Member Types: Staff

Clarissa grew up in Central Oregon and moved to Washington in 2018 to study Anthropology and Environmental Studies at Whitman College. Prior to becoming a Big Sky Watershed Corps member, Clarissa worked as a farmer, raft guide, server, wildlife technician, and educator – all these positions increased her appreciation of the environment and her desire to help protect it. As a part of Western Montana Conservation Commission, Clarissa is excited to help empower the public to protect the aquatic environment through education and community outreach. Clarissa spends her free time with her friends and family, and enjoys reading, skiing, crafting, running, and swimming in rivers and lakes.

A prairie girl who now calls the mountains home, Krista worked in the family business as soon as she could see over the counter. She bid farewell to the flatlands and headed to Montana State University, earning a business degree while working at the MSU Libraries. It was there she developed a passion for fundraising and development which propelled her into the banking sector where she helped customers achieve their financial goals. Following, Krista joined the community development team at the City of Kalispell where she worked on community-transforming projects that have shaped the city for years to come. She is thrilled to be joining the WMCC team to drive the mission of preserving and protecting our natural resources in Northwest Montana so that our communities can continue to live, play and prosper!

Kristen grew up in Southern Oregon and lived in Australia for 14 years before moving to Missoula in 2017. She has a BSc in Environmental Biology from the Evergreen State College and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Montana. She has always been drawn to water in one way or another, whether it be life guarding, floating down the Rogue River’s wild and scenic section, conducting research on aquatic insects (damselflies), or working in water policy. The highlight of her career, to date, has been working for the Murray Darling Basin Authority in Australia, the country’s federal water regulator. She is looking forward to contributing to the work of WMCC and seeing the outcomes of solid collaborations focusing on water quality. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her dogs, family, and friends doing almost anything outside.

Heidi is a 2006-2007 Montana Conservation Corps alum and has been a conservation professional in Western Montana since 2014 when she began work as a Soil Conservationist trainee for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). She continued this career while attending Flathead Valley Community Colleges’ Conservation and Resource Management program. After graduating, she served as the Coordinator for the Lake County Conservation District in Ronan for 7 years where she worked with partners on adult and youth soil, water and wildlife conservation programs and community education events. As a Program Specialist for WMCC, Heidi is looking forward to using her prior experience and skills to help create engaging, meaningful water quality programs in Western Montana. Native plants are a professional and personal passion for her, and, in the past, she’s worked as a Botany technician for the Bitterroot and Swan National Forests and Glacier National Park. In her free time, you can often find Heidi out in her native plant garden, other people’s gardens, or in the middle of the wilderness identifying grasses and flowers for fun.

Stephanie’s fascination for the natural world brought her to Missoula in 2013 to pursue a degree in biology at the University of Montana. During this time, she assisted with research on nesting bird behavior and butterfly morphology. She became enthralled with museum collections as a curatorial assistant at the Philip L. Wright Zoological Museum. Stephanie then completed her M.S. in Biology from California State University, Chico, while exploring the creeks and woodlands of the Sierra Nevada foothills. In addition to researching insect and plant interactions, she was a biology lecturer at the university and served as curator and STEM educator for Gateway Science Museum. Returning to Missoula, Stephanie connected with our western Montana community as a Teaching Naturalist at the Montana Natural History Center. In her free time, you can find Stephanie reading, hunting for wildflowers, and attempting to perfect the chocolate chip cookie.

After receiving her B.S. in Geology and Government and Law, Emilie served as an AmeriCorps member with the Flathead Basin Commission and City of Kalispell where she became familiar with western Montana’s aquatic resource challenges. Emilie then had the opportunity to work as the Nonpoint Source Coordinator for the Flathead Basin Commission, conducting field work and supporting education and outreach programs in the watershed. As a Program Coordinator for WMCC, Emilie is eager to expand the influence of previous work and establish connections across the region to protect the area’s incredible natural resources and promote environmental justice. Emilie is currently pursuing her M.S. in Resource Conservation at the University of Montana. In her free time, Emilie enjoys hiking, knitting, and snuggling with her cats.

Kelly grew up in the Flathead Valley before attending Montana State University. During this time, she worked with the Flathead Biological Station on Dreissenid Mussel invasion potential in Western MT lakes. She went on to pursue her Master’s in Environmental Science, focusing on remote sensing techniques for harmful algal bloom detection and trend characterization. She loves anything outdoors, particularly activities her dog, Boots, gets to join. She is excited to work towards protecting her favorite place in the world surrounded by an equally passionate team.

Casey joined the Western Montana Conservation Commission as the Executive Director in 2023 and is excited about building up the new commission and effectively combining the past work of the Flathead Basin Commission and the Upper Columbia Conservation Commission across western Montana. Casey previously worked as the Environmental Coordinator for the City of Kalispell, where her work focused on protecting and improving local water quality. She has also served as a governor-appointed Commissioner on the Flathead Basin Commission, filling multiple roles including vice-chair, co-chair of the Education and Outreach Committee, and member of the Onsite Wastewater Committee. She has envisioned and developed numerous public programs and technical reports, as well as serving on many committees and groups throughout northwest Montana. She holds a Master of Science in Environmental Science and Management, where her thesis focused on aquatic invasive species, and has volunteered on marine conservation projects around the world.