The Network History
The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) is the country’s largest coalition of hunting, fishing, and conservation groups, outdoor businesses, and individuals working to advance proactive conservation solutions through policy. With a mission to guarantee all Americans quality places to hunt and fish, the TRCP unites and amplifies the voices of 64 organizational partners and 130,000 individual members and supporters to advance policies, programs, and funding that conserve fish and wildlife habitat and public access.
In 2022, in response to a Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP)-led study on primary barriers affecting access to federal conservation funding, the TRCP began building tools and relationships to help state and local governments, Pueblos and Tribes, water users, and community-based watershed organizations in the Rio Grande Basin access and deploy federal funds for projects that accelerate and scale watershed resilience efforts, including enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat. This work was buoyed by passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the single largest federal investment in western water projects in the nation’s history.
In 2024, TRCP launched the Rio Grande Aquatic Navigator Network (“Network”) with the goal of offering direct assistance to watershed organizations and conservation partners working to advance aquatic restoration and conservation efforts in the Rio Grande Basin. While the Network was initially established to offer navigational support to partners regarding accessing available public funds, the Network continues to evolve and expand its range of services in response to a rapidly changing public funding landscape.
Who We Are
The Network Team consists of TRCP staff and consultant support from Strategic by Nature.
Alexander Funk, Director of Water Resources, TRCP
Alexander Funk is the Director of Water Resources and Senior Counsel for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, which works to guarantee all Americans a quality place to hunt and fish. Alex has over a decade of experience addressing water-related challenges along the Rio Grande. In his role with the TRCP, Alexander leads the organization’s national freshwater policy efforts, focusing on issues ranging from the Clean Water Act to securing federal funding to accelerate the pace and scale of watershed conservation and restoration projects that benefit fish and wildlife in western watersheds.
Alexander previously served as the Agricultural and Rural Resiliency Policy Specialist at the Colorado Water Conservation Board, where he acted as the agency’s liaison to agricultural stakeholders on federal and state water policy issues, including assisting water users in the San Luis Valley secure federal and state funding to support sustainable water management objectives. Before the CWCB, Alex served as the Western Policy Director for the National Young Farmers Coalition, focusing on Farm Bill policy, and as a legal fellow with American Rivers. In both roles, Alex worked on state policy efforts in New Mexico, encouraging investments in drought-resilient agricultural practices.
Alexander earned his Juris Doctorate from Vermont Law School and his bachelor’s degree in environmental policy and planning from Virginia Tech. Alex is a graduate of the Colorado Water Leaders Program, offered by Water Education Colorado, and the 2024 Colorado River Leaders Program, sponsored by the Water Education Foundation. Alex lives in Denver, Colorado, with his family and can frequently be found mountain biking, backpacking, climbing fourteeners, and paddling his kayak around the West.
Sarah Smith, Rio Grande Program Manager, TRCP
Sarah joined TRCP as the Rio Grande Program Manager in June 2025. In this role, she leads TRCP’s water policy efforts within the Rio Grande Basin, focusing on securing federal funding for restoration projects, engaging with policymakers, advancing regional water planning, and supporting on-the-ground partners.
Originally from Flagstaff, Arizona, Sarah spent her youth camping, rafting, and hiking with her family around the Southwest. Previously, she has worked for the U.S. Forest Service, a variety of conservation-focused nonprofits and institutions, and as an environmental educator and outdoor guide in the Southwest. Sarah holds a double bachelor’s degree in Spanish and creative writing and a master’s degree in environmental science and policy.
Besides getting outdoors, where you’ll find her most weekends, her favorite pastime is traveling. She’s also a silversmith and hibernates in her jewelry-making studio during the winter months. Sarah currently resides in Santa Fe.
Emile Elias, Strategic by Nature
Emile Elias is Founder of Ecoimpact Solutions and an Associate for Strategic By Nature where she provides hydrologic, consulting and facilitation support to organizations working on land and water initiatives. As part of TRCP’s Network Team, Emile coordinates the Rio Grande Aquatic Navigator Network, providing facilitation and partnership engagement support to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the leveraging of resources around aquatic restoration and conservation efforts in the Upper Rio Grande Basin.
Emile has over 30 years of professional experience in hydrology, natural resource management, watershed planning and collaboration including