About Us
Anchorage Waterways Council
P.O. Box 241774
Anchorage, Alaska 99524-1774
(907) 27-CREEK
(907 272-7335)
Anchorage Waterways Council is a 501(c)3 non-profit membership organization whose mission is to protect, restore, and enhance the waterways, wetlands, and associated uplands of Anchorage. Our members believe that environmentally healthy watersheds are a vital part of the high quality of life that we enjoy in Anchorage. We also believe that the beautiful creeks of Anchorage need a group specifically dedicated to advocating for their health and well being.
We work with a large and diverse group of partners including federal and state resource agencies, local government, the business community, and individual citizens to improve the watershed environment through planning, advocacy, education, and science. Governing documents may be obtained by written request to the Executive Director, Cherie Northon at cherie@anchoragecreeks.org or to our mailing address.
Cherie Northon - Executive Director
Cherie has a master's and doctorate in geography from the University of California Berkeley, where she taught for 19 years. She is also a cartographer--working in GIS, remote sensing, and GPS-acquired data. Her areas of interest are habitat protection and improvement of the natural environment (flora and fauna), student outreach (K-12), and generating public participation in environmental issues. Much of her work in Anchorage has been on managing human-wildlife conflicts along creeks and in greenbelts (most often beaver). She oversaw the development and construction of the AWC fish refuge on Little Campbell Creek at 68th and Meadow, began the Creeks as Classrooms program in local schools, and is now the Executive Director.
Thom Eley - Research Associate
Thom@anchoragecreeks.org
Thom has M.S. degrees in wildlife ecology and oceanography and a Ph.D. in resource geography from the University of California Berkeley. During his 30+ years in Alaska, he has worked for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Part of his experience involves management lands and waters of several Interior watersheds. Included among his duties were dealing with the impacts of arsenic, mercury, and petroleum products, particularly those involved with mining operations.
Matt Kays- Program Director
Matt moved to Alaska from north Georgia in 2006. He is an avid nature enthusiast who takes every opportunity to enjoy outdoor recreation. Currently seeking a degree in Environmental Science at UAA, Matt has a particularly strong interest in land use policies and watershed stewardship.
Vangie Wight- Administrator and Project Researcher
Originally from Maine, Vangie's parents traveled with their six children throughout many parts of the US and Europe, introducing them to many national parks and historical sites and teaching them to have an appreciation and respect for nature. They settled in Alaska in the late 1970s. Vangie remained here, where she founded and manages the family business, and has raised three children. She spends her free time hiking the many parks, trails, and waterways of our city and state with her two enthusiastic dogs. She enjoys supporting the AWC mission with administrative and research projects.