Our staff

Beth Christman
Sr. Director of Restoration

Beth holds her B.A. in Biology from UC Santa Cruz and her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Cornell University. After finishing grad school, she was hired as employee #2 of the TRWC. Today, Beth runs various programs, leads restoration projects, and engages in policy work around the Truckee River. Outside of work you can find Beth skiing in the winter and camping in the summer!

530.550.8760 x1
email Beth

Sue Drake
Development Director

Sue holds her B.A. in Biology from the University of Montana. Sue was drawn to the TRWC’s mission of bringing the community together around the Truckee River. Her background in biology has allowed her to help donors and volunteers gain a deeper understanding of restoration. Outside of work you can find Sue reading, trail running, and skiing!

530.550.8760 x5
email Sue

Tiffanee Hutton
Project Director of Restoration

Tiffanee holds a B.S. in Marine Biology and a M.S. in Watershed Science and Policy. She has been working for over a decade in fisheries management, aquatic ecology, and habitat restoration. Tiffanee is thrilled to be leading projects for TRWC with a commitment to improve climate resiliency and watershed function. Outside of work, she loves fly fishing, rafting, mountain biking, and skiing.

530.550.8760 x6
email Tiffanee

Michele Prestowitz
Project Director of Restoration

Michele holds her B.A. in Political Science and Biology, and her Masters in Public Health and Public Policy. Michele manages restoration projects through their many phases. She additionally coordinates Truckee River Day and the Donner Lake Interagency Partnership for Stewardship (DIPS). Outside of work you can find Michele skiing in the winter, mountain biking in the summer, or reading a great book!

530.550.8760 x4
email Michele

Eben Swain
Project Director of Restoration

Eben holds his B.S. in Natural Resources and Parks and Recreation Management and his Masters in GIS. Eben manages multiple restoration projects and helps guide the process from initial concept to project implementation. He loves that his role as a Project Director allows him to build a very intimate knowledge of the ecological processes, opportunities, and constraints that are unique to each project by seeing it through from start to finish. Eben also manages Truckee River Day, helping to coordinate hundreds of volunteers and partnering organizations for an annual day of community participation and restoration. Outside of work you can find Eben snowboarding, paddleboarding, or rafting!

530.550.8760 x7
email Eben

Lisa Wallace
Executive Director

Lisa Wallace is the Executive Director and employee #1 of TRWC. Lisa holds her B.A. in Psychology from University of the Pacific. Over the past 20 years, Lisa has helped the Truckee River Watershed council grow its number of staff and deepen its partnerships within the community to get more and more restoration work done. Outside of work you can find Lisa hiking with friends all over the watershed.

530.550.8760 x2
email Lisa

Sumner Cornacchia
2024 Intern

Sumner holds a B.S. in Biology and a B.S. in Marine Environmental Science. After working seasonally with the USFS, Sumner fell in love with the nature of Tahoe National Forest. The TRWC 2024 Intern position is a great opportunity to further develop Sumner’s professional career in conservation. In her free time, you can find her hiking and camping around the Tahoe!

530.550.8760 x3
email Sumner