Raising Awareness About Local Waters Through Learning and Hands-on Activities
Year-round activities are free and open to the public, led by passionate staff and volunteers.
Who We Are
Stream Team is cooperatively sponsored and funded by the storm and surface water utilities of the cities of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater and Thurston County. Stream Team fills a niche in the South Sound for providing free quality environmental education programs and activities and hands-on action projects.
History
In 1990, the City of Olympia introduced an exciting new way to involve the public in how to take action to protect our local watersheds. The first action project was a stream cleanup on Indian Creek. From this initial effort, Stream Team has grown, evolving into a multi-jurisdictional adventure, involving thousands of volunteers, and evolving and creating itself to meet the needs of the community and the need for new watershed education opportunities.
Stream Team is so much more than an “inter-jurisdictional program”; it is a cadre of amazing volunteers who care passionately about the Earth and its waters, and go out of their way (rain or shine) to make a difference…a really big difference!
Meet the Stream Team Staff
Miriam Villacian
Miriam is an Education and Outreach Specialist with Thurston County. She oversees the Thurston County Pet Waste Program, assists with the Stream Team Newsletter and social media and helps with various administrative tasks. Miriam has her Masters in Sustainable Systems from Presidio Graduate School and has worked for 13 years in urban sustainability and environmental outreach with various audiences.
Cynthia Taylor
Cynthia serves as an Education and Outreach Specialist for Thurston County. She will be taking lead for Thurston County Stream Team programs such as macroinvertebrate sampling, Salmon Stewards and youth education. For the past five years, she has conducted environmental health education and outreach at Public Health & Social Service and served on the COVID-19 response. Cynthia has a Master’s in Environmental Education from Western Washington University and four years of previous work experience with the Stream Team program. She is excited to blend her passions for human health and ecological health in her new role.
Ali Brown
Ali serves as the Water Resources Specialist for the City of Lacey. Her role focuses on stormwater pollution prevention, water resource management, habitat restoration, and community engagement. Her expertise in stormwater facilities management, riparian restoration, and Pacific salmonid research support her in delivering science-backed messaging to protect salmon and Puget Sound. In her free time, Ali enjoys surfing, fishing, backpacking and hiking with her pup Elijah.
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Susan McCleary
Growing up, Susan spent her summers playing on the beaches at Colvos Passage. She began working at the City of Olympia in 2014. Susan specializes in helping residents and businesses keep pollution out of local waterways and Puget Sound by promoting natural lawn and yard care, pet waste prevention, responsible car care, and business pollution prevention.
Kelsey Crane
Kelsey is a resiliency planner focused on cutting-edge solutions, experienced with applying interdisciplinary perspective and strategic action to address local “wicked problems.” Her education focused on communications, sociology, anthropology, governance, sustainability, and culminated in a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning and certification in permaculture design. A lifelong learner and adventure seeker, she is always looking for the best food and the highest viewpoint. She is most at peace when hanging with her Labrador pup “Griffey” or wandering in wonder through faraway places.
Grant Gilmore
Grant serves as the Water Resources Specialist for the City of Tumwater. His role focuses on water quality, water resources, stormwater, long-term sustainability and restoring habitat within and around the Deschutes Watershed. Grant is a certified commercial diver, marine scientist, wetland biologist, ecologist and has a passion for all things nature. Grant will be working with Stream Team to bring educational opportunities to the City of Tumwater’s community members, and to further coordinate and enhance programing within Stream Team in partnership with regional coordinators and volunteers from all over the region. Grant has a keen passion for bringing hands-on science opportunities and behavior change campaigns to community members within our region in hopes we all work towards protecting our valuable natural resources.