The Founders

Zach Graham, Ph.D.

 Zack is an evolutionary and behavioral ecologist whose focus is on understanding how and why animals (especially crayfishes) are so diverse.  He says, “…ultimately, my goal is to untangle the ecological and evolutionary complexities that have led crayfishes to be amongst the most successful freshwater animals...”  Zack’s passion for crayfishes led him to contact Maria and Jeff and ask if he could visit the area in hopes of being able to participate in surveys for Shasta crayfish. During his visit, it became clear to Maria and Jeff that Zack’s commitment and passion for crayfish could be a valuable asset in the efforts to safeguard the future of Shasta crayfish. With a recently vacated position on Spring Rivers Foundation board of directors, they asked if Zack would be willing to serve on the board. 

Zack has a B.S. degree in Psychology from Penn State University, Altoona, and a Ph.D. in Animal Behavior from Arizona State University.  He is currently an Assistant Professor of Biology in the Department of Organismal Biology, Ecology, and Zoo Sciences at West Liberty University, West Virginia. He is also the head of the Crayfish Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Lab. Research in the lab takes a comparative and integrative approach to explore and explain patterns of biodiversity throughout freshwater crayfishes.

Zack enjoys spending time in nature, reading, running, and playing volleyball. 

Beatriz Vasquez, Ph.D.

Beatriz is a retired scientist and educator. She did research in Neuroscience for over 19 years at UC Irvine and Loma Linda VA Hospital where authored publications in the areas of Mechanisms of Tolerance/Addiction, Memory, Learning, Aging, and the effects of Electromagnetic Radiation on Circadian Rhythms. Next she entered the California Community College arena first as a Biology Professor and then as an administrator (Dean, Vice President) at three different colleges. After retirement in 2014, Beatriz transferred her skills sets (leadership, governance, quality, and finances) to enhance her community volunteer efforts. She became an active Board Director at Mayers Memorial Hospital District, the Fall River Valley Library, Spring River Foundation, and lately the Association of California Healthcare Districts. Beatriz is very dedicated to STEM education through the Tech Trek and Scholarship programs sponsored by the American Association of University Women (AAUW).

Beatriz resides in Fall River Mills with her husband and both look forward to visits from their two children and three grandchildren.

Ann Chrisney

Ann is coordinator of the Riparian Habitat Joint Venture (RHJV), a partnership of eighteen federal, state and private organizations (National Audubon Society, PRBO Conservation Science, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, River Partners, Trust for Public Lands, The Resources Agency, California Department of Fish and Game, Wildlife Conservation Board, California State Lands Commission, California Department of Water Resources, Natural Resource Conservation Service, U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, U.S. Geological Service). In her role with RHJV, Ann is working on a statewide map of riparian habitat across California and developing quantifiable habitat objectives and priority areas. She helped publish California Riparian Systems: Processes and Floodplains Management, Ecology and Restoration, the proceedings from the 2001 Riparian Habitat and Floodplain Conference. Prior to RHJV, Ann had eighteen years of experience in resource conservation in California, primarily with the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. During her tenure with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ann worked on Shasta crayfish issues for several years and helped produce the Shasta crayfish recovery plan in 1998. Ann has a B.S. degree in Animal Science from the University of Maryland and an M.S. degree in Wildlife Management from Humboldt State University. 

Theo Light, Ph.D.

Theo is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. Theo has a B.S. degree in Conservation and Resource Studies from the University of California at Berkeley, where she graduated with highest honors. Her senior thesis research was on the Shasta crayfish. Theo completed her doctorate in Ecology with a Conservation emphasis from the University of California at Davis, where she was awarded a US Environmental Protection Agency STAR Fellowship and a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship. Her research has focused on the effects of biological invasions on native aquatic communities, including the role of abiotic and other factors in determining success and failure. Theo is a member of the Shasta Crayfish Recovery Team formed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Shasta Crayfish Technical Review Committee, which assists Pacific Gas and Electric Company in the design and implementation of the terms, conditions, and conservation measures included in the Hat Creek and Pit 1 licenses for the protection and recovery of the Shasta crayfish. Theo is a member of the Ecological Society of America, Society for Conservation Biology, North American Benthological Society, American Fisheries Society, and Pennsylvania Academy of Science. 

Henry  Giacomini

Focused natural resource manager, Henry Giacomini, is the steward for many properties in the Hat Creek & Fall River watersheds. Prior to carbon farming or regenerative agriculture being in focus, Henry was applying the concepts to the land and watershed. Utilizing livestock as a regenerative tool, Giacomini significantly changed the soil on the properties he and his wife manage. Henry served as California State FFA President, earned a scholarship to California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo from the Bertha-Russ Lytle Foundation where he completed his Bachelor of Science Degree. He has and continues to serve in many capacities, from a local 4-H leader, Northeastern CA Water Association, Shasta County Farm Bureau, Fall River Big Valley Cattlemen, Fall River Joint School District Board Member, Range Management Advisory Committee to the CA State Board of Forestry and more. His management garnered the Society of Range Management Stewardship recognition. Giacomini is a stockman and natural resource manager. He is married to his wife Pam. They manage property that has been in continuous family management and ownership since 1903.

Andy Sih, Ph.D.  

Andy is Chair and Professor of the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at the University of California at Davis. Andy has a B.S. degree in Biology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, where he received a Regents Scholarship of New York. He has a Ph.D. degree in Ecology from the University of California at Santa Barbara, where he received a Regents Fellowship of California and a Graduate Opportunity Fellowship of California. Andy received an Ohio State University Postdoctoral Fellowship, National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, and University of Kentucky University Research Professorship. Andy was the Marshall Hahn Sr. Endowed Professor of Biology and the Director of the Center for Ecology, Evolution and Behavior at the University of Kentucky. He was a recipient of the Murray F. Buell Award of the Ecological Society of America, is an ISI Current Contents ‘Highly Cited Researcher’ in Ecology/Environmental Science, and a Fellow of the World Innovation Foundation. He served a four-year track as President of the Animal Behavior Society: 2nd president elect, 1st president elect, president, and past president. Andy’s research focuses on the evolution of ecologically important behaviors (predator-prey, mating, and social behaviors), and life history traits, and how these influence population and community ecological patterns in aquatic systems. Graduate students from Andy’s lab have worked with the Shasta crayfish and other native freshwater fauna in northeastern California.