Staff

Lisa Docken, Executive Director

Lisa has been with us since October 2019, and has a Masters in Animal Physiology and Ecology from Western University, Ontario Canada. She is working on completing her PhD in Arctic Wildlife from Trent University, Ontario Canada. Weekend activities include boating, fishing, hiking, camping, and enjoying a subsistence lifestyle. Evenings are spent spinning yarn, knitting, and finding fun ways to cook the great wild foods of Alaska. “The CRWP is an amazing place to work. Our work is directed at keeping the Copper River watershed healthy for all people to enjoy” – Lisa

Kate Morse, Program Director

Kate officially joined the CRWP team in September 2008, soon after receiving her Masters in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management from University of Oregon. She was quick to implement her skills in collaborative processes and facilitation to help develop and sustain new programs for the CRWP, including our watershed-wide education efforts, Copper Basin invasive plant program, and other various tourism and stewardship-based projects. She also helped to fine tune our organizational membership and business sponsor programs, helping grow the organization to where we could hire a full-time operations manager. Today she is the lead on fish habitat restoration projects in addition to continued efforts to engage everyone in exploring and connecting to their watershed. She is also a full-time mom to twin daughters and enjoys spending her time off hiking, boating, camping, harvesting wild foods, and looking for adventure with her family.

Shae Bowman, Operations Manager

Shae Bowman started working at CRWP in 2015 as an Americorps volunteer after graduating from the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a Bachelors in Biological Sciences. After a year of service, she was hired as the Operations Manager. As the Operations Manager, she has worked on many projects – everything from renovating the gift shop to revamping the net recycling program to planning clean-up events. Shae’s hobbies include hiking, biking, skiing, snowboarding, knitting, gardening, cooking, card games, and raising chickens. “I enjoy working at CRWP because it is a place for creative problem solving and partnerships when it comes to maintaining the watershed as an intact and functioning ecosystem.”

Alexis Cooper, Accounting

Alexis Cooper has lived in the Copper River watershed for over 10 years with consistent ties to working in our beloved salmon economies. With a technical background in commercial fisheries management and policies, Alexis now works hard to track the numerous grant agreements, partnership agreements, Invasive Plant mini grant award dispersal and tracking along with important contributions to policy and procedures in-house. Highly detailed oriented, Alexis ensures we all track to the very dollar every step of the way.

Ashley Taylor, Watershed Restoration & GIS Staff

Ashley started working for CRWP in 2019. She has worked in the Invasive Plant Program as a field technician and coordinator as well as the web and technical communications person. She now works in the Fish Passage and Restoration Program as the GIS and Data Specialist. She has a Master’s degree in GIS and Web Map Programming and 9 years of environmental fieldwork experience.  She enjoys working for CRWP and finding new ways to apply GIS and spatial thinking to projects throughout the watershed. When not in the office, she loves outdoor activities and exploring Alaska with her partner and their pup, Hobbes.

Colleen Merrick, CRWP/CRNA Climate Change Coordinator

Colleen Merrick is a biologist living and leading climate adaptation efforts in South Central Alaska.  She coordinates the efforts of the Copper River Native Association villages, Tribal members, and partner agencies to promote and implement the Regional Climate Change Adaptation Plan. Originally trained in human health, Colleen shifted her focus to fisheries in 2018 to work in the management of stocks across the North Pacific.  She was trained by NOAA, and was fortunate enough to visit many remote locations across the state. While this work was challenging and fulfilling, the human health and cultural aspect of her training was missing.

She now resides in Copper Center and can employ her diverse skill set to organize and manage adaptation strategies for those living on the front lines of climate change.  Experience managing remote health centers and various businesses lends to her ability to bring people and supplies together in a timely and efficient manner, and her background in healthcare and fisheries motivates her to find the best way to balance goals of habitat conservation and thriving peoples.

Amanda Jackson, Watershed Stewardship Program Manager

Michelle McAfee, Communications Specialist

Michelle McAfee started working with CRWP in the summer of 2022. She came aboard as the Communications Specialist to manage our social media and help with newsletters, emails, and website updates. Eleven years ago she fell in love with the Copper Basin and McCarthy, where she spent most of her summers. Working remotely from Southern Oregon where she is based, allows her to stay more deeply connected to this rare Copper River watershed. She is also a writer and photographer, and loves hiking, camping, and gardening. She has a flock of chickens, a herd of two cats, and a homestead full of deer and other wild animals.

Kirsti Jurica, Hydrology & Watershed Restoration Staff

Riki Ott

Founding Director

Kristin Carpenter

Founding Executive Director

Other Very Important Staff Members

Maddie

Maddie (Lisa’s dog) is an office dog, sometimes made to wear hats and usually in need of a good haircut. She loves spending her work days greeting visitors, sleeping in the sun and generally spreading snuggles. When she isn’t napping or looking for a pet she loves boating, digging in the sand and playing fetch. Come by the office anytime to see her; she loves meeting new people.

Waylon

Waylon, Kate’s “first born”, was trained early on to be a super napper in the office, lazily greeting visitors, although more enthusiastically those with treats in their pockets (Thanks UPS!). However, in the field he is a go-getter, usually the first to find the next minnow trap, and often the most eager to see what we caught.

Doris Burke Hamm

Doris Burke Hamm (Shae’s dog) is a Karelian Bear Dog and the office puppy. Still learning the ropes of being an office pup, Doris greets each and every office visitor with enthusiastic wiggles. When not bothering the other office dogs with chatter, cuddles, and kisses, Doris has a large array of office toys to choose from and enjoys playing with as many as possible at the same time. During office hours, Doris loves to lounge atop her kennel, using it more like a hammock, to supervise office activities, nap, and play with more toys.

Hobbes

Hobbes’s (Ashley’s pup) favorite activities include: eating, outdoor activities, whining to play outside, and sleeping (in that order). The winter of 2020/2021 has been his first snow experience and it’s safe to say he’s a powder hound in the making. He’s taken quickly to ice skating and skiing and has dreams of skijoring one day. Until then, he is happiest running free outside and it is best for all involved to never leave him behind on an adventure.

Zorra