Amanda Gilbert (she/her) – Executive Director
Amanda joined the Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council as Executive Director in November 2015. Amanda has worked with watershed councils for nearly two decades in various capacities. She began her watershed council career in 2005 with the McKenzie Watershed Council and worked with the Long Tom Watershed Council as the Fiscal Manager for eight years. Cottage Grove holds a special place in her heart as she lives, works, and raises her family in the community.
Reilly Newman (she/her) – Projects Manager
Reilly is a 5th generation Oregonian and grew up in Cottage Grove. She began working with the CFWWC in 2013. She holds a bachelor’s degree (BS) in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences w/ a specialization in Wildlife Ecology from Oregon State University. She has 11 years of field experience working in federal, state, and nonprofit organizations and 2 years in conservation genetics research labs at OSU. Reilly enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and exploring the local forests and rivers in her free time.
Penny Feltner (she/her) – Working Lands Project Manager
Penny grew up in the Ohio River Valley, finding adventure in the hills and forests just outside of Cincinnati. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Environmental Science, with an emphasis on agroecology and community-based projects. With over 10 years of experience working in community-based programming and environmental initiatives, Penny’s donned a variety of hats, including Laboratory Manager, Farm Camp Counselor, and Agroforestry Advisor. She began working with the CFWWC in 2022 to help empower farmers, foresters, and ranchers to adapt to emerging challenges in agriculture. In her free time, Penny’s an enthusiastic illustrator, a novice baker, a passionate bookworm, a Very Serious Gardener, and an all-around daydreamer.
Rachelle Kelty (she/her) – Outreach Coordinator
Rachelle has spent her life in Oregon, and for the last 25 years, she has called Cottage Grove home. With a background in service and helping people in our community in various fashions, it seemed predestined to have her come work with us as well. In May 2023, she officially joined the CFWWC staff to help with our community engagement efforts as we gear back up after several years off due to the pandemic. Rachelle is dedicated to her family, friends, and the animals on her property.
Ezra Weybright (they/them) – Watershed Restoration Intern
Ezra has been working for the Coast Fork Watershed Council for the past 4 years as a watershed restoration intern. They are currently attending the University of Oregon where they’re majoring in biology. Elsa is very passionate about restoration work and they plan on continuing it as a career in the future. Outside of work they spend most of their time playing Ultimate Frisbee and backpacking.
Sydney Nilan (she/her) – Upper Willamette Stewardship Coordinator
Sydney came on board in July of 2019 as the Coordinator for the Upper Willamette Stewardship Network. Sydney’s position brings together the Coast Fork & Middle Fork Willamette, Long Tom, and McKenzie Watershed Councils, the McKenzie River Trust, and the Friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah, helping them to leverage each organization’s unique strengths to create new opportunities and landscape scale impact throughout the Upper Willamette basin. Sydney has a BA from the University of Oregon and her master’s from the University of Florida’s Tropical Conservation and Development program and has spent the last decade working at the intersection of community based natural resource management, conservation, and sustainable development in Latin America. Having spent the past 6 years living and working with indigenous communities in the Amazon rainforest, Sydney is glad to be back home in Oregon enjoying the seasons and the great pacific northwest with friends and family.
Haley Case-Scott (she/her) – Upper Willamette Stewardship Network Tribal Liaison
Haley is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, and a descendant of the Klamath Tribes, Yurok Tribe, and the Sakaogan Band of Chippewa Indians. Haley graduated from the University of Oregon in 2018, and is an experienced climate change and environmental justice leader. Prior to her position with the Upper Willamette Stewardship Network and partners, she served as a Policy Assistant with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in their Climate and Environment division. Haley also served as a Climate Justice Grassroots Organizer with Beyond Toxics and the NAACP and as an intern with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and Pacific Northwest Tribal Climate Change Project. Haley enjoys spending time outdoors and with her family whenever possible.
