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.

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.

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.