Our Staff and Board of Directors

Executive Director

leif@irwp.org

Leif Kindberg is the Executive Director of the Illinois River Watershed Partnership (IRWP) where he works with a great team to implement voluntary conservation work in partnership with landowners, businesses, municipalities, and others to promote and improve water quality of the Illinois River, economic development, and quality of life in the watershed. Prior to joining IRWP, Leif worked with Tetra Tech Inc, a leading provider of water consulting and engineering services. Most recently he lived in Tanzania and co-led an integrated water resources management program in two of the country’s largest river basins to improve health, water resources management, natural resources conservation, and better use of hydrological data. Leif has a BA in Political Science from California State University Long Beach and MBA from the George Washington University. He grew up on a small farm in the Buffalo River watershed.

Associate Director

morgan@irwp.org

Morgan Keeling is the Associate Director at the Illinois River Watershed Partnership (IRWP) and always knew she wanted to work for a nonprofit/NGO. She spent her childhood in the River Valley and graduated with her BA in Journalism from Arkansas Tech University, later receiving her MBA from the Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas. Since joining the IRWP in 2020, she has managed grants from the Arkansas Dept. of Agriculture, Natural Resources Division, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Walton Family Foundation, and others-- all to address water quality challenges from stormwater and wastewater in the Illinois River Watershed. In 2021 she organized the Northwest Arkansas Low Impact Development Conference and in 2023 served her first year as a volunteer instructor through the University of Arkansas Professional and Workforce Development series "RazorLearn" where she developed the course "Sustainable Stormwater in Our Growing Region." Morgan is the Chair of the Multibasin Regional Water Council, a Certified Arkansas Master Naturalist, and on the board for Terra Studios.

Restoration Specialist

jake@irwp.org

Jake Owens is the Restoration Specialist for the Illinois River Watershed Partnership. Jake grew up in Heber Springs, Arkansas where he spent most of his time outdoors connecting with nature and wildlife whenever he was out of school. Two weeks after graduating high school, Jake served in the US Army where he was stationed in Wurzburg, Germany and eventually deployed to Kosovo in Southeast Europe. He eventually received his B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Management from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Since then, he has studied bats and white nose syndrome in the Monongahela National Forest of the Appalachian Mountains, worked as a Wildlife Biologist in West Virginia, and a Soil Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service for 8 years. Today, he continues to have a strong passion for conservation, native restoration, and biomimicry, utilizing these three passions in every aspect of his work. Joining the IRWP team in 2022, Jake manages the Riparian Restoration Program, a grant funded program in cooperation with the Walton Family Foundation and Arkansas Dept. of Agriculture-Natural Resources Division to help restore and protect stream systems and water resources in the Illinois River Watershed. Jake also helps manage the NRCS Landowner Services Program.

Administrative Specialist

kjerstin@irwp.org

Kjerstin Hoyt is the Administrative Specialist at the Illinois River Watershed Partnership, where she enjoys managing the daily operations and keeping things afloat. She has lived in Bentonville for 22 years, twenty of those years has been on Little Osage Creek, a tributary to the Illinois River, which is the reason she became interested in IRWP.

Her years of experience stem from leadership roles in the youth and women’s programs at her church and from raising five daughters alongside her husband. She brings to IRWP skills in inter-personal relations, operations management, organization, and conflict resolution! She loves the outdoors and being a grandma. Recently she started back to college, earning a Basic Accounting certificate through Ensign College, and is currently pursuing her B.S. in Business Management through Brigham Young University Idaho. She is excited to be part of an impactful organization that works hard to improve the integrity of the Illinois River Watershed and preserve it for generations to enjoy!

Youth Education Specialist

suzanne@irwp.org

Suzanne received her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry with a minor in Physics and Education from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 2015. Suzanne is a licensed 7-12 educator with the state of Arkansas and has previously taught at Pea Ridge and Farmington High School. She has taught chemistry, pre-AP chemistry, astronomy, honors anatomy & physiology, biology, physical science, and AP environmental science.

After teaching high school science for 7 years, it was her AP Environmental Science class that brought her to working in conservation. Working with local conservation groups like IRWP, AEEA, NWA Land Trust to make the AP Environmental Science class come alive was inspiration to be part of the conservation work herself.

She loves paddle boarding, hiking, swimming, figure skating, and doing anything with her dog Bee. She is currently going through the Naturalist in Training program with NWA Master Naturalists.

Program Manager, Green Infrastructure

annie@irwp.org

Annie Sales serves as the Green Infrastructure Program Manager at the Illinois River Watershed Partnership (IRWP), leveraging her Bachelor of Science degree in Geography with a specialization in Conservation of Natural Resources from Missouri State University. With a background as a teaching assistant in physical geography and atmospheric science, alongside coursework towards a Masters in Environmental Planning, Annie's expertise extends to environmental education and sustainable practices. Her extensive travels throughout the Americas, studying indigenous communities' relationships with their environments, further inform her approach. Annie's commitment to environmental stewardship is exemplified through her work as an educator, teaching inner-city students in New Orleans and leading workshops on native plant utilization. Bolstered by her passion for gardening, Annie has transitioned into a career focused on native landscape design and management, where she prioritizes sustainable solutions to foster resilient communities.

Stewardship Apprentice

sarah@irwp.org

Sarah graduated from the University of Arkansas with a B.S. in Animal Science in Spring of 2022; after completion she decided to make Northwest Arkansas her home and pursue a career in conservation. Along with working for IRWP, she also helps manage a local farm within the watershed that raises grass-fed, grass-finished cattle and sheep. She is also a member of the Grassroots Grazing Group (GGG) and attends pasture walks around Northwest Arkansas whenever she can. She grew up in St. Louis, Missouri.