About Us

Anchorage Waterways Council is a 501(c)3 non-profit membership organization whose mission is to protect, restore, and enhance the waterways, wetlands, and associated uplands of Anchorage. Our members believe that environmentally healthy watersheds are a vital part of the high quality of life that we enjoy in Anchorage. We also believe that the beautiful creeks of Anchorage need a group specifically dedicated to advocating for their health and well being.

We work with a large and diverse group of partners including federal and state resource agencies, local government, the business community, and individual citizens to improve the watershed environment through planning, advocacy, education, and science.

Cherie Northon - Executive Director

Cherie@anchoragecreeks.org

Cherie has a master's and doctorate in geography from the University of California Berkeley, where she taught for 19 years. She is also a cartographer--working in GIS, remote sensing, and GPS-acquired data. Her areas of interest are habitat protection and improvement of the natural environment (flora and fauna), student outreach (K-12), and generating public participation in environmental issues. Much of her work in Anchorage has been on managing human-wildlife conflicts along creeks and in greenbelts (most often beaver).  She oversaw the development and construction of the AWC fish refuge on Little Campbell Creek at 68th and Meadow, began the Creeks as Classrooms program in local schools, and is now the Executive Director.

  Thom Eley - Research Associate
 Thom@anchoragecreeks.org

Thom has M.S. degrees in wildlife ecology and oceanography and a Ph.D. in resource geography from the University of California Berkeley.  During his 30+ years in Alaska, he has worked for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Part of his experience involves management lands and waters of several Interior watersheds.  Included among his duties were dealing with the impacts of arsenic, mercury, and petroleum products, particularly those involved with mining operations. 

 Matt Kays- Program Assistant
 Matt@anchoragecreeks.org

Matt moved to Alaska from north Georgia in 2006.  He is an avid nature enthusiast who takes every opportunity to enjoy outdoor recreation.  Currently seeking a degree in Environmental Science at UAA, Matt has a particularly strong interest in land use policies and watershed stewardship. 

Current Board Members