Staff
Lance Winecka - Executive Director
Lance Winecka was born and raised in the Puget Sound area. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Huxley College at Western Washington University in 1996. After graduation he skied and fly fished in Big Sky, Montana for two years. Then returning to Washington State, he worked in Marine Operations for WSDOT. Lance was hired at SPSSEG the day after the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake. Today he continues his gratifying work for SPSSEG. Lance lives in Olympia with his family. Lance may be contacted at lancew@spsseg.org
Christine Garst - Accounts Manager
Christine Garst is on contract through The Nonprofit Center in Tacoma. She has been with the group since August 2004. Christine brings with her several years of accounting experience in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. She and her husband Sam have become active in environmental and progressive causes in South Puget Sound, and recently completed building the “greenest house in Thurston County.” Christine may be contacted at christineg@spsseg.org
Kristin Williamson- Salmon Habitat Restoration Biologist
A born and bred Minnesotan, Kristin grew up with warm-water fishes like bass, walleye, and northern pike, only to flee the Land of 10,000 Lakes bound for bigger salmon-infested waters of Western Washington. Kristin migrated to Washington in 1998 to attend the University of Puget Sound, where she earned a B.S. in Biology. Following school, she worked as a Creel Surveyor for WDFW for a season and as a fisheries biologist for the Puyallup Tribe for three years. She joined the SPSSEG family in 2005 and is proud to continue her passion of salmon research and restoration alongside her coworkers. Kristin may be contacted at kristinw@spsseg.org
Eli Asher - Habitat Restoration Project Manager
Eli Asher is a fifth-generation Southwest Washington salmon angler who is blissfully doing his part as a Habitat Restoration Project Manager at SPSSEG to assure that his grandchildren will be able to follow the family tradition. Eli graduated as a member of Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Washington in 1999 with a B.A. in speech communication, promptly fled the city, and settled in with the eagles and fish in Ketchikan, Alaska. After four years in Alaska, he returned to the Puget Sound area to work for Agreement Dynamics, a communication and organizational development firm in Seattle. His experiences with environmental decision-making process facilitation led him to enroll in Central Washington University’s Resource Management master’s program. While pursuing his M.S., he served as the Snoqualmie District Watershed Steward for Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, a job that eventually led him to his current position within the SPSSEG family. Eli may be contacted at elia@spsseg.org
Kim Gridley - Assessment & Monitoring Project Manager
Upon her arrival to the Pacific Northwest in 1999, Kim stood in awe of the majesty of the Cascades and Olympics, the brilliance of the vegetation, the diversity of wildlife, and the presence of water in every nook and cranny of the landscape. She immediately realized that this region was her home. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, Kim spent much of her weekends and summers at the small creek that ran behind her home, catching minnows, frogs, salamanders, and crayfish. Her childhood passion became her profession.
Kim received a B.S. from the Evergreen State College in 2002. While at Evergreen she studied soil microbiology, hydrology, ethno-botany, and coastal ecology. Kim views her education as a quintessential Evergreen experience. After graduation she remained in Olympia and worked as a field biologist for the Department of Ecology, the Pacific Northwest Research Station, DNR, and the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. Kim is thrilled to be working with SPSSEG. Kim may be contacted at kimberlieg@spsseg.org
Sarah Clarke - Field & Office Assistant
Sarah, a transplant from the east coast, has proudly called Olympia home for over three years. In 2002, she received her B.A. in Fine Arts from Bennington College in Vermont. She has continued art-making as a hobby, but took a daring leap into the world of environmental studies, finding her life’s work. After a year-long Washington Conservation Corps/AmeriCorps internship with the SPSSEG, she is thrilled to become a bonafide SPSSEG family member. Sarah is also following her dream of getting her Master in Environmental Studies at the Evergreen State College. Sarah may be contacted at sarahc@spsseg.org