People & Partners

Water Wars (how to avoid) brings together farmers, tribal leaders, community members, and allies who share a commitment to collaborative water stewardship in the Nooksack watershed. We work across traditional boundaries because the river connects us all.

Stewardship Council

The core group guiding this initiative - tribal leaders, farmers, and community members who model what cooperation looks like in practice.

Advisors

Experts, artists, and community members who bring specialized knowledge and skills to strengthen the work.

Leif Embertson

President & Principal River Engineer, Natural Systems Design | Board Member, American Rivers

Peter Frazier

Local Business Leader & Community Builder

Darrell Hillaire

Executive Director, Children of the Setting Sun Productions

Eric Hirst

Water Policy Expert

Mauri Ingram

President & CEO, Whatcom Community Foundation

Derek Long

Executive Director, Sustainable Connections

Project Team

The people organizing gatherings, documenting stories, and keeping the work moving forward.

Jeff Bos

Founder & Managing Partner, Foment

Event Design & Facilitation

Jeff brings 25+ years of experience in regenerative facilitation and values-based finance. As Co-founder and Managing Partner of Foment, he specializes in designing experiential programs that accelerate regenerative movement building. His current role as Chief Growth & Impact Officer at the Soil & Climate Initiative provides deep expertise in agricultural transformation.

Ethan Smith

Founder & Strategic Innovation Partner, ÆVI

Strategy, Design & Partnerships

Ethan contributes 20+ years of strategic design and systems thinking experience. His work spans living systems strategy, partnership development, and collaborative design facilitation, with particular expertise in biomimicry and regenerative innovation. His portfolio includes projects with organizations ranging from the Biomimicry Institute to Johnson & Johnson.

Aaron Straight

Founder & Senior Creative Director, Soulcraft Allstars

Founder, Filmmaker & Convener

Aaron provides award-winning visual storytelling and community engagement expertise. As Creative Director and founder of Soulcraft Allstars, he has created purpose-driven films for environmental and social justice initiatives globally, working with organizations from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to indigenous communities across multiple continents.

Contributors

Chefs, artists, photographers, hosts. The ones who bring flavor, color, and soul to every story, every gathering.

Mataio Gillis

Chef & Event Photography

Christopher Remmers

Fine Artist

Elie Samuel

Community Host & Supporter

Lisa Samuel

Chef & Host

Katie Schreiber

Creative Direction & Film Editor

Jesse Straight

Chef

Ella Viesturs

Brand & Web Design

Partners & Supporters

Organizations providing funding, venues, expertise, and other support that makes this work possible.

Join Us

This work depends on diverse voices and perspectives. If you're interested in collaborative approaches to water stewardship, we'd like to hear from you.

Contact us to learn about upcoming gatherings and ways to get involved.