Jack Sinclair recently transitioned into his new role of Executive Director at the Kenai Watershed Forum, but he’s no stranger to the organization.
Sinclair: “I’ve not worked for them in the past but I’ve certainly worked with them on many projects. My past of course is with the State of Alaska working with the Division of Parks in outdoor recreation. I started out as a ranger with them and then moved into a district ranger job. In 2005 I became the Kenai area superintendent for parks which covered Prince William Sound and the Kenai Peninsula. In that particular role I worked on the Kenai River as well, which much of the focus of the Kenai Watershed [Forum] has revolved around the Kenai River and the Kenai River watershed.”
Sinclair retired from his role with the state parks department in 2012. He says he has had three years of travel, family, and outdoor adventures but felt it was time to get back involved in a positive way.
Over the summer, retiring executive director Robert Ruffner guided Sinclair through the “daunting” tasks that he would soon perform on his own.
Sinclair: “It is a large tapestry of different projects and sources of funding, some stellar programs, a variety of volunteers and ongoing events, also the fact that we’ve lost a couple of very good people to go elsewhere for their jobs search. Working on those kinds of ideas and stuff have made me step back and go ‘Okay, I’ve got to take my time and get through this’. Robert’s been very good at coaching me and helping to kind of hand off the keys to this whole operation.”
Sinclair says he is looking forward to getting his “feet wet and hands dirty” with projects slated for 2016.
