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Our Team

Grace Stranch, Esq.

CEO

Grace joined Harpeth Conservancy as COO in September 2021. As of April 2023, Grace is Harpeth Conservancy’s CEO.

Prior to joining the team, Grace practiced law full time at Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings, PLLC, now Stranch, Jennings & Garvey, PLLC. She has engaged in environmental work across the world and has over 15 years of experience organizing around environmental issues in Tennessee. As a native Nashvillian, she grew up playing on the Harpeth River and continues to love spending time in nature. Grace received her B.A. in international studies from Rhodes College and her J.D. from University of Tennessee College of Law. Based on her significant community involvement, Grace was honored with the 2020 Athena Young Professional Award and Metro Council Resolution RS220-457 and she was named to the Nashville Bar Foundation’s 2024 class of fellows. 

Dorie Bolze

Dorie Bolze

President & Founder​

Dorie served for over 20 years as the first Executive Director of Harpeth Conservancy. As of April 2023, Dorie is Harpeth Conservancy’s President and will be focusing her efforts on capacity building and The Dorie Bolze Legacy Fund.

Dorie has over 35 years of work experience in the field of water quality science and policy, conservation policy and biology related to wildlife conservation, energy efficiency, marine fisheries, protected area management, and international wildlife trade. Dorie earned her Masters of Environmental Management degree from the Yale School of Forestry and her B.S. in zoology from Duke University where she was an A.B. Duke Scholar and a Deborah Steer Scholar at the Duke Marine Laboratory. In April 2023, Dorie was recognized as Nashville Business Journal’s Women of Influence for the Nonprofit Leader category, which honors women who “display high energy and skill in a leadership role at a nonprofit institute or organization.” 

Ryan Jackwood Staff Photo Resized

Ryan Jackwood, Ph.D.​

Director of Watershed Science​

Ryan joined Harpeth Conservancy in March 2019. He provides strategic direction for our science-based programs and implements restoration priorities based on water quality assessment. Ryan is originally from Ohio where he earned a B.S. degree from Ohio State University and an M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Toledo researching issues with water quality and harmful algal blooms on Lake Erie. Ryan was awarded the Tennessee Wildlife Federation’s 2024 Water Conservationist of the Year.

Marie Campbell

Director of Community Engagement ​

Marie joined Harpeth Conservancy in August 2022. She brings over 15 years of experience in the non-profit world, educating and mobilizing communities to be advocates for the environment. She has a Master’s of Divinity from Vanderbilt University, where she focused on culture, ecology, and social movements, and has completed coursework toward a Master’s of Conservation Biology from Miami University, focusing on grassroots conservation.

Marie moved to Music City from the Appalachian foothills of North Georgia over twenty years ago to study sociology at Belmont University, bridging her interests in art and culture with advocacy and community action. She has a Master’s of Divinity from Vanderbilt University and has completed coursework toward a Master’s of Conservation Biology from Miami University, focusing on grassroots conservation, completing field work with indigenous communities in Belize and the Northern Amazon in Guyana.

Elise Karpinski, Esq.

Director of Tennessee Water Policy

Elise Karpinski is the Director of Tennessee Water Policy at Harpeth Conservancy, where she leads the organization’s policy strategy and advocacy work to protect Tennessee’s rivers, wetlands, and water infrastructure. She works with state and local officials and policymakers to advance conservation initiatives and strengthen protections for the state’s most vital water resources.
Elise brings more than a decade of experience in land use law and compliance and has served on the boards of several Nashville nonprofit organizations. She holds B.A. degrees in Political Science and English from Appalachian State University and a J.D. from Elon University.
A seventh-generation Appalachian raised in Asheville, North Carolina, Elise comes from a family of educators and farmers. That heritage continues to shape her work protecting the waters that sustain communities throughout the region, a commitment that runs deep.

