Board of Directors
Cheryl Hart, President, Store Chair
Cheryl has been working with nonprofit organizations for over 30 years serving in both staff and Board positions with various groups. She joined Friends when she moved to Portland in 2005 and has served on the Board since 2006. She is Chair of the Store Committee and serves on several other Friends Committees. She served as President of the Board from 2011- 2015 and from 2022 to present.
Willem Stoeller, Vice-President
Willem has been working with non-profit organizations for over 30 years starting with the Coast Guard Auxiliary, followed as a naturalist with Bay Net in Monterey, volunteer at the visitor center and naturalist at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, skipper for Sea Scouts of America and since January 2014 volunteer at our visitor center and trail rover. Willem joined the Friends board as treasurer from March 2015 till March 2022. He currently chairs the Governance Committee and is a member of several other committees. In October 2002 Willem was elected as Vice-President. Willem also spent nine years on boards of other non-profit organizations.
Dawn Carovano, Treasurer, Membership Coordinator
Hannah Beverage
Alan Christensen, President Emeritus, Restoration Committee Chair
Alan is a retired wildlife biologist who has worked for Federal, State and non-profit conservation organizations for over 40 years. His work took him to most western States, several Canadian provinces, Far Eastern Russia, and Lebanon. He received his BS and MS degrees in wildlife science from Oregon State University, served in the US Navy, and then resided and worked predominantly in Montana, Idaho and Oregon, where he is retired and residing in Portland. He was lucky to work with big game, bears, forest raptors, neotropical songbirds and their habitat. He and his wife Judy enjoy hiking, gardening, floating rivers and camping.
Erin Forrester
Laura Hartt
Tom Hartz, President Emeritus, Environmental Education Committee Chair
Tom Hartz, PhD, is a retired scientist with 6 years university teaching experience and over 35 years in medical device and diagnostics research, development and product support. He has served for over 10 years on the boards of non-profits devoted to education and child development. He joined the Friends Board in 2014. Tom is a Volunteer Naturalist, the 2015 Youth Camp Committee Chair, and is a member of the Governance Committee, the Education Committee and the Photography Society. The Refuge fuels Tom's passions for sharing the wonders of nature with others, particularly with kids, and continuing to learn about wildlife and habitats with the Friends and FWS.
Eric Holmstrom
Larry Klimek
Keith Mays, President Emeritus
In addition to his service on the Board of Friends of TRNWR, Keith is also the current Mayor of Sherwood, Oregon. He was re-elected in March and November of 2018. He previously served four years as council president (2001-05) and eight years as mayor of Sherwood from 2005-13. Over the past 20-plus years, Mayor Mays has served as president of the Oregon Mayors Association, the Sherwood Chamber of Commerce, the Friends of Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge and the Willamette River Water Coalition. He has also served as a member of Metro’s MPAC and on several League of Oregon Cities committees (is currently their Treasurer).
Keith is a third generation Oregonian, a graduate of North Eugene H.S. and Linfield College, local trade sector business owner, and resident of Sherwood for more than 20 years. Mayor Mays is a Sherwood Rotarian and currently sits on boards and committees for several local and regional non-profit and government organizations advocating for and serving Sherwood families.
After retirement, Phyllis became a "birder" and started volunteering at the Refuge as a Trail Rover. She has always enjoyed camping and hike, and now that she has grandchildren, she enjoys it even more. Phyllis began her professional life in social services and ended in the health and safety field. Many of her positions involved developing educational programs for adults, including state-wide conferences. Volunteering has always been a part of her life serving on several boards including as President of the Salem YMCA. She has also served on the Planning Commission for the City of Wilsonville. She became a Volunteer Naturalist in 2018. Phyllis enjoys volunteering at the Kid's Summer Camp, alternative Outdoor School, Bird festival and especially the creatures of the Night program. 
Izzy Sigrist Izzy Sigrist has been passionate about nature and sustainability ever since her grandpa gave her the book "50 Simple Things Kids Can do to Save the Earth" when she was a kid. As a native Oregonian, she has spent all of her life observing and caring for the natural world. Before joining the Friends board, Izzy spent six years serving Oregon Green Schools. She is a Fitwel Ambassador and a USGBC Green Classroom Professional. When not at work or volunteering, Izzy loves to go kayaking with her husband, read, and go the zoo.
Tom is a retired physician who has been involved with the refuge since before its creation. He and his wife Lisa donated the initial 12 acre parcel that made the refuge a reality. Since then, he has volunteered at Saturday work parties. He is the website editor and looks forward to more involvement with the Friends. |
Phyllis Millan, Membership Chair
Tom Stibolt, Website Editor