Kathleen Willits is a Councilwoman and Programs Manager for the Round Valley Indian Tribes. Kathleen was born in Ukiah, California. her maternal Grandfather was from the fjords of Norway and my maternal Grandmother from Texas. She was Cherokee and French. Kathleen’s Father’s people were a blend of tribes. His Mother’s people are Maidu /Concow and his Father’s people are Little Lake/Pomo. Kathleen’s Grandmother was the first female Native American to attend Carlisle Indian Institute in Pennsylvania. She was well educated and well respected. Kathleen’s Grandfather, Noble Willits, was a hard-working man with dignity and self-respect. As for Kathleen herself, She was raised living between Napa and Vallejo. She had always intended to move home to live on the reservation – it was an undeniable dream.
“We were never destitute, but by no means did we have an excess of money. I am blessed to say that my parents raised me to be extremely wealthy emotionally, with no limitations on my soul.”
She attended Santa Rosa Junior College with the intention of teaching Agriculture at the Round Valley High School becoming a High School Rodeo Coach. Her education was cut short as family medical needs became a priority.
For 21 years, she was a professional artist in the Napa Valley. She gave it all up to move home and now holds the position of Programs Manager for the Tribe. Her day consists of keeping the Tribal programs compliant. There are approximately 54 grants. The Tribes are dependent upon the grant funds they receive.
“The greatest lessons were taught to me by my father: Give 150%, the person in the mirror will know at the end of the day. Respect your Tribal roots, whatever it is you are good at will benefit your Tribe, that is the core of how Tribes continue to exist. Love and be grateful.”
Peter Moyle is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and Associate Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, at UC Davis. He is author or co-author of more than 240 publications, including the definitive Inland Fishes of California (2002). He is co-author of the 2017 book, Floodplains: Processes and Management for Ecosystem Services. His research interests include conservation of aquatic species, habitats, and ecosystems, including salmon; ecology of fishes of the San Francisco Estuary; ecology of California stream fishes; impact of introduced aquatic organisms; and use of floodplains by fish.
Robert Lusardi is the California Trout/UC Davis Wild and Coldwater Fish Researcher focused on establishing the basis for long-term science specific to California Trout’s wild and coldwater fish initiatives. His work bridges the widening gap between academic science and applied conservation policy, ensuring that rapidly developing science informs conservation projects throughout California. Dr. Lusardi resides at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences and works closely with Dr. Peter Moyle on numerous projects to help inform California Trout conservation policy. His recent research interests include Coho salmon on the Shasta River, the ecology of volcanic spring-fed rivers, inland trout conservation and management, and policy implications of trap and haul programs for anadromous fishes in California.
Patrick Samuel is the Conservation Program Coordinator for California Trout, a position he has held for almost two years, where he coordinates special research projects for California Trout, including the State of the Salmonids report. Prior to joining CalTrout, he worked with the Fisheries Leadership & Sustainability Forum, a non-profit that supports the eight federal regional fishery management councils around the country. Patrick got his start in fisheries as an undergraduate intern with NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division in Sacramento, and in his first field job as a crew member of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Wild and Heritage Trout Program.