Daniel’s connection to rivers began early, growing up in Missouri exploring creeks and floodplains on his family’s farm and witnessing firsthand the power of seasonal flooding. That early experience shaped a lifelong commitment to river conservation, which he pursued through work with Missouri River Relief organizing large-scale cleanups and community engagement efforts, and through a degree in Geography and Mapping from the University of Missouri–Columbia, including river and ocean surveying work abroad.
For more than 20 years, Daniel has worked in the nonprofit sector specializing in storytelling, communications, public outreach, social media, and fundraising. After relocating to the Yuba River watershed in 2016, he spent six years with the South Yuba River Citizens League leading communications and engagement efforts to protect and restore the Yuba and Bear Rivers. His experience also includes work with the international humanitarian nonprofit Mending Kids and wildlife rescue organizations in Northern California. Daniel currently serves as Engagement Manager at Friends of the River, where he focuses on connecting communities to California’s rivers and advancing statewide river conservation efforts.

Allison Eder, Operations Coordinator - Friends of the Rouge
She is excited to work with the FOTR team to promote positive change to our community. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from the University of Dayton. She relocated to Michigan in 2019, where she focused her attention working with nonprofits and schools. When she is not at the office, you might find her hiking or exploring the local communities that make up our watershed.

Herman Jenkins, Program Manager, Trails - Friends of the Rouge
He began his professional career with the Detroit Tigers in Community Relations and Strategic Planning, developing programs that included the Negro League Scholarship and the Jackie Robinson Essay Art and Poetry Contest, and managed the development of their Diverse Business Partners program, an effort ensure inclusivity in the team’s procurement processes. He owns FLYSHO CREATIVE, a digital content production company that specializes in branding corporate citizenship, and The Collective, a 1901 Tudor mansion in Detroit’s historic Indian Village that has been converted into a business incubator and co-working space. Herman was appointed to the Detroit Entertainment Commission (DEC), a chartered commission that he also chaired: they are credited with the strategic visioning for the City’s mural arts program and creating the Spirit of Entertainment Award, Detroit’s highest honor of achievement in the arts.

“The Rouge Watershed is important because it impacts so many communities as the river and its tributaries drain our stormwater overflows into the Detroit River. I am intrigued and inspired by the idea of working to help transform the Rouge – to design and build trails, blueways, and greenways and that can serve as connective tissue for people living in these communities, often siloed from one another. Working with community groups and stakeholders to develop programs and activities, it is an opportunity to bring people and communities together with around a truly underutilized and underappreciated natural resource.”

At the IRWP, Morgan leads initiatives to improve water quality. Deeply committed to strengthening communities and the preservation of Ozark heritage, she believes that service to place and people is the highest form of leadership. A native of the River Valley, Morgan holds a BA in Journalism from Arkansas Tech University and an MBA from the Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas. Since joining IRWP in 2020, Morgan has managed grants and a loan program from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture - Natural Resources Division, USDA-NRCS, the Walton Family Foundation, Arbor Day Foundation, and others. She organized the 2021 Northwest Arkansas Low Impact Development Conference and contributed to the 2025 Smart Growth for Water Resources Conference. Morgan currently serves as Management Chair of the Place Summit for the Urban Land Institute Northwest Arkansas, is a Certified Arkansas Master Naturalist, former Chair of the Multibasin Regional Water Council, and volunteers on the board for Terra Studios.