Staff

Ian Cooke, Executive Director

As Executive Director, Ian has developed the Watershed Association’s programs, expanded its capabilities and fostered development of the watershed approach in MA. Ian has served as Executive Director since 1993. Ian is a board member and former president of the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance and was formerly a Board Member of the Massachusetts Watershed Coalition. He has a BA in Environmental Conservation from the University of New Hampshire.

Reach Ian at cooke@neponset.org or 781-575-0354 x 305

 

 

Kelly Di Stefano, Environmental Fellow, 2019-20

Kelly is a recent graduate of Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, MA, where she received a B.S. in Environmental Science. She has also completed some graduate coursework on sustainable food systems with Green Mountain College.  Kelly has performed research in Costa Rica on frog bioacoustics, and co-authored a paper in the journal Herpetological Conservation and Biology.

As the Environmental Science Fellow, Kelly will be coordinating the Citizen Water Monitoring Network program, and assisting with water sampling and other environmental science projects.

Kelly may be reached at distefano@neponset.org or (781) 575-0354 x306

Nancy staff pic 2

Nancy Fyler, Outreach Director

Nancy joined NepRWA in 2008 as a part-time Water Conservation Coordinator, and has since become responsible for outreach and communications, as well as water education programs and public events. She has a BFA in Communication Design from Parson’s School of Design and a teaching certificate from the Massachusetts College of Art. Nancy is a founding member of the Sustainable Sharon Coalition, and volunteers her time on various committees in her hometown.

Reach Nancy at fyler@neponset.org or 781-575-0354 x 307

 

Chris Hirsch, Environmental Scientist

Chris joined NepRWA as Environmental Scientist in 2016. He studied zoology at North Carolina State University, and earned his Master’s in Restoration Ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to joining the watershed association, Chris worked on water quality monitoring projects for a non-profit watershed group in Baltimore MD.

Chris leads the Association’s science and environmental monitoring programs, including: habitat restoration, green infrastructure, and research projects.

Chris can be reached at hirsch@neponset.org  or 781-575-0354 x 302

Patrick Hogan, Water Resource Professional

Patrick started with NepRWA in August 2019. He holds a BS in Crop & Soil Environmental Sciences and an MS in Environmental Science and Engineering, both from Virginia Tech. Prior to joining NepRWA, Patrick spent most of his career in municipal government working in the Public Works departments of both the City of Roanoke (VA) and the City of Durham (NC).

At NepRWA, Patrick will be working on a regional basis to provide technical assistance with MS4-related issues to municipalities and businesses.

You can reach Patrick at hogan@neponset.org or 781-575-0354 X304

 

Nancy Mahon staff picNancy Mahon, Office Manager

Nancy joined the staff as our Office Coordinator in January, 2016.  She studied at Boston University and has a Bachelor’s in Business with a concentration in Accounting.

Nancy lives in Canton where she spends much of her time volunteering within the school system as a proud parent of four sons.

You can reach Nancy at mahon@neponset.org or 781-575-0354 X324

 

 

Dee Mullen, Development Director

Dee is a graduate of Hartwick College with a B.S. in Sociology, and has more than 24 years of experience generating revenue and increasing support for non profit organzations.  She launched her fundraising career at The Cambridge School of Weston, led the parent fundraising effort at Boston University, and most recently was the major gift officer at Italian Home for Children.

Dee’s passion is showing small non profits how to raise more money, strengthen their boards, and build relationships with donors. She currently serves on the board of Hopa Mountain in Bozeman Montana, volunteers on the development committee at the Loring Greenough House in Jamaica Plain and enjoys hiking with her two Jack Russell terriers.

Please contact Dee at mullen@neponset.org or 781-575-0354 x 303

 

Tom Palmer, Staff Naturalist & Photographer

Tom’s impressive knowledge of flora, fauna, and all forms of wildlife make him an invaluable tour guide of the Neponset Watershed.  He is also our official staff photographer, and produces a variety of pictures for our website and Flickr account.

Contact Tom at palmer@neponset.org

 

 

 

Andres Ripley, Greenway and Natural Resource Specialist

Andres is a graduate of Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, where he received his B.S. in Biology.

After serving as NepRWA’s Environmental Science Fellow, Andres was promoted to become Greenway and Natural Resource Specialist. He heads up our efforts to improve and extend greenways and recreational connections throughout the watershed, helps coordinate volunteer recruitment, provides support to expand NepRWA’s school outreach programs and supports new citizen science initiatives.

Andres may be reached at ripley@neponset.org or (781) 575-0354 x306

 

Kerry Snyder, Advocacy Director

Kerry serves as the Watershed Association’s Advocacy Director, assisting communities develop and implement watershed protection policies and advancing the Watershed Association’s policy agenda.

She has extensive experience in public policy, recently serving as Assistant Director of the Public Health and Tobacco Policy Center at Northeastern University Law School. Previously, Kerry has also worked as Associate Counsel to the New Jersey Legislature on environmental, natural resource and agricultural policy issues, and Chief of Staff to a Massachusetts state senator. Kerry earned her J.D. through Suffolk University Law School and her B.A. from Boston University.

Kerry may be reached at snyder@neponset.org or (781) 575-0354 x300