UGRWCD STAFF
Sonja joined the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District as General Manager in December 2019.
Sonja received both her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Biology and a master’s degree in Limnology (the study of freshwater systems) from the University of Colorado. Her areas of expertise are in water quality, water resources management, funding acquisition, environmental and natural resource sciences, and policy and planning. Previously, Sonja managed her own private water consulting firm and served as the Water Resource Specialist for the Colorado River Water Conservation District (Colorado River District).
John is a graduate of Colorado Law. He has represented the District since 1991, becoming full-time General Counsel in 2006. His work has consisted, in part, of water court litigation, including basin-wide plans for augmentation, and legislative advocacy. John has served on numerous boards, commissions, and organizations involving Colorado water, including the Colorado Water Conservation Board, Upper Colorado River Commission, and Colorado Water Congress.
Beverly has been with the District since 2005. Since joining the District, she went on to receive her Master’s Degree in Environmental Management and Planning. Beverly works as the Senior Program Manager and Office Manager.
Her duties include contract management; grant, cloudseeding, and augmentation program management; watershed management planning; reporting, tracking, and researching historical hydrology within the basin; and providing GIS support.
Amanda joined the District in August 2024. She leads the cooperative, multi-agency Wet Meadow Restoration and Resilience-Building Project (Wet Meadows Program) and works closely with a diverse project team to ensure successful implementation of riparian, stream, and wet meadow restoration projects on private and public lands. She has been involved with the Wet Meadows Program since 2021, working as a wildlife habitat technician with Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
She earned her B.S. in Biology from Bloomsburg University, and her M.S. in Ecology from Western Colorado University. She is passionate about restoration ecology and reconnecting people with the land. Her best friend is her dog, a Dalmatian named Charlie.
Ari started at the District in 2023 as a crew member on the Wet Meadows Restoration project. He then moved into a larger role, using his background in ecological research and project management to assist with the technical and GIS aspects of wet meadows restoration, water monitoring, watershed management planning, and community wildfire planning.
Ari earned his BS in Environmental Science from Drexel University in 2017, and his MSc in mercury ecotoxicology & lake trophic ecology from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2020.
Jules joined the District in 2025 as a Wet Meadow Restoration Technician, then stepped into the Water Resources Fellow position later that year. She holds a B.S. In Wildlife Conservation and Ecology and a Master of Environmental Management in Integrated Public Lands Management. Her role offers technical assistance to the wet meadows crew by collecting data, working on the field crew, and assisting with grant applications. Additionally, she works to expand the District’s education and outreach program.
Her favorite outdoor hobbies are skiing and backpacking!