About rivers without borders
Our Team
Our diverse and talented team includes Staff, Steering Committee and Special Advisors
Staff and Associates
Will Patric, Executive Director
Will has directed Rivers Without Borders since 2008. His professional involvement in conservation started in 1980. He has more than three decades of conservation advocacy experience and has engaged in memorable campaigns on behalf of very special places across the U.S. Will is based in northwest Washington and his proximity to Seattle, Vancouver, and Victoria is ideal relative to policy decision making and media. He considers his current opportunity to protect the natural values of the extraordinary Alaska – B.C. transboundary region, working with other colleagues who are dedicated to the same goal, to be a privilege.
Chris Zimmer, Alaska Campaign Director
Based in Juneau, Chris has been with Rivers Without Borders for more than a decade. He has worked on environmental issues for over 20 years in Washington State, Washington, DC; Montana and Alaska, including nuclear weapons testing, Columbia River dams and salmon, forest campaigns and Southeast Alaska/British Columbia transboundary issues. For RWB, he works with a variety of constituencies focusing on wild salmon and those who depend on these magnificent fish for their livelihood and culture.
Terry Portillo, Finance and Outreach Director
Terry is a certified public accountant and provides finance, outreach, operations, human resources, and administrative support for Rivers Without Borders. She has worked for nonprofit organizations in this capacity since 2002, and has more than 15 years of experience with for-profits in Silicon Valley. While she has always had a love of the natural world, becoming a parent many years ago heightened her awareness of the urgency of the issues we face. She is grateful for the support of her husband and family, which allows her the opportunity to contribute to the good work of the environmental community.
Tadzio Richards, Canadian Transboundary Conservation Campaigner
Tadzio grew up among the rivers and mountains of northwestern British Columbia and has a deep respect and love for the diverse landscapes and rich cultures of the region. He has been a political organizer, engaged in numerous conservation campaigns, and has documented environmental issues as an award-winning print and film journalist. With Rivers Without Borders, he works in collaboration with many others to help keep the transboundary watersheds wild and intact.
Paula Terrel, Alaska Campaign Organizer
In addition to having been a commercial salmon troller in Southeast Alaska for 30 years, Paula is an effective advocate for conservation, focusing primarily on sustainable fisheries and intact marine ecosystems. She has worked for numerous Alaska legislators, the Alaska Marine Conservation Council, and she has the distinction of having been the first staffer for RWB upon its inception.
Nancy Berland, Chilkat Conservation Campaigner
Nancy has lived in rural Alaska since 1973, and has developed a deep love, respect, and appreciation for the natural world. She was the Conservation Director for Haines-based Lynn Canal Conservation for a decade where she worked on fish and wildlife habitat conservation issues. Nancy was instrumental in organizing a broad-based coalition of fishing and conservation interests in past Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve habitat protection efforts. She likes spending time outdoors gardening, fishing, foraging, kayaking, hiking, skiing, and watching wildlife.
Ric Careless, Transboundary Conservation Policy Advisor
Ric has been recognized for his environmental achievements with the Order of BC (the province’s highest honour). For over 35 years as a wilderness campaigner he has played a key role in the preservation of more than 3.5 million hectares (8 million acres) of BC wilderness in the Tatshenshini, Stikine, Chilcotin, Kootenays, and Vancouver Island.
Steering Committee
Tim Bristol
Tim works in Juneau, Alaska as the Alaska Program Director of Trout Unlimited. Prior to joining TU in June 2005, he served as the Executive Director of the Alaska Coalition, as an organizer for the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council and as the Alaska Representative for the Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition.
Dan Fitzgerald
After years of a successful litigation practice, Dan returned to law school to earn an LLM in International Water Resources. He now works as a lawyer on a variety of natural resource and environmental issues. He lives with his wife and daughter in Anchorage, Alaska.
Ramsey Hart
Located in Ottawa, Ramsey is the Canada Program Coordinator at MiningWatch Canada. He works with communities facing proposed mining projects, and provides critical analysis to the media, concerned citizens and political decision makers. Ramsey received an M.Sc. in Watershed Ecosystems from Trent. When not working or volunteering, he can usually be found in his garden or on the water in one of his many canoes.
Ben Kirkpatrick, Committee Chair
Ben comes to Rivers Without Borders after two decades with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. As a Habitat Biologist for Southeast Alaska, he reviewed all mining projects in the region including the Tulsequah Chief mine. Ben was also project manager for the Community Watersheds Project, establishing local watershed councils throughout Southeast Alaska and providing technical support on salmon habitat restoration.
Wayne Merry
Wayne Merry has lived in Atlin, British Columbia for three decades. Wayne has a degree in conservation and education, and a professional background with the National Park Service in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, and as a teacher in Iqualit, Baffin Island. Wayne is a highly accomplished climber, with numerous first ascents to his credit, and he is founder of the Yosemite Mountain Guide Service.
Dan Ritzman
Currently the Northwest and Alaska Regional Director for the Sierra Club based in Seattle, Dan has a long history of advocacy for northern environments. After five years in the wilds of Washington DC helping keep the Bush Administration from despoiling the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, he is happy to be back in the mountains of the west.
Patricia Thomson
A naturalist and educator, Patricia Thomson is executive director of the Stanley Park Ecology Society in Vancouver, British Columbia. She is also one of Canada’s most highly respected expedition raft guides. Patricia is a member of the Explorers League and knows most of the BC-Alaska transboundary rivers intimately.
Special Advisors
Don Weir
Don is Rivers Without Borders’ founder. He is a highly regarded painter, and resides in Atlin, British Columbia.
Katya Kirsch
A skilled facilitator, Katya has over 25 years of experience with Alaska conservation issues. Katya was Steering Committee chair of Rivers Without Borders from its inception in 1999 until 2011. She lives in Haines, Alaska.
David MacKinnon
David lives in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. His association with Rivers Without Borders began in 2000 when he took on Canadian campaign work. He served as Rivers Without Borders’ executive director from 2003 to 2008.
Bart Koehler
Bart is Director of The Wilderness Society’s Wilderness Support Center. He is a storied activist who has been a big part of many wilderness campaigns, and inspired many campaigners, across the western U.S.
Jim Bourquin
Based in Iskut, British Columbia, Jim is an experienced, respected advocate for the southern transboundary watershed region. Jim came to Iskut as a wild river rafting guide many years ago and still fishes Stikine wild salmon with his Tahltan family members.