Supporting Integrated Floodplain Management
The FbD Backbone Team is led by the Bonneville Environmental Foundation with support from The Whitener Group, Carol MacIlroy Consulting, and others. The backbone team supports tribal, local, regional, and federal partners in advancing integrated floodplain management through the FbD grant program and complementary funding sources.
The backbone team works together to communicate the many stories of successful integrated floodplain management in WA, and to support new and ongoing investments, policy improvements, capacity building efforts, learning and collaboration. Action groups (Culture and Capacity Action Group and Funding and Policy Action Group) provide forums to connect, vet priorities, hear concerns and needs, share information and learn together.
The Backbone Team works with Ecology through the Operations Team, Action Groups and in other informal and ad hoc ways. The Steering Group supports the overall vision and direction, and the Science and Monitoring Team leads efforts to track whether the partnership and structures are making progress.
NGO Backbone Purpose & Focus
- Championing the vision of integrated floodplain management
- Supporting communications, collaboration, and learning across the network of floodplain practitioners
- Evaluating outcomes to enable continual learning and improvements
- Supporting changes in policies to support a transition to integrated, watershed-scale river management
- Increasing funding for planning and project implementation
FBD Spotlight
Paula Harris
Nooksack River
“I can honestly say that when we got funding to acquire the highest risk properties on the Canyon Creek alluvial fan I thought that mitigating the risk to human life was probably the best we could ever do with a bad situation. While some salmon funding did come through, it was not near enough. The Floodplains by Design funding came at the critical time and now both the fish and residents of Glacier Springs are happy and safer.”
Our Team
Kathleen "Kas" Guillozet, PhD
Senior Director, BEF Watersheds Program
Bob Whitener
Contractor Specialist: Owner & Managing Member of the Whitener Group, Enrolled Squaxin Island Tribal Member
Carol MacIlroy
Contractor Specialist, Owner of Carol MacIlroy Consulting Corporation
Allan Warren
Senior Program Manager, BEF Watersheds
Austin Bernales
Communications Coordinator, BEF Watersheds
Kas has worked in collaborative planning, ecological restoration and socio-ecological research for over 20 years. She leads the Floodplains by Design NGO team (the private half of the public-private partnership that is FbD). Kas coordinates the overall work plan, priorities and backbone team in efforts to 1) simplify processes to maximize the public benefits of integrated floodplain management, 2) increase funding available for integrated floodplain management actions, and 3) support regional and local capacity to implement integrated floodplain management. She facilitates the Operations Team and Steering Group.
Contact Kas to learn more about Floodplains by Design, partnerships or other questions.
Brandon leads American Rivers’ floodplain restoration efforts in the Pacific Northwest. He works closely with tribal nations, federal and state agencies, policy makers, local jurisdictions and NGOs to develop integrated programs, funding mechanisms and policies to unite diverse interests through shared values and increase the pace and scale of project implementation across the region.
Brandon co-leads the Funding and Policy Action Group, contact him for more info.
Carol is a strategic and analytical thinker who has worked in support of communities and organizations aspiring to create a better future for themselves and others for over 20 years. Carol has helped shape Floodplains by Design since its inception.
Carol helps lead the FbD Lunch & Learn series and is an invaluable team member across all Action Groups and operational teams.
Hannah works at the intersections of trauma, and the environment, developing resources and relationships to meet critical needs around environmental justice, emergency preparedness and houselessness. Hannah supports partnerships with watershed councils and conservation organizations in tree planting and riparian restoration projects.
Hannah supports the FbD Diversity Equity and Justice Team, and communications, including the website and FbD newsletter.
As owner and managing member of The Whitener Group, Bob Whitener has over 40 years of experience working with tribal governments and enterprises within Indian Country. Bob is a key member of the backbone team, helping advise each of the Action Groups and operational teams to support Tribal relations.
Robert collaborates directly with a diverse range of public and private institutions that support watershed restoration efforts as well as with the organizations that work with their communities to advance restoration goals. Robert is particularly interested in helping develop the capacity of local initiatives to ensure they are strategically focused, that partners are able to track progress over time, and that the work is sustainable over the time scales needed to achieve success.
Robert co-leads the Research & Monitoring Team.
Sara is an environmental anthropologist broadly interested in how people’s relationships with each other affect human relationships with nature. As an independent consultant and research scientist at the University of Washington, Sara collaborates with a wide variety of partners to develop and translate social science concepts for ecosystem management, build institutional capacity, and shape policies that advance sustainability and social justice.
Sara co-leads the Research & Monitoring Team.
Allan supports the integrated floodplain management network and other region-wide watershed restoration fundraising programs and partnerships. He cultivates relationships with a geographically diverse array of floodplain practitioners and co-managers including tribal nations, farmers, agencies, nonprofits, and other partners in Washington state.
Allan co-leads the Culture & Capacity Action Group, supports Legislative Outreach and funding.
Austin specializes in developing, centralizing, and disseminating resources and information that promotes integrated floodplain management and collaborative watershed stewardship. They provide science and education communications strategy, programmatic support, and the facilitation of collaboration across Tribal entities, agencies, nonprofits, and restoration partners.
abernales@b-e-f.org
Julia is steeped in watershed conservation and restoration work, from upland forests and prairies to riparian corridor plantings. Julia supports partnerships with conservation districts and land management agencies striving to improve ecological integrity on public and private land, and develop co-management strategies with Tribal entities.
Julia supports the Floodplains by Design team in planning and coordinating events.