Meet our Agency Sponsors:

 

Missouri Department of Conservation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mail:

Missouri Dept. of Conservation

Stream Team Unit

  PO Box 180

 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180

 

Email: StreamTeam@mdc.mo.gov

Conservation Federation of Missouri

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mail:

 Conservation Federation of Missouri

 728 W Main

 Jefferson City, MO 65101

 

Missouri Department of

Natural Resources

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mail:

 Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources

 Water Protection Program

 PO Box 176

 Jefferson City, MO 65102

 

 Email: StreamTeam@dnr.mo.gov

 

 

Meet our Staff:

 

  • Rebecca O'Hearn - Volunteer Programs Manager

    Hello! My name is Rebecca O’Hearn, and I am the new Stream Team Program Supervisor for the Department of Conservation. I am originally from St. Louis County and moved to Columbia where I earned my Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife from the University of Missouri. My graduate thesis work focused on nutrients and fecal bacteria transport in Lake of the Ozarks.

     

    For the past 13 years I’ve worked as MDC’s Pollution Biologist. In that position I administered an inter-agency fish kill response program, monitored and conducted water quality research, and advised MDC on new and emerging pollution issues affecting aquatic life. Most of the fish kill cases I’ve worked over the years originated with a call from a concerned citizen, some of them Stream Team volunteers. I’m a huge believer that citizens are the core of conservation, and that doing the work of conservation can be fun for everyone! I look forward to years of fun with Missouri Stream Team!

     

    Phone: (573) 522-4115, Ext. 3155

    Email: Rebecca.O'Hearn@mdc.mo.gov

  • Jeff Cantrell - Volunteer Engagement Specialist (Southwest and Ozark Regions)

    There have been no other options for Jeff’s career and life direction than the conservation route. Jeff grew up in the Sac River watershed and his family fished and played on weekends on Christian & Taney County’s Bull Creek, Swan Creek, and the Finley. He attended MSU (SMSU) and earned his BS degree in Animal Science and Wildlife Conservation. Special studies and bio graduate students involved him in stream work and darter research. He took special interest in water conservation while working for the Springfield Greene County Health Department in Vector Control. Where he was introduced to the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks. His concern for the environment led to an educational and biological control for the area’s mosquito program.

     

    After six years he went back to MSU for his masters in biology. He studied a riparian bird, the Prothonotary Warbler’s behavioral ecology along the James River, Lake Springfield, and Wilson’s Creek. At this time, he enjoyed ecological studies of white suckers, madtoms, sculpins, and other native fishes with fellow bio graduate students including founding Stream Team 153 on Galloway Creek.

    Jeff started with the Stream Team Program in September of 2023 after 27 years in the Naturalist and Conservation Educator roles of MDC. Prior to MDC he held various part-time positions with the MO National Guard, The Nature Conservancy, Wildlife Conservation Society conducting a variety of field work on bat, bird, and botany crews.

     

    Jeff is a solid volunteer for the environment having been a MDC volunteer, and currently in leadership with non-profits such as MO Prairie Foundation, Grow Native, and MO Birding Society. He advocates for volunteers at all levels of conservation projects and planning. He highlights the importance and accomplishments of volunteers in water conservation and proud to be part of the current team!

     

     

     

    Phone: 417-629-3423, Ext. 4542

    Email: Jeff.Cantrell@mdc.mo.gov

     

     

     

  • Vacant - Volunteer Engagement Assistant (Southwest and Ozark Regional Area)

    Assisting Stream Teams in southwest and south central Missouri.

     

    Voice Mailbox: 800-781-1989

    Email: Streamteam@mdc.mo.gov

  • Brian Waldrop - Volunteer Engagement Specialist  (Saint Louis and Southeast Regions)

    Hey there! My name is Brian Waldrop, I was born and raised in Flamm City and grew up playing in the woods and streams along the Meramec River, where I still reside on family land with my lady (Ms. Wright) and two fur-sons. I was taught to respect the land by my grandparents.

     

    After the Great Flood of 1993, I joined cleanups to remove the debris and continued this volunteering before I knew about Stream Team. Once I learned about the program, I immediately saw its value. As co-chair of The Mighty 211, I learned many skills for running all clean-up types and proudly became Level 3 Water Quality certified.

     

    My passion for the water also led me to earn my Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Missouri. I've been working on a Master’s in Aquatic Entomology from the University of Guyana in South America.

     

    For the past 3738 days, I have proudly served as the Stream Team Assistant for the St. Louis area. I have learned from my fellow MDC team and the amazing network of volunteers. I will bring these lessons to my new role to strengthen the Stream Team Program and better serve all the dedicated volunteers. I know the power of volunteers and am honored to continue on with this work.

