Where We Work
From Cape Flattery in the North to Cape Disapointment in the South, including all waters that drain directly into the Pacific Ocean, the Washington Coast Salmon Recovery Region spans nearly 4 million acres. Our coastal rivers produce the most abundant and diverse wild Pacific salmon populations in the continugous United States, and are home for 50% of Washington State’s strongest unlisted runs.
Our Lead Entities
Quinault Indian Nation Lead Entity
The Quinault Indian Nation Lead Entity coordinates salmon habitat restoration in Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 21, which runs along the Pacific Coast of the Olympic Peninsula and encompasses 755,674 acres. The area includes the Copalis, Clearwater, Moclips, Queets, Quinault, and Raft river watersheds as well as a dozen smaller tributaries.
North Pacific Coast Lead Entity
The North Pacific Coast Lead Entity is comprised of Watershed Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 20. The area encompasses 935,250 acres that drain into the Pacific Ocean and more than 80 miles of coastline from Cape Flattery south to the Steamboat Creek drainage of the Hoh River basin.
Chehalis Basin Lead Entity
The Chehalis Basin Lead Entity is comprised of Watershed Resource Inventory Areas (WRIA) 22 and 23. The Chehalis Reiver basin is the second largest watershed in the state. Within the 2,600 square miles that make up the basin, there are more than 3,300 miles of rivers and streams. The Chehalis River starts in the Willapa Hills and flows downstream to the Grays Harbor estuary and the Pacific Ocean
Willapa Bay Lead Entity
The Willapa Bay Lead Entity’s encompasses Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 24. It’s primary watershed is the Willapa basin, which covers more than 1,000 square miles and includes the Willapa Bay Estuary with over 270 miles of shoreline. In total, there are roughly 745 streams encompassing over 1,470 linear stream miles in the basin.
Our Board of Directors
We are led by a dedicated Board of Directors from tribes, counties, and community representatives of the Washington Coast Region. Board members from each of the four Lead Entities are:
North Pacific Coast Lead Entity
- Kim Bray, Hoh Tribe
- Tami Pokorny, Jefferson County
- Caroline Walls, Quileute Tribe
Quinault Indian Nation Lead Entity
- Dave Bingaman , QIN DNR (alternate)
- John Bryson, Jr., Quinault Indian Nation
- Jim Sellers, Quinault Indian Nation
Chehalis Basin Lead Entity
- Kirsten Harma, Coordinator
- Tara Livingood-Schott, Chehalis Tribe
- Cindy Wilson, Citizen
Willapa Bay Lead Entity
- Tom Kollasch, Coordinator
- Key McMurry, Key Environmental
- Mike Nordin, Pacific Conservation District
Our Staff
Mara Zimmerman
Executive Director
Dr. Zimmerman joined the Coast Salmon Partnership in January of 2019. Her career has been dedicated to the study and conservation of fish and their habitats. She holds a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Michigan and has previously worked in natural resource management in North Carolina, Michigan, and Washington states as well as contributing internationally to the Pacific Salmon Treaty (US-Canada) and the Kamchatka Steelhead Project (US-Russia). In these roles, Mara has worked to bring the best available science to species re-introductions, large-scale habitat restoration, fisheries management, and monitoring programs. At the Coast Salmon Partnership, she feels very fortunate to focus her time on the Washington coast and enjoys working with local partners towards a future of sustainable and healthy salmon in coastal watersheds.
mara@coastsalmonpartnership.org
360.764.6728
Christa Bale
Administrative Assistant
Christa Bale joined the Coast Salmon Partnership in April of 2019. Being a lifetime resident of the Pacific Northwest, she has a deep apprecation for the beauty of our coastal mountains, forests, and watersheds. Christa earned a degree in Computer Technology from Grays Harbor College and has experience working in the technical support field. In her spare time, she enjoys boating and canoeing, working in her garden, and spending time outdoors with family and friends.
christa@coastsalmonpartnership.org
360.532.9113
Alex Bradberry
Outreach Director
Alex Bradberry joined the Coast Salmon Partnership in January of 2023 after spending over two years serving on the Coast Salmon Foundation Board as vice chair. She has spent years working in the fly fishing industry, both as a small business owner in Port Angeles as well as a sport fishing guide in remote western Alaska. She studied hospitality and tourism at Cal Poly Pomona (2011), and later wildlife biology at West Valley College (2015). She maintains close ties to the Olympic Peninsula in addition to parts of Alaska, and balances her time between both. In her spare time, she is found fly fishing, hiking, gardening, or baking.
alex@coastsalmonpartnership.org
360.532.9113
Vanessa LaValle
Spatial Data Specialist
Vanessa LaValle joined the Coast Salmon Partnership in July of 2024. She is an alumna of The Evergreen State College with a BA (2008) and MES with a certificate in ArcGIS (2024). Vanessa is passionate about maps, watersheds and wildlife. When not working, she sails around the Puget Sound with her family.
vanessa@coastsalmonpartnership.org
360.532.9113
Employment
There are currently no open positions. Please check back later for future opportunities.
Get Involved
Use the link below to learn more about how you can get involved with salmon restoration on the Washington Coast through volunteering, land stewardship, and financial giving.