Our Staff
Our staff bring practical field experience and local watershed knowledge to collaborative work across the Tanana River Basin, supporting monitoring, restoration planning, and community engagement with Tribes, agencies, and local partners along rivers such as the Chena.
If you would like to learn more about our work, and potential job opportunities, please reach out. Volunteers are always Welcome too!
Cory Whiteley - Executive Director
Cory joined TVWA in 2023. Originally born in Tanan (Fairbanks), Cory holds a Master of Sustainable Environmental Management degree from the University of Saskatchewan, and a Bachelor of Entrepreneurship from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Cory has worked in fisheries, field research, and project management in Alaska for over a decade. He has worked on rivers throughout Alaska - including the Taku in Southeast, the Kenai in Southcentral, and the Tanana and Yukon Rivers in Interior Alaska. Cory is passionate about biodiversity conservation, field ecology, and applied research. In his free time, Cory plays soccer for the United Premier Soccer League team in Fairbanks and is a PAWS Search and Rescue Dogs certified handler with his husky mix Tana.
Teslin Brannan - Field Intern
Born and raised within the Tanana Valley Watershed, Teslin has a deep connection to water, reflected in her middle name, River. From a young age, she’s been deeply involved with Interior waterways by swimming, paddling, and fishing. Her scientific journey started in kindergarten, with continuing contributions to a decade-long study of a levee that affected a nearby slough. This evolved into broader environmental research, including riparian zone surveys and water quality monitoring. Teslin has presented her findings at various state, regional, and international conferences. She’s now studying environmental science at Linfield University while competing as a pole vaulter. Teslin completed dual enrollment courses at the University of Alaska Fairbanks during high school and has worked as a field intern with TVWA for two summers. Her interaction with TVWA began in 2012 and continues to this day.