     

    Phone: (573) 522-4115, Ext. 3139

    Email: Brian.Waldrop@mdc.mo.gov

     

  • Cheri Becker - Volunteer Engagement Assistant  (Saint Louis Area)

    I am of the generation that grew up wandering, exploring, and playing outdoors and in the woods. Being in the woods and on the river is both exhilarating and peaceful and is where my heart feels at home. Throughout my young life I developed a passionate love and unending curiosity for the natural world. I find sharing that love and enthusiasm with others and helping them find their personal connection with Nature to be very rewarding.

     

    I am passionate about protecting, preserving, and restoring Nature and working toward creating a better world where everyone has access to clean water, clean air, and a safe environment. I made a career change joining the Missouri Department of Conservation team so that my work life aligns with that passion and my personal mission to be a catalyst for change.

     

    I have decades of experience directing events, engaging volunteers, coaching, and presenting educational clinics through my work with the Gateway Region YMCA and in my capacity as a coach and volunteer with numerous organizations.

     

    As a life-long volunteer, I believe empowering individuals to come together for a common cause is key to making a difference. When we work together, we create a significant impact. We should strive to be the change that we want to see. I am excited to live that philosophy through working with the Missouri Department of Conservation Missouri Stream Team program. Water is life and the mission could not be more important.

     

    When not at work, I can be found outdoors in the woods or on the river hiking, paddling, running, backpacking, cycling, and generally enjoying and photographing all aspects of Nature. I share my time outdoors with my husband, Joe, who is just as passionate as I am. We have a dog named Pip and a turtle named Fish. Joe and I each have two children, Natalie and Nick, and Danielle and Josh. We all share an incredible passion for the natural world and enjoy special family time together hiking and kayaking.

     

     

     

    Phone: 573-522-4115, Ext. 3124

    Email: Cheri.Becker@mdc.mo.gov

     

     

  • Cara Coates - Volunteer Engagement Specialist (North, Kansas City, and Central Regions)

    Cara grew up outside of St. Louis, in a little town along the Meramec River. It was there that she developed a love for the outdoors and a passion for conservation. She achieved her Bachelors of Science from Murray State University in Wildlife Biology & Conservation Education while competing all four years as a collegiate rower and coxswain.

     

    Cara started with the Stream Team Program in March of 2022 after working in the St. Louis region as a Natural Resource Assistant for over a year. In her position she delivered public programs on a variety of nature topics and outdoor skills, helped with large events, and assisted with wildlife monitoring. Before starting her career with Stream Team, she worked in the interpretive division of the National Park Service, the Forest Service, and Missouri Department of Natural Resources, where she taught a variety of audiences about streams, caves, and wildlife. While working on her Bachelors, she gained experience as an undergraduate research assistant, analyzing samples of aquatic invertebrates to maintain a long-term dataset of a stream’s water quality. In her current position, her primary responsibilities are assisting Stream Teams in the North, Kansas City, and Central Regions, and serving as the Missouri Stream Team's Communications Lead.

     

    Cara is also a water enthusiast in her free time; besides rowing, she likes to fish and wakeboard. She also has a dog, Fjord, who is her best friend and comes on all her adventures with her.

     

     

     

    Phone: (573) 522-4115, Ext. 3892

    Email: Cara.Coates@mdc.mo.gov

  • Jacobo Barriga - Volunteer Engagement Assistant (Kansas City Area)

    Hi, my name is Jacobo Barriga and I was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. I always had an inclination for venturing through the parks of the city which led me to attain a bachelor’s in Wildlife Conservation and Management at Missouri Western State University in Saint Joseph, Missouri.

     

    While in school, I took part in my local stream team to monitor a creek on campus and worked a summer with MDC taking population surveys of hellbenders. I also tried to spend as much time as I could volunteering to do field work with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Most of these opportunities were presented to me through my involvement with the student chapter of The Wildlife Society at my university. Volunteering to me was a good way to not only gain experience, but also that outdoor fix I craved that school and other jobs couldn’t give me. I am excited to take part in a program that engages with volunteers to ensure a better understanding of aquatic ecosystems and their importance in the world.

     

    This position assists Stream Teams in and around the Kansas City metro area.

     

    Voice Mailbox: 573-522-4115, Ext. 3874

    Email: Jacobo.Barriga@mdc.mo.gov

  • April Sevy - Volunteer Education and Citizen Science Coordinator

    As the youngest in a large family of avid outdoorsman, April was destined to have a love for nature and a knack for fishing. With a great affinity for water, she grew up exploring streams and lakes in her hometown of St. Charles to larger waterways across the state, looking for wildlife, rocks, and other treasures.

     

    April pursued a B.S. in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Biology at Southeast Missouri State University. It was a course in limnology, with multiple field studies in streams and wetlands, and monthly water quality sampling of tributaries in Cape Girardeau that solidified her interest in improving and protecting this amazing resource.

     

    As the Volunteer Water Quality Coordinator, April joined the Department of Conservation in 2013. Her primary responsibilities include teaching water quality monitoring workshops and assisting new monitors with site selection, as well as assisting Stream Teams on projects such as litter pickups.

     

    Now relocated to Jefferson City with her husband Caleb, son Levi and daughter Parker, they are excited to find new hiking trails and streams to canoe and fish!

