Linda has a BA from Dartmouth College and a Master’s in Environmental Science from Yale University. She has fished commercially off Alaska since 1982, both as a deckhand and owner/operator. Linda has been at the helm of ALFA since 1991. ALFA’s mission is to promote sustainable fisheries and thriving fishing communities through policy engagement, collaborative research, and education. Linda served on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) from 1992-2001, when she also served as an industry advisor to the North Pacific Anadramous Fish Commission and the National Academy of Science Individual Fishing Quota Review Panel. Linda helped launch the Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust, which invests in fishing access opportunities for community-based fishermen committed to sustainable fishing practices, and Alaskan’s Own, the first Community Supported Fisheries program in Alaska.
Linda served as a U.S. Commissioner to the International Pacific Halibut Commission from 2016-2018 and as a member of Alaska’s Climate Action Leadership Team. She was awarded the National Fisherman Highliner award in 2009 for her work promoting healthy marine ecosystems and strong coastal communities, and in 2016 Linda was recognized as a White House Champion of Change for Sustainable Seafood by President Obama. In 2019, ALFA received the Lowell Thompson, Jr. Award from the Alaska Conservation Foundation for the organization’s outstanding contribution to conservation in Alaska. In 2020, Linda received the Heinz Foundation Award for the Environment. Linda is currently serving as a co-author of the National Climate Assessment Alaska chapter, and she serves as the Fisheries Policy Advisor of the Businesses for Conservation and Climate Action (BCCA) and is a founding member of the organization.
Derik is responsible for supporting Sealaska’s in-region investment in people, communities, and economic development. He is a former Sealaska intern and served Sealaska in various capacities over two decades before parting ways to pursue other opportunities, returning in 2024 with increased experience and knowledge to support Southeast Alaska. In addition to his service at Sealaska, he is the former president of the Forest Stewardship Council U.S.. Derik is Tsimshian and his pteex (clan) is Gitsputwada and his waap (house) is Niiuks.
Teresa Windsor (she/her) was born and raised in Cimauca, which is the current home to the Xa’is’la Nation in British Columbia. Her traditional name is Ki’mus (kay-mus). She is from the Beaver Clan. For many years, in various positions, she has worked for the Haisla Nation Council. Currently, she’s employed as the Community Cultural Coordinator. This position has allowed her to develop plans towards the preservation and revitalization of Xa’islakala (Haisla language) and Xa’is’la culture. What started out as a grassroots effort eventually became a full-time undertaking that her band could support. In three years, her passion to connect people to their roots has created ripple effects with Xa’is’la elders and youth. Teresa is a proud mom of a blended family. Together with her husband, Everett, they have 5 children. Being a survivor of domestic abuse, Teresa is passionate about and strongly supports initiatives to end violence against women.
Much of Owen’s practice has focused on collaborating with environmental organizations, conservation initiatives, and First Nations, helping to share their vision through compelling storytelling and digital media. Whether developing a brand, building a website, or documenting people and places through photography, he brings a multidisciplinary approach grounded in creativity, respect, and connection to place.
Nick (he/him) is a writer, editor, and educator with over ten years of professional experience in the publishing industry. He’s lived for three decades in Salmon Nation and holds a Master’s of Science in Environmental Studies (Creative Nonfiction) from the University of Montana. With previous roles as editor-in-chief of Camas, digital strategist/editor for Orion, and senior editor for Outside/Run/Trail Runner, Nick has also been a long-time advocate and organizer for clean water and climate change, writing and making films on wilderness protection (“Shaped by Fire”) and a campaign to stop permits for a multinational gold mine in Baja, Mexico (“The Crossing”). His writing and films have been featured in Orion, Outside, The Dark Mountain Project, Terrain.org, Emergence (forthcoming), the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Patagonia’s Dirtbag Diaries, and others. His first book, The Way Around (July 2025), is published by Milkweed Editions. He likes to spend his time cooking, reading, and running long distances in wild places. More at nicholastriolo.net.
Catherine Villarreal is Magic Canoe’s fractional Chief Financial Officer, helping steward resources and build sustainable financial systems in support of the organization’s purpose. A member of the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma, Catherine brings over 25 years of experience advising nonprofits and impact-driven enterprises on strategy, compliance, and long-term growth. She is also the founder of FFF Advising, a firm providing accounting, HR, and IT support to nonprofits and Native communities, with a focus on strengthening infrastructure and promoting equity through operational excellence.
A lover of art and history, Lisa began her career over 40 years ago in the world of museums, which means storytelling has always been at the center of her professional life. In 2018, Lisa became the director of the Indigenous Leadership Program at Ecotrust where she elevated the contributions, achievements, and impact of Indigenous communities and tribal leaders for a broad audience. An enrolled citizen of the Seneca Nation, Lisa’s home is the Allegany Reservation in western New York State, but she lives in Portland with her husband and a rambunctious red golden named Jake.
Spencer Biddle Beebe grew up in Oregon fly fishing, camping, and practicing falconry. Through his lifetime commitment to wilderness and conservation, he has played a key role in the creation and development of over thirty organizations and programs from Alaska to Bolivia. After serving as President of The Nature Conservancy International and founding President of Conservation International, Spencer founded Ecotrust, where, for over thirty years, he created a new paradigm not only for conservation, but for how we organize our societies and economics around nature. He is the author of Cache: Creating Natural Economies and It’s Not Any House You Know. He lives in Portland, Oregon.
Cheryl Chen (she/they) works at the forefront of regenerative finance, community sovereignty, and ecological resilience. She is a founding partner of Salmon Nation Trust, a public benefit company created to inspire, enable, and invest in regenerative development across the bioregion. Currently, she is CEO/CoFounder of Salmon Returns, a bioregional fund designed to move investment into Indigenous- and community-led regenerative enterprises. Cheryl’s work is grounded in strategic insight and hands-on experience from decades of deep relationship-building and cross-sector collaboration with place-based communities. At Future of Fish, she helped catalyze global investment strategies to end overfishing through systems-based approaches for artisanal and multinational fisheries. During her 12 years at Ecotrust, she helped launch the geospatial technology firm Point 97, and led initiatives that supported data sovereignty, economic opportunity, and collaborative marine planning with Indigenous and coastal communities. Cheryl is a first generation Taiwanese American and holds a PhD in Geography from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Ian Gill (he/him) is an Australian-born author, journalist, critic, conservationist, and co-founder of the west coast bioregional initiative Salmon Nation Trust. Ian worked for almost 20 years as CEO of Ecotrust in Canada, the United States, and Australia, and has extensive experience in community and economic development in coastal communities along North America’s west coast. He is co-founder of Upstart & Crow, a bookstore and literary arts studio on Vancouver’s Granville Island, and is a contributing editor at The Tyee. His book on Haida Gwaii, All That We Say is Ours, was re-released in paperback in 2022.
Magic Canoe works in collaboration with Salmon Nation Trust: a Public Benefit LLC focused on whole system design and instigation of creative initiatives and companies that improve the health of our bioregion. Read the thesis here.
