Eric Wesselman
Executive Director
eric@tuolumne.org

Eric Wesselman, Executive Director, joined the Tuolumne River Trust in January 2006. Raised in rural Oregon, Eric has been engaged in California water issues since 2001, with an emphasis on urban water conservation. Wesselman served as the Sierra Club's Regional Representative and as the Convener for the California Urban Water Conservation Council and a member of the Water Use Efficiency Public Advisory Subcommittee for CALFED. Wesselman holds a M.S. in Environmental Science from The Johns Hopkins University, a B.S. in Conservation and Natural Resource Studies from the University of California at Berkeley, and has specialized training in grassroots organizing from the Green Corp Field School for Environmental Organizing and the Midwest Academy.

Patrick Koepele
Deputy Executive Director
patrick@tuolumne.org 

Patrick Koepele has been with the Trust since July of 2000. He served as our Central Valley Program Director from 2000 to early 2008 when he took on the new role of Deputy Executive Director. Prior to joining the Trust, Patrick worked as a Water Resources and Restoration Planner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where he acquired deep knowledge of restoration issues and activities throughout the Central Valley. Patrick's experience includes surveying, groundwater, river and bank erosion studies. Patrick has a Masters of Science in Geology from the University of California at Davis and a Bachelor's in Geology from Colgate University.

Karlha Arias
River Parkway Project Manager
karlha@tuolumne.org

Karlha is the newest addition to our staff with a multi-faceted background as a Planner for Stanislaus County, a Project Manager for Mid-Valley Engineering, and a Communications Specialist for the Yosemite Community College District. She holds a Bachelors degree in Communications from California State University - Stanislaus. A native resident of Stanislaus County, she brings great enthusiasm for bringing the Lower Tuolumne River Parkway to life for her hometown.

Karyn Barnes
Advancement Associate
karyn@tuolumne.org

Karyn moved into her role as the Trust's first Advancement Associate in August 2008 after having served as Administrative Director since the beginning of the year. She comes to us with extensive experience in administrative work and small business management. Karyn was raised in the suburbs of Chicago and graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a B.S. in Zoology. She shares a deep rooted interest in environmental and wildlife conservation with our team.

Chris Daniels
Director of Finance & Administration

chris@tuolumne.org

Chris joined TRT in late September '08. He recently made the move from Taos, New Mexico where he gained extensive knowledge of finance and administration with the Hunuman Temple, Lama Foundation, and with Earth's Birthday in Santa Fe. Chris enjoys many outdoor activities, especially hiking, backpacking, rafting, and snowshoeing. He's looking forward to exploring all California has to offer!

Peter Drekmeier
Bay Area Program Director
peter@tuolumne.org

Peter Drekmeier, Bay Area Program Director, joined the Trust in August 2007. Raised in Palo Alto on Hetch Hetchy water, Peter knows the Bay Area well. He graduated from UC Berkeley in 1987 with a Political Science degree, and has been an environmental organizer ever since. In 1990 he founded Bay Area Action (now Acterra), and has coordinated two international Earth Day campaigns. He has extensive experience working on land use initiatives, and water is his favorite natural resource. Peter is a whitewater rafting guide and the Mayor of Palo Alto.

Meg Gonzalez
Central Valley Director of Outreach Education
meg@tuolumne.org

Before joining the Trust in January 2007, Meg was with the Great Valley Museum, in Modesto, where she managed the Traveling Teacher staff and worked on program development. While at the Museum, Meg co-authored a California science standards-based curriculum Trekking the Tuolumne River which serves as a model for the Trust’s Tuolumne River Outdoor Classroom program. Before moving to California, Meg worked for the Tierrenuestra Foundation in Paraguay, developing curriculum and workshops designed to help poor teachers use their natural surroundings to teach science. She has worked as an educator and field biologist in Paraguay, and Vermont. Meg received her B.A. in Biology from Mount Holyoke College and a M.A. in Natural Resources from the University of Vermont.

Carlos Leonzo
Recreational Outreach Coordinator
carlos@tuolumne.org

Over the past decade Carlos has run rivers as a commercial river guide and private boater in the U.S. and abroad. His passion and love for rivers, forest ecosystems, and the natural world inspired him to pursue a career in environmental conservation. He holds a B.S. degree in Forestry with a minor in Environmental Ethics from Humboldt State University. Besides working as a river guide, he has worked as a research assistant at Humboldt State where he was involved in forest restoration projects and as a vegetation monitoring technician for The Nature Conservancy at the Cosumnes River Preserve where he monitored vegetation responses to conservation actions. If you want to find Carlos, look for him on the River!