Staff & Board

F.S. “Buck” Ryan, J.D.

Executive Director, Snake River Waterkeeper

Buck began trout fishing and tying flies at age 7. Reading Ted Leeson and John Gierach, he developed a strong conservation ethic at a young age. Through spending most of his childhood hunting birds in rural Alabama and trout fishing in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Buck’s family took annual summer family roadtrips to Idaho and Montana. From the first time he waded the waters of the Railroad Ranch outside Last Chance, he felt drawn to experience and protect the Snake River’s pristine waterways and limitless fishing, backpacking, and camping opportunities. He guided on the North Platte River in Wyoming and the Talachulitna River in Alaska, and researched wildlife ecology in Costa Rica and Ecuador before pursuing a career in public interest environmental law. His career goal since childhood has been to protect and restore fisheries for future generations. He lives in Boise, Idaho with his wife and two sons.

Nate Smith, J.D.

While growing up in Florida, Nate discovered his love for the West and its rivers during family road trips to Colorado. Mr. Smith is an avid snowboarder and climber who pursued his passion for natural environments in a law degree at Vermont Law School. As a private attorney focused in land use and water law, he provides diverse experience and litigation advice to the Board. He gets plenty of fresh air riding a gondola to work and snowboarding on his lunch break.

Craig Adams

Craig Adams is underwriting counsel for the states of Oregon and Idaho with First American Title Insurance Company. Before that, he was in private practice focusing on real estate and construction litigation. Craig has also practiced water and land use law. Craig studied law in Colorado, graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Denver. His studies emphasized environmental, real estate, land use, and water law.While in law school Craig was a student attorney with the Environmental Law Clinic litigating conservation related lawsuits on behalf of public interest clients. Before becoming an attorney, Craig was an Outward Bound Instructor guiding students in the rivers and canyons of southern Utah for six years. In his free time, Craig enjoys hiking, skiing and fishing on the Snake River and its tributaries.

McCale Ashenbrener

McCale first fell in love with rivers on her first trip down the Middle Fork at age 15. The whitewater, the fishing, and above all the community made such an indelible impact that she returned to lead others down those same waters. After fifteen years of river guiding, McCale now enjoys Idaho’s bountiful wild river systems in her kayak or raft with friends and family.