2026 RMS Awards presented at events in Colorado, Montana and Wyoming

River Management Society has four awards recognizing individuals or groups who have made outstanding contributions to river management and the organization. They are the Outstanding Contribution to River Management Award (Leslie Steen), the Frank Church Wild and Scenic Rivers Award (Hector Santiago), the River Manager of the Year Award (Sheena Pate) and the Outstanding Contribution to the River Management Society Award (Cannon Colegrove). This year the awards were presented at three different events appropriate to the award winners.

Frank Church Wild and Scenic Rivers Award

Hector Santiago of the National Park Service (NPS) was recognized with the Frank Church Wild and Scenic Rivers Award during a meeting of the Interagency Wild and Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council in Fort Collins, Colorado on April 22, 2026. Council members were present on site and RMS President Kristina Rylands joined by videoconference to help present the award. As the actual plaque was still in fabrication, ever resourceful Corita Waters fabricated a temporary plaque to present. Hector has since received the lovely real wooden plaque.

This award recognizes contributions focused on the management, enhancement, or protection of designated Wild and Scenic Rivers. It recognizes a history of contributions with a broad geographic scope. Award winners have advanced awareness of Wild and Scenic Rivers through contributions in areas such as education, research, technology, training, public contact, interpretation, and/or law enforcement. Some of the criteria considered include working effectively and cooperatively to build partnerships with other agencies, scientists, user groups, private landowners, and/or general public to promote, protect, enhance, or manage WSRs; and demonstrating, developing, or creatively adapting innovative WSR management techniques; organizing events which involve and advance WSRs;

For more than a decade, Hector Santiago has been an exceptional leader and tireless contributor to the National Park Service’s Wild and Scenic Rivers (WSR) Program, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to river protection, agency and state collaboration, and advancement of professional river management. His work reflects a rare combination of technical expertise, relationship-building, and a deep dedication to the long-term health of rivers and river staff.

His leadership extends nationally. Hector has been an advisor on NPS Section 7 peer to peer calls, where he shares techniques not only for project review but also for building relationships and planning proactively for long-term river stewardship. He consistently champions the participation of field staff in broader WSR networks—encouraging involvement in the WSR Steering Committee and nominating colleagues for service on agency and interagency teams—ensuring diverse perspectives strengthen river protection work.

Hector works closely with his states to help them understand and implement WSR mandates. He invests in building relationships. Hector is also a steadfast promoter of making the WSR Act and its tools matter to partners, colleagues, and the public. His dedication extends to tribal engagement as well. Hector has played a key role in NPS efforts to explore potential wild and scenic river designations with tribal nations.

Hector has been a cornerstone of national WSR leadership for almost 20 years. As a long-time member of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Steering Committee (since 2008), his contributions have significantly shaped NPS policies. His colleagues across agencies routinely seek him out to discuss WSR history, project challenges, or litigation context—demonstrating the high level of trust in his expertise.

Hector never tires of speaking about and up for river resources. Whether it's about a small darter or about a large bridge project, he knows his work matters and has a long-standing commitment, interest in talking through problems and solutions, and joy for the work that exemplify the river management profession. His contributions have strengthened national policy, empowered field staff, expanded public and partner awareness, and elevated the practice of river stewardship across the National Park Service and beyond.

River Manager of the Year

The Awards for River Manager of the Year and Outstanding Contribution to the River Management Society were presented to Sheena Pate and Cannon Colegrove during the Flathead Rivers Alliance’s River Fest to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of their Wild & Scenic River designation. RMS Treasurer Dave Cernicek and Flathead River Alliance’s Geoffrey Gill presented the awards on July 12 in Whitefish, Montana.

This award recognizes contributions that are field-oriented and location-specific, with a focus on recent accomplishments. Sheena Pate, Executive Director of Flathead Rivers Alliance (FRA), is a perpetual motion machine working towards management goals on the Flathead Wild and Scenic River. She leverages partnerships, agencies, and volunteer programs to reach common aims. Sheena built a career protecting the Crown of the Continent’s world-class natural resources and has spent the last 5 years with FRA, juggling complex partnerships and programs.

