Will Stauffer-Norris was born in Moscow, Idaho, grew up in Blacksburg, Virginia, and graduated from Colorado College in 2011 with an Environmental Science degree. Starting from early childhood float trips in Idaho, Will has paddled rivers in the U.S., Canada, Chile, and Argentina. He hopes to combine his passions for wild rivers, visual art, and adventure to document environmental issues surrounding the Colorado River. Online portfolio: www.willstauffernorris.com
Email: will@downthecolorado.org
David Spiegel grew up in Woodinville, Washington and graduated in 2012 with a degree in International Political Economy. David grew up in a family of river runners and experienced the rivers of the west coast from a young age. He first discovered his love for the Colorado River during a Grand Canyon expedition in 2007 and has since paddled many of the river's wilderness sections. David joined the 2012 expedition hoping to utilize his passion for photography and social media to share water related issues with the communities that depend on the river. Email: david@downthecolorado.org
Zak Podmore grew up in Glenwood Springs, Colorado and came to appreciate the waters of the Rocky Mountains during childhood raft trips through the sandstone canyons of Colorado and Utah. Driven by a life-long fascination with desert rivers, he is currently working to gain a deeper understanding of the Colorado River basin by investigating water issues facing Southwestern communities and by paddling the rivers that fuel them. He graduated from Colorado College in 2011 with a degree in Philosophy. Email: zak@downthecolorado.org
Carson McMurray grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and graduated in May 2012 with a degree in Environmental Science. His interests in environmental issues originate from his family’s obsession with fishing and have grown during his time at Colorado College. Carson specializes in work with GIS mapping and has combined this specialization with his environmental studies to help people see environmental issues through a new perspective. Using these skills he hopes to raise awareness on the environmental and social issues surrounding the Colorado River. Email: carson@downthecolorado.org
Brendan Boepple is the Program Coordinator for Colorado College's State of the Rockies Project. Originally from Wilton, Connecticut, Brendan graduated from Colorado College in May of 2011 with a Political Science major and an Environmental Issues minor. While growing up Brendan developed a love for the outdoors and the environment, and he later worked with environmental organizations like Trout Unlimited and his local conservation land trust. He was a student researcher for the 2010/2011 State of the Rockies Project and researched the Eastern Plains region of the Rocky Mountain states. In the future, Brendan hopes to further his education in natural resource policy and management, and later pursue a career in that field. His interests include skiing and fly-fishing, two activities that drew him to the Rocky Mountain region. Email: brendan@downthecolorado.org