Holly Purpura, Executive Director
Holly joined MRWC as its Executive Director in September 2018. Within this role, she brings years of experience in nonprofit leadership, fiscal administration, grant writing, project management, watershed-wide restoration, and environmental education. She also brings with her a fierce passion for the Earth and a love of working with the community. Prior to joining the Marys River team, Holly was the Executive Director of Friends of Deckers Creek based in West Virginia, and she also previously worked for National Geographic Education and The Hunger Project UK. Holly is a graduate of the West Virginia University Geography Department.
Kathleen Westly, Education and Restoration Project Manager
Kathleen has worked with MRWC for over 10 years, first leading our education programming, and then later also taking over the MRWC restoration program. Kathleen is a graduate of Lewis and Clark College and a 25+ year resident of the Marys River watershed. When she isn't working, Kathleen loves to be on the water canoeing or rafting, and she is also an avid gardener.
Aubrey Cloud, Assistant Project Manager
Aubrey joined the Marys River Watershed Council as Assistant Project Manager in June 2020. Aubrey moved to Oregon from Denver, Colorado in 2011 to pursue education in Natural Resources and Ecosystem Restoration at Oregon State University. He has been working to restore the Willamette Valley’s native habitats since 2016, when he was hired by Ash Creek Forest Management. Starting as a crew member doing boots on the ground restoration work, Aubrey has since worked as a Crew Leader and Project Coordinator, improving riparian and floodplain forest habitat for a wide range of clients and sites throughout the Valley. In his free time, Aubrey loves gardening with natives and leading volunteer restoration projects. Aubrey also serves as an Assistant Project Manager for the Luckiamute Watershed Council.
Jazmin Garcia, Education Coordinator
Jazmin holds a Master of Science in Marine Biology from Nova Southeastern University. Her overarching interests include behavioral ecology and wildlife conservation. She has worked on various research projects including bottlenose dolphin behavioral ecology, sea turtle migration studies, and water systems parasitology. Her bottlenose dolphin research in the Drowned Cayes, Belize has resulted in multiple publications. Jazmin is also enthusiastic about science education. In addition to her work with the Council, she is also currently a science teacher at Waldport High School. She enjoys strengthening science education and enthusiasm for students of varying grade levels and abilities. She looks forward to reaching more students through MRWC’s education programs. In her free time, Jazmin enjoys hiking, gardening, and playing with her two dogs.
