Trinity River Restoration Program (TRRP) Staff - Biographies
David Bandrowski
Civil Engineer, Implementation Branch
David joins the TRRP all the way from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula bringing with him specialized civil engineering expertise on a variety of river projects, both in Michigan and overseas in Central/South America. David has worked as a Civil Engineer with the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for the past 10 years, overseeing the design and implementation of several river restoration and stabilization projects. He has also served on international details with the Foreign Agricultural Service, USAID, and the State Department in watershed rehabilitation and research. David received his undergraduate degree from Michigan Technological University (MTU) in civil engineering water resources and is a registered professional civil engineer in Michigan.
Diana Clifton
Senior Realty Specialist, Implementation Branch
Although Diana did not join the TRRP until November 2005, she has been integral to the development and negotiation of real estate related contracts for the program since 2002. This has involved extensive contacts with private landowners and local governments. As part of the Bureau of Reclamation's Mid-Pacific Region Realty Team, she not only worked closely with legal staff in developing contracts, but was responsible for the training and mentoring of all Regional realty staff. Since the early 80s, Diana has gained extensive real estate experience working as a commercial and industrial appraiser, and as an appraiser and realty specialist with the Department of Defense and the Bureau of Reclamation since 1994.
Priscilla Davee
Grants and Agreements Technician, Budget Assistant
Priscilla joined the TRRP staff in May 2004 after spending a majority of her prior employment with the non-profit and private sectors. Her most recent experience with Adopt-A-Watershed, located in Hayfork, focused on financial accounting, budget, and grant administration, skills which she now shares with the Trinity River Restoration Program. Priscilla is a native of Trinity County, and a graduate of Hayfork High School.
Jennifer Faler
Branch Chief, Implementation
Jennifer has 16 years of practical and academic experience in environmental restoration work. After earning an undergraduate degree in civil engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and a graduate degree from UC Davis, she went to work for the US Army Corps of Engineers to cleanup formerly used defense sites. This work lead her to water resource and habitat restoration work for Ducks Unlimited and the Natural Resource Conservation Service. Finally, prior to joining the Trinity River Restoration Program, she worked for USDA Rural Development helping small communities complete water and wastewater infrastructure projects. Jennifer is a registered professional engineer in California.
David Gaeuman
Fluvial Geomorphologist, Technical Analysis and Modeling Group
David specializes in fluvial sediment transport and geomorphology. He joined the TRRP in February 2006, following a 2-year appointment as a National Research Council Associate with the US Geological Survey in Columbia, Missouri. David earned a Ph.D. in Watershed Science from Utah State University while developing channel- and habitat-maintenance flows for streams in the Colorado River basin, and a Master's degree from the University of Montana. He has experience with stream rehabilitation and monitoring activities in stream ranging from mountainous headwaters to navigable lowland rivers.
Brandt Gutermuth
Environmental Specialist, Implementation Branch
Brandt is an aquatic biologist and came to the Restoration Program in October 2002 from the Weaverville Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management, where he gained valuable experience as the Trinity River project coordinator. Prior to that, he held positions with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon and Utah Departments of Wildlife, and a private consulting firm. Brandt received his Masters degree in fisheries management from the University of Washington and his Bachelors in aquatic biology from the University of Michigan.
Nina Hemphill
Fishery Biologist, Modeling and Analysis Branch
Nina joined the TRRP staff in January 2005. She received her PhD in aquatic biology from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1989. Nina is a community, population and ecosystem ecologist, and has over 20 years of fisheries experience. This has included work in Southern California, Kentucky, and Puerto Rico. For over 10 years she has been involved in conservation of fish populations. Nina comes to the TRRP from the National Park Service in Kentucky, where she worked with environmental compliance issues related to river and fisheries management.
Deanna Jackson
Secretary to the Executive Director and Office Administrative Assistant
Deanna came to the Restoration Program in April 2002 from the Northern California Area Office of the Bureau of Reclamation where she worked as a fiscal technician for six years. Prior to that, Deanna worked in the original Reclamation project office in Weaverville from 1989 to 1996, where she filled many support roles as office automation assistant. A Trinity High School graduate, her familiarity with the area, people, and Trinity River issues is a valuable asset to the program.
John Klochak
Restoration Ecologist, Technical Analysis and Modeling Group
John joined the TRRP staff in February 2006. John comes to the TRRP from Everglades National Park, where he was an ecologist and project manager, leading park service input into the coastal and estuarine components of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. Prior to that, he worked for almost 10 years as a Restoration Ecologist in a watershed process-based salmon habitat restoration program with the Skagit System Cooperative in Washington State. John has worked primarily in the Pacific Northwest, but also in Scandinavia and in Florida. He has experience in applied ecology as well as construction management and engineering. He received an M.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Washington in 1992, and a B.S. in Engineering Science from the Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology in 1985.
Andreas Krause
Physical Scientist, Monitoring and Analysis Branch
Andreas received his Masters degree in civil engineering from the University of California, Davis, and his Bachelors degree in the same subject from Northern Arizona University. He is a registered professional civil engineer in California, and came to the Restoration Program from the consulting firm CH2M Hill in Redding, CA in September 2002, where he was a project engineer and technical specialist in hydrology, hydraulics, fluvial geomorphology, and river restoration. Prior to that, Andreas worked as a hydrologist for the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources in Arizona.
Doug Schleusner
Executive Director
Born in Yreka, CA, Doug gained firsthand experience with Northern California resource issues in the 1980s while holding several positions on the Shasta-Trinity National Forests. As Assistant Forest Planner, Shasta Lake District Resource Officer, and Assistant Forest Recreation Officer, he helped manage wildlife, fish, recreation, and cultural resource programs. He came to the Restoration Program in October 2001 from the National Headquarters of the USDA Forest Service, where he was a program manager on the forest and rangelands staff. His 25-year career in land use planning and recreation management with the Forest Service also included assignments in Southeast Alaska and northern New Mexico. Working as a Natural Resource Specialist, Planning Staff Officer, EIS Team Leader, and District Resource Officer, Doug has extensive experience in public involvement, ecosystem management, budget development, and environmental studies. Doug received his Masters degree in regional planning from the University of Massachusetts, and his Bachelors of Landscape Architecture from the University of Idaho.
Rod Wittler
Branch Chief, Modeling and Analysis
Rod’s first experience with the Program dates back to the mid-1990s when he became involved with the Flow Evaluation Study, eventually as one of the co-authors of the Report. He started his current assignment as Branch Chief in September 2004. Prior to that time, Rod worked as a Research Hydraulic Engineer in the Water Resources Research Laboratory of Reclamation’s Technical Service Center. Rod has 20 years of general and research engineering experience in hydraulic models, river mechanics, flow measurement, sediment analysis, and river restoration. He holds Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Colorado State University, and is a registered professional civil engineer in Colorado.