New TRRP employees: Priscilla Henson, Rod Wittler, Scott Crawford, and Nina Hemphill

Scott Crawford joined the TRRP staff in April of 2004 as our Grants, Cooperative Agreements and Contracts Specialist. Scott, a former employee of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) in Northern Virginia, worked as a commodities business specialist and energy manager for his former agency. Mr. Crawford also gained private sector experience working as a marketing manager for a software firm in San Diego. A California native, Scott earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of San Diego and a master’s degree in cultural anthropology from San Diego State University. Mr. Crawford’s unique background and business and industry experience will aid river restoration efforts by helping to expand and improve its financial assistance program.

Priscilla Henson is our Budget Technician. Priscilla joined our staff in May of 2004 after spending a majority of her prior employment with the non-profit and private sectors. Her most recent experience with Adopt-A-Watershed, located in Hayfork, focused on financial accounting, budget, and grant administration, skills which she will share with the Trinity River Restoration Program. A native to Trinity County, Priscilla is looking forward to expanding her knowledge of the Trinity River.

Rod Wittler has been on temporary assignment as the Program’s Acting Modeling and Analysis Branch Chief since last September from Reclamation’s Denver Technical Service Center. Dr. Wittler’s experience with the Program dates back to the mid-1990s when he became involved with the Flow Evaluation eventually as one of the co-authors of the Report. He recently accepted our offer to fill this Branch Chief position on a permanent basis. Up until this assignment, Rod has worked as a Research Hydraulic Engineer in the Water Resources Research Laboratory of the Technical Service Center. Dr. Wittler has 20 years of general and research engineering experience in hydraulic models, river mechanics, flow measurement, sediment analysis, and river restoration. Dr. Wittler holds Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Colorado State University.

Nina Hemphill, Fishery Biologist, is our newest employee. Nina joined our staff on January 10, 2005. Dr. Hemphill received her PhD from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1989 in aquatic biology. She is a community, population and ecosystem ecologist, and has over 20 years of fisheries experience. This has included work in Southern California, Kentucky, and migratory fishes in Puerto Rico. For over 10 years she has been involved in conservation of fish populations. She is relocating with her family from the Atlanta, Georgia region, and is very happy to be working on salmon restoration challenges of the Trinity River.