The Forks of the Flathead have their own cultures and struggles—encompassing wilderness areas, historic inholdings, private properties, guides and outfitters, and a public ravenous for recreational opportunities. FRA’s work requires collaboration with Flathead National Forest, Glacier National Park, Montana Fish & Wildlife, and the Army Corps of Engineers and many community partners. The organization relies on support and expertise of the four major rafting outfitters in the area, along with more than a dozen commercial and business partners. A significant portion of FRA’s activities during the summer boating season are carried out by a volunteer core of up to 300 individuals, who were managed until last summer directly by the Executive Director, on top of her other roles managing agreements, operations, and fundraising.

Following federal staff reductions last year, Sheena spearheaded a series of meetings to forge operational agreements between FRA and FNF’s Ranger Districts, taking on necessary responsibilities during a challenging couple of years for the agencies. These agreements center around FRA’s volunteer programs helping educate the public on river regulations and norms but often involve more specific roles, too. FRA’s recreation monitoring program took a larger role following the elimination of several river patrol positions on the National Forest. Within one year, Sheena established a pilot program to help offset some of the personnel eliminated from the Spotted Bear Ranger District and South Fork Flathead by having trained nonprofit personnel contribute directly to USFS river patrol data sets. This program operated for the first time in the summer of 2026, with minimal to no additional costs incurred beyond personnel hours for FRA and USFS.

She is a supportive collaborator and has contributed to a successful workplace for 8 board members, several Big Sky Watershed Corps members, a development coordinator, and the volunteer coordinator. She is forthcoming with feedback, and she adapts her work strategies to draw out the best characteristics of the folks around her. Sheena embodies the drive, leadership, and versatility we seek in leaders managing resources as widely braided and deeply channelized as our rivers. She is equally confident leading an educational program connecting third graders to their rivers as she is churning through a national grant before a midnight deadline.

Outstanding Contribution to the River Management Society

The Awards for River Manager of the Year and Outstanding Contribution to the River Management Society were presented to Sheena Pate and Cannon Colegrove during the Flathead Rivers Alliance’s River Fest to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of their Wild & Scenic River designation. RMS Treasurer Dave Cernicek and Flathead River Alliance’s Geoffrey Gill presented the awards on July 12 in Whitefish, Montana.

This award recognizes contributions focused on the management, enhancement, or protection of designated Wild and Scenic Rivers. It recognizes a history of contributions with a broad geographic scope. Award winners have advanced awareness of Wild and Scenic Rivers through contributions in areas such as education, research, technology, training, public contact, interpretation, and/or law enforcement. Some of the criteria considered include working effectively and cooperatively to build partnerships with other agencies, scientists, user groups, private landowners, and/or general public to promote, protect, enhance, or manage WSRs; and demonstrating, developing, or creatively adapting innovative WSR management techniques; organizing events which involve and advance WSRs.

RMS member Cannon Colegrove, Northwest Chapter President has made an exceptional contribution to national policy, planning, and program development that brings recognition to RMS as a leader among river and professional organizations. His demonstrated leadership both professionally and as an RMS officer has brought significant positive changes to the field of river management and to River Management Society through his willingness to show up, participate and add value to all RMS activities he participates in. He leads the most populous chapter, represents a new motivated generation of river managers and always brings value to the table. If help is lacking, Cannon bows his head and plows through getting what’s needed accomplished often with nobody noticing his quiet efforts to improve situations and accomplish challenges.

He has donated considerable time, money, and effort that has resulted in advancement of RMS as a unique and robust institution. In 2025, Connon led the effort to organize one of the most successful and satisfying RMS events. He was instrumental in creating session topics, coordinating a planning cadre, finding/scheduling expertise to present and share, creating an agenda, coordinating logistics and making sure all participants were prepared and ready to participate prior to the event. He single-handedly organized a group menu for over 30 people including special diets, bought and organized the food, and prepared, served and cleaned up all meals, on-river and off, for four days. He fully participated in the event and sessions sharing his knowledge and making sure all participants were heard and felt relevant. Cannon has brought and continues to provide new and positive private and public awareness of RMS by quietly singling out members to get to know them, finding their strengths, encouraging continued RMS membership and inspiring others in filling roles in the organization Cannon sets the standard for the incredible contribution a member can make to the field of river management and sustaining the RMS mission.

