Staff
Jennifer Hamilton
Executive DirectorJennifer’s new leadership role at JCWC began May 2025. She is especially passionate about fostering cross-sector collaboration to restore ecological balance and promote climate resilience at the watershed level.
Jennifer is a passionate advocate for community-centered solutions that foster social equity and environmental resilience. With over 15 years of experience at the intersection of nonprofit leadership, environmental stewardship, and food justice, she brings a collaborative, systems-based approach to advancing meaningful change. Her professional journey is rooted in a lifelong dedication to ensuring everyone has access to the richness of our natural world. She has led and supported efforts in riparian restoration, environmental education, and sustainable agriculture across Utah and Oregon. Proudly serves on the Oregon Agricultural Trust Board of Directors.
Contact Me About: Opportunities to engage with JCWC in watershed resilience efforts, Strategic partnerships, Fundraising
She/Her/Hers
jennifer@jcwc.org
971-917-4525
Noah Jenkins
Conservation DirectorNoah has been with the Council since 2005, beginning with two years of AmeriCorps service before joining the Council’s staff. He holds an M.S. in Environmental Sciences from Portland State University, where he studied wetland vegetation management for his thesis. Prior to that, he served as a member of the Peace Corps in Uzbekistan, where he ate some really questionable stuff.
When not being paid to plant things, Noah spends his time planting things without being paid. He can also often be found trying to keep his cat from destroying important documents, playing the violin with anyone who’ll put up with it, and cooking good food and reading with his amazing wife, Lora.
Contact Me About: Streamside property, Native plants, Invasive species
He/Him/His
noah@jcwc.org
971-917-4526
Sara Volk
Community Science Program ManagerSara served the Council as the 2022-23 Confluence AmeriCorps member before moving into a full time role in January 2024. With a passion for the environment, Sara earned a B.S. in Environmental Science at Portland State University after a 15 year career in education. Her dedication to her work, coupled with her educational background, equips her with the knowledge to explore critical environmental issues and inspire others to do the same.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Sara remains connected to nature and believes in leading by example. She enjoys spending her free time exploring the great outdoors both on the trail and in the water, volunteering for environmental causes, and nurturing her own connection to the natural world through art, music, and time with family and friends. She also enjoys spending time with her partner and their three children and taking walks with their two pups, Stellaluna and Professor Cheese.
Contact Me About: Community science surveys, Communications
She/Her/Hers
sara@jcwc.org
971-917-4521
Mike Wendel
Restoration Project ManagerMike has worked in conservation across the Pacific Northwest for over a decade. He holds a Master’s degree in Natural Resource Management from Oregon State University and has conducted previous work as a coordinator for other watershed councils and work with Pacific Lamprey in the Tualatin Basin and Newport.
As the JCWC Restoration Project Manager, Mike supports collaborative efforts to protect and restore the health of local waterways and ecosystems. With a background in in-stream restoration and a passion for community-focused conservation, he brings extensive experience in habitat restoration and species monitoring. His work and studies have taken him throughout Oregon’s North Coast and Willamette Valley region and surrounding watersheds. When he’s not in the field or working with partners, Mike enjoys hiking, fishing, and playing a little banjo creekside.
He/Him/His
mike@jcwc.org
971-917-4520
To Be Announced Soon
Community Engagement CoordinatorMore to come
Contact Me About: Volunteer opportunities, Land tending, Creek Clean Up, Watershed Wide, Back 5 program
@jcwc.org
971-917-4518