One Truckee River Board of Directors

Danielle Henderson, Vice President

Danielle Henderson studied conservation biology and surface water hydrology in college, with her field research taking her to a variety of dynamic rivers throughout Nevada and New Mexico. As an environmental scientist, she helped manage a water quality improvement grant program for the State of Nevada. She’s also worked in environmental consulting, project management, ecosystem restoration, stakeholder facilitation, environmental monitoring, regulatory permitting, planning and design.

Currently, Danielle is the Natural Resource Manager for the Truckee River Flood Management Authority, where she’s helping build infrastructure and manage the floodplain to reduce flood damages, safeguard public health, and create a more resilient community. She’s passionate about preserving open space, restoring the ecosystem, and enhancing recreational opportunities along the Truckee River. Danielle enjoys hiking, kayaking, film photography, traveling and spending time outdoors with her family and rescue dog. She’s been a part of One Truckee River since Day 1 and is honored to serve on the Board.

Alicia Reban, Secretary

Alicia Reban has served as Nevada Land Trust’s Executive Director since helping a group of committed volunteers create the organization in 1998. In 2013, she helped found the One Truckee River initiative. Alicia is passionate about protecting precious land and water and enjoys finding common ground among stakeholders to advance shared goals. She is equally at home casting a fly into the Truckee River as she is working with landowners and other partners to advance complex conservation projects. Alicia and her husband have two college-age children and live in the Reno area, heading outdoors any chance they get.

Brian Beffort, Board Member at Large

Born at Washoe Medical Center, Brian is a 4th-generation Nevadan. He has spent the majority of his career based here in the Truckee Meadows, focusing on supporting our shared values of clean air and water, renewable energy, and healthy public lands to protect Nevada’s healthy and resilient communities. Brian has a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Reed College, a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and a master’s degree in Sustainability & Environmental Management from Harvard University. His experience includes outdoor journalism (Adventure West and Sunset magazines and the Reno Gazette-Journal) and more than 20 years with environmental nonprofits (Friends of Nevada Wilderness, the Great Basin Institute, Nevada Land Trust, Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful and Sierra Club) before joining Washoe County as Sustainability Manager in 2023.

Heather McEvoy, Board Member at Large 

Heather McEvoy is a lifelong environmentalist who enjoys spending time outdoors doing all sorts of activities especially skiing and hiking. She has a BA (SUNY Plattsburgh) and MS (SUNY-ESF) in Environmental Science and has been working as a science educator for 14 years since moving to this area in 2007. Heather is excited to join the board of OTR and be a part of helping to protect the Truckee River. She lives in Sparks with her husband Dan and 3 children.

Kim Schweickert, Board Member at Large

Kim Schweickert began her career in public service in 2001 at the Washoe County District Attorney’s office as a Program Coordinator, managing CARES/SART (Child Abuse Response and Evaluations/Sexual Assault Response Team). 

In 2007, Kim moved over to Washoe County Human Services Agency (WCHSA) as a Supervisor, overseeing the Medical Unit, diligent search, the newly created Domestic Violence Victim Advocate position, and the Human Services Support Specialists and Transportation team. In 2009 when the Community Assistance Center (Record Street Shelter) opened, she began supervising the family shelter case managers as well. Schweickert has served as President of the Child Abuse Prevention Task Force, President of the Northern Nevada RAVE Family Foundation, and Co-Chair of the Washoe County Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team.

In 2019, Kim was promoted to Coordinator and created OUR Place, an emergency shelter for women and families experiencing homelessness. Kim ran the shelter’s 24/7 operations and case management, serving over 350 guests each day and creating a person-first model for ending homelessness. In 2024, she took on the role of Coordinator over Special Projects at the Human Services Agency.

Lynn Zonge, Past Chair, Board Member at Large

When Lynn moved to Reno in 1989 the rumor was that it was illegal to boat on the Truckee River through downtown. A lot has changed since then due to the hard work of many community members. Lynn draws from years of professional river guiding experience on the Grand Canyon as well as rivers in Mexico and Guatemala. Compulsively drawn to water, she has spent a lifetime enjoying, protecting, and sharing rivers in the western US. She particularly enjoys introducing the Truckee and Carson rivers to friends, locals and decision makers to raise awareness of the river's fun and beauty as well as the challenges for these local rivers. Using her education in geology and hydrology, she has worked to help communities to understand, recreate in, restore and or protect their waterways, watersheds and the water quality of their drinking water sources. When Lynn is not on a river, she can be found biking, hiking, skiing or singing and playing guitar with one of the local Americana or bluegrass bands. 

Iris Jehle-Peppard, Executive Director

Iris came on board with One Truckee River in 2018. From 2020 to 2024, she raised close to $3M to further the implementation of the One Truckee River Management Plan focused on protecting and enhancing the Truckee River in Nevada. 

Iris was born and raised in Tahoe City. She attended California State University in Monterey Bay, where she studied environmental justice and service learning. Soon after graduating, Iris founded Everyone’s Harvest, a nonprofit that manages certified farmers’ markets and community food programs. With USDA funding, she launched three community food projects in marginalized neighborhoods in Monterey County. 

Iris enjoys spending quality time with her two young boys and exploring the beauty of the Sierra Nevadas. She keeps close to her heart and mind that water is life and enjoys her work to honor and protect the river.