Alison Studley, Executive Director
Alison grew up exploring the rivers, farms, and mountains of the Skagit Valley. After receiving a Master of Marine Affairs degree from the University of Washington and a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from UC Santa Barbara, Alison first started working for SFEG in 1997. In 1999 she became the Executive Director. Alison greatly values her role at SFEG and her role in helping to ensure that the Magic of the Skagit remains intact for future generations. Alison is the mother of two sons, Ervin and Zakary. When not working, she and her husband Drew delight in sharing new adventures as a family rafting, kayaking, camping, and exploring. She can be reached at astudley (at) skagitfisheries.org.
Why I Do the Conservation Work That I Do an article by Alison Studley (pdf)
Yuki Reiss, Restoration Ecologist
Yuki was born in Kyoto, Japan and grew up in Seattle, WA. She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Oregon, and an M.S. in Biology from Central WA University with an emphasis in fisheries population genetics. Yuki spent 16 years working in eastern WA for the Dept of Natural Resources, U.S. Forest Service, and Yakima Basin Fish & Wildlife Recovery Board. For the past 10 years Yuki has worked in Kauai, Hawaii on seabird habitat restoration, but she is happy to be back in the PNW reconnecting with salmon, trout, and cold-water streams. In her free time Yuki enjoys hiking, kayaking, scuba diving, traveling, playing ultimate frisbee, and spending time with her husband and two daughters. Yuki can be reached at kyreiss (at) skagitfisheries.org.
Lucy DeGrace, Outreach Manager
Lucy joined the SFEG team in 1999 after completing a B.S. in Natural Resources at the Ohio State University and working in outdoor education with Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks. A native of Cincinnati, Lucy really enjoys teaching kids and adults about salmon and stream ecology. When not working, she enjoys birding, gardening, traveling, and spending quality time with her husband, cat, and bunny. Reach her at ldegrace (at) skagitfisheries.org.
Melody Meyers, Finance and Operations Manager
Melody came to Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group with a background in both finance and business. She’s not a stranger to the non-profit sector, spending 25 years working within non-profit organizations. When she’s not crunching numbers and solving problems, Melody likes to quilt and spend time with her grandchildren. She likes to be outside, especially when she’s working out in her yard! You can reach her at accounting (at) skagitfisheries.org.
Rebecca (Becca) Rising, Riparian Project Manager
After a Pacific Northwest start to life in Sitka, AK, Rebecca moved between Louisiana, Texas, Guatemala, and central California in her younger years. Her education includes a B.S. in Biology from George Fox University and a M.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana. Much of her working life has involved a variety of field positions such as bear management, songbird banding, bullfrog hunting, and air quality monitoring at Sequoia & Kings Canyon and Yosemite National Parks. In 2014, she returned to the PNW and, through the native plant and restoration program at North Cascades National Park, fell in love with restoration work. She is inspired and humbled by the commonplace occurrence of plants growing and building habitat for so many other creatures. Her free time can be spent floating the Skagit with her family, working on house projects, or helping plants grow both inside and out. She can be reached at rrising (at) skagitfisheries.org.
Bengt Miller, Stewardship Manager
Bengt began his restoration career right out of college. After an internship performing in-stream monitoring during the summer of 1999 he became the first AmeriCorps/WCC individual placement Skagit Fisheries employed. After his year of service he moved to Maine to do another AmeriCorps year. Upon returning back to the Northwest he used his AmeriCorps education allowance to attend the Bellingham Technical College, where he learned about land surveying, mapping and GIS. In February of 2009 he began working full time at Skagit Fisheries as a Watershed Restoration Technician. He loves the outdoor aspect of his job and finds the work fulfilling. Outside of work he can usually be found wherever there is an Ultimate Frisbee game. Contact Bengt at bmiller (at) skagitfisheries.org.
Myrri
ah Crowley, Habitat Restoration Coordinator
Myrriah grew up in the redwoods of California and moved to the PNW several years ago to explore this wild and biodiverse region. She started at Skagit Fisheries as a Riparian Restoration Associate AmeriCorps member after graduating from Western Washington University with a degree in Environmental Science, emphasis in Terrestrial and Freshwater Ecology. Before moving to WA, Myrriah earned a degree in Horticulture with an emphasis on Organic Agriculture and Crop Production at Cabrillo College. She enjoys gardening, foraging, hiking, good food, and cold water; she is excited to keep building a relationship with the community that keeps our waters, salmon, people, and environment healthy and thriving here in the Salish Sea. Contact her at mcrowley (at) skagitfisheries.org.
Ben Molenhouse, Restoration Technician
Ben was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. With a love for the outdoors, he moved to Washington state to pursue a degree in Environmental Science at Western Washington University, graduating just this past spring 2024. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, sailing, gardening, making music, and woodworking. Over past summers he has worked a variety of jobs including a forestry crew and eelgrass research crew. He is excited to be a part of the SFEG team and looks forward to contributing to restoring salmon habitat within the Skagit River watershed. He can be reached at bmolenhouse (at) skagitfisheries.org.
