Jason Rainey, Executive Director

Rainey is a 3rd generation Californian. Born in the SF Bay Area, his parents moved to Nevada County in the early 1970’s, in time for him to form his earliest memories on the S. Yuba River. He had a public education in the Nevada City schools, as well as along the trails, mountains and rivers of the northern Sierra. After graduating from Nevada Union H.S., he completed a B.A., in Government/History from Claremont McKenna College. After a stint teaching outdoor education, Rainey was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Russian Far East from 1995-1997, teaching English and environmental education at the School for Young Naturalists. His graduate studies include a year at the School of Public & Environmental Affairs at Indiana University (Bloomington) and an M.A. in Humanities & Leadership at New College of California’s program in Culture, Ecology and Sustainable Communities. He’s worked as a researcher, educator and legislative analyst in the U.S., and has contributed to environmental and social justice projects in Zimbabwe, Nicaragua and central Asia. Before joining SYRCL in March 2005, Rainey spent the previous 5 years as a Program Director for the Marin Conservation Corps, where he led a staff of over 35 in habitat restoration, ecological monitoring, recycling, volunteer coordination, environmental education, and zero-waste event planning. If he’s not watching the river flow, he’s likely gardening, bird watching, or hiking in the mountains with his wife Tania, his daughter Francesca, and his good pup Maya.

Miriam Limov, RiverPeople Coordinator

Miriam Limov is a Chicagoan but while working in Yosemite National Park, she discovered her passion for the wilderness. She graduated with a degree in water quality engineering from Humboldt State University and has for the past 10 years been teaching fitness, Nordic skiing and backpacking courses for Sierra College. After 17 years of volunteering for SYRCL, she is now enjoying the opportunity to put all of her energy into SYRCL’s efforts. As the RiverPeople Coordinator, she is busy organizing SYRCL’s events, coordinating the marvelous volunteers that SYRCL is lucky to have, and managing the membership program. Miriam’s favorite place to be is outdoors with her husband, Joe, and daughters Hannah and Abby, dog (Tucker), and friends either hiking, backpacking, or skiing! You will likely find her in the office listening to music with a plate of pumpkin chocolate chip, butterscotch chip cookies for you to enjoy!

Gary Reedy, RiverScience Director

Gary was raised in the Bay Area with a creek in the backyard. He’s always been inspired by the Sierra Nevada and considers that he may have “peaked” at 22 while guiding in Desolation Wilderness. After graduating from UC Davis in Dec. 1989, the young biologist sought knowledge in Alaska (after a celebrated full-winter at Squaw Valley). As a field ecologist, he cut his teeth while working for the University of Alaska investigating impacts of the Exxon Valdez on intertidal communities. He began to turn “fishy” while studying stream ecology at Oregon State. With a salmon icon on the shingle (and paddle), his interest focused. Gary lived on the Smith River for five years, conducting a variety of research to understand California’s healthiest salmon and steelhead populations, and obtaining an MS in Fisheries from Humboldt State. Gary has always enjoyed a mix of scientific study and citizen involvement. Before coming to SYRCL, he consulted for a variety of watershed groups and developed an information system for publically sharing watershed and fisheries data. He’s taught at College of the Redwoods and founded an ongoing volunteer-based fish survey program on the Smith River. Gary met his wife, Katrina, while kayaking. He also loves to swim, ski, climb and play with his kids. Give a wave if you see him biking around Nevada City.

Leslie Jacobson’s, Film Festival Producer

Leslie returned to Nevada City in April 2010 to join the staff and lead the 9th annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival. An enthusiastic fan and supporter of SYRCL since 1999, she is excited to return to the community. Born an “Air Force brat” in Connecticut, Leslie is no stranger to relocating. Although her moves have taken her to Germany, Hawaii, St. Thomas, Indonesia and all over the United States, her favorite place in the world still remains a “secret” spot on the Yuba River where she goes to do some of her best thinking. Focusing the last 10 years on event production & promotion, Leslie has created some wildly successful events as an independent producer for several notable organizations and celebrities the past 5 years in the Bay Area. Prior to that she lived in Nevada City and worked with KVMR and Telestream, plus was an active volunteer for SYRCL and several other organizations. As a recent empty nester she enjoys spending time with her daughters, Roxanne and Rachel whenever she gets a chance. You’ll also likely find her boating, hiking, dancing, swimming in the river, and picnicking while watching the sunset and the full moonrise.

Susie Sutphin, Festival Tour Manager

Susie joined the staff in January 2007. She is responsible for coordinating all tour venues and implementing a comprehensive marketing strategy to secure national recognition for the tour through partnerships and media promotions. Susie comes to us from the clothing company, Patagonia where she was the Athletes & Events manager for three years in Ventura, CA. In her position at Patagonia, she was instrumental in bringing Patagonia on as the festival’s presenting sponsor which has allowed the festival to grow and become the largest environmental film festival in the nation. Realizing the festival’s potential to travel the country and inspire activism, Susie was keen to help SYRCL achieve this goal. Susie is an avid mountain biker and freeheel, backcountry skier as well as a lover of big breakfasts and freshwater lakes. Native of Ohio, Susie migrated west after college in 1992 laying over in Summit County, Colorado for seven years before moving to Truckee to run the sales and marketing for Couloir, a backcountry ski magazine. She lives and works out of her home office in Truckee, CA, with her dog, Zoie.

Brooke Berger, AmeriCorps Member

Brooke is currently the River Monitoring Coordinator and AmeriCorps member at the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) in historic Nevada City. She gets to spend her days coordinating a fantastic group of over 75 volunteer water quality monitors to collect scientifically sound data that is used to keep the Yuba Watershed healthy and beautiful. Brooke was raised by biologists on the banks of the Rio Grande in New Mexico’s high deserts. The natural scarcity of water in her home state engrained in Brooke an appreciation for her home’s rivers, lakes, and aquifers and a desire to protect and improve them. In 2008, Brooke earned a BS in Biology at the University of New Mexico with a minor in Geography. Prior to joining the SNAP program she worked for state agencies in rivers and streams all over New Mexico and Oregon conducting fish and habitat surveys, and removing non-native species. When she isn’t working in water Brooke enjoys hiking, rock climbing, reading history books with her cats, knitting and other domestic pursuits.