Bio:
John is the former Science and Research Director of NOAA Fisheries’ Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, WA, and is currently Scientist Emeritus with NOAA Fisheries. He has authored over 75 publications and is an affiliate faculty member in the University of Washington’s School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, where he also received his PhD. John currently serves as the Chair of the Puget Sound Partnership Science Panel.
Personal Statement:
The prospect of joining the Skagit Watershed Council’s Board of Directors is exciting for me as someone who grew up in Skagit Valley and enjoying many hours with my father fishing for salmon on the Skagit River. My parents actually lived on the river for several years while operating a boat dock for nearly 50 boats at Edgewater Park. As a high school and college student I also had many summer jobs in the valley’s rich agriculture sector, and now assist my wife, Christie, in running RiverSong Farm. She has operated the fully certified organic farm for nearly 20 years providing Community-Supported Agriculture shares of produce, fruit, flowers and a sense of community to many families in the area. I joined Christie full time running the farm in January of this year after retiring from NOAA Fisheries through 37 years as a scientist. I look forward to working with all involved to conserve and protect what we have in the valley and to look for opportunities to further the vital mission of the Skagit Watershed Council.
