About BTWC
Our Team
Our Staff
Laura Quattrini - Director
Laura brings over 20 years of experience working for conservation non-profits and an educational background in Wildlife Biology. During this time, she has focused on applying science to natural resource management and engaging in collaborative conservation efforts with a wide range of stakeholders, partners, and landowners. Through this work, she has become deeply embedded in many conservation initiatives in Colorado and acutely familiar with the watershed and forestry issues facing western communities. She is excited to work on these issues at a more localized level in the Big Thompson watershed.
Will Davis - Communications & Outreach Manager
Will brings his background in collaborative conservation, community engagement, event planning, and an M.S. in Conservation Leadership from Colorado State University to the BTWC team. Will has worked on conservation projects around the Western U.S. and co-led an ethical research and community development project in Eastern Kenya. Throughout this work, he found a passion for involving and engaging communities to increase community connections and autonomy and to advance and raise awareness about conservation initiatives. Will began as BTWC’s Project Coordinator and became the Communications & Outreach Manager in 2022 with the goal of increasing BTWC’s outreach efforts with Big T communities and the organization’s visibility in the watershed.
Zoe Schapira - Forestry Project Manager
Zoe Schapira is BTWC’s new Forestry Project Manager! Zoe comes from a background of disturbance ecology in the context of wildfire, conservation work with nonprofit organizations, and community engagement during disaster recovery. Originally from New York, Zoe graduated with a Master of Science degree in Forest Sciences from CSU and her thesis focused on post-disturbance forest recovery in subalpine forests of the Rocky Mountains. Prior to that Zoe also served in AmeriCorps for two years leading forest conservation work in Montana and disaster recovery efforts in Texas, and also worked with one of our close partners, The Ember Alliance. Zoe’s passions in her career are assisting communities and ecosystems in post-fire restoration and promoting forest health. Outside of work, she enjoys recreating in the Colorado outdoors climbing, hiking, camping, snowboarding, in addition to yoga and baking! She is eager to help lead Cameron Peak recovery efforts and enhance community resilience to potential wildfire risk.
Our Board of Directors
Richard Alper, President of the Board
Mr. Alper is an attorney with experience in environmental law. He serves on various Larimer County boards and commissions and is an instructor at University of Northern Colorado.
Larry Rogstad, Vice-President of the Board
Gordon Gilstrap, Treasurer of the Board
Gordon Gilstrap is a retired Hewlett-Packard executive who personally organized the Little Thompson Watershed Coalition (LTWC) and during 2015 was the chairman for both the LTWC and Big Thompson Watershed Coalition. Gordon is also very active in supporting all the business functions of a children’s therapy clinic in Loveland and has helped Larimer County develop their Comprehensive Plan for the future of the county.
Lauren Hillmer, Secretary of the Board
Jerry Gibbens, Board Director
Mr. Gibbens is Director of Operations at Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (Northern Water).
Mary McInnis, Board Director
Sharlynn Wamsley, Board Director
Ms. Wamsley is retired after many years of being a newspaper publisher and editor. She is very active in community organizations and lives on the Big Thompson River. Shar edited a book about the 1976 Big Thompson Flood.
Chris Carlson, Board Director
Stephen Decatur, Board Director
Raina Clingan, Board Director
Mark Miller, Board Director
Our Advisory Committee
Andy Fayram, Advisor
Mr. Fayram is the Monitoring Program Manager for the Big Thompson Watershed Forum, coordinating the monitoring and assessment programs, data analysis, and reporting strategies for that organization.
Mickey McGuire, Advisor
David Jessup, Advisor
David Lipinski, Advisor
Tim Sendelbach, Advisor
Jane Lopez, Advisor
Ms. Lopez is a resident of Larimer County, employed as an on-call Wildfire Aviation Manager in the Rocky Mountain region, responding to wildfire incidents nationwide.