Dave Steindorf Joins AW Staff

After more than nine years of service to AW, John Gangemi has taken another position with a consulting firm specializing in environmental planning. His many contributions to AW are too numerous to list here; most significantly he was responsible for the science-based methods that have been key to many of AW's success stories. John will be missed, but he is not getting away easily, he will be available for limited AW projects as a consultant. For his many contributions to AW, I wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to John and his family.

Dave Steindorf, a long-time AW volunteer and board member, will be joining the staff to work on far western river issues. Dave has been highly visible representing the interests of AW in California with the Feather River project. Please welcome Dave into his "new" staff role on the river stewardship team. Dave has been an active river advocate in California since 1997. As the primary negotiator for American Whitewater, Dave has gained a reputation as a consensus builder. He has been able to gain the respect of Agencies, NGO's, and Licensees while successfully achieving the goals of his constituents. He was a signatory to the Rock Creek Cresta Settlement agreement, along with past AW Board President Kevin Lewis, and AW Conservation Director John Gangemi. This agreement provides for the first whitewater releases in California. Dave has since worked diligently to organize and sustain the releases on the North Fork Feather River.

Dave has a diverse range of recreational, professional and educational experiences that make him uniquely suited for his role at AW. Dave has more than 8 years of experience working on FERC Relicensing. Dave is somewhat of an anomaly, in that he has not only worked in an advocacy role but also as a consultant for several Utilities in the West. During that time he has had a role in 12 recreational flow studies as well as studies on angling and flat-water boating. Dave is also able to draw on his vast experience in a variety of recreational pursuits including having worked professionally in the areas of Paddling, Angling, Cycling, and Outdoor Retail. In addition to this breadth of experience Dave also has a degree in Economics and a Masters in Education.

Dave strongly believes that flowing rivers are an undervalued resource not only in this country, but also around the world. He feels that education is the key to river conservation. "Most of our progress on the North Fork Feather has been due to our ability to educate the other NGO's, agencies, and PG&E to the value of whitewater boating. However, the best way to improve people's notions about whitewater is to get them on the river. Couch Potatoes make lousy river advocates".