Nancy Steele, Ph.D., the executive director of Friends of the Verde River, will be retiring at the end of the year after spending six years with the nonprofit.
One of her achievements during those six years was the creation of a watershed report card for the Verde River.
Watershed report cards are a tool used worldwide to summarize the status of a watershed. Friends of the Verde River compiles the report card from information collected by scientists or agency professionals and translates their findings into a set of facts that anyone can use. The Verde River scored a C+ on its watershed report card in 2020, based on data collected in 2018, and the report card will be updated again in 2025.
Steele also noted that the Friends held two watershed conferences during her tenure. The professional conferences drew several hundred people from around Arizona to the Verde Valley to discuss water issues. She recalled one attendee telling her how much they enjoyed listening to the ranchers talk about what the Verde River meant to them and the challenges they faced.
At the end of 2020, the Friends launched the RiverFriendly Living Program. Both a brand and a program, River-Friendly Living aims to educate residents about what it means to be river-friendly and live a river-friendly life.
The program is not just for homeowners; businesses and developments can participate as well. It offers a series of benchmarks that participants can meet in order to get their river-friendly living designation.
“COVID was an extreme challenge and I had to fight for the organization,” Steele said. “I think that was a tremendous learning experience for us all. You have to fight for your organization and work hard to keep it going and keep it vital. We are resilient and we can survive.”
In recognition of their resiliency in action, the Friends also received an ASU resiliency prize that highlighted their efforts at improving community resilience for the Verde River.
Steele said that her typical day involves talking with donors and staff, making sure everything is well-coordinated, approving projects and providing liaison between the public, staff and their mission.
“I often joke that they need me for my hand because I sign checks,” Steele said. “It might be a little daunting for some people, but I truly am thinking about the job all the time … It’s not for the faint of heart. You have to know a little bit about everything.”
She added that it helps to have a science background in addition to a knowledge of finances and business.
“In an organization like this, we’re always moving forward,” Steele said. “We’re always planning for the future. As someone who has worked all my life, it’s going to be hard to put a stake in it and say, I’m done here, and let somebody else take it over.”
Steele and the Friends are already thinking about the 2024 State of the Verde watershed conference and the new watershed report card.
“This probably isn’t the end of the kind of work I do in service of my mission to leave this world a better place with a specific focus on the planet and people,” Steele said.
While Steele will be retiring from full-time work, she plans to travel and possibly serve on the board of another organization.
“It’s been an extreme honor to work for this organization and to work in this community,” said Steele. “When I came here to the Verde Valley, I was attracted to this organization because of its strong standing in the community. I think people don’t realize how well people work together here towards the common cause. Keeping the river flowing and keeping our nature healthy is something that so many people think is important. This is a great place to do this kind of work.”
