A few words about us

We have considerable background in environmental science and policy, Geographic Information Systems, field monitoring, watershed planning, chemistry, permitting, and acid mine drainage treatment design. Our skills also include environmental economics and survey design and execution. We have an established track record of managing successful projects from inception to completion.


What we offer

  • Policy analyses
  • Planning and visioning
  • Field monitoring
  • Spatial analysis and mapping
  • Visualization and modeling
  • Expert testimony and litigation support
  • Scientific research
  • Project development and management

Why us

Downstream Strategies has more than 14 years of experience building capacity for sustainability through projects in our three main program areas—water, energy, and land—via our unique toolkit, which includes Geographic Information Systems and stakeholder involvement and participation.

Our team

Fritz Boettner - Principal, Geographic Information Systems Program

Mr. Boettner has over ten years of professional experience in a wide array of environmental consulting activities. He has developed and managed complex environmental projects, including organizing resources, outlining project scopes, and developing and working within project budgets. He offers clients expertise in applying computer-based GIS systems, simulations, and animation. He utilizes GIS and computer visualization to complete projects at the local, regional, and national levels in the fields of planning, water resources, and environmental science. He also has experience performing complex spatial analysis to assist with natural resource management as well as providing GIS tools and support. Resume

Evan Hansen - Principal, Water and Energy Programs

Mr. Hansen explores resource and environmental problems and solutions in three areas: water, energy, and land. He manages interdisciplinary research teams, performs quantitative and qualitative policy and scientific analyses, provides litigation support and expert testimony, develops computer tools, provides training, and performs field monitoring. Resume

Nathan Askins - Staff Environmental Analyst

Mr. Askins is experienced in environmental management, visual communications, and information technology. Askins has a background in environmental protection, environmental microbiology, and sustainable design. He is also experienced in field-based data collection and management. Resume

Meghan Betcher - Staff Environmental Scientist

Ms. Betcher offers expertise in environmental science, specifically microbiology and ecology. She is experienced in project design, field sampling, data analysis, and presentation of complex scientific findings to academics, students, and community groups. Resume

Jason Clingerman - Project Aquatic Ecologist, Water Program

Mr. Clingerman is experienced in natural resources science and management, specifically in aquatic ecology and water monitoring. He also has six years of experience utilizing GIS technologies for geographic and aquatic applications. Resume

Anne Hereford - Project Environmental Scientist

Ms. Hereford has authored watershed plans and has a strong background in environmental science. Her diverse experience includes work in GIS development, permit research, aqueous geochemical modeling, data analysis, water monitoring, and science education. Resume

Rory McIlmoil - Project Manager, Energy Program

Mr. McIlmoil has a background in environmental science and policy with a focus on the analysis and presentation of scientific and economic data relevant to environmental policy and energy development. He has three years of experience working on energy and economic policy issues relevant to Central Appalachia. Resume

Kristen Grandstaff - Office Manager

Ms. Grandstaff has four years of experience in financial accounting and reporting. Her expertise includes research grant preparation and administration.Resume

Cassie Peters - Agriculture and Food Policy Manager, Land Program

Ms. Peters focuses on issues related to sustainable agricultural methods, local food systems, and urban agriculture. She has a legal background with extensive experience analyzing sustainability plans, local food policies, organic production, and agricultural policies.Resume

Sera Janson Zegre - Project Manager, Water Program

Mrs. Zegre is a social scientist with a background in public land management, natural resource policy and law, and asset-based community planning. She offers expertise in issues related to communities and natural resources, including: community visioning and planning, education and interpretation, outdoor recreation and tourism, social science research, environmental behavior, natural resource economics, and brownfields/community redevelopment. Resume

Our affiliates

Brent Bailey, Ph.D.

Dr. Bailey directs the Appalachia Program at The Mountain Institute. He has more than 20 years' experience in forestry, natural resource management, environmental education, and local community development on three continents.TMI Staff page


Jason Bailey

Mr. Bailey is the Research and Policy Director of the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development. MACED

Ted Boettner

Mr. Boettner is the founding director of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization with the goal of supporting public policies that contribute to a shared prosperity for all West Virginians. His fields of expertise include workforce development, fiscal policy, retirement security, and taxation. West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy

Cheryl Brown, Ph.D.

Cheryl Brown, Ph.D. Dr. Brown is an Associate Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics at West Virginia University and a member of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development. Her research focuses on multiple aspects of agricultural sustainability, including: organic and direct marketing, land use and pesticide policies, local and regional food system development, and the impacts of the food system on health. Curriculum Vitae

Martin Christ, Ph.D.

Dr. Christ has extensive experience with acid mine drainage, including data collection on sources, citizen education, directing a watershed association, and management of government agency involvement. He has provided expert testimony on biogeochemistry; modeled water movement in soils, effects of water fluxes on element fluxes in forests, chemical interactions in soil water, and forest growth and development; and evaluated the chemical and biological health of streams. Resume

Alan Collins, Ph.D.

Dr. Collins is a Professor and Chair of the Program in Agricultural and Resource Economics at West Virginia University. WVU faculty webpage

Ryan Gaujot

Mr. Gaujot is President of GreenRivers, LLC, a full service aquatic restoration company providing services to businesses, communities, organizations, and agencies. GreenRivers services include natural stream design; stream and wetland construction; environmental mitigation; field monitoring; culvert and small bridge design, retrofit, and installation; environmental permits; floodplain management and mapping; stream gage installation and calibration; geologic and hydrogeologic assessments; and training. Resume

Michael Hendryx, Ph.D.

Dr. Hendryx is an Associate Professor at the West Virginia University Department of Community Medicine, Research Director at the West Virginia University Institute for Health Policy, and Faculty Research Associate at the Regional Research Institute. WVU faculty webpage

Sam Lamont, Ph.D.

Dr. Lamont is a research scientist at the National Resource Analysis Center at WVU. His research is centered around hydrologic modeling with an emphasis on GIS. Previous research includes: the calibration of the continuous watershed model Hydrologic Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF) to over 230 watersheds in West Virginia for prediction of the cumulative hydrologic impacts of proposed surface coal mines; implementation of an algorithm developed by the USGS for predicting low stream-flow statistics used in water quality permitting applications in a GIS environment; and investigation of the effects of coal bed methane produced water on the surface hydrology of Wyoming watersheds. NRAC

Sally Letsinger, Ph.D.

Dr. Letsinger is owner and principal researcher of GeodataBasics, LLC, a small geographic information systems (GIS) consulting company in Bloomington, Indiana. She also holds positions at Indiana University (IU) where she is a research hydrogeologist in the Center for Geospatial Data Analysis at the Indiana Geological Survey and an adjunct assistant professor in the IU Department of Geological Sciences. Dr. Letsinger has over 19 years of professional experience in applying an interdisciplinary background and analytical skills to a wide range of natural-resource issues. GeodataBasics company webpage

Todd Petty, Ph.D.

Dr. Petty is an Associate Professor of Aquatic Sciences in the West Virginia University Division of Forestry and Natural Resources.  He conducts research on watershed ecology and management of fisheries and aquatic resources. WVU faculty webpage

Mike Strager, Ph.D.

Dr. Strager is an Assistant Professor at West Virginia University.  Dr. Strager's work has focused on using appropriate spatial analysis techniques to aid in the management of natural resources, focused primarily on projects involving hydrological modeling and watershed management, prioritizing areas for conservation and restoration, modeling wildlife distributions, and performing landscape pattern analysis. WVU faculty webpage