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Tom Arth, AmeriCorps member (West Plains) Bryant Watershed Education Project He earned a BS in Psychology and a MS in Counseling from South Dakota State University. Arth moved to the Ozarks from San Antonio, Texas in part for the water! In Texas, “water is a scarce and valuable commodity. One of the reasons we moved to the Ozarks was the abundant water that is available here,” he said. Arth is keeping an eye on water conditions, as he is currently testing water quality on four watersheds in the West Plains area. He is also monitoring the development of a storm drain committee in the community and reaches out to local schools, educating students about Missouri streams. “I wanted to become more involved with preserving the resources that are still available to us.”

Chuelo Arias, AmeriCorps member (Columbia) Missouri River Communities Network She graduated from University of Missouri with a Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries and Wildlife and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Wildlife Management from Humboldt State University. She loves spending time in the outdoors. She grew up in central Missouri and was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time at her family’s farm. This spurred her interest in nature and wildlife at a very young age. She took this interest in biology and ecology into college and decided to study wildlife. “I have had a variety of experiences working on a range of wildlife projects, but my favorite jobs have always been those where I get to be out in the field and collecting the data”. While her focus has mainly been wildlife, she has also been very interested in stream ecology, which led her to this position. “I decided to become an AmeriCorps Stream Team Assistant to get more involved with the community and make a positive difference in the quality of our streams. The most enjoyable part of my service so far has been assisting Stream Teams in performing water quality monitoring and litter pick-ups. There is just something fun about getting out to the water, getting dirty, and actually doing something good!” She looks forward to more of these experiences, as well as others, as I continue my year of service. After my AmeriCorps service, I would like to get a job with the Missouri Department of Conservation. But, wherever I end up, I hope to incorporate both my wildlife and Stream Team experience into my career.

Marina Cannon, AmeriCorps member (Springfield) James River Basin Partnership She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design. Her passion for good design is matched only by her passion for social and environmental issues. Through her work both as a designer and instructor, she always finds the most satisfaction when taking part in projects for positive change. From adult literacy to zero unwanted pets, Marina's community service work has run the gamut. With the growing concerns about the availability, quality and sustainability of water, she is no longer satisfied being an observer, which is why she is both humbled and excited for the opportunity to address the challenges in our area and assist with protecting water in her region.

Melanie Cheney, AmeriCorps Member (Columbia) Missouri River Relief. Melanie has been a "Core" volunteer with Missouri River Relief for the last 5 years working on big river cleanups, special projects, and educational events. Last summer she mapped trash on the Missouri River MegaScout from Brownville, NE to the confluence in St. Louis. She is dedicated & passionate about the outdoors in general, having worked with native plants, invasive species removal, and land restoration projects for the last few years at the University of Missouri, as well as privately for land owners. Her favorite place to be is on the Missouri River near Cooper's Landing, "the beauty there just speaks to me, and makes me happy, in addition to all of the friendly river rats I've had the pleasure of getting acquainted with." With an immense love for the rivers and streams in Missouri, she looks forward to insuring better water quality and education, offering a deeper vision for our communities’ personal experience & growth. "I believe this position fits perfectly with the goals and passions in my life at this time. My experience and knowledge of working with Stream Teams from the Missouri River throughout Missouri, to the Blue River in Kansas City, to the James River in the Ozarks, to the Meremac in St. Louis, proves that I am without boundaries." As Aristotle once said, "Boundaries don't protect rivers, people do."

Tiffany Frey, AmeriCorps member (Springfield) James River Basin Partnership. She has a BS in Communication Science Disorders from the Missouri State University. Frey is originally from the Lake of the Ozarks area but has lived in Springfield for the past 14 years. "To me, a healthy river is one of the most beautiful sights on earth and I am proud to be a part of protecting this critical resource," she said. Frey will be working towards correcting urban stormwater runoff issues which directly affect the health of Missouri Rivers. As one of her main projects, Frey promoted rain barrels in Springfield using avenues such as sales, workshops and a rain barrel art display. Her focus this year is on hosting a large Conference that will offer practical information on Innovative Storm water Design. Steve Johnson, Executive Director Meredith Ludwig, Director, Missouri River Folk History Project Bev Peterson, Office Manager

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Steve Burdic, president Russ Kremer, vice president Dan Jacobs, secretary Susan Schabilion, treasurer Nancy Grant, member Mike Cooper, member Chris Hombs, member Deborah Hombs, member Shannon Cave, member Sarah Gallagher, member Member descriptions compiled by Sarah Wolken