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OISC Council Bios
Rick Boatner 2012 Chair
Dan Hilburn 2012 Vice-Chair
Sam Chan
John Cochran
Doug Daoust
Glenn Dolphin
Vern Holm
Rian Hooff
Rosemary Mannix
Dominic Maze
Mark Porter
Mark Sytsma
Rick Boatner 2012 Chair
Rick Boatner
Rick Boatner is the Invasive Species, Wildlife Integrity Coordinator for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. In this position his main responsibilities include coordinating the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program, Feral Swine Removal Program and Prohibited Species Program.  Rick has worked for ODFW for over 20 years in various capacities: Five years as an Assistant Wildlife Biologist: working with wildlife population monitoring, wildlife diseases and wildlife damage problems.   Five years as Fishery Biologist on the Willamette Sport Fishing program; working with steelhead and spring Chinook. Seven years as a seasonal, working on such projects as the Columbia and Willamette Sport Fishing program, Salmon Trout Enhancement Plan, Marine Mammals at Willamette Falls, spawning ground surveys and any other opportunity that would help him gain more experience with fish and wildlife.   
Rick has a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources from Western Oregon University and an Associate of Science degree in Animal Science from Linn-Benton Community College.

Dan Hilburn 2012 Vice-Chair
Dan Hilburn
Dan Hilburn is currently Administrator of the Plant Division, Oregon Dept. of Agriculture.  He oversees the Nursery, Insect Pest Prevention & Management, Noxious Weed and Native Plant Conservation programs.  Dan has served on Oregon’s Invasive Species Council since 2002 and the State Weed Board since 1995.  From 1990 to 1995, he was an ODA Entomologist involved with detection surveys and eradication of exotic insects such as gypsy moth and Japanese beetle.  Before moving to Oregon, Dan was the Plant Protection Officer for the Bermuda Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.  Prior to that, he managed the Insect Identification Lab for the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service.
 
Dan has a B.A. in Biology from Middlebury College in Vermont, an M.S. in Entomology from the University of Maine, and a Ph.D. in Entomology from Virginia Tech.
Sam Chan
Sam Chan
Sam Chan is an Assistant Professor in Fisheries and Wildlife and Marine Resources Management at Oregon State University (OSU).  He is the aquatic invasive species and watershed health extension specialist and the Assistant Extension Program Leader for the Oregon Sea Grant College Program. Sam's education and research focuses on both the biological and social dimensions of invasive species prevention and early detection in the context of watershed health for both professional and youth audiences.  Prior to joining the faculty at Oregon State University, Sam served as research plant physiologist with the USDA Forest service where led studies on riparian area ecology, function and management.
John Cochran
John Cochran is Vice President of Turf Merchants, Inc., an independent Oregon based company that produces and markets grass seed worldwide. John has been employed by Turf Merchants for 23 years and is his first and only employer since graduating from Oregon State University. John is an active member of the Oregon Seed Trade Assoc., Pacific Seed Assoc., American Seed Trade Assoc., and the ISF World Seed Congress. In his off time John is an avid outdoorsman, who enjoys hunting and fishing.
Doug Daoust
Doug Daoust
Doug Daoust is the Director of Forest Health Protection for the Pacific Northwest Region, USDA Forest Service, in Portland, Oregon (since 2001).  During his 35 year career he has worked as a Forest and Regional Budget Officer, Forest Silviculturist for the Mt. Hood National Forest, and District Silviculturist for the Olympic and Siskiyou National Forests.  Doug has a Bachelor’s degree in Forest Management from Oregon State University, and graduate studies in forest ecology from University of Washington.  He directs the forest health protection (insect and disease program), invasives program and air quality programs for Oregon and Washington.  He has also been an elected city councilor for Troutdale, OR since 1997.
Glenn Dolphin
Glenn Dolphin
Glenn has been working for the Oregon State Marine Board the state’s recreational boating agency, for three years.  He is the agency coordinator working to implement the newly formed Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program.  Glenn came to the Marine Board after working for five years with the Marion Soil and Water Conservation District.  While at the District, Glenn worked with private landowners to provide environmental planning assistance to help solve environmental concerns.  Combating invasive species always seemed to be a part of environmental restoration projects; therefore Glenn gained valuable experience planning for their eradication.  While at the Marine Board he has completed a level II training course that certified him as a watercraft inspection and decontamination inspector.  This course also certified Glenn to become a training instructor.  He helps during annual workshops around the state to train others with the skills necessary to inspect watercraft for the presence of aquatic invasive species.  These trainings also raise the awareness about the destructive quagga and zebra mussels that can easily be transported overland on trailered recreational boats.  Glenn has served on the Oregon Invasive Species Council since January 2009.  
Vern Holm
Vern Holm
Vern Holm is the Coordinator for the Northwest Weed Management Partnership (NWMP) a multi-agency network of individuals and organizations concerned with rural and urban invasive weed issues in northwestern Oregon and southwestern Washington.  His duties include increasing the organizational and technical capacities of six Cooperative Weed Management Area covering 12 Oregon and four Washington Counties. Vern has been working as NWMP Coordinator for six years; prior to that he was a Resource Conservationist concentrating on outreach/education for the Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation District in McMinnville, Oregon. In addition to his work with NWMP, Vern is also on the Board of Directors for the Institute for Applied Ecology, Corvallis, Oregon and is a regional representative on the newly formed Oregon Cooperative Weed Management Association.  

