Our Mission

Community Clean Water Institute (CCWI) protects water resources and public health, identifies pollution sources through research, education and water quality testing, and prevents water pollution throughout Northern California. CCWI collects and analyzes water quality data, engages in education and community outreach activities, and shares information with government regulatory agencies and the public.

Community Clean Water Institute has developed a water quality testing program and laboratory to test ground, surface, and drinking water sources for a variety of pollutants and to make all of the findings available to the public. Community Clean Water Institute works with grassroots watershed groups and other non-profit organizations to address issues of clean water and public health. CCWI responds to reports from the public concerning suspected pollution and upon research and analysis decides whether or not the area needs to be tested.

CCWI evolved out of the Town Hall Coalition Water Committee, a group of citizens concerned with water quality, and interested in increasing the amount of scientific data on water quality of rivers, streams, and groundwater. The Water Committee collected water quality data and performed water tests from 1998-2000. In March of 2001, CCWI was founded as its own non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

Community Clean Water Institute focuses on the rivers and counties within the North Coast Region 1 Water Quality Control Board. The Institute focuses on water quality and possible contamination of surface or ground water throughout Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt, Del Norte, Trinity, Siskiyou, Glenn, Modoc, and Lake Counties. The organization works to protect water quality in the Eel, Russian, Van Duzen, Trinity, Mad, Smith, Klamath, Gualala, Navarro, Albion, Noyo, Mattole and other magnificent rivers, bays, watersheds, and wetlands in Northern California.

Board of Directors

Don Frank, Treasurer
Don serves on the Board of Directors for Forest Unlimited and was president of the Dry Creek Valley Association, an organization dedicated to the preservation of agricultural land. He is owner of TDC Mobil, a mechanic repair company.

Maggy Howe
Maggy received a BA in Education from Eckerd College, in St. Petersburg, Florida. Maggy has written and researched alternative health care for the passed 15 years and is currently a contributing editor to Country Living Magazine.

Lynn Hamilton, Secretary
Lynn Hamilton-International Non Profit Management Consultant. Executive Director and co-founder Town Hall Coalition. Chair of the Progressive Democrats Sonoma County. She is also a member of the Executive Board of the California Democratic Party. Former Director Ashoka, Innovators for the Public-Andean Region. Former Mayor City of Sebastopol, Sonoma County, California. Master in Public Administration, Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government 1995.

Judith Olney, President
Judith Olney, Milestones Management Resources, specializes in organizational capacity building. She brings a Masters in Natural Resource Management from UC Berkeley and over 20 years of experience in managing large, complex projects to bear in her commitment to protect Sonoma County's precious water resources.

Nels Worden
Nels is responsible for preparation of reagents, laboratory set up, clean up for the chemistry curriculum for 500 students in the Sonoma State University Chemistry Department. Nels has previously worked as staff chemist at K Prime, Inc., Legend Analytical Services, and NET Santa Rosa. At NET Pacific, Inc. (ANATEC), Nels was Quality Assurance Coordinator. Nels holds a Laboratory Analyst, Grade II certification. Nels was a founding member of the Town Hall Coalition Water Committee, and has been a technical advisor for CCWI since 2001. Nels is a 3rd generation Sonoma County resident on both sides of his family. Nels grew up in and around the Russian River, Healdsburg. "It is my personal objective to seek the best practices to quantify natural water systems to provide relevant information to plan the future course of the incredible natural resources we are blessed with in Northern California."

Sarah Shaeffer

Sarah is the former director of CCWI. Sarah developed CCWI's volunteer water quality monitoring program including QA/QC and testing protocols and a comprehensive data information system. Sarah has a Master's Degree in Global Environmental Public Health from Emory University and a degree in Environmental Science and Anthropology from Tulane University. Her graduate work included water and sanitation, pesticide exposure assessment and Agroforestry in Micronesia. Before joining CCWI she worked with the Americorps Water Stewards Project, based in the Southern Sonoma and Marin Resource Conservation Districts. Sarah is currently working with the Sonoma County Asthma Coalition.

Staff

Robert Pennington, Program Coordinator

Robert is an aspiring hydrologist who is responsible for coordination and implementation of the water quality testing and watershed science programs at CCWI. Robert received his bachelor of science in geology and geophysics from the University of California Santa Barbara. A year of his studies took place in the geologically active and ecologically unique island nation of New Zealand. Robert has worked as a geologist for a small environmental consulting firm in Healdsburg, O'Connor Env. Inc, for two years before starting at CCWI.

Kandis Gilmore, Data analyst and Director of SMILES

Born and raised in Southern California, Kandis recently moved to Sonoma County to pursue her Bachelor's degree in Biology at Sonoma State University. She is interested learning about the natural world and being active in environmental issues. At her previous junior college, Pierce College in Woodland Hills, she worked as a marine biology tutor and as a member of a multidisciplinary team of researchers investigating the use of animal and green waste as soil amendments and biofuels, which will present its research at the EPA in Washington, DC in April 2008 (Yeah!!!) In her spare time, Kandis likes to cook, go for walks, dance, and browse around thrift stores.

Russell Andrews, CCWI Intern

Russell was born and raised in Berkeley, CA. He's always had an affinity for the natural world which led him to the Geology department at the College of the Sequoias, in Visalia, CA. After a few years of study Russell transferred to the Geology department at Sonoma State University; he studied geology there for a year before switching to the Environmental Studies/Sciences Department. Currently he is focusing on conservation and restoration as he endeavors to contribute back to our environment.

Stephen Fuller-Rowell, Town Hall Coalition Water Committee, Sonoma County Water Coalition

Sarah Shaeffer, Sonoma County Asthma Coalition

About Us | Resources | Current Issues | Events | Contact