Our vision is clean and abundant water
Three million people and thousands of species depend on clean water from the Cumberland River. Our job is to make sure they get it.
The Cumberland River Basin, one of the top three most biodiverse regions in the world, encompasses cities, farms, schools, factories, and neighborhoods. Our efforts in education, restoration, and outreach all contribute to keeping our water healthy.
We work on root problems of water pollution, both urban and rural. Our goal is to give people the tools to be smart, impactful stewards of their watershed and to constructively partner in policy planning with government agencies.
Meet Our Team
Mekayle Houghton
Executive Director
Contact Mekayle with inquiries related to:
- Environmental concerns of the region
Will Caplenor
Field Operations Supervisor
Contact Will with inquiries related to:
- Stream Restoration Projects
- Depave
Nicholle Gerde
Marketing & Communications Manager
Contact Nicholle with inquiries related to:
- Media & Promotions
- The Compact’s Website
- River Friendly Farms
Jed Grubbs
Watershed Planning and Restoration Manager
Contact Jed with inquiries related to:
- Watershed Planning
- Compensatory Mitigation
- Recreation in the Basin
- GIS and Mapping
Catherine Price
Education and Outreach Manager
Contact Catherine with inquiries related to:
- Waterfest
- River Talks
- K-12 Education Programs
Gray Perry
Clean Streams Initiative Manager
Contact Gray with inquiries related to:
- Adopt-A-Stream
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Rain Barrels
Libby Cheek
Development Director
Contact Libby with inquiries related to:
- Donations and Giving
- Event Sponsorships
Chandler Kucera
Root Nashville Program Coordinator
Contact Chandler with inquiries related to:
- Urban Tree activities
- Root Nashville
- Tree Plantings
Melinda Melton
Operations & Events Manager
Contact Melinda with inquiries related to:
- River Center Rentals or Use
- Dragon boat
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- Craig Philip
Board Chair - Durham Pettigrew
Vice Chair - Michelle Scopel
Secretary - Scott Ringenberg
Treasurer
- Keith Aulson
- Kim H. Bailey
- Berdelle Campbell
- Chris Cannon
- Kim Carpenter Drake
- Paul Davis
- Treanor Granbery
- Jamieson Gray, Intern
- Cynthia Lee
- Brooks Matthews
- Kaaren May
- Cayce McAlister
- Mark McDonald
- Andrew Michael
- Tom Motzny
- Olawale Ogbonlowo
- Art Rebrovick
- Greg Shiflett
- Alex Wade
- Renée Wray-Davis
Emeriti
- Phil Armor
- George Cate
- Bill Coble
- David Duhl
- Bill Forrester
- Pete Kopscak
- Skip Lawrence
- Courtney Masters
- Art Newby
- Paul Sloan
OUR HISTORY
2019
Root Nashville plants the first 5,000 trees in a thirty year effort to restore Nashville’s tree canopy.
2018
Launch of Compensatory Mitigation program opens opportunity for large scale stream restoration to restore habitat of imperiled species.
2017
The Cumberland River Compact brings Depaving to Tennessee with volunteers peeling up asphalt and replacing oversized parking lots with gardens.
2016
The Cumberland River Compact and the Nature Conservancy of Tennessee, with generous support from the National Fish and Wildlife Federation, partner to write a strategic plan for dam removal and then inventory and prioritize dam removals throughout Tennessee.
2015
First year of Waterfest in Cumberland Park - a free, fun science fair with water slides and sno-cones attracts thousands each summer.
2014
River Talks, An Educational Series at the Cumberland River Center is born.
2013
The Cumberland River Compact moves into the Bridge Building.
2012
The Cumberland River Compact launches Water for Schools initiative to Nashville Schools that harvests rainwater in 300-gallon cisterns for use in school gardens.
2011
The Rain Garden Manual wins Tennessee Association of Landscape Architect’s highest honor.
2010
The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency to promote the reduction of pesticides in conventional farming.
2009
The Compact partners with the Model Forest Policy Program’s southeast pilot case study for climate adaptation planning.
2008
Cumberland River Compact is honored by Metro Park’s Nature Centers for their role in bringing a green roof, solar panels, and geothermal heating and cooling system to the parks nature centers.
2007
The Cumberland River Compact partners with World Wildlife Fund and Coca-Cola Bottling to promote rain barrel use, and offer education about water reuse and conservation. World Wildlife Fund replicates the project internationally.
2006
The Cumberland River Compact hosts the First Annual Dragon Boat Race and River Festival with 35 teams and over 800 paddlers. The Cumberland River Compact receives the TN Governor’s Conservation Stewardship Award for Building Green
2004
The Cumberland River Compact begins its policy work, helping local officials establish buffer ordinances in rapidly developing counties like Robertson and Wilson.
2003
With the Catfish Out of Water City Art Festival, the Cumberland River Compact auctions public sculptures for placement throughout Nashville.
2002
The Cumberland River Compact begins its work inside Nashville with the Mid Cumberland Watershed Association.
2001
The Cumberland River Compact starts the Red River watershed initiative.
2000
The Cumberland River Compact’s Marina Committee develops the Clean Marina program with the Army Corps of Engineers.
1999
The Cumberland River Compact starts the Harpeth River Watershed Initiative funded by the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation and the Greater Nashville Regional Council.
1998
The Water Quality Advisory Committee is established. The open committee is composed of scientists, policy makers, and government agencies to discuss and coordinate issues related to water quality in the Cumberland River Basin. The committee would go on to write the Sediment Study that identified sediment as the primary pollutant in the Cumberland River.
1997
The Cumberland River Compact’s Charter is written.