Tina Shaw-Cox

Director of Development

Tina joined Harpeth Conservancy in December 2025 as Director of Development. She has more than 15 years of experience advancing nonprofit fundraising and events at organizations such as Habitat for Humanity International; she also brings a complementary background in interior and visual design. Tina earned her B.A. in Art History from the University of South Alabama.
A lifelong lover of rivers, Tina grew up along the Elk River and later spent more than seven years in Bozeman, Montana, where the connection between snowpack, clean water, recreation, and wildlife habitat became an essential part of her daily life. She is inspired by how healthy waterways sustain both people and ecosystems, and she loves spending time outdoors with her dog, Ruthie.

Jess Martin

Communications Manager​

Jess Martin joined Harpeth Conservancy in October 2023 and leads the organization’s communications efforts. She brings nearly 20 years of experience in strategic communications, public engagement, and science communication. Originally from West Virginia, she spent nearly two decades living and working across the Middle East and North Africa, where she developed a deep appreciation for the power of clear communication in complex environments and for the essential role clean water plays in everyday life.

Jess initially studied Psychology and Biology at Concord University, giving her a strong scientific foundation. She later earned her MSc in Integrated Marketing Communications from West Virginia University. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, photography, and spending time with her cat, Newt.

Katie Maxwell

Operations Manager

Katie joined Harpeth Conservancy in August 2024. She brings experience in organizational change management and nonprofit administration. With a Master’s in Organization Leadership from Seattle University, Katie is excited to bring her passion for teams and systems to Harpeth Conservancy. Although she’s from the Carolinas, Katie moved to Nashville in 2020 by way of the Puget Sound Region in Washington state. She enjoys spending free time in local parks with her family and exploring Greater Nashville’s food scene. 

Josh Knickerbocker

Program Manager​

Josh joined Harpeth Conservancy as Program Manager in 2025. He brings experience in crafting accessible and compelling stories for natural resource conservation in Tennessee. Whether through a program or volunteer event, Josh enjoys sharing his passion for TN rivers and watersheds through his unique experience in environmental education and interpretation.  He is a Certified Interpretive Guide and a River Kayak Guide Instructor. 

Josh earned his Master of Business Administration degree from Belmont University in Nashville, TN. He is proud to call Tennessee home and has lived and worked across the state from the swamps of Reelfoot Lake to the gorges of the Appalachian Plateau.  

Kelsey O'Hara

Developments and Events Manager

Kelsey O’Hara brings more than ten years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, event strategy, and community engagement to her role as Development and Events Manager at Harpeth Conservancy. Throughout her career, she has led high-impact fundraising events, cultivated donor and sponsor relationships, and partnered closely with volunteers, boards, and staff to advance mission-driven work. Kelsey is passionate about connecting people to meaningful causes and is excited to support Harpeth Conservancy’s efforts to protect and restore clean water and healthy ecosystems across the Harpeth River watershed. 

Eve Steigerwalt, Ph.D.

Lab Coordinator

Eve has lived Nashville for over 20 years and enjoys the outdoors, particularly kayaking and bicycling.  Her interests lie in improving the environment of Middle Tennessee’s rivers and she is using her training (Ph.D. Chemistry, Vanderbilt University) to work with Dr. Jackwood on refining the water quality models used by Harpeth Conservancy’s TN Water Watch program.  

Taylor-Marie Foster

Pro Bono Legal

Taylor is an LL.M. student at Vanderbilt Law School, participating in the Energy, Environment, and Land Use (EELU) program with a keen interest in environmental, water, and toxic substances law. Her current research explores biodiversity credits as a mechanism for carbon offsetting in climate change mitigation and adaptation law, as well as the legal and environmental implications of PFAS within the renewable energy sector.

Originally from the United Kingdom, Taylor earned her LL.B. (Bachelor of Laws) with First Class Honours from the University of Brighton, where she was recognized for her outstanding contributions to the University’s Pro Bono Legal Clinic.

Before joining Harpeth Conservancy, Taylor practiced criminal defense law while collaborating with firms and private corporations on environmental and sustainability initiatives. She is passionate about advancing environmental justice and protecting public lands, ecosystems, and wildlife across the U.S. Taylor values community engagement and strives to inspire others to take part in preserving the environment.

