Our Network board and staff members include respected leaders in river health, sustainability, Tribal sovereignty, environmental justice and youth leadership development.
Nesika Wilamut is a network that brings together people and communities that are committed to the well-being of humans and the environment in the Willamette River Basin. Our primary goal is to support and promote the restoration and protection of the Willamette River and the surrounding ecosystems.
As an indigenous-led organization, Nesika Wilamut is committed to the principles of environmental justice and social equity. We work with indigenous communities, local tribes, BIPOC-led organizations, and other stakeholders to ensure that the voices of those who have been historically marginalized are heard and respected.
Our work is focused on building relationships and partnerships that can help us create a more just and sustainable future for everyone. Through community engagement, education, and advocacy, we are working to promote the health and well-being of the people and ecosystems that depend on the Willamette River.
We invite individuals and organizations who share our vision to join us in this important work. Together, we can create a future that is sustainable, just, and equitable for all.
As an indigenous-led organization, Nesika Wilamut is committed to the principles of environmental justice and social equity. We work with indigenous communities, local tribes, BIPOC-led organizations, and other stakeholders to ensure that the voices of those who have been historically marginalized are heard and respected.
Our work is focused on building relationships and partnerships that can help us create a more just and sustainable future for everyone. Through community engagement, education, and advocacy, we are working to promote the health and well-being of the people and ecosystems that depend on the Willamette River.
We invite individuals and organizations who share our vision to join us in this important work. Together, we can create a future that is sustainable, just, and equitable for all.
NETWORK Co-Directors
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Tana Atchley Culbertson
Director Of Network Coordination Tana@NesikaWilamut.org 971.713.9198 Tana joined the Network after nearly two decades working in youth education and career development in higher education and Tribal settings. In these roles, she used a multicultural lens to develop programs that served diverse youth more effectively. She also forged strong connections with Northwest Tribes, educational institutions, nonprofits and communities. Tana has a journalism degree from the University of Oregon and pursued graduate studies in college student services and administration at the Oregon State University College of Education. She also volunteers with the Oregon Community Foundation and is a former member of the Oregon Indian Education Association’s executive board, OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon and the University of Oregon Alumni Association. An enrolled citizen of the Klamath Tribes who is of Modoc, Paiute and Karuk descent, Tana’s personal and cultural connections to rivers run deep. Growing up along the Sprague River in Southern Oregon, witnessing the effects of the degradation in her home watershed motivated Tana to dedicate herself to addressing the environmental harm that afflicts our watersheds and the people who depend upon them. Tana enjoys connecting to the Willamette River by kayaking, dragon boating, and hiking along its banks with her husband and two young children. |
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Steven Broncheau
Director of Development Steven@NesikaWilamut.org 503.551.1498 Steven comes to Nesika Wilamut with over 13 years of experience in non-profit work. His work includes non-profit management, grant writing, event management, foundation relations, donor stewardship as well as business development and sponsorships. On behalf of Nesika Wilamut, Steven will work with network partners, individual donors, foundations, businesses, and local and state governments to procure and secure funding for the Willamette Basin and its tributaries. Born in Berlin, Germany, and a member of the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla, Steven has tri-citizenship - US Citizen, German and Tribal. Steven attended Western Oregon University, where he received his degree in International Business with a focus on finance and a minor in German. He brings great skills and passion for relationship building and networking, which benefits his new position with Nesika Wilamut. As Co-Director and Director of Development for Nesika Wilamut, Steven will meet and connect with key stakeholders to ensure the vitality and economic sustainability of the Willamette River Network. Steven, in partnership with his Co-Director Tana, will make sure that current relationships are maintained and strengthened while developing new relationships and ensuring that all voices are represented. When Steven is not working, you can find him researching new places to travel to and explore. Steven loves to visit local wineries and breweries, which are so dependent on a healthy and vibrant Willamette River Basin. He also loves to hang with his son, Anthony, who is attending Oregon State University. In addition, going on walks with his dog Coco. |
Founding Board Members
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Nabin Dhimal
Nabin brings a long history of mentorship and advocacy for social and environmental justice to his role as program coordinator with Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO). Nabin’s experience as a refugee has fueled a passion for dismantling systemic injustices against immigrants, refugees, and communities of color. He has been involved in environmental justice work since his teen years, first as an advocate for GroundWork Portland and later as a Community Youth Ambassador for the City of Portland, where he helped integrate new immigrants to the Portland parks system. Fluent in Nepali, Hindi, and English, Nabin is an advocate and a mentor for ESL students in Portland Public Schools (PPS) and first-generation college students at Portland State University, where he earned a masters degree in Leadership for Sustainability Education. He was instrumental in organizing the PPS Youth Leadership Council to increase access to leadership opportunities for historically underrepresented students. He believes creating a healthy river system requires holistic leadership that engages and elevate marginalized and disenfranchised communities. |
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Queta González
Queta is the Director of the Center for Diversity & the Environment, where she trains and collaborates with nonprofits, corporations, small businesses and governments to advance diversity, equity and inclusion within the conservation field. A lifelong river lover, Queta’s past professional experiences include managing a rafting company in the Grand Canyon and working in wilderness-based education. In her role as an equity facilitator and coach, she leads with compassion and a deep belief that we are stronger together. Queta also serves on the Governor’s Task Force on the Outdoors and on the Roadmap to the Outdoors advisory group. She lives in Portland with her partner and two cats, though the cats think they should be listed first. Queta finds deep meaning in the Loren Eiseley quote, “If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.” |
Courtesy of Freshwaters Illustrated
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Gabe Sheoships, Chair
Gabe is the executive director of the Friends of Tryon Creek, where he leads efforts focused on community building, environmental stewardship and protection of the natural world. Gabe is Cayuse and Walla Walla from the Confederated tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Gabe has spent his life along the travel corridors and pathways of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers, following traditional migratory routes of his ancestors. Gabe has dedicated his life’s work to protecting indigenous first foods, encouraging healthy ecosystems and empowering people to act as stewards of the land and water. In the Portland metropolitan area, Gabe has roots and relationships with black, indigenous, immigrant and refugee communities that date back to the 1980s. Through these relationships Gabe has built and advocated for change and continued support to meet community needs that have shifted and grown in his 20 years of work. Gabe serves as the board president for the Tributaries Network and is a board member of the Center for Diversity and the Environment and Freshwaters Illustrated, both nonprofit organizations. As adjunct professor at Portland State University, Gabe instructs students in the Indigenous Nations Studies program, Environmental Science and Management, and University Studies departments. Gabe has an MSC in fisheries biology from Oregon State University. Family, fatherhood, and friendship are what Gabe holds most important in this world. |
