After receiving a B.A. in Biology from Colorado College in 2014 and working around the world on conservation-focused projects for 8 years, Allegra joined the Eagle County Conservation District (ECCD) in 2022 with the goal of building local conservation programs. As ECCD’s Program Manager, she helped launch a virtual fencing pilot project in Eagle County, one of the first in the nation. Since then, Allegra has focused on expanding ECCD's impact in this space through research, partnerships, and community involvement, with the goal of promoting regenerative grazing practices, improving rangeland health, reducing human-wildlife conflict, and enhancing water quality.

Brooke Pennington is a graduate student in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Colorado State University, where she focuses on river hydraulics. She earned her undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. Her master’s thesis investigates how standing waves and channel characteristics can estimate river discharge, especially in channels that are difficult to access or lack stream gauges. Brooke’s research combines controlled flume experiments in the CSU Engineering Research Center, advanced velocity measurement techniques, and channel bed analysis to better understand flow dynamics in steep, non-mobile channels.Brooke Pennington is a graduate student in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Colorado State University, where she focuses on river hydraulics. She earned her undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. Her master’s thesis investigates how standing waves and channel characteristics can estimate river discharge, especially in channels that are difficult to access or lack stream gauges. Brooke’s research combines controlled flume experiments in the CSU Engineering Research Center, advanced velocity measurement techniques, and channel bed analysis to better understand flow dynamics in steep, non-mobile channels.

Caitlin Orem is an Associate Scientist and Geomorphologist in the U.S. Geohazards and Geomorphology Group at Stantec Consulting Inc. Caitlin completed her PhD in Geosciences with a minor in Hydrology and Water Resources at the University of Arizona where her research was focused on flood and precipitation analysis, LiDAR change detection, and quantifying erosion rates. She received her B.S. in Geology from Northern Arizona University and her M.S. in Geology at Central Washington University. Her work at Stantec involves fluvial geomorphology, precipitation and surface water hydrology, and post- wildfire erosion processes and their effects on infrastructure, restoration, and surface water quality.

Chelsey has been working on river restoration and hydraulic engineering problems since 2019. She has lead design, permitting, and construction management of over a dozen process-based restoration projects along the Front Range of Colorado. Chelsey is passionate about sharing her experiences, success, and challenges of this work with the restoration community to hopefully make future projects better and more cost effective.

Emily Blackaby is a geomorphologist at Ayes Associates in Fort Collins, CO. She earned her BS in Geology from Baylor University and a MS in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability from Colorado State University. She has also earned certifications in wilderness stewardship, water resource management, and carbon management.  She has worked on a variety of projects at Ayres including post-fire recovery, drainage mitigation, and infrastructure assessments. 

Josie is a South Florida native with a deep-rooted passion for the swamps and prairies that define her home state. Early experiences exploring these ecosystems sparked her interest in environmental conservation and land management, which she pursued through numerous ecological research projects as an undergraduate. In recent years, she has shifted her focus to urban resilience and has been drawn to understanding the complex water systems of the American West. Now based in Colorado, she is continuing her education with the goal of developing innovative strategies that enhance human resilience while promoting environmental harmony.

Kailyn Atkinson is a master’s student in Ecology at Colorado State University. Her research investigates how Low-Tech Process-Based restoration affects natural regeneration of floodplain vegetation post-fire, with a focus on post-fire sedimentation and hydrology. After graduating with a degree in psychology, Kailyn spent 8 years in the field learning ecological knowledge outside of the classroom. Her experience ranges from native plant restoration projects in New Mexico, marsh bird and vegetation monitoring in the Great Lakes of Michigan, to wetland surveys in Idaho and Colorado. Kailyn is broadly interested in disturbance ecology, wetland restoration, and plant ecology.

Kyle Gustafson is a Managing Engineer at Anchor QEA with expertise in sediment management and surface water hydrology. He holds a master’s degree in hydrology and has led projects across the mountain west focused on beneficial reuse of sediments and watershed restoration. Kyle blends technical analysis with practical design to address complex challenges in aquatic and upland environments, pushing resilient and sustainable water and sediment management strategies.

Owen grew up in Weld County, Colorado, where he spent much of his childhood exploring the St. Vrain River and Boulder Creek. These adventures--plus lived experience with hydraulic fracturing, agriculture, and the 2013 floods--sparked a desire to understand interactions between human activities and river systems. As an undergraduate at Dartmouth College, Owen began to formally explore hydrology and geomorphology. For his thesis, he used a big data approach to study changes in flood seasonality in the Northeastern U.S. Now, back in Colorado at CSU, his research focuses on geomorphic and hydrologic responses to grazing, recovery, and restoration in the Great Plains.