Staff

Lisa Shipek, Executive Director

Since 2006, Lisa Shipek has served as the Executive Director of Watershed Management Group.  Lisa has expertise in developing training programs for professionals; developing environmental education programs for adults and children; and collaborating with a diverse range of partners to implement community-based environmental projects. Lisa directs fundraising, strategic development and outreach activities for WMG. She manages several of WMG’s programs including the unique Tucson Conserve to Enhance program, which links individual water conservation savings with local river restoration, and WMG’s Water Harvesting Certification program that trains professionals from throughout the United States and abroad. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Science and an M.A. in Latin American Studies. Lisa believes low-tech, community-based solutions can solve today’s most pressing environmental challenges. Through her work with WMG, she is particularly interested in developing environmental programs that improve quality of life in urban areas.

Jared Buono, India Country Director

Jared is a co-founder of Watershed Management Group and holds a M.Sc. in Watershed Management and a Ph.D. in Natural Resource Management. He has conducted ecohydrology research for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Forest Service and has implemented community-based conservation programs in the U.S. Peace Corps. He has also managed projects funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. Jared is currently working on international program development and establishing WMG's office in India.

James DeRoussel, Program Manager

James’ interest in sustainability has grown out of a diversity of experience in the landscape industry since 1997.  In addition to a strong design background, he provides expertise in residential and commercial development, code compliance, green infrastructure, and construction.  A Registered Landscape Architect, James is Principal of ForeSite, a Tucson landscape architectural firm.  As a Program Manager with WMG since 2010, James is active in client consultation, design and implementation of projects across Arizona.

Kat Farris, Project Manager

Kat Farris first fell in love with WMG after becoming a Certified Water Harvesting Practitioner in May 2012.  She brings to WMG expertise in developing non-profit volunteer and outreach programs as well as engaging community with non-profit work.  Prior to joining the WMG team she's spent extensive time in the Yucatan working with an indigenous population, completing a feasibility study for an economic development project.  She has a background in education and holds a MS in Education from Arizona State University.  In addition to her experience in development, education, non-profits and water conservation she is a permaculture enthusiast gaining valuable experience in her current position with the Phoenix-based non-profit, Valley Permaculture Alliance.  She spends her time working on a shared 3/4 acre urban farm in Phoenix, hiking and camping on the weekends, and preparing delectable raw vegan cuisine from the abundance of her garden.

Trevor Hare, Project Manager

Trevor graduated from the University of Arizona in 1991 with a degree in Ecology. For ten years he studied the impacts of suburban development on rattlesnakes and Gila monsters. Trevor worked as the Sky Island Alliance Restoration Program manager for the last 11 years and developed a robust methodology for the assessment, planning and design of riparian and upland restoration projects, which resulted in over $800,000 of restoration work. Trevor serves as the Science Advisor for the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, and sits on the Pima County Conservation Acquisition Commission, and as a board member of the Ciénega Watershed Partnership.

Sky Jacobs, IT Manager and Development Assistant

Sky is a southwest native who is tied to the Sky Island and Sonoran Desert regions. He has worked primarily as a naturalist/biologist, fiscal administrator, and website developer for many organizations including Sky Island Alliance, The University of Arizona, SWCA Biological Consultants, National Park Service, and Arizona Mining Reform Coalition. Sky works to protect the region's biodiversity through conservation action as well as important lifestyle choices. Sky's time is often spent exploring the wildest and most remote parts of AZ and Sonora, attempting photography, studying birds and plants, brewing beer, and playing with native vegetation in his yard.

Brad Lancaster, Senior Watershed Specialist

Brad is a dynamic teacher, consultant, and designer of regenerative systems. He is the author of the award-winning, best-selling book series Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond, the information-packed website www.HarvestingRainwater.com, and the Drops in a Bucket Blog. He lives his talk on an oasis-like eighth of an acre in downtown Tucson, Arizona, by harvesting over 100,000 gallons of rainwater a year where just 12 inches per year falls from the sky. 

Joaquin Murrieta-Saldivar, Project Manager

Joaquin specializes in building resilience in diverse communities by building the connections between people, culture, and natural resources. Joaquin brings vast experience on the multicultural border region between the US and Mexico, where he has implemented several community-based approaches to watershed management, river restoration, geo-tourism, conservation of native peoples, and best management practices for the ranching community. His past work has been with the Sonoran Institute and as a consultant for National Geographic Society and other local and international organizations. Joaquin is a graduate of the University of Arizona with MSc in Natural Resources and Agricultural Economics and a PhD in Renewable Natural Resources Studies with an emphasis on management, policy and economics of natural resources. A native of Sonora, Mexico and resident of Arizona, Joaquin is fluent in both Spanish and English.

Karilyn Roach, Program and Communications Coordinator

Karilyn coordinates WMG's Tucson Co-op program and Tucson's new Community Water Coalition. Karilyn comes to WMG with a passionate understanding of the power of individuals to have an impact on their community and environment. Years of climbing, mountain biking and camping cemented Karilyn’s love of the outdoors and passion for environmental conservation. As a Tucson transplant, she is intrigued by the challenges and rewards of gardening in the desert and looks forward to many years of bountiful harvests. She holds a B.A. in English Literature and an M.S. in Urban Planning.

