2025 Watershed Stewards

Emma Henderson

Blue Elements, Water Quality & Education Specialist

I'm Emma Henderson, Blue Elements' AmeriCorps Water Quality and Education Intern. I grew up on the East Coast, living in Pittsburgh and the Maryland DC Metro area until graduating high school. I started working as a raft guide and in different field tech positions during summers while in college and I have carried on pursuing different community focused outdoor positions since then. My deep affection for rivers and community service drew me to Blue Elements and the Arkansas River Valley. Colorado, as a headwaters state, is vital to supplying so much of the American West with water, and becoming a contributor to the vast community of watershed stewards in the state fills me with appreciation and purpose.

Monica Nigon

San Juan Water Conservancy District, Education and Outreach Intern

My name is Monica and I'm so excited to be part of the Blue Elements Watershed Stewards Cohort this year! I have been passionate about nature and rivers for as long as I can remember. After moving to Colorado from Minnesota in 2015, I've pursued more time on rivers, raft guiding on the Arkansas, San Juan, and Colorado Rivers for the past eight years. I hung up my guide stick this year to pursue a Master of Environmental Management degree from Western Colorado University with a graduate certificate in Ecosystem Restoration. I will be conducting watershed restoration projects in Pagosa Springs, CO in an effort to increase community outreach and education about water conservation in the Upper San Juan River Basin, which is where I now call home. I'm so grateful to be part of the mission of giving back to our incredible headwaters region. In my spare time, I enjoy rafting, skiing, mountain biking, trail running, and playing fiddle in my Irish band.

Emma Wilkins

Mt Shavano State Fish Hatchery, Hatchery Operation Intern

My name is Emma Wilkins. I am a fourth generation Salida local. I graduated in May from Western Colorado University with my BS in Biology with an emphasis on Fisheries and Aquatic Ecology, and Chemistry. I have spent the last two summers working with Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area as a Ranger and am now working with the Mt. Shavano Fish Hatchery as an Operations Intern. I enjoy hunting, fishing, and just basking in the outdoors. My whole life has been dedicated to protecting and supporting the outdoors, and I am incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to experience it within the many opportunities I have been provided.

Sandi Heiner

Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust, Conservation Assistant

Sandi started her career with a season as a river guide based in Nathrop, CO before spending most of her adult life in Wyoming, where she met her husband. Although she has also lived in New Hampshire, Maine, Idaho, Arizona, North Dakota, and New Mexico, she's delighted to have come full circle to put down roots in southern Colorado.

Sandi has an education in Zoology and Restoration Ecology, and she spent 14 years working in natural resources before taking a second career in the IT sector. Now that her family is settled, she's excited to be able to return to conservation work, especially supporting agriculture in the SLV. Her passions are agroforestry and regenerative agriculture.

When not at work, she enjoys spending time with family, tending their small farm and orchard, and training their two dogs.

John Wagner

Center for Public Lands, Bureau of Land Management Stewardship Associate

My name is John Wagner, and I’m a student at Western Colorado University majoring in Environment and Sustainability with an emphasis in Public Land Management. I currently assist the Developed Recreation and Wilderness Program at the Bureau of Land Management’s Gunnison Field Office. As an avid backpacker, I have a deep appreciation for exploring and protecting our nation’s public lands.

Bradley Sowder

Lake Fork Valley Conservancy, Watershed Sampling & Analysis Assistant

I was born in Loveland, Colorado, and earned his B.S. in Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology from Colorado State University. I am currently pursuing a Master’s in Ecology at Western Colorado University, as well as a master's in environmental management. My research focuses on evaluating the impact of Beaver Dam Analogues on evapotranspiration as well as monitoring vegetation in sensitive wetland ecosystems using UAV-based remote sensing. Outside of research, I enjoy watching movies, rock climbing, backpacking, fly fishing and eating food!

Jenna Reis

Lake Fork Valley Conservancy, Watershed Planning & Outreach Intern

Hello! My name is Jenna, and I serve as the Blue Elements AmeriCorps Watershed Planning and Outreach Coordinator for the Lake Fork Valley Conservancy. I was a backpacking guide in the Sierra Mountains before I moved to Colorado to lead outdoor adaptive adventure programs. Three years later, I am now wrapping up my final year of graduate school in environmental management, with a certificate in ecosystem restoration. I am passionate about building strong communities and helping people connect with and understand our environment. From the tiny biological indicators living in our waters to the giant cottonwoods lining our river systems, nature is engineering our survival, and I hope to give back to what it has given us for as long as I can. I am grateful to be serving in Lake City, in the heart of the Upper Gunnison Basin, where history, diverse ecosystems, modern recreation, and long-standing communities all intersect.

Kai Spriggs

Western Slope Conservation Center, Watershed Stewardship Assistant

My name is Kai, and I am very excited to be joining the Blue Elements cohort! I fell in love with river science unintentionally when course scheduling pushed me to enroll in Hydrology. I graduated in May of 2024 with a Bachelor’s in Environmental Science from Denison University. Since graduating, I have worked as a Biological Science Technician at Theodore Roosevelt National Park and led a Seeps and Springs research project for Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. This work has strengthened my love for watershed management, and I am thrilled to learn more about watershed management in the nonprofit sector as an AmeriCorps Watershed Stewardship Assistant with the Western Slope Conservation Center. In my free time I've been enjoying listening to music, relearning piano, commonplace journaling, and hiking.