Grace Stranch, Esq.

CEO

Grace joined Harpeth Conservancy as COO in September 2021. As of April 2023, Grace is Harpeth Conservancy’s CEO.

Prior to joining the team, Grace practiced law full time at Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings, PLLC, now Stranch, Jennings & Garvey, PLLC. She has engaged in environmental work across the world and has over 15 years of experience organizing around environmental issues in Tennessee. As a native Nashvillian, she grew up playing on the Harpeth River and continues to love spending time in nature. Grace received her B.A. in international studies from Rhodes College and her J.D. from University of Tennessee College of Law. Based on her significant community involvement, Grace was honored with the 2020 Athena Young Professional Award and Metro Council Resolution RS220-457 and she was named to the Nashville Bar Foundation’s 2024 class of fellows. 

Dorie Bolze

Dorie Bolze

President & Founder​

Dorie served for over 20 years as the first Executive Director of Harpeth Conservancy. As of April 2023, Dorie is Harpeth Conservancy’s President and will be focusing her efforts on capacity building and The Dorie Bolze Legacy Fund.

Dorie has over 35 years of work experience in the field of water quality science and policy, conservation policy and biology related to wildlife conservation, energy efficiency, marine fisheries, protected area management, and international wildlife trade. Dorie earned her Masters of Environmental Management degree from the Yale School of Forestry and her B.S. in zoology from Duke University where she was an A.B. Duke Scholar and a Deborah Steer Scholar at the Duke Marine Laboratory. In April 2023, Dorie was recognized as Nashville Business Journal’s Women of Influence for the Nonprofit Leader category, which honors women who “display high energy and skill in a leadership role at a nonprofit institute or organization.” 

Ryan Jackwood Staff Photo Resized

Ryan Jackwood, Ph.D.​

Director of Watershed Science​

Ryan joined Harpeth Conservancy in March 2019. He provides strategic direction for our science-based programs and implements restoration priorities based on water quality assessment. Ryan is originally from Ohio where he earned a B.S. degree from Ohio State University and an M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Toledo researching issues with water quality and harmful algal blooms on Lake Erie. Ryan was awarded the Tennessee Wildlife Federation’s 2024 Water Conservationist of the Year.

Marie Campbell

Director​ of Community Engagement

Marie joined Harpeth Conservancy in August 2022. She brings over 15 years of experience in the non-profit world, educating and mobilizing communities to be advocates for the environment. She has a Master’s of Divinity from Vanderbilt University, where she focused on culture, ecology, and social movements, and has completed coursework toward a Master’s of Conservation Biology from Miami University, focusing on grassroots conservation.

Marie moved to Music City from the Appalachian foothills of North Georgia over twenty years ago to study sociology at Belmont University, bridging her interests in art and culture with advocacy and community action. She has a Master’s of Divinity from Vanderbilt University and has completed coursework toward a Master’s of Conservation Biology from Miami University, focusing on grassroots conservation, completing field work with indigenous communities in Belize and the Northern Amazon in Guyana.

Elise Karpinski, Esq.

Director of Tennessee Water Policy

Elise Karpinski is the Director of Tennessee Water Policy at Harpeth Conservancy, where she leads the organization’s policy strategy and advocacy work to protect Tennessee’s rivers, wetlands, and water infrastructure. She works with state and local officials and policymakers to advance conservation initiatives and strengthen protections for the state’s most vital water resources.
Elise brings more than a decade of experience in land use law and compliance and has served on the boards of several Nashville nonprofit organizations. She holds B.A. degrees in Political Science and English from Appalachian State University and a J.D. from Elon University.
A seventh-generation Appalachian raised in Asheville, North Carolina, Elise comes from a family of educators and farmers. That heritage continues to shape her work protecting the waters that sustain communities throughout the region, a commitment that runs deep.
 

