific strengths include project, contract, and budget development and management.  He has extensive experience working with interdisciplinary planning and project teams on “high visibility” fisheries and natural resource projects requiring coordination with federal and state agencies, tribes, other stakeholders, and the public.

Sean Welch, PE

State Hydraulic Engineer, U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service, Oregon

Sean Welch's responsibilities include technology development, training and project engineering for dam safety, floodplain analysis, fish passage, and fisheries habitat rehabilitation throughout Oregon. His efforts in the field of river and stream restoration are focused on project hydraulic engineering and design using hydrodynamic models and advanced terrain modeling applications. Welch has been involved in the field of water resources engineering starting as an undergraduate researcher, through his bachelors and masters degrees in Civil Engineering. Welch’s project experience includes dam removal and sediment transport analysis, fish passage design, engineered log jam applications for structural bank protection, FEMA floodplain analysis and hydraulic evaluations and design of instream structures. Welch has been responsible for engineering on numerous projects in the southwest and northwest including planning, design, permitting, and implementation.

Scott Wright, PE

Scott Wright is a Senior Water Resources Engineer for River Design Group, Inc.  He has over 15 years of private and public sector water resources experience and has been the engineer of record and project manager for numerous stream, river, and wetland restoration projects.  Wrightt's skills include field assessment, hydraulic modeling, restoration design, and project implementation.  His expertise has focused on restoration, fish passage projects, fish passage barrier assessments, dam removal, large-scale in-stream structures, and river structures.  Wright formerly served as an Area Engineer for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and served as a committee member that reviewed and updated the nationwide fish passage practice standards for NRCS.  He was also a reviewer and co-author of the NRCS National Stream Restoration Design Guide.  Wright has been an instructor at Oregon State University and a guest lecturer for river mechanics and restoration classes at Oregon State University, Washington State University and Portland State University.  

Kip Yasumiishi, P.E.

Civil Engineer, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

Kip Yasumiishi is a civil engineer with the NRCS West National Technology Support Center, a regional technical team of multi-disciplinary specialists providing support to 13 Western States and the Pacific Basin.  Yasumiishi has a 30-year work history with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and the USDA involving planning, design, and remediation on a wide array of projects including landslide stabilization (Inarajan, Guam), dam reconstruction (Silver Lake, Washington), watershed pipeline design (Mt. Hood, Oregon), outlet structure design for a flood channel (Waianae Nui, Hawaii), forensic engineering (Daggett County, Utah), and numerous in-stream works of improvement in the Pacific Northwest.  As part of the National Technology Support Center, he spends considerable time training NRCS employees and partners on the engineering elements of natural resource conservation. Yasumiishi is a licensed civil engineer in California, Oregon, and Washington.