     

    Phone: (573) 522-4115, Ext. 3593

    Email: April.Sevy@mdc.mo.gov

  • Malcolm DeBroeck - Volunteer Education and Citizen Science Assistant

    Hello everyone! My name is Malcolm DeBroeck, and I am the Volunteer Education and Citizen Science Assistant. I was born and raised in Jefferson City, but now reside in Columbia. Just this May I graduated from Southeast Missouri State University, receiving my Bachelor of Science in Wildlife and Conservation Biology. My undergraduate field experience related to taking population data on tiger salamanders, where we would catch, weigh, measure, and PIT tag them.

    I have always had an affinity towards water and many of the activities associated with it. I love to fish, catch other water critters, paddleboard, and kayak. My favorite activity when I was younger was to go to Washington Park and catch things in the stream that ran through it, which was one of the many things that fostered my love for conservation. It is a dream come true to be working with a team that takes what sparked my passions to the next level, and I look forward to the future with all of my coworkers and wonderful volunteers!

     

     

    Phone: 573-522-4115, Ext. 3598

    Email: malcolm.debroeck@mdc.mo.gov

  • Kelly Reinkemeyer - Administrative Assistant

    Assisting Stream Teams Program Staff Statewide

     

    Voice Mailbox: 800-781-1989

    Email: Streamteam@mdc.mo.gov

  • Robert Voss - Monitoring and Assessment Unit Chief

    Robert Supervises the Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Coordintors at the Department of Natural Resources

     

    Voice Mailbox: 573-522-4505

    Email: Robert.Voss@dnr.mo.gov

  • Laura Richardson - Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Coordinator

    Laura grew up in the River City of St. Louis, Missouri where she developed an interest in nature, environmental issues, and water protection. She attended the University of New Mexico where she earned a B.S. in Biology and English while competing on the Division I tennis team.

     

    She started her career at the Department of Natural Resources in 2016 where she worked with the Financial Assistance Center, helping communities throughout Missouri receive grants and low interest loans to finance their wastewater infrastructure and improve water quality.  As a Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Coordinator, she will be managing volunteer data submissions and correspondences, conducting VWQM workshops, and providing aid for volunteer monitoring activities.

     

    Laura currently lives in Columbia, Missouri where she loves to hike and explore local areas like Rockbridge State Park and Three Creeks Conservation area.  She also enjoys reading with her cat, cheering for tennis, and pretending to know the answers at trivia.

     

    Phone: (573) 526-7838

    Email: Laura.Richardson@dnr.mo.gov

     

  • Tabitha Gatts - Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Coordinator

    Hi! My name is Tabitha, I grew up in Moberly, Missouri, where my 3 siblings and I would spend many weekends at state parks camping, boating, fishing, and 4-wheeling. I came from a home-schooling family that taught me the beauty of self-guided learning and creating my own at-home science experiments.

     

    Continuing on the path of learning and the outdoors, I graduated from the University of Missouri with my degree in Environmental Science and then worked for the MU Limnology Lab as a field and lab technician. I spent many hours on lakes and streams sampling for physical and chemical parameters and macroinvertebrates, and in the lab analyzing for nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations. This experience taught me the great value of the water resources we as humanity get to steward and protect, and I am thrilled to be working with volunteers to educate and equip them for this purpose. I will assist the program by helping process and review VWQM data and develop and teach workshops.

     

    Phone: (573) 526-1156

    Email: Tabitha.Gatts@dnr.mo.gov

  • Randy Sarver - Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Coordinator/QAQC Officer

    In 2012 Randy returned to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources after teaching English for three years at Inner Mongolia University in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China. Before moving to China he worked for more than 18 years as a biologist for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and was the supervisor of a group of aquatic biologists who are responsible for assessing the health of river and stream aquatic communities throughout the state of Missouri.

     

    “When I was growing up I loved the outdoors. As I became old enough to explore on my own it was guaranteed that I would come home muddy and wet with some kind of critter. I left from my hometown in Iowa to go to college in Missouri. Its was no surprise that I chose biology as a major. Eventually I found the Ozarks and fell in love with the forests and clear streams, decided to make my home in Missouri and have never regretted the decision. Randy and his wife now live in Jefferson City, Missouri. Besides canoeing, kayaking and swimming, he also enjoys traveling, gardening, a good book and motorcycle touring.

     

    Randy holds a Master of Science degree from Missouri State University. His master thesis was a Survey of Ephemeroptera from North Fork River, Missouri. He also holds bachelor degrees in Biology and Education from Truman University.

     

    Phone: (573) 522-8286

    Email: Randy.Sarver@dnr.mo.gov

     

 

Copyright ©2023 Stream Team Program. All Rights Reserved.

Contact Us

 

Missouri Stream Team

PO Box 180

Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180

 

Phone: (573)751-4115

Toll Free Voicemail: 1-800-781-1989

Fax: (573)526-2767

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