Tina Shaw-Cox

Director of Development

Tina joined Harpeth Conservancy in December 2025 as Director of Development. She has more than 15 years of experience advancing nonprofit fundraising and events at organizations such as Habitat for Humanity International; she also brings a complementary background in interior and visual design. Tina earned her B.A. in Art History from the University of South Alabama.
A lifelong lover of rivers, Tina grew up along the Elk River and later spent more than seven years in Bozeman, Montana, where the connection between snowpack, clean water, recreation, and wildlife habitat became an essential part of her daily life. She is inspired by how healthy waterways sustain both people and ecosystems, and she loves spending time outdoors with her dog, Ruthie.

Jess Martin

Communications Manager​

Jess Martin joined Harpeth Conservancy in October 2023 and leads the organization’s communications efforts. She brings nearly 20 years of experience in strategic communications, public engagement, and science communication. Originally from West Virginia, she spent nearly two decades living and working across the Middle East and North Africa, where she developed a deep appreciation for the power of clear communication in complex environments and for the essential role clean water plays in everyday life.

Jess initially studied Psychology and Biology at Concord University, giving her a strong scientific foundation. She later earned her MSc in Integrated Marketing Communications from West Virginia University. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, photography, and spending time with her cat, Newt.

Katie Maxwell

Operations Manager

Katie joined Harpeth Conservancy in August 2024. She brings experience in organizational change management and nonprofit administration. With a Master’s in Organization Leadership from Seattle University, Katie is excited to bring her passion for teams and systems to Harpeth Conservancy. Although she’s from the Carolinas, Katie moved to Nashville in 2020 by way of the Puget Sound Region in Washington state. She enjoys spending free time in local parks with her family and exploring Greater Nashville’s food scene. 

Josh Knickerbocker

Program Manager​

Josh joined Harpeth Conservancy as Program Manager in 2025. He brings experience in crafting accessible and compelling stories for natural resource conservation in Tennessee. Whether through a program or volunteer event, Josh enjoys sharing his passion for TN rivers and watersheds through his unique experience in environmental education and interpretation.  He is a Certified Interpretive Guide and a River Kayak Guide Instructor.Josh earned his Master of Business Administration degree from Belmont University in Nashville, TN. He is proud to call Tennessee home and has lived and worked across the state from the swamps of Reelfoot Lake to the gorges of the Appalachian Plateau.

Kelsey O'Hara

Development and Events Manager

Kelsey O’Hara brings more than ten years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, event strategy, and community engagement to her role as Development and Events Manager at Harpeth Conservancy. Throughout her career, she has led high-impact fundraising events, cultivated donor and sponsor relationships, and partnered closely with volunteers, boards, and staff to advance mission-driven work. Kelsey is passionate about connecting people to meaningful causes and is excited to support Harpeth Conservancy’s efforts to protect and restore clean water and healthy ecosystems across the Harpeth River watershed. 

Eve Steigerwalt, Ph.D.

Lab Coordinator

Eve has lived Nashville for over 20 years and enjoys the outdoors, particularly kayaking and bicycling.  Her interests lie in improving the environment of Middle Tennessee’s rivers and she is using her training (Ph.D. Chemistry, Vanderbilt University) to work with Dr. Jackwood on refining the water quality models used by Harpeth Conservancy’s TN Water Watch program.  

Miguel Cancino

Pro Bono Legal

Miguel Cancino is an environmental attorney with over 11 years of experience in environmental law, energy law, climate change, ESG, and land use in México. He is currently pursuing an LL.M. at Vanderbilt Law School, specializing in environmental, energy, climate change, private governance, and land use regulation.

Prior to joining Harpeth Conservancy, Miguel worked in the private sector advising multinational corporations—including General Electric, Unilever, EOSOL Group, Centauro Energy, Grupo Xcaret, Tesla, and Marriott—on environmental compliance, ESG frameworks, infrastructure development, and regulatory approvals. His work has included securing environmental impact authorizations, conducting environmental audits, developing environmental and land-use analyses, aligning corporate strategies with international sustainability frameworks, managing and following up on environmental complaints, ensuring regulatory compliance, overseeing corrective actions, and mitigating environmental risks in various industries.

