Our Team
Brian Wheeler - program director
Brian has dedicated nearly two decades to river conservation and stewardship. For the past six years, he served as the Executive Director of the Big Hole River Foundation, where he led a river-wide water quality monitoring program on the Big Hole. His deep connection to rivers also includes work as a fishing and whitewater guide, along with volunteering to organize river clean-ups. When he’s not rowing the river, you’ll likely find him following his bird dogs across the prairie.
Dr. Kyle Flynn - Lead Scientist
Dr. Kyle Flynn leads the organization’s basin-wide monitoring and assessment programs. With a Ph.D. in Ecology and over a decade of experience in water quality research, ecological modeling, and field-based monitoring, Dr. Flynn brings deep expertise in analyzing nutrient pollution, stream metabolism, and aquatic ecosystem health. His work integrates rigorous science with practical restoration planning, helping to inform data-driven strategies to protect and restore Montana’s cold-water fisheries. Dr. Flynn has consulted across the Rocky Mountain West on watershed health, aquatic habitat, and restoration effectiveness. His “Jefferson River Basin Abiotic Monitoring 2023-2024,” produced for SWT, is the result of a multi-year study that integrates drone-based thermal (FLIR) imaging, in-stream water quality sampling, and extensive on-the-ground monitoring.