Who We Are?
Membership & Diversity
Bringing different views and different voices to a collaborative effort, creates opportunities for people of different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences to create something together.
Board of Trustees
Shay White - Co-chair
Born and raised in the Boise area, Shay is a life-long Idahoan. He has worked in the boat industry for over 15 years with a focus on aluminum jet boats. His first jet boat ride in Hells Canyon was at the age of three. Shay spends much of his recreation time in Hells Canyon, which he considers a very special place. In fact, over the last 30 years, there has never been a year that Shay has not been to Hells Canyon. Shay is an avid outdoorsman and loves hunting, fishing, and racing boats. He currently is the president-elect of the Western Whitewater Association and is a member of the John Day Snake River RAC.
Devan Clements - Co-chair
Devan was raised in Richland, WA and earned his college degree in Construction Management from Washington State University in Pullman, WA. He is married to an amazing woman and has three incredible children. Devan and his family love to spend time together in the outdoors snow skiing, hiking, fishing, white water rafting, and jet boating. Devan’s father started jet boating and white water rafting in Hells Canyon in the early 1980’s and Devan started driving a jet boat with him in the canyon before the age of 10. He is a huge proponent of the HCRC and all of the great work they do in collaboration with the many partnering organizations. He also helps manage the maintenance work for the Christmas Creek cabin area in Hells Canyon for the HCRC.
Vanessa Stedman - Treasurer
Vanessa grew up in Albuquerque, NM, and first came to Washington when she was stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. She fell in love with the Pacific Northwest and with a man from Idaho; they married and moved to Lewiston in 2014. Vanessa is now retired from the Army, having spent most of her career in rotary wing and unmanned aviation. She has a bachelor’s degree in business from Lewis-Clark State College, and a master’s degree in organizational leadership from the University of Idaho. Hells Canyon is her favorite place to spend time with her husband and two daughters. They’ve enjoyed rafting, backpacking, and, more recently, doing volunteer work with the Hells Canyon Recreation Collaborative over the past few years.
Brian Rahn
Brian, along with his wife Amanda, own and operate a couple of local Wallowa County businesses. Their three daughters keep them on their toes. If that’s not enough, Brian is a Captain for the Enterprise Volunteer Fire Department, a member of the Wallowa County Search and Rescue, and a member of the Idaho Aviation Association. Born and raised in Wallowa County, mountain life is a big hobby he enjoys. From hiking and jet boating to flying and working, there has always been an attraction to play in Hells Canyon and Brian is very eager to get involved in helping with the collaborative efforts of the HCRC.
Kristy Canright
Born and raised in Spokane, WA, Kristy has volunteered with HCRC since 2022 maintaining trails and leading volunteer groups. Kristy is a volunteer with the Washington Trails Association since 2017, contributing nearly 600 hours to trail work and restoration, completing 72 work parties. She is also a trail volunteer with the Spokane Mountaineers since 2018 and was appointed the Chalet Chair Person in 2024 by the board. A lifelong Spokane resident, Kristy raised all three of her children in the area, instilling in them a love for the outdoors. When she is not giving back to the trails, she can be found exploring the breathtaking landscapes of the Pacific Northwest, hiking and backpacking with her grandkids, or enjoying a good book by the river.
Members
The HCRC is composed of a diverse group of users: rafters, jet boaters, aviators, motorized recreationalists, commercial outfitters, backcountry horsemen, citizens-at-large, veterans, backpackers, and hikers. HCRC works collaboratively with our members and partners to accomplish work in a unique and efficient manner. With the success of individual projects and the establishment of a relationship with the U.S. Forest Service, our membership has steadily continued to increase over the last three years.
- Back Country Horsemen
- Idaho Aviation Association
- Intermountain Jet Boat Association
- Hells Canyon Adventures
- Veterans Organizations
- North Idaho Backpacking Babes
- Northwest River Runners
- Oregon Hunters Association
- Public Land Access Year-Round (PLAY)
- R.A.F.T.
- Recreational Aviation Foundation
- Snake River Adventure/River Quest
- University of Idaho Outdoor Program
- Western Whitewater Association
- Whitebird Recreation District
Liaisons & Partners
Liaisons and partners are the backbone of our collaborative success. Our congressional staff members, Forest Service representatives, county representatives, and recreation specialists from state agencies and power companies are invaluable assets for which we are grateful for their continued support and advocacy.
Liaisons & Partners include representation from:
- Idaho County
- Idaho County Weed District (ID)
- Idaho Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Idaho Department of Parks & Recreation
- Idaho Land Trust
- Idaho Power
- US Congressman Russ Fulcher's Office (ID)
- US Senator Jeff Merkley's Office (OR)
- US Senator Jim Risch's Office (ID)
- US Senator Mike Crapo's Office (ID)
- US Senator Ron Wyden's Office (OR)
- Wallowa County
- Wallowa Mountain Hells Canyon Trails Association
- Wallowa Resources
- Wallowa Whitman National Forest
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)