Rian Hooff
In 2007, Rian became the states ballast water program manager where he is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to prevent the introduction of AIS to Oregon waters from commercial shipping activities.  His background includes over ten years experience in marine science research and education, with special emphasis on the ecological impacts of non-indigenous zooplankton, and the influence of climate variability on ecosystem dynamics in Oregon’s coastal waters.  He has earned degrees from the University of Oregon (B.Sc., Environmental Sciences) and San Francisco State University (M.Sc., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology).   In 2009, Rian became DEQ’s first representative on the Council.

Rosemary Mannix
Rosemary Mannix, Resource Specialist Unit Manager, State Forests Division, Oregon Department of Forestry. Rosemary has worked for ODF since 1988.  She started out as a resource specialist on the Forest Practices staff, providing technical and policy support for the management of sensitive resource sites under the Forest Practices Act. In 1994 she moved to the State Forests program to coordinate the program’s approach to managing northern spotted owls and marbled murrelets.
Since 1997, she has held a variety of management positions within the division.  Currently, she is the Resource Specialist Unit Manager for the State Forests Division.  She leads a group of natural resource specialists in wildlife, silviculture, aquatic resources, forest inventory, engineering, and operations that provide policy and planning support, and support for field operations. Prior to coming to ODF, Rosemary worked as a research assistant for McGill University; a research assistant for a natural resource organization in New England; and a land use planning assistant.  Rosemary has a B.A. in Geography from McGill University in Montreal, and an M.S . in Geography from Oregon State University.


Dominic Maze
Dominic Maze

Dominic Maze is the Invasive Species Coordinator and a biologist for the City of Portland, Environmental Services.  His duties include coordination of various activities and programs which seek to limit the economic and environmental impacts of invasive species: targeted control of invasive species’ populations, risk assessments, extensive outreach to the public and partners, and ensuring that policy and code reflect city resolutions addressing invasive species.  Prior to this, Dominic worked around the state as a conservation biologist with the Institute for Applied Ecology in Corvallis and in the nursery and restoration industries as both an employee and business owner. Dominic holds a B.S. in Plant Sciences from the University of California at Santa Cruz and an M.S. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University.  While at these universities, Dominic designed and executed research dealing with invasive plants and animals and rare plant populations. Finally, as a member of the steering committee for the 4-County Cooperative Weed Management Area, he is able to support many of Portland’s goals on a regional scale.  http://www.portlandonline.com/bes/invasives


Mark Porter
Mark Porter
Mark Porter is the Watershed Stewardship Director for Wallowa Resources.  Wallowa Resources is a non-profit located in Wallowa County working to develop, promote, and implement innovative solutions to help the people of Wallowa County and the Intermountain West sustain and improve their communities and their lands.  Wallowa Resources’ Stewardship Program works within the local community to implement on the ground work ranging from fuels reduction and stream restoration to Aspen conservation and noxious weed control.  Most of Mark’s ten years with Wallowa Resources have been spent coordinating the Wallowa Canyonlands Partnership, a Cooperative Weed Management Area in the rugged canyons of the Imnaha and Lower Grande Ronde River Watersheds. The program treats weeds across public property and private ownerships in NE Oregon and SE Washington. Mark earned a B.S. in wildlife biology from Oregon State University. He has extensive field experience in northeast Oregon ranging from ranch work to backcountry trail work to stream surveying.



Mark Sytsma
Mark Sytsma
Mark Sytsma is the Chair of the Department of Environmental Science and Management, Director of the Center for Lakes and Reservoirs and co- director of the Aquatic Bioinvasion Research and Policy Institute at Portland State University. He directs projects and research on the biology and management of aquatic invasive species. He co-authored the Oregon Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan and is responsible for implementation of the Plan in collaboration with local, state, and federal agencies with direct management responsibilities. Mark is a founding member of the Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species, the Pacific Ballast Water Group, the Pacific Northwest  Economic Region Invasive Species Committee, and the Oregon Invasive  
Species Council.

Page updated: February 15, 2012