The People Behind Forever Our Rivers
We founded this foundation because we are passionate about rivers and preservation. Forever Our Rivers provides us with an opportunity to combine those passions to make a positive difference in the world.

Steve Ayers
Board Member
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Tim Carlson
Board President and Secretary
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Donna D’Angelo Morrall
Board Member
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Jim Francis
Board Member
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Chip Norton
Board Member
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Robyn Paulekas
Board Member
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Robyn Paulekas has extensive experience bring people together to solve complex and often controversial sustainability and conservation problems, including those that relate to river health, restoration, and corporate partnerships. She is a Senior Mediator and Program Manager at Meridian Institute. She has led and supported both domestic and international projects on water, conservation, outdoor recreation, agriculture, and climate change—often working at the nexus of more than one of these issues. One highlight from her recent work has been to refine guidance for how food and agriculture companies can strengthen their sustainability commitments to address water quality impacts of the U.S. row crops they source. The draft recommendations encourage companies to support collective watershed action and other implementation support. Prior to Meridian, Robyn applied geospatial information to find solutions to water-related conflict in the Klamath Basin in Oregon. At the University of Wyoming Ruckelshaus Institute of Environment and Natural Resources, she supported multi-stakeholder dialogues on energy, climate change, and endangered species. In her free time, Robyn can be found adventuring in the mountains and on rivers with her husband and their two wild and curious sons.

Ann Johnston
Executive Director
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Ann joins Forever Our Rivers after 15 years in land and water conservation. As executive director of the Crested Butte Land Trust (CO), Ann conserved wetlands and other ecologically significant lands, local ranches, and hiking and biking trails. During her tenure, the organization tripled its operating capacity and achieved national accreditation. She completed several award-winning river restoration projects and was instrumental in bringing together diverse viewpoints to resolve a 30-year long conflict over the use and protection of Snodgrass Mountain.
Ann later served as the Russian River program manager for the Sonoma Land Trust (CA). She was responsible for creating a land and water conservation strategy to protect the natural processes of the river while meeting social and economic needs. Climate adaptation and the voices of underserved communities were key aspects of her conservation planning.
Ann is serving her second term as commissioner for the Land Trust Accreditation Commission (NY). Prior to that, she served an appointment by Colorado’s governor to the Conservation Easement Oversight Commission (CO). She holds a bachelor’s in journalism and a master’s in natural resources.
When not working you will find Ann outside with her husband Dave, enjoying the rivers and mountains of Colorado’s western slope.

Stacy Beaugh
Associate
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Stacy Beaugh, President of Strategic By Nature, Inc., has been a leader in natural resource and outdoor recreation initiatives for 15 years, most recently as Executive Director of RiversEdge West (formerly Tamarisk Coalition). Her educational portfolio includes a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Colorado Denver and a Bachelors of Art in art and environmental studies from Illinois Wesleyan University. She is also an alum of the Center for Creative Leadership Nonprofit Executive Leadership Program. Her current career focus/expertise is in the areas of strategic planning, meeting/process facilitation, executive coaching, board/leadership development, and marketing and fundraising, which have positioned her to play a role in supporting the start-up activities of Forever Our Rivers Foundation. Her volunteer experience includes a leadership role on the Colorado Riverfront Commission and as Treasurer of Many Rivers Brewing Public Benefit Corporation. She is currently based in Durango, CO.

Clark Tate
Associate
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Clark Tate is a freelance writer, researcher, and nonprofit consultant. While earning an M.A. in Environmental Science and Land Use policy at the University of Virginia, she guided rafts on the New River Gorge and whitewater kayaked for fun. After moving to Colorado, she guided on the Arkansas and Blue Rivers, and Clear Creek before joining the Tamarisk Coalition, now River’s Edge West, as a restoration ecologist and coordinator. While there, she rafted a slew of desert river stretches, including Cataract Canyon and the Grand, led efforts to found the Dolores River Restoration Partnership, and researched sustainable restoration funding mechanisms. Clark then moved to California to surf, sail and pursue writing. She stayed close to rivers by monitoring water quality as a volunteer in Santa Cruz, CA and as a seasonal ranger in Point Reyes National Park. Clark most recently worked as a Senior Editor at Outdoor Gear Lab.

Illene Roggensack
Associate
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Illene has more than three decades’ experience as a nonprofit executive director, fundraiser, board member, volunteer and consultant. This experience is coupled with an MBA, a BA in journalism and recognition as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). Her life’s work lies in helping build organizations of excellence, particularly among grassroots nonprofits.
As an active volunteer, Illene served two years as President for the Colorado Nonprofit Association, one year as President for the Grand Junction Lions Club, and in recent years has help to found four Giving Club and Guys’ Giving Club organizations in both Grand Junction and Montrose, Colorado. She likes to run and cook/bake – a fortunate combination – and has rafted Cataract Canyon on the Colorado River at 96,000 cfs. Her current challenge is learning to play the ukulele.