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| Contact Us Bitter Root Water Forum 406.375.2272 P.O. Box 1247 Hamilton, MT 59840 Executive Director Phil Connelly, Interim Director Board of Directors  Dave Schultz, ChairAfter a career with the Forest Service in Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and New Mexico, Dave now works part time as a consultant for tribes, government agencies, and private companies to help them engage citizens and communities constructively. He has deep roots in small towns and family farms and ranches, having both grown up on a dairy farm and worked on a Montana cattle ranch for several years. Dave has a BS and MS degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, with water resources emphasis. He and his wife Christine live just south of Hamilton.  D. Kielian DeWitt, Vice ChairKielian retired in 2004 after working for 20 years managing alternative fuel programs for the City and County of Denver, the EPA and for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. She has a degree in Environmental Biology and an MS in Environmental Science, both from the University of Colorado. She has lived in the Bitterroot Valley since retirement and raises gaited Morgan horses as well as weed-free hay.  Ed Snook, Secretary/TreasurerGrowing up boating and fishing on the Great Lakes, Ed got frustrated when told he shouldn’t eat the fish he caught due to mercury contamination, provoking what has become a life-long interest in water and aquatic issues. After earning a B.S. in Resource Management at Environmental Science & Forestry in NY, Ed found himself living a dream, recreating and living amongst the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming, Colorado and Montana. Ed deepened his commitment to water issues by earning a Master’s degree in Water Resources at the University of Wyoming, and has worked for the US Forest Service as a professional hydrologist for the last 17 years. With the Bitterroot National Forest since 2001, he lives near Conner with his wife Lee.  Will McDowell, Member
Will McDowell has a science background (biology and hydrology) and a passion for practical conservation work. He has 25 years of professional experience in natural resource management, agricultural soil and water conservation, and ecological restoration in the western USA, Latin America, and Asia. Currently he works as Stream Restoration Director for the Clark Fork Coalition. He lives in Missoula, MT, with his family and more dogs than is reasonable.  Chris Clancy, Member
Chris is a fisheries biologist for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. He was born and raised in Havre, Montana and attended Northern Montana College and Montana State University, where he received a M.S. degree in Fish and Wildlife Management in 1978. After graduation he worked for the BLM in Lewistown. He first began work for MFWP in 1979 on streams in southeastern Montana and moved to Livingston and the upper Yellowstone in 1980. He moved to the Bitterroot Valley in 1989 where he is a fisheries management biologist He is married to Tara Gallagher and they have two delighful children, Niall and Tess.  Al Pernichele, MemberAl retired to the Bitterroot Valley in 1997 after a 30 year career working for large international engineering firms and a major mining company. His technical expertise is in environmental, mining and geotechnical engineering. His career includes serving as regional vice president and vice president of marketing for engineering firms and manager of numerous projects for government and private sector clients. Al’s interests in water stems from his professional experience as well as from being an avid fly fisherman. He serves as the Water Commissioner for the Bitterroot River and manager of Painted Rocks Reservoir, positions that require balancing the water needs of irrigators with the need to maintain a healthy riverine system. He is a member of the Ravalli County Farm & Ranch Board, serves a codirector of a USDA funded study of food production in the Bitterroot Valley and owns and operates a commercial apple orchard in Corvallis, MT. He has been a member of the BRWF Board since 2006.  Rob Johnson, MemberRob has degrees in agriculture business and agricultural economics with emphasis in livestock and ranch management. He retired after a successful career as University Extension Agent and has lifetime experience in irrigated agriculture. He has been active in the BRWF since its inception fostered by an interest to learn natural resource issues and subsequent policy decisions. Rob runs a small hobby beef farm and is also interested in stewardship of land, water, vegetation and wildlife. Perhaps these interests combined with his background can help provide folks an opportunity to learn, through the BRWF, a balanced understanding of water quality and water quantity, the climate of the Bitterroot Valley and the limitations on our stewardship of the water resource.  Eddie Olwell, member Picture and background details will be available soon | |
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