Collaborate with public and government interests to steward and conserve forest ecosystems in Northeast Washington so plants, animals, and our communities can thrive.

• Design and implement proper forest restoration practices and fuel reduction projects that demonstrate innovative approaches to forestry.

• Use the projects to educate the public about the ecological and socio-economic benefits of restoration forestry and fuels reduction strategies.

• Develop model forest restoration and fuel reduction projects that can be emulated in other regions of the country.

• Demonstrate how a diverse coalition of stakeholders can work together to successfully promote restoration forestry and community protection from wildfire.

HISTORY

Since 2002, the Coalition has been working together to find common ground and move our region forward with new solutions to forest management problems.  Today, the fighting in our forests is behind us, and work is getting done in the woods once again, proving that we can protect special places and timber jobs at the same time.

Kurtis Vaagen
President

Kurtis is a 3rd generation sawmiller born and raised in Colville, Washington. He serves as Vice President of Operations for Vaagen Brothers Lumber. He studied forestry at Spokane Community College, graduating with an AAS in Environmental Sciences Forestry. Kurtis has worked with the local Tribes, public agencies, and private landowners while staying engaged in operational projects and management of Vaagen Bros. Lumber. As a member of multiple collaboratives, Vaagen Bros. Lumber has worked with a diverse variety of stakeholders on and off public land to create projects that have broad public support along with sound management objectives.

Mike Petersen
Vice President

Mike Petersen worked for The Lands Council for over 25 years and was Executive Director for 16 years.  Mike works with four collaborative groups on three National Forests, including the Northeast Washington Forestry Coalition. Mike is also a member of the Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force. Mike has a MS in Mechanical Engineering from Colorado State University. 

Dan Wilson
Secretary

Dan is the co-chair of the Washington Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, an international conservation organization focused on public lands, waters, access and opportunity. A resident of Spokane, Dan’s background in international relations and anthropology focuses on strengthening shared values and building collaborative success. Dan advocates on behalf of sportsmen and sportswomen throughout Washington to ensure our outdoor heritage and wild places thrive in perpetuity.

Taylor Jones
Treasurer

Taylor Jones serves as the Treasurer of NEWFC, in a non-voting board position. She works in Forestry Accounting at Vaagen Bros. Lumber, Inc. and has experience working with government entities regarding timber and forest health. Taylor has received education in fields such as Wilderness Management, Forest Conservation and Environmental Law. Taylor graduated from Oregon State University in 2020 with a B.S. in Environmental Sciences with focus in Conservation, Sustainability and Natural Resources.

Adam Gebauer
Board Member

Adam serves as the Public Lands Program Director of The Lands Council, and has over 20 years experience working as a wildlife and plant ecologist. He has worked for, among others, the Forest Service in Republic, WA and The Nature Conservancy. He also spent 8 years leading wilderness trips for teens in the Southwest and New England. Recently he has worked as a consulting biologist for the Upper Columbia United Tribes working on wildlife habitat restoration and forestry practices.

Greg Frohn
Board Member

Greg serves as Thermal Fuels Manager for Avista and has over 34 years’ experience in administration, sales, planning and management of timber, forest real estate, and forest products procurement projects across the US and Canada.  Greg has a degree in Forestry from University of Maine.  

Alishia Orloff
Board Member

Alishia serves as the Colville Forest Lead with Conservation Northwest. She has a master’s in environmental science, focusing her work in tribal resource management of aquatic resources. Alishia also has experience with wildlife, restoration, and plant ecology. She strives to reaffirm local food systems and traditional management as a core component of her work. Alishia believes in community-led collaboration and holistic management as a foundation for improving forest management.

Bobby Whittaker
Board Member

Born into rain and moss-covered grunge, Bobby Whittaker was brought up in the freight elevator of Seattle sporting goods startup Recreational Equipment Inc. (R.E.I.). His first gig was turning pockets for his father Jim’s fledgling manufacturing company, Because Its There. Then came more than 30 years in the music business, beginning with Sub Pop Records, another locally grown company that sculpted the cultural landscape. Those long nights and days evolved into coordinating worldwide marketing campaigns, promotional events, and live music tours with American icons such as Mudhoney, R.E.M and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. From Istanbul to Johannesburg and back, Bobby has kept his roots firmly planted in the great outdoors by championing pedestrian and bicycle initiatives at State and Federal levels. His advocacy continues to this day through work with a non-profit 501c3 whose mission is to promote and develop recreational trails locally.

Gloria Flora
Board Member

Gloria Flora worked for twenty-two years with the U.S. Forest Service, serving in numerous posts, including Forest Supervisor for both the Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana and the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada. Her current research involves increasing forest sustainability through the use of biochar. She also continues to promote the sustainability of public lands and water through Sustainable Obtainable Solutions, a non-profit organization she founded.

Your Name
Board Member

We are looking to expand our board! If you have a passion of your public lands and would like to contribute to the management of your forests, please submit a letter of interest to newfcinfo@gmail.com

Jillian Garrett Facilitator, Coordinator/Outreach Assistant

Jillian Garrett is a woman who wears many hats – and makes them too!  Her diverse background includes time spent being a professional milliner, geologist, innkeeper, farmer, marketing manager, nationally published writer, and outdoor photographer.  As both a rural resident and a freelance writer specializing in farm-to-table food chains and wildlife management policy, she works to be a voice that helps bridge the gap between urban ideals and rural issues.  Jillian and her husband currently live in a remote corner of northeastern Washington State where they operate Blue Ridge Farm, a regenerative farm focused on conserving wildlife and habitat through responsible land stewardship. 

Dedicated coalition members from local businesses and conservation groups have invested valuable time to ensure responsible forest management practices benefit forest health and our communities in the Colville National Forest.