Outstanding Contribution to River Management.

The last award, Outstanding Contribution to River Management was presented to Leslie Steen, Wyoming State Director of Trout Unlimited at an event in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on August 8, 2026.

This award recognizes a longer history of contributions to the greater field of river management. The award winner has advanced the field of river management through contributions in areas such as science, education, interpretation, and/or research. The individual has developed innovative (or creatively adapted) river management techniques; organized events that advanced river management as a science and as a profession; developed or implemented new communication techniques to coordinate and connect managers; provided opportunities for increased awareness by citizens and river visitors regarding their role in caring for rivers and watersheds; and/or was an outstanding advocate for professional river management.

Leslie Steen, Trout Unlimited Wyoming State Director (former Jackson Hole Trout Unlimited Director), has spent over a decade creating partnerships, finding financial support, inspiring youth, steering community efforts, and partnering with state and federal agencies to make possible watershed improvements once unobtainable directly benefitting the 415 miles of designated and 396 miles of eligible wild and scenic rivers (WSRs) and their tributaries in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

In April of 2016, Leslie and Jackson Hole Trout Unlimited launched the Trout Unlimited Snake River Headwaters Initiative – an ambitious effort to leverage TU’s long history of successful conservation work in the Jackson Hole area and increase the capacity to complete restoration and reconnection work on an even larger scale to ensure that this unique native cutthroat trout fishery remains intact and thrives long into the future.

Since its 2016 launch, the Snake River Headwaters Initiative has: reconnected over 36 miles of streams, restored 14.5 miles of streams, invested $9.2 million into projects, and reached 1,525 students through education efforts.

Leslie has advanced awareness of WSRs through contributions in areas such as education, research, technology, financing and watershed leadership. Leslie has worked effectively and cooperatively to build partnerships with other agencies, scientists, user groups, private landowners, and/or general public to promote, protect, enhance, or manage WSRs.

In 2023, Leslie was key to instigate and still provides ongoing direction for the Snake River Headwaters Watershed Group (SRHWG) a broad coalition of partners to ensure a resilient and healthy Snake River Headwaters ecosystem with clean and ample water to meet the needs of current and future generations. Members and their various perspectives are at the core of this collaborative effort. Since its inception, the SRHWG has attracted over 100 organizations and 300 individual members representing government agencies, nonprofits, private businesses, local ranchers, irrigators, universities, and more. The group is led by a steering committee of 15 representatives, who guide the direction of SRHWG activities and ensure continuous stakeholder involvement. The group has been highly successful.

Leslie has demonstrated, developed, and creatively adapted innovative WSR management techniques. She is called in often by the State Game and Fish, Grand Teton National Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest to assist with critical projects including river dewatering for irrigation, nuisance dam removal and to prevent a critical roadway from falling into a wild and scenic river with a WSRA compliant intervention. Every instance there was little agencies could do in a timely manner to correct an emergent issue lacking funding, expertise, equipment and personnel. In all cases, Leslie has called on partners, donors, engineers to save the day and enrich the river.

Leslie has organized conferences, training, etc., which involved and advanced WSRs and exhibited leadership in promoting and protecting WSRs within the context of the established corridors and beyond designated lines on a map and hosted community events to bring attention and appreciation of the Snake River Headwaters designated streams. She has worked with large ranches to reconstruct antiquated irrigation diversions that have been harming headwaters streams and fisheries. Her organization has brought partners together to float streams to further understanding of critical projects, instigated vital research projects with the University of Wyoming. In April she has been a key player of putting on the Snake River Headwaters Symposium Friday, April 17, 2026, a first of its kind experience.

Every year the lovely wooden plaques presented to award winners are fabricated by a workshop in Utah. Past RMS President Dennis Willis oversees the production and donates the awards every year as part of his long-term commitment to the River Management Society.

Learn more about RMS Awards, and nominate a colleague today!

Published Oct. 26, 2026

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