Meet Our Staff

The Whidbey Island Conservation District currently has a modest staff of three full-time and three part-time employees. For information or assistance about our programs & services - farm & ag assistance, forest stewardship, Firewise & wildfire preparedness, water resource management, backyard & habitat conservation, native plants, or other questions related to natural resource conservation on your land, please call or stop by our office located in the historic Williams House at 1 NE 4th St., Coupeville. Our general working hours are Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
​Our office is open for walk-in service from Monday-Thursday from 9am-4pm.
​Masks are required.

​Have a general question or comment, but not sure who to direct it to? Here are several ways to contact us:

• Request assistance by filling out our request form below  
• Email wicd[at]whidbeycd.org​ 
• Call us at (360) 678-4708 and leave a voicemail     

---

Ready to get started?

WICD's Natural Resource Planners provide no-cost technical assistance for all Whidbey Island residents and landowners.
Do you need assistance on your property with a natural resource challenge or goal?

Request Assistance

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER & MORE!

Administration & Management

Our Administrative and Management Team helps oversee the operations of the District. This is represented by two part time employees. Read below to learn more about Michelle and Josh.

Heather McCoy
DISTRICT MANAGER
Heather joined the District in June of 2021 as the new District Manager. She moved to the Pacific Northwest from northern California, where she was the Executive Director of the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. Prior to her work in Santa Cruz, she led the education and exhibits departments of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and its marine science-focused sister institution, the Sea Center. Heather has a Bachelor’s in Geology from Smith College and two Masters of Science focused in paleontology and geology from the University of Southern California and the University of Rochester. For more than 20 years, her career has focused on connecting people with the natural world and inspiring stewardship of it. She is thrilled to lead the District in its mission to provide natural resource expertise and support to all of Whidbey. 
​Heather is available Monday - Friday.

Email Heather

Michelle Maynard
OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
Michelle joined the District in May of 2021 as the new Office Administrator and brings over 15 years of experience in the Finance and Operations world.  Michelle moved to the Pacific Northwest from the San Francisco Bay Area in 2012 where she worked as a Finance Director and Consultant to Professional Services Firms and Non-Profits. Most recently she worked with Sound Salmon Solutions, a Washington State Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group and is currently their Board Treasurer.  Michelle has thoroughly enjoyed the Pacific Northwest’s nature and has taken advantage of the beautiful hiking areas on Whidbey Island, where she now lives.  Michelle is also an avid gardener and is learning to enjoy the Pacific Northwest weather by cooking, knitting, gardening (sometimes in the rain), and putting on rain gear to enjoy the outdoors with her dog Issie.​​
Michelle is available Monday - Thursday.

EMAIL MICHELLE

---

Planning & Technical Assistance

Our Planning & Technical Assistance Team delivers public education and technical assistance services for the District. Each planner has their area of emphasis in helping residents and landowners on Whidbey Island. This is represented by two full-time employees. Read below to learn more about Kelsi and Gwendolyn.

Kelsi Mottet
NATURAL RESOURCE PLANNER
Emphases:
​Agriculture, Firewise
Kelsi joined the District team in fall 2016 and served as the Marketing, Education & Outreach Coordinator for three years. In 2019, she transitioned into the role of Natural Resource Planner, offering technical planning assistance with an emphasis on forestry, farm and ranch operations, and coordinates the Whidbey Island Firewise Program on property wildfire preparedness. A sixth-generation Whidbey Islander from Coupeville with a family history in agriculture, forestry, and the trades, Kelsi has over thirteen of years experience in the fields of natural resources and education. She is a graduate of Huxley College of the Environment at Western Washington University, and holds a Masters of Education with a Certificate in Non-Profit Leadership & Administration.​
Kelsi is available Monday - Friday.

Email Kelsi

Gwendolyn Hannam
NATURAL RESOURCE PLANNER
Emphases: 
Water Management, Bluff & Shoreline, Farm
Gwendolyn joined the District in Spring of 2019 and has over ten years of experience as an environmental biologist, including five years as a Lead Biologist Scientist in the Water Management Section for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  Utilizing her BSc. Oceanography (U. Washington, USA) and MSc Taxonomy and Biodiversity of Plants (U. Edinburgh, Scotland), most of her career has been based around water quality, land use & development, endangered species, water resource management, and environmental critical areas. Gwendolyn’s desire to serve her community in a non-regulatory role has brought her an opportunity to contribute her expertise and knowledge to the District as a Natural Resource Planner.
Gwendolyn is available Monday - Friday.

Email GWENDOLYN

---

Shared Regional Technical Specialists

Whidbey Island Conservation District is one of 45 conservation districts in Washington state that serve its 39 counties. The District is part of the 12 Puget Sound Conservation Districts Caucus and, as such, have access to technical specialists, including engineers and foresters. These technical specialists focus on providing services to landowners in multiple conservation districts areas, but are vital parts of the localized conservation district team. 

Stacey Dixon
SHARED REGIONAL DISTRICT FORESTER
Stacey joined the District team in spring 2021 and serves as Forester for both Island and Snohomish counties, providing forest stewardship and timber management assistance, with an emphasis on forest health. Stacey's time is shared between Whidbey and Snohomish Conservation District, facilitating a regional and coordinated approach to forest management. Stacey earned her Masters in Forest Resources from the University of Washington and subsequently worked as the Forest Manager for the University of Washington’s Center for Sustainable Forestry at Pack Forest. She holds a BS in Society and Environment and a minor in Forestry from the University of California, Berkeley. She was born in Fort Bragg, California and grew up in a coastal redwood forest.
Stacey's availability can be determined by emailing her directly. See button below.

Email STACEY

Tom Slocum
SHARED REGIONAL DISTRICT ENGINEER
Tom is the Washington conservation districts’ Northwest Region engineer, providing licensed professional engineering services to San Juan Conservation District and its counterpart districts in Skagit, Whatcom, and Island counties. Tom’s background includes over twenty years of experience in the environmental field working with public agencies and consulting firms at the local, national, and international level. Tom is particularly interested in natural habitat restoration projects and has assisted individual landowners, non-profit organizations and public agencies in obtaining funding for, permitting, designing and managing construction of scores of such projects. He has a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Dartmouth College, a master’s degree in civil engineering from Northeastern University, and a law degree from Seattle University.
Tom's availability can be determined by speaking with our District Manager, Heather McCoy, about your project needs.