Natural Channel Design, Inc - Employees

Stephanie Yard, P.E. ( stephanie@naturalchanneldesign.com )  Stephanie is a licensed civil engineer in Arizona, Alaska, New Mexico, and Utah and is the owner of Natural Channel Design, Inc. She has more than 20 years of professional experience in natural resource planning and conservation engineering. Stephanie has worked for a site development civil consulting firm, served as an Area Engineer with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and currently owns and manages Natural Channel Design where she provides leadership to the firm in project planning, design and implementation. She has extensive experience in hydrology, hydraulics, drainage, erosion control, irrigation, streambank stabilization, and riparian and wetland restoration and enhancement in the arid southwest and has applied that expertise to design and permitting of projects for federal and state agencies, tribal entities, municipalities, and private landowners. She provides training in conservation planning and has conducted a variety of training workshops on the natural channel approach to stream assessment and restoration. Stephanie is a native of Flagstaff Arizona and spends a portion of each year working in Southeast Alaska.

George Allen Haden ( allen@naturalchanneldesign.com )  Allen is an aquatic ecologist and project associate for Natural Channel Design.  He has been involved in research and management of human impacts on river ecosystems in the southwest for over 15 years.  His major interest is the interaction of habitat changes and nonnative species on native aquatic insects and fish.  He has a broad understanding of the field of aquatic ecology and its applications to management of ecosystems which house threatened and endangered species.  He has expertise in sampling and statistical techniques for monitoring biological and physical aspects of riparian/aquatic habitats, as well as an understanding of life history requirements and threats to southwestern native species.  He has direct experience with restoration of physical and biotic components of southwestern streams stemming from long-term involvement in the restoration of Fossil Creek, Arizona. He received a B.S. in Forestry and Wildlife from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, VA, a M.S. in Biology from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.

George Cathey, P.E. ( george@naturalchanneldesign.com )  George is a civil engineer licensed in California.  Prior to working at NCD, George was employed for 4 years at Ducks Unlimited, Inc., where he managed wetland and wildland restoration and improvement projects in northern California.  He has worked closely with a variety of private, state, and federal partners in the development and delivery of conservation projects, guiding them from conception to completion.  He has significant experience surveying, designing, bidding, and managing construction activities on large-scale habitat restoration projects.  He has a passion for the outdoors and a deep appreciation for the habitat and wildlife that make up wetland and riparian ecosystems.  He received a B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM. 

Mark Wirtanen ( mark@naturalchanneldesign.com )  Mark is a riparian biologist and engineering technician for Natural Channel Design. Prior to working at NCD, Mark was employed for 8 years at the U.S. Forest Service as a Biologist. Since then, Mark has served as a field biologist and manager for riparian and geomorphic studies of the rivers of the arid southwest. He has a degree in wildlife biology and broad knowledge of field methods as well as digital terrain software and CAD systems. He has completed workshops in natural channel inventory, classification, and assessment from David Rosgen at Wildland Hydrology. He has conducted training workshops utilizing the geomorphic approach and makes his home in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Matthew Roberts, E.I.T. (matt@naturalchanneldesign.com )  Matt is an environmental engineer-in-training with a broad understanding of natural systems and conservation and is working toward licensure at Natural Channel Design. His diverse education and research interests in environmental protection, water resources, and stream restoration led him to additional electives in geology, chemistry, and river mechanics. As a native of Flagstaff who enjoys backpacking and canyoneering, his explorations taught him respect for the fragility of waterways and the increasing burden on water resources in the Southwest.  He received a B.S.E. in Environmental Engineering from Northern Arizona University in his hometown of Flagstaff.

Russ Lyman (russ@naturalchanneldesign.com )  Russ has been a draftsman and engineering technician with Natural Channel Design since the spring of 2007. He received a B.S. in Visual Communications from Western Washington University, where he also completed a range of drafting, physics and geology courses. He spent 14 years as a guide on rivers in Alaska, and various other locations throughout the world, where he gained a broad understanding of, and appreciation for, the dynamics of hydrology and riparian systems. He enjoys the varied challenges of designing and implementing the company's restoration projects, and splits his time between Haines, Alaska and Flagstaff, Arizona.

Cynthia Allen ( cynthia@naturalchanneldesign.com)   Cynthia works as a part-time Administrative Assistant for Natural Channel Design. She has provided managerial and support services for small businesses since 1981. Her professional projects include: co-founding and managing a windsurfing-related business on Maui for 10 years, co-founding and running a non-profit hospice in Alaska for 9 years, and maintaining a part-time business as a massage therapist since 1994. Cynthia works for NCD in both the Flagstaff and the Alaska offices and enjoys the easy access to the outdoors that is available in both of these places.