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Staff & Board
Staff and Board Members
STAFF
Terry J. Harris, Executive Director
Terry J. Harris earned a B.S. in Engineering Physics from the University of Colorado and a J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law, and is presently admitted to the Washington and Maryland bar associations. Previously, he was an attorney practicing in Baltimore, Maryland. He served as political committee chair and interim Executive Director of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, served as treasurer of the Herring Run Watershed Association, founded the Baltimore-based non-profit Cleanup Coalition, and has a broad base of experience in land use, brownfield redevelopment, and pollution issues.
Mike Mihelich, Forest Watch Coordinator
Mike was born and raised in Coeur d'Alene. He has been a member of KEA for approximately 20 years and has been involved in monitoring and commenting on forest issues since 1990. Mike is currently a board member for the Coeur d'Alene Audubon Society (formerly the president). His hobbies include viewing areas on the Coeur d'Alene National Forest and the St. Joe National Forest.
Cathleen O'Connor, Outreach / Development
Cathleen graduated as a Woodruff Scholar from Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, Georgia with a degree in Psychology and Religious Studies. After several years of work experience as a corporate and real estate paralegal, she relocated to Coeur d'Alene in 2007 prompted by a love affair with the natural resources in the area--on a kayak in Cougar Bay, and on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes in Harrison. She has been active and engaged in community organizing and event planning, house parties, and rallies--bringing like-minded people together on common causes.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Janet Torline, President
Janet and her husband, Greg, moved to the Coeur d'Alene area in 1973 in search of land on which to build a homestead. They found property on the east side of Coeur d'Alene Lake, pitched a tent, planted a big organic garden and began the realization of fulfilling their dream. After building a home, raising two sons, a herd of dairy goats, numerous chickens, bees, turkeys, rabbits and pigs, Janet found herself with an empty nest and a desire to get involved in local environmental issues. Janet has served on the Board for six years and says, "Being involved in KEA has taught me so much about environmental issues in our area. My love of the natural world drives me to do what I can to help promote conservation of the precious resources of our region-- our forests, our watersheds, our fisheries, the wildlife and working landscapes. All of these components are the foundation for the quality of life we enjoy as a community. KEA is dedicated to working with the community to protect these resources and it has been exciting to experience the expansion of the organization's influence as more and more citizens come together to achieve our common goals."
Wes Hanson, Vice President
During the past year, Wes has attended many of the County's comprehensive plan meetings, helped KEA revamp its organizational standards and guidelines, and promoted the establishment of local conservation easements.
Over the past five years, he worked with various community members to bring a successful conclusion to the proposed dredging of the Blackwell Island marina basin. Its highly toxic sediments will be transported off site to a safe repository.
He worked with many other people over twelve years to preserve Cougar Bay in its natural state. This was accomplished through a series of land acquisitions involving The Nature Conservancy, Bureau of Land Management, Kootenai County and two conservation easements held by Inland Northwest Land Trust.
Wes lives on a family farm protected by a conservation easement south of Coeur d'Alene. He writes, paints watercolors, and teaches adult classes on both these subjects. He taught high school English for thirty years and served as Idaho's National Endowment for the Humanities Teacher-Scholar in 1990, studying the civil rights movement.
Carol Muzik, Secretary
As a young girl Carol spent time with her family on Chatcolet and Coeur d’ Alene Lakes and 22 years ago she moved to the area permanently. As a Registered Nurse she worked for Sacred Heart Medical Center specializing in Nephrology and managed North Idaho Dialysis, on the Kootenai Medical Center campus, for many years. She also has a B.A. from Whitworth in Organizational Management.
Her love of helping stray animals came to a high point when she rescued an orphaned day-old Canada gosling from a sure death. They were unable to find help though, so she and her husband kept the little orphan safe until it was able to successfully return to the wild as an adult. Now she contributes to rescue and rehabilitation efforts throughout the state. Through their amazing true story she calls Raising Lucy, Carol is committed to educating children and adults on the interconnectedness of all things.
Jason Wing, Treasurer
Jason moved to Coeur d'Alene with his family in 1984. He is an avid whitewater kayaker, cyclist, snowboarder, and general outdoor enthusiast. In the past, Jason has been a licensed Idaho whitewater rafting and winter backcountry ski guide, and has owned and operated an outdoor equipment retail business, Otter River and Mountain Sport, in downtown Coeur d'Alene. Recently, Jason obtained his law degree from the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. Now 37 years old, Jason and his wife Marci reside in downtown Coeur d'Alene where he practices law in the Coeur d'Alene office of the firm Witherspoon, Kelley, Davenport & Toole. Jason is excited to have returned to Coeur d'Alene, to dedicate myself to and invest in our community, and to have the great opportunity to sit on the KEA Board of Directors and advocate for our community.
Merlyn Nelson
gozzie07@gmail.com
Merlyn and his wife, Jean, moved to North Idaho in 1974 and purchased a 70 acre stump ranch on the eastside of Coeur d’Alene Lake. Both were enamored with the outdoor activities and the abundance of animal life here in Idaho. They discovered KEA in 1985 and became members to help protect, preserve and restore animal habitat and corridors which will inevitably lead to healthy and robust wild animal populations – wolves and grizzlies included. Merlyn has served on the KEA board since 1988 and is currently assisting Wes Hanson, on community planning issues for Kootenai County. Favorite hobby: flyfishing!
Ed Buchler
Ed and his wife moved to north Idaho in 1993. He holds a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Montana and has held faculty positions at the Rockefeller University in New York and the University of Maryland. His primary area of research was echolocation systems in mammals. He later transitioned into stealth submarine research and development and is currently semi-retired.
He has been active in bat conservation efforts in the area for many years, assisting federal and state agencies and private conservation groups such as The Nature Conservancy. Efforts have included surveying abandoned mines to determine if they should be gated to eliminate disturbance, moving colonies from dwellings to nearby alternate roost sites, erecting bat houses at suitable locations and educating people about bats.
Ed is also currently President of the Coeur d’Alene chapter of the National Audubon Society and works actively with birds of prey as a federally licensed raptor rehabilitator. He and his wife are members of several conservation-based organizations.
Karen Hayes
Karen has a strong background in the biological sciences, and a penchant for protecting natural resources through science and education. A former researcher and equine veterinarian, Karen now makes her living as a medical writer — translating dry research reports into writings that someone without a medical background can understand, enjoy, and assimilate. She and her husband Dan spend precious down time hiking, camping, kayaking, cross-country skiing, and finding ways to raise public awareness about “what we have here in Kootenai County.” Karen’s current passion is watershed restoration and xeric landscaping, and she just finished creating “The Hayden Lake Project” — a film documentary designed to educate people about the many ways our lakes, streams, and coldwater fisheries are in trouble. Her secret weapon is the brilliant scientists who live in the area and have so much to offer, but are often drowned out by louder voices. “They raise the bar for all of us. My goal is for Kootenai County to become known as a place where everybody is environmentally ahead of the curve.”