About Us

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Elyssa Kerr stepped into the role of Executive Director in 2019 after nearly three years managing projects and programming for Beavers Northwest. She holds a BS from the University of Washington as well as a certificate in Nonprofit Management. Elyssa has been working in the Pacific Northwest as a restoration practitioner and environmental educator since 2014. She is passionate about exploring and maintaining the amazing habitats that beavers create and enjoys sharing the benefits of these ecosystems with people of all ages through interactive and experiential programming. She has installed many beaver management devices throughout the region and has assisted with implementing similar programs across the Western United States. When not wading through beaver ponds, she can be found exploring intertidal invertebrates on local beaches, cultivating her home garden, or reading and snuggling with her cat, Elon Meowsk.

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​Contact: elyssa@beaversnw.org

Ariana Winkler graduated from the University of Washington in 2019, earning a B.S. in Environmental Science & Resource Management and a B.A. in Environmental Studies with minors in Restoration Ecology and Quantitative Science. After college, Ariana spent two years in the Washington Conservation Corps with the Snohomish Conservation District, working to restore many streamside habitats. Her position at Beavers Northwest gives her a unique opportunity to combine her passions of wildlife conservation and water quality. When not wading through streams, Ariana works at a water quality laboratory and enjoys nature walks, paddle boarding, and indoor soccer.

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​Contact: ariana@beaversnw.org 

Samantha Everett has a Masters degree in Library Science and currently works for the King County Library System.  Her love of beavers started twenty years ago in college in Maine where she discovered an active beaver pond.  Upon returning home to the Pacific Northwest she saw a beaver roadkill next to the Duwamish River and has been hooked on local beavers ever since.  In 2015 she spent time researching active beaver colonies within the City of Seattle using Google Earth and onsite scouting. She compiled a document with details about each site gained from contacting local organizations such as Friends groups and local government organizations.  In her free time she attended the 2017 State of the Beaver Conference in Oregon to learn more about beavers and in 2016 the Beaver Ecology Weekend in the Methow Valley to learn more about their beaver project.  She can often be found walking along the waterfront or dragging her friends to watch active beavers at dusk at Yesler Swamp.