Five Rivers Trout Unlimited is governed by volunteer directors from the Durango area. It is financially independent of Trout Unlimited National.

Contributions to Five Rivers Trout Unlimited are tax-deductible and support conservation, protection and restoration efforts in the rivers under our stewardship.

Board of Directors

  • Kara Armano - President

  • Chuck Fredrick - Treasurer

  • Dasha Greidanus - Secretary

  • Marty Saunders

  • John Bosowski

  • Pauline Ellis

  • Sarah Clark

  • Walter Perry

  • Cooper Hopkins

  • Ed Feragen

    Please email us with questions at fiveriverstu@gmail.com

Five Rivers TU Committees

Conservation Committee
The Conservation Committee takes the overall goals of the chapter related to improving local streams and develops the projects, partnerships and plans to get the work done.

Membership Committee
The Membership Committee tracks memberships as well as developing activities designed to meet membership growth goals as well as increasing the diversity of the chapter.

Youth Education Committee
The Youth Education Committee helps promote TU’s “Stream of Engagement” locally by providing, opportunities for youth of all ages to engage in environmental education and fishing opportunities.

Events Committee
The Events Committee is responsible for planning Chapter activities, from monthly meetings, to fishing trips to community engagement programs.

Communications Committee
The Communications Committee is responsible for effectively communicating all we do at the local level to build awareness, attract and engage members and supports, and increase our impact. 

You do not have to be on the Board to participate on a committee. Members and volunteers are welcome and encouraged to add their voice to what we do locally.

If you are interested in learning more on how you can participate, click here to provide your information and we will get back to you.

Trout Unlimited Employees Located in Durango

Ty Churchwell

  • Ty works for the Sportsmen’s Conservation Project (SCP) which is the primary advocacy wing of the organization, leading legislative efforts from the local to the national level. Ty is actively involved in leading the Animas River watershed through the Superfund cleanup of the mines near Silverton, developing and advancing Good Samaritan legislation at the federal level as well as assisting statewide partners on passing state-level mining reform legislation in Denver.

Chris Chambers

  • Southwest Colorado Project Manager; Rockies Region Chris Chambers is TU’s Southwest Colorado Project Manager. Chris is based in Durango, Colorado, where most of his project-specific work is currently taking place in the Animas, Dolores, and Upper San Juan Watersheds with other TU project staff based on the Western Slope. Chris has been with TU since early 2024. He has lived in the Four Corners area since the early 2000s and comes from a diverse background including fish and wildlife management, soil and water conservation, and professional guiding. Chris spends most of his time away from work chasing trout and elk in the high country of the San Juans, being a father to a precocious daughter, and service.

Kara Armano

  • Kara is the Southwest Region Communications Director, covering Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. She is a co-founder of Artemis, a past river steward member and chair of the Roaring Fork Conservancy. Kara was also a featured angler as part of the Orvis 50/50 initiative.