Headwaters Council

Launched in 2016, The Headwaters Council is an advisory group comprised of emerging business leaders, disrupters, decision-makers and influencers who will help us drive the next generation of creative and networked conservation and philanthropy.

Jacob Bieze

Jacob is a Senior Associate at Homestead Capital, a San Francisco-based farmland investment firm, where he is responsible for deal sourcing, transaction execution, and operational oversight of Homestead’s 3,500-acre permanent crop portfolio. Jacob’s dedication to The Freshwater Trust’s mission stems from his intersecting personal and professional interests in food, agriculture, and conservation.

Stasia Brownell

Stasia has worked with gas and electric utilities for over a decade to help deliver renewable energy and carbon offset programs to their residential and commercial customers. In her current role at Portland General Electric, Stasia manages their residential Green Future products, ranked #1 in the nation with over a quarter of a million participants.

Akbar Chisti

Akbar is the Founder and President of SEAMUS GOLF, maker of craft accessories for the finest golf destinations in the world, including Bandon Dunes, Pebble Beach, Royal Dornoch and Pinehurst.

Patrick Goodman

Patrick is a Commercial Insurance Broker at Parker Smith & Feek based out of their Portland, OR office, and he primarily focuses on serving and collaborating with clients in commercial real estate, but also has a diverse amount of experience working in a variety of business verticals, such as manufacturing, timberland investment, not-for-profits, and construction/development. Founded in 1937, Parker Smith & Feek is one of the 55 largest insurance brokerage firms in the nation based out of Bellevue, Washington.

Iván Resendiz Gutierrez

Iván (pronounced “ee-v-AA-n”) Resendiz Gutierrez is a litigation and appellate attorney on Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP’s appellate, education, and employment and labor relations teams. He handles complex cases and situations, providing practical advice and finding creative solutions for clients from such diverse industries as education, energy, and manufacturing. Iván is a proud “Double Duck”; he earned his bachelor’s degree (psychology and political science) at the University of Oregon before walking across the Eugene pond to receive his law degree from the University of Oregon School of Law. A first-generation college student and second-generation Mexican American, Iván is highly engaged in several community and professional organizations, currently serving as Co-Chair of the Oregon Minority Lawyers Association, Vice Chair of Board of Directors of the Legal Aid Services of Oregon, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Oregon Law Center. Iván is the proud son of Mexican immigrants and brother to a U.S. Marine and a U.S. Navy reservist.

“In the 1994 film, Andrew “Andy” Dufresne tells his friend Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding, “get busy living or get busy dying.” As a former rugby player, aspiring hunter and boxer, and kayaker, I am always on the go looking for the next aventura (adventure).  During the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of us “opted outside” (because you can only watch all nine seasons of The Office so many times).  I hope people realize that having the option to enjoy the great outdoors—whether you prefer the river, the lake, the ocean, the mountain, or the wilderness—does not just happen; this option is the result of intentional actions by organizations like TFT.  This is why I support—and will continue to support—TFT.” – Iván Resendiz Gutierrez

Jesse Lange

Lars Lider

Lars is Head of Operations and Finance at Hadrian, a manufacturing company that builds autonomous, software-defined precision component factories.

“I believe that my contributions to TFT fuel scalable solutions rather than attempts at change.  TFT operates efficiently, spends wisely, and takes an innovative approach to systematically solving the problems our rivers are facing.” – Lars Lider

Michelle Mark

Michelle grew up in SW Portland playing and exploring the banks of Fanno Creek, enjoying sweet Oregon tap water, and boating any chance she could.  Today, she is the Creative Director and founder of the design + branding studio, Morning Assembly.  Her work is based on empowering clients through thoughtful development of their visual identities.  With over a decade of experience she has worked with some of the most visible brands in Portland.   When she is not in the studio, she can usually be found with her husband, son and border collie-retriever enjoying the outdoors — preferably near a body of water.  It was this deep appreciation for water combined with the reality of the California water crisis that triggered her overwhelming desire to find a cause that could make a real environmental impact. The quantified conservation work and the passion of the individuals of The Freshwater Trust is what drew her in to learn more about the organization, experience the impacts first-hand, join the Headwaters Council, and eventually create the re-brand for The Freshwater Trust

Matt Milletto

Matt Milletto grew up around the coffee industry and has worked in coffee steadily for the last twenty years and has helped hundreds of small and large coffee businesses open up and succeed around the world. In addition to his role as CEO/Founder of Water Avenue Coffee, Matt runs operations at Bellissimo Coffee Advisors with his father, where he serves as vice president and co-owner. Matt is also the current President of the Oregon Coffee Board.

Mary Moerlins

Mary is the Director of Environmental Policy and Corporate Responsibility at NW Natural where she works to continue raising the bar for responsible and effective, environmental programs, operations and community support at Oregon’s largest Natural Gas utility. Prior to joining NW Natural, Mary worked in environmental nonprofits in Atlanta, GA, focused on greenspace conservation, sustainability and environmental education. Mary received a Masters of Public Administration from Georgia State University and Bachelors in Biological Sciences from Agnes Scott College.

“I believe bringing innovation to conservation is the best way to change the course for the better. The work they impact and implement in my home river basins and beyond means my kids and future generations will have the opportunity to see healthy rivers and water systems.” – Mary Moerlins

Ryland Moore

Ryland Moore is a principal owner and Managing Director of business development for Arnerich Massena and been with the firm for 9 years. His focus is in private equity and impact investments focused on water, agriculture and renewable energy technology assets. Arnerich Massena is one of the leading investment advisory firms in the Western US. He also assists buyers and sellers acquire and sell recreational ranches throughout Oregon with Live Water Properties. Ryland is passionate about the conservation of rivers and spends as much time as he can fly fishing for anything with fins. Raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, he eventually made it west to Oregon for grad school, with a brief stint prior in the Tetons, before finding his forever home in the Beaver State. Ryland lives with his wife and three children in Hood River.

Michael Richardson

Michael Richardson is the VP of Publisher Products at Xandr, part of AT&T. He grew up in rural Oregon and Idaho, on the Zumwalt Prairie and next to the Weiser River in Council Valley, Idaho. After attending Reed College and studying predictive models of voter turnout in local elections, he focused on honing his coding skills and eventually cofounded Urban Airship. He took on many different roles at Urban Airship, including opening up the European offices in London. He later left Urban Airship to join AppNexus, the second largest global advertising exchange, which was acquired by AT&T in 2018. Michael lives in Portland with his wife and two daughters, and spends as much time as possible working in the garden with his family.

Kristin Russell

Kris Russell is a corporate lawyer at Stoel Rives LLP, primarily working to facilitate financial transactions for mid-market clients based in the Pacific Northwest. After attending Reed College, she attended the University of Virginia School of Law and then worked in New York and London before returning to Portland, where she lives with her husband, kids, cats, and dog.

“I’m excited to support The Freshwater Trust because it’s composed of clever, caring people who are working to amplify the results of their measurable, long-term projects completed thus far, and their experience building partnerships, in order to really make an impact on the rivers at the heart of the communities where my clients, my family, my friends and I live, work and play.” – Kristin Russell

Max Schlesinger

Max is a Commercial Real Estate Broker at Apex Real Estate Partners based in Portland, OR. He primarily focuses his time on assisting clients with both office leasing and investment sales of all product types. Max is a fourth generation Oregonian who cares deeply about preserving and protecting the natural wonders and resources that make the state and region so special.