NOSC Staff

Rebecca Benjamin, Director

As Interim Director for North Olympic Salmon Coalition, Rebecca Benjamin coordinates volunteers in activities such as biological monitoring, spawner surveys, and nearshore studies. In addition she manages interns and community service groups. Before coming to NOSC, Rebecca was the Project Manager for Stewardship Partners in Seattle, working with local farmers to implement restoration projects in the Snoqualmie River watershed.

Prior to her position at Stewardship Partners she was the Volunteer Coordinator at the Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group, another one of our Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups. Additional experiences include working as the Festival Director for the Wenatchee River Salmon Festival and spending over 13 years as a leadership and teambuilding facilitator for community groups and corporations in Washington. She is passionate about plants, birds and ecology.

Rebecca lives in Port Townsend.

Owen French, Restoration Coordinator

Hi, I am Owen French, the latest addition to the NOSC staff. After accepting the position as Project Assistant, I made the move here from Vermont ~ but I am no stranger to the Olympic Peninsula or NOSC. Just a few years ago I was a Washington Conservation Corps Crew Supervisor, completing projects for NOSC and other entities such as the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and Olympic National Park.

While in Vermont I completed a degree in Natural Resource Management, led the VT State Trail Crew, and completed many environmental projects for Montpelier Parks and river ways. My interest in salmon habitat restoration began about ten years ago while doing stream bank stabilization as an Americorps volunteer Oregon. Since then I have held positions with several different natural resource agencies and organizations. This path of service has led me here to NOSC today.

I recently found a place for my wife, my dog, and myself to reside in Port Hadlock, which is conveniently close to the NOSC office. I have been busy since day one. So far I have been working on maintenance at the nursery and planting sites and have also helped lead volunteer activities. I am excited to be here, and I hope to meet you at the next volunteer activity. – Owen

Alisa Meany, Outreach Coordinator

Alisa, a Port Townsend local, has a BS in Evolution and Ecology from University California Davis and served as our Americorp intern in 2003 learning the secrets of water quality monitoring with Jefferson County Conservation District. Alisa loves field work with volunteers and coordinates summer chum and coho spawning surveys along with assisting in the many other N.O.S.C. projects and activities.

Please contact Alisa with any comments or suggestions regarding the N.O.S.C. web page!

Alicia Aguirre, Stewardship and Education Coordinator

As the Restoration Steward for the North Olympic Salmon Coalition Alicia Aguirre is responsible for coordinating spring and fall plantings, project site and nursery maintenance, macroinvertebrate surveys, community outreach for volunteer events and festivals, and educational presentations. Alicia has volunteered with NOSC since 2005 while attending WWU’s Huxley College of Environmental Science.

Alicia currently resides in Port Angeles with her family. She anxious to get additional volunteer and educational outreach activities going in the Port Angeles area. She is especially interested in making the Morse Creek log cabin habitable for the future Olympic Discovery Nature Center. If you have any special carpentry or construction expertise let her know!

Elaine Richman, Americorps Intern

Elaine Richman graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 2006 with a major in Ecology and Evolution. During those years, she spent a summer working with the restoration ecology crew at Mount Rainier National Park and a year studying ecology at the University of Otago in New Zealand. After graduating, she worked as an Americorps staff member at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, working as an environmental educator and coordinating the center’s citizen science program. Working with NOSC this year, she is very excited to learn about salmon ecology and habitat restoration.