Alina Bulthuis, Restoration Technician
Alina is originally from the desert mountains of northern New Mexico, but came to the Pacific Northwest in 2019 to study at Western Washington University. Since graduating in 2023 with a B.S. in Environmental Science, she has been working to enhance and protect Washington’s natural resources. Most recently, she has enjoyed seasonal positions researching salmon with Skagit River System Cooperative and managing exotic invasive insects with the Washington State Department of Agriculture. She is excited to continue working and growing in the beautiful Skagit watershed! When she’s not outside, you can find Alina tinkering with some new home improvement project, playing with her cat or curled up with some knitting and a good book. You can reach her at abulthuis (at) skagitfisheries.org.
Meredith McCannon, Restoration Technician
Growing up in the suburbs of Denver Meredith spent a lot of her time outside, whether it was digging in the dirt or adventuring through a creek. Her love for the ocean led her to Western Washington University where she graduated in 2022 with a bachelors in Environmental Science with marine emphasis. Since graduating she has worked as a vegetation monitoring intern here with Skagit Fisheries, spent two years on the WCC crew with NSEA, and most recently worked as an oyster farmer in the bay. She’s very excited to be back to doing the work she loves, getting to help restore ecosystems on the beautiful Skagit River. In her free time she enjoys playing music, crafting, and searching for tide pools at the beach. She can be reached at mmccannon (at) skagitfisheries.org
Devon Bedard, Monitoring Specialist
Devon grew up spending a great deal of his time outdoors exploring western Washington’s many forests and streams, where he fostered a strong connection to the natural world. His care for the natural world led him to pursue a degree in Environmental Science with an emphasis on freshwater and terrestrial ecology at Western Washington University. After graduation, he gained experience with his time as a Chinook salmon spawner surveyor with WDFW, WCC restoration crew member at NSEA, and vegetation monitoring intern here at Skagit Fisheries. He is excited to continue growing professionally and build his knowledge of salmon and habitat restoration. He can be reached at dbedard (at) skagitfisheries.org.
Kelly Williams, Education and Outreach Specialist
Kelly grew up in Utah exploring the red rock deserts and learning to love and appreciate nature. After graduating with a degree in Anthropology from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, she was inspired to explore careers focused on people’s interaction with nature and understanding of the world around them. She has worked various seasonal jobs including conducting visitor use surveys for the Forest Service and being a Community Program intern with NSEA. This eventually led her to becoming a white water raft guide in Washington. She instantly fell in love with the rivers of the PNW and her love of working with people in the outdoors continued to grow. She is excited to continue to explore the rivers and continuing to educate others with her role at Skagit Fisheries. In her free time Kelly enjoys sea kayaking, rafting, skiing, and playing card games with friends. She can be reached at kwilliams (at) skagitfisheries.org.
Anna Gibbons, Restoration and Outreach Intern
Growing up on a plateau in the cascade foothills, Anna cannot imagine living any other place than the beautiful state of Washington. From a young age, the importance of the natural world surrounding her has been emphasized. It’s no surprise that she’s currently working towards an Environmental Conservation degree at Skagit Valley College. In her free time you’ll find her out with her daughter soaking in the sights, identifying organisms she’s come across, or searching for new rocks to add to her collection. Anna is delighted to gain foundational experience through SFEG, as they continue to unify Pacific Salmon species and the community through educational and restorative projects.
Arturo Avila, Spawner Survey Intern
I grew up in Leavenworth WA, where I spent a lot of my time outdoors playing soccer, hiking, swimming and fishing. Spending a lot of time fishing sparked a strong interest in fisheries and aquaculture for me which is why I am a current student at Bellingham Technical college where I am pursuing a Fisheries Science degree. I am very excited to get a lot of field work experience here at Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group.
Sage Mailhiot, River Journey Intern
Sage grew up in the Skagit Valley, and has never been away for very long. After graduating from Burlington-Edison High School, she began her BS in Environmental Science at the University of Washington, with a minor in Spanish. Her studies and work experience have focused on wildfire resilience, so she is excited to be learning in lusher and more familiar environments. Sage likes climbing rocks, potlucks, gazing into the eyes of her cat Beelzebub, cherishing all the colors of nature, and songs with a good boogie beat.
David Pike, Education Intern
I’m an undergraduate student at Western Washington University, and I will graduate in the Spring of 2026 with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and a minor in music. I’m from Olympia, WA, and it’s where I first gained my passion for environmental protection and justice. I previously volunteered with NSEA as a salmon spotter, and this is my first time working with SFEG. I believe that Washington is one of the most beautiful states in the country, and I want a career that helps protect the environment and its wildlife from human-caused disturbances. I’m excited to be a part of SFEG for the next few months because their mission aligns with my career goals.
Luci Stevenson, Education Intern
Hi my name is Luci. I grew up in Oregon, but have lived in Bellingham for the past 3 years, attending Western Washington University. I am majoring in sociology and will be graduating this spring! In my free time you can find me skiing, biking, running, and baking. I have always loved spending time outside, so I am excited to be interning with SFEG. My family has spent a lot of time fishing together, and I grew up surrounded by rivers, which is where my love for the rivers stemmed from. That being said, doing my part to contribute to healthy rivers and salmon habitats means a lot to me and I’m excited to be a part of the team!
Hallie Brooks, Education Intern
As a Tacoma, Washington native, I have a natural love for the outdoors and I’m a lover of all things ecology! I’m currently studying environmental science at Western Washington University where I’m working towards my Bachelor of Science degree and I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can through my time at SFEG. In my free time I love going to concerts, being outside, playing animal crossing, and working on my current cross stitch project. I love cats and birds and would love to see any cute photos of critters you have to offer!
