BREN BOARD of DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors leads the Boise River Enhancement Network in achieving its mission to serve as a network of watershed stakeholders and promote the ecological enhancement of the Boise River through public education and by providing coordination, planning, and scientific resources.

This year the Board of Directors of the Boise River Enhancement Network (BREN) finalized their merger with the BREN Coordinating Team.  This laid a marker and is an important milestone in the over ten-year history of our local 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to keeping the Boise River a healthy, happy place for all to enjoy.

We expect this to lead to a more efficient use of our resources, timely decision making, and greater impact on-the-ground.  Some BREN members have chosen to take on greater responsibilities in BREN.  Because of work and family, others will continue in a role that requires less time, but with the same commitment and passion.  Still others will step aside to explore a new path.

BREN continues working in the public interest with our natural partners like the Land Trust of the Treasure Valley, Idaho Rivers United, and the Idaho Conservation League.  

2023 Board of Directors

President: Rob Tiedemann , Ph.D.    Vice President: Darryl Kuhrt

Secretary: Christy Meyer   Treasurer: Tamsen Binggeli

Adam Bass                  Mike Homza          Jonathan Lucas

Will Tiedemann     Madeline Wyatt

 

Rob Tiedemann- President

The Boise River Enhancement Network, Inc. (BREN) is a passionate gathering of natural resource professionals, community conservationists, and volunteers. One of my favorite BREN moments was learning from a member that her principal reason for working with us is being among like-minded people that seek to do good on-the-ground.

With appreciation to our members, I presently serve as the President of the BREN Board of Directors. I am a consulting ecologist, researcher, and educator engaged with communities of scholars, practitioners, and other kindhearted people working to improve the condition of the natural world we share.

In brief, I have served as an officer or President of several 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations including as a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Land Trust of the Treasure Valley and the East End Neighborhood Association, and as President of the Harris Ranch Wildlife Mitigation Association (HRWMA) and The Grapevine. Like BREN, these organizations serve the public interest, and are staffed by volunteers with a common purpose of working for a greater public good.

I have produced and presented at several events for BREN including the following peer to peer presentations:

• Fundamentals of River Restoration, Idaho Chapter of American Water Resources Association (November 14, 2018)
• A Reconstruction of the Geomorphic and Ecological History of Barber Pool (April 5, 2019);
• Volunteers, Citizen Scientists, and Natural Resource Professionals . . . the Role of Non-Profits in the Protection of Idaho Rivers, Idaho Water Quality Workshop (January 26, 2021)

and the following invited presentations:

• Ada County EXPO Idaho Citizens Advisory Committee, Key Informants Interview, Natural History of the Boise River and a Vision for its Future (August 12, 2020)
• Invited Interview by the Urban Land Institute, Advisory Services Panel, Future Use of the Expo Idaho Property (June 22, 2021).

And, I have provided technical assistance at the request of BREN to Ada County, City of Boise, City of Middleton, HRWMA, Wood Duck Island Homeowners Association, Wood’s Ranch Homeowners Association, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, and the BREN black cottonwood “Gather and Grow” project which works to “build the ark” to take us through a period of climate change.

My interest in leading BREN is largely founded on building a bridge from the past to the future. As one of the principal authors of the Boise River System Ordinance (1993) I have witnessed the value of the public process in building consensus for the conservation of the Boise River and its floodplain. I wish to share that, and other experiences throughout my professional career, with those who are eager to educate the community and advocate for the river.

Together we do hero’s work. Thank you for being one of our heroes.

Darryl Kuhrt – Vice President

Darryl is a man of few words.

   Christy Meyer – Secretary

Christy is a Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner and a Certified Fisheries Professional and serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors. She has been involved with BREN since 2015, contributing to BREN’s organizational management and supporting numerous outreach and restoration events on the Boise River. Christy’s favorite thing about BREN is collaborating with BREN’s incredible network of supporters to enhance this river that is so valuable to our community.

Christy has a Master’s in Environmental Sciences and a Bachelors in Business Administration, and her professional background includes stream restoration, environmental permitting, and international development. She works as an ecologist and project manager for Tetra Tech in Boise.

Tamsen Binggeli – Treasurer

Tamsen serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors and has been involved with BREN since its inception. She helped research and author the Boise River Enhancement Plan, and has worked to guide planning efforts, facilitate collaboration, perform outreach, and identify opportunities for enhancement along the Boise River.

Tamsen works as an Environmental Project Manager for Ardurra in Meridian. She has a master’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of Idaho and has over 16 years of experience working in environmental planning, permitting, and resource evaluation.

 

 Adam Bass 

 

Michael Homza

Michael Homza is a Water Resources Engineer with experience in – and passion for – river and habitat enhancement. Mike has been involved with the Boise River Enhancement Network since the organization was first conceived in the back room of Papa Joe’s Pizzeria in 2011.

Since then, Mike has helped BREN mature through its organizational evolution; from a mere concept, into a watershed group, and ultimately into a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Mike has served the organization in many capacities, including technical project lead; Chairperson of the Coordinating Team; and now as a member of the Board of Directors. He has more recently assisted BREN leadership with the development of the Strategic Plan; the development of BREN’s internal project management structure; as well as the organizational restructuring of BREN itself. He currently chairs BREN’s Projects Committee, where he collaborates with BREN volunteers on the various technical aspects of BREN’s projects.

While he has seen many ecological improvements throughout the Boise River corridor from BREN’s efforts on-the-ground, Mike relishes most in seeing the human-side of BREN’s efforts; specifically, the enjoyment and satisfaction BREN volunteers express through their positive, collaborative, interactions as they work towards our common goal of enhancing the Boise River.

Jonathan Lucas

Will Tiedemann

Madeline Wyatt