Adam Schwartz, Project Manager

After owning a business in New York City for several years, Adam completed a series of classes on solar energy and installation of solar-energy systems. Inspired, he traveled to rural northern Argentina to intern on a sustainable-living farm. Adam quickly became passionate about teaching people how to implement green-living practices in other communities -- including in the desert Southwest, where he has spent a large part of his life. Upon returning to Tucson in 2010, Adam discovered WMG's Green Living Co-op as a volunteer, completed our Water Harvesting Certification Training, and joined our staff. Adam has also been a massage therapist for 15 years and continues to practice.

Catlow Shipek, Senior Program Manager

Catlow Shipek is a founding member of WMG. Catlow and fellow co-founders based the philosophy of WMG on the watershed model using water as a link to bring stakeholders together. He received a MSc in Watershed Management from the University of Arizona. Past work at the Southwest Watershed Research Center with the USDA Agricultural Research Service has given him a depth of experience in soil erosion and sedimentation processes on southwestern rangelands. Catlow currently serves on Tucson's Citizen's Water Advisory Committee.

Joe Silins, Project Coordinator and Workshop Instructor

Joe was first drawn to WMG by the community-centric focus of the organization's programs, and by the diverse set of partners and participants that these programs engage.  Prior to his involvement with WMG, Joe was involved in several water conservation projects along the Arizona-Sonora border, and received a MS in Planning from the University of Arizona.  In addition to his interest in water conservation, Joe's professional interests include community development and affordable housing, and he's gaining valuable experience in these areas in his current position with the Pima County Community Development and Neighborhood Conservation Department.  In his free time, Joe enjoys running, swimming, camping, salsa dancing, and enjoying Tucson's gorgeous mountain views.

Julie Slayton Frank, Administrator

Julie is new to Tucson, having moved here in July 2011 from New Hampshire, bringing over 20 years of non-profit management experience with her. Her most recent position as Administrator at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Portsmouth introduced her to sustainability issues through their Green Sanctuary program. By setting up and implementing environmentally friendly protocols, a passion was ignited.  Now, with WMG, Julie hopes to expand her knowledge in rainwater harvesting and storm water management.  In her spare time, she enjoys swimming, cooking, and exploring Tucson with her husband.

Sowmya Somnath, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Program Director

Sowmya is a founding member of WMG.  She is a registered Professional Engineer with a decade of structural engineering experience working on diverse design and construction projects in the US.  She is a  former Indicorps Fellow and has implemented rural sanitation infrastructure development and hygiene education projects in India and Africa. She is also a professional mentor for Engineers without Borders on a multi-year drinking water slow sand filtration project in Mafi Zongo, Ghana.  She is starting up the WMG India office with Jared Buono.

Tory Syracuse, Associate Director

Tory's love of the outdoors began in Flagstaff, Arizona, where she grew up exploring the mountains and canyons of the Colorado Plateau. One of her many passions is re-connecting people to the environment through hands-on education.  She has pursued this goal as an environmental educator in California, through work in community development and land use planning in Flagstaff and Tucson, and in her work in the Schoolyard and Green Streets programs at WMG. Tory holds an MS in Urban Planning and an MFA in Creative Writing, both from the University of Arizona. As Associate Director for WMG, she works on a variety of special projects and also manages WMG’s Schoolyard Program.

Ryan Wood, Program Coordinator, Phoenix Green Living Co-op

Ryan is a Certified Water Harvesting Practitioner, Permaculture Designer, and a Master Watershed Steward. With an Associates of Applied Technology Degree from ITT, Ryan has a background in architecture and landscape design and is currently working as a graphic/web designer. Ryan co-teaches the Permaculture Design Course water harvesting segment with Don Titmus and has served as a Project Manager for Arizona Homegrown Solutions. Ryan enjoys gardening, composting, herding chickens, and sharing the surplus.

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AFFILIATE STAFF PROFILES

Jeffrey Adams, Santa Barbara Project Manager

Jeffrey is founder and principal of terrasophia, LLC, an ecological design consulting and education firm.  Engaging community members through hands-on education projects, Jeffrey builds capacity to regenerate the health of our watersheds.  He brings a practical and integrated approach to each project from working in the construction and landscape trades for over 15 years.  He has a depth of experience in water harvesting educational training programs, including being a lead instructor for the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association’s (ARCSA) Accredited Professional training. Over the past decade Jeffrey has collaborated with a variety of non-profits, community groups, schools, and individuals to raise awareness and build skills for sustainability and regenerative living, including the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association, Green Gardens Group, Los Angeles Conservation Corps, Sacred Mountains Foundation in the Navajo Nation, AZ, Plenitud Iniciativas Eco-educativas in Puerto Rico, the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology at Humboldt State University, and Daily Acts in Sonoma County, CA among others. Jeffrey currently lives in the mountains outside Santa Fe, NM.

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INTERN PROFILES

Samantha Turner, Intern

As a WMG intern, Samantha will be engaging in the Soil Stewards program by attending workshops and creating interactive educational activities to integrate into the Co-op program and for outreach to school-age children. As a recent graduate of the University of Arizona, Sam is interested in improving Tucson’s urban neighborhoods by providing green infrastructure, community-driven food systems and revitalization. She has worked locally at the Tucson Food Bank’s Las Milpitas Community Farm and on a school garden-to-lunchroom initiative at Drachman Elementary School. Her experience also includes the Hell’s Kitchen Rooftop Farm Project in New York City. Sam is excited to learn about WMG’s projects and overall approach to neighborhood development and sustainability.