Our Staff
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Stefanie Covino, Executive Director
Stefanie Covino (she/her) holds a Masters in Environmental Science and Policy from Clark University and a graduate of Clark’s Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Program (DICP). She is on the Steering Committee of the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program and is a UMass Amherst Keystone Cooperator. Her interests include land use planning, natural resource protection, stormwater management, ecological restoration, and equitable nature-based solutions to reduce climate hazards and improve community resilience.
In her free time, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, and spending time with her two horses and three dogs.
Contact her at stefanie@blackstonecollaborative.org
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Caleigh McLaren, Restoration Manager
Caleigh McLaren (she/her) received a Masters in GIS and a Bachelors in Environmental Science and Policy from Clark University. Much of her past research has centered on Environmental Justice communities, and she strives to maintain an environmental justice lens in all of her work. She sees GIS as a tool to tell a story through maps. Caleigh’s other interests include stormwater management, urban forestry, community engagement, green infrastructure, and cartography.
In her free time, she enjoys bird-watching, kayaking, and running.
Contact her at caleigh@blackstonecollaborative.org
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Kevin Rice, Finance and Program Manager
Kevin Rice (he/him) holds a Master’s in Public History from Southern New Hampshire University and a Bachelor’s in Public History from Salem State University. Kevin has expertise in financial forecasting, compliance, and stakeholder coordination, managing complex budgets, contracts, and interagency agreements while fostering community engagement and public access. His work is guided by a commitment to transparency, inclusivity, and building resilient communities.
In his free time, he enjoys amusement parks, fantasy football, and kayaking.
Contact him at kevin@blackstonecollaborative.org
Our Board of Directors
Kate McPherson serves as the Blackstone Watershed Collaborative's Board President. She's a Professional Wetland Scientist who's passionate about wetland and river restoration, engaging community members to take steps to improve watershed health, and using sound science to inform policy. Kate holds a B.S. in Wildlife Biology and Management from the University of Rhode Island. She is Save The Bay's Narragansett Bay Riverkeeper and she spent fourteen years working in the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management's Office of Water Resources, Freshwater Wetlands Permitting Program where she reviewed potential impacts of proposed projects on wetland resources. In her free time you can find her on the river or on the trails, finding the lines.
Kate McPherson, Board President
Katie Liming serves as the Board of Directors Secretary and has been active with the Collab since 2022. She is passionate about stewarding green and blue spaces for their inherent value and to promote community resilience against the impacts of climate change. As Lakes and Ponds Coordinator for the City of Worcester, MA, Katie leads water quality monitoring, lake management, and outreach and public education around Worcester’s recreational waterbodies. Katie holds a M.S. and B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy and enjoys spending time outside as much as possible.
Kate Liming, Board Secretary
Michelle Smith serves as the Board of Directors Treasurer. She first moved to the watershed in 2007 to attend Clark University where she obtained a bachelor's degree in Geography and a master's degree in Community Development and Planning. During her education she worked for the Regional Environmental Council, as a youth mentor and program evaluator supporting the organization's food justice work. Following her studies, she worked at Community Legal Aid supporting the excutive leadership and the fundraisng teams. After receipt of her degrees, she transioned into municipal government where she has since held a varitey of different positions in planning focused on permitting and regulatory compliance, land conservation, floodplain management, and policy change over the last 13 years. Michelle currently serves as a Planning Director in a partner City in the headwaters of the Blackstone. In her free time, Michelle enjoys gardening, kayaking, and spending time with her family.
Michelle Smith, Board Treasurer
Bruce Curliss (aka Star) is a proud citizen and tribal Council Member of the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band. He serves as the Community Advocate for the Hassanamisco Band’s “NukkoneMayash” (the old ways) and the Waterways Advocate. A lifelong learner, observer, writer, and public speaker, his approach is rooted in Eastern Woodland traditions, blending ancestral knowledge with modern expression. With over 35 years of experience in tribal governance, youth development, Public Policy, and Economic Initiatives, Bruce serves on several boards that benefit various causes, from youth programs to water protection, and is a strong advocate for Blue Mind, promoting the healing power of water. Bruce received the 2024 John H. Chafee Leadership Award from the Blackstone Valley Heritage Corridor for his work within the Blackstone Valley.
Bruce (Star) Curliss
Bryce DuBois, Ph.D., is an interdisciplinary social scientist focused on the politics of public space, particularly beaches and waterscapes. His Public Waterscapes Research Group at UNew Haven utilizes engaged research approaches to examine the cultural and social aspects of topics such as climate adaptation, coastal access as a food equity issue and the social dimensions of dams. Currently teaching at the University of New Haven, his academic background includes positions at the College of the Holy Cross, Rhode Island School of Design, and Cornell University's Civic Ecology Lab. He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Psychology.
Bryce DuBois
Mike Gerel is the Virginia Science Manager with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation where he oversees oyster, shoreline, agriculture, and urban restoration and reviews new science and policy to assure protection and enjoyment of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers. He is an accomplished scientist and leader who has served at the intersection of nature and people for over 30 years to enhance the study, recovery, and sustainability of some of the nation’s most vital waterways. Mike was the Executive Director of the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program from 2019 to 2024, and spearheaded the organization's work in the estuary's headwaters, with a special focus on the Blackstone. A native of Syracuse, NY, Mike lives in Richmond, VA, where he enjoys boxing, horse rescue, DJing at a college radio station, and daily adventures with his Puerto Rican rescue mutt, Ellwood.