Video – Rivers of My Backyard: A Staff Story

At The Freshwater Trust, our connections to the water are as deep and transparent as the river itself. Through our staff profile series, we’ll introduce you to these connections and explain what inspires us to spend our careers fighting for the rivers we love.

“The Rivers of My Backyard” features Kimberlee Myers, operations director. At The Freshwater Trust, she oversees the science and restoration teams and works alongside staff to follow and track programs and initiatives across the organization. Kim cut her teeth as a triathlete and competitive swimmer in the rivers of Oregon. We joined her on a summer evening and discovered how the waters have defined her past and present and will continue to define her future.

“When I was very little, I was afraid of the water, refusing to jump into a pool, into someone’s arms. I slowly overcame my fear, and became a water loving kid—so much so that I started competitively swimming when I was eight years old. I trained year round, swimming up to nine times a week. Eventually the pool became my home, my teammates my family, and the water my sanctuary. I continued swimming through college and hung up my cap and goggles for over a decade as I traveled the world, and lived and worked in foreign countries. I recently found my way back to the pool and to the water, and now I swim and train for triathlons. The water never leaves you. Sometimes you just need a little break before coming home.” –Kimberlee Myers

This is the second video is a series of profiles that will be released every two weeks over the summer. Keep an eye out for the next one.

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