Miguel has also held key legal positions in the public sector at both federal and state levels, where he reviewed oil, gas, renewable energy, and energy infrastructure projects for compliance with environmental impact assessments, hazardous waste management, and emergency response protocols.

Our Interns

Ace Essenmacher

Community Engagement - PEN Pals Intern

Florida Gulf Coast University

Ace Essenmacher is a recent graduate from Ravenwood High School in Williamson County and will be starting at Florida Gulf Coast University this fall. She will be interning with Harpeth Conservancy this summer, primarily working in the field alongside our Program Manager, Josh, with our partners at Warner Parks’ PEN Pals program.

Allie Danko

TN Water Policy - Legal Intern

Vanderbilt Law School

Originally from Michigan, Allie is currently pursuing her J.D. at Vanderbilt Law School. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University, where she majored in Environment & Sustainability with a concentration in Policy & Governance.

This summer, she is excited to combine her environmental background with her legal studies as a Water Policy Intern. Growing up, she spent her summers on Lake Huron with her family, where her passion for conservation and water law first began.

A competitive swimmer through college, she has always felt connected to life in and around the water. She is especially passionate about conservation, environmental justice, and protecting natural resources for future generations.

Alyssa Elleman

Community Engagement Intern

Sewanee: THe Univ. of the South

Alyssa Elleman is a rising senior at Sewanee: The University of the South, where she is pursuing a major in Science and Sustainability with minors in Business and Data Science. Originally from Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, she has a special interest in food and health systems and is passionate about exploring the connections between sustainability, community, and public health.

In her free time, Alyssa enjoys going on runs, reading, and hiking with her dogs.

Evan Seals

Community Engagement Intern

Vanguard High School

Evan Seals is a student at Vanguard Virtual High School in Williamson County and will be interning with Harpeth Conservancy through July. During his internship, Evan will spend much of his time in the field alongside the organization’s community engagement team, gaining hands-on experience in environmental and conservation work across Tennessee waterways.

Gray Seibert

Communications Intern

University of kentucky

Gray Seibert is a rising junior at the University of Kentucky studying Journalism and Anthropology. With a love for storytelling, people, and the outdoors, Gray is excited to spend the summer learning more about environmental communication and community engagement through his internship with Harpeth Conservancy.

Outside of school, he enjoys spending time outdoors and will take any excuse to go hiking or kayaking. He is excited for the opportunity to learn, grow, and help support his community through conservation work this summer.

Henry Liu

Community Engagement & Science Intern

Yale University

Henry is a rising junior at Yale University majoring in history and environmental studies, originally from Houston, Texas. His academic interests include energy regulation, water law, and the Cold War, and he is excited to contribute to the Harpeth Conservancy’s mission of protecting Tennessee rivers. Henry is delighted to be in the Music City, having played violin for ten years and sung in a variety of choral ensembles. At Yale, he is an editor at the Yale Daily News after having been a staff reporter. He can often be found hiking the nearest park, planning his next trip to a national park, or reminiscing about rural Texas barbecue.

Malaina Miles

TN Water Policy Intern

university of Oregon school of law

Malaina Miles was born and raised in Franklin, Tennessee. She earned her bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Psychology from Grinnell College and later completed her Master of Business Administration at Cumberland University. She is currently pursuing her J.D. at the University of Oregon School of Law.

Malaina is excited to bring together her interests in science, business, and law through her work this summer. Outside of academics, she enjoys reading, traveling, and exploring the outdoors with her dog, Hank.

Marcie Trotter

Science Intern

Tennessee Tech University

Marcella Trotter is a rising sophomore at Tennessee Tech University and is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. She enjoys running, crocheting, and roller skating in her free time.

She is excited to work with Harpeth this summer to learn more about the science they do and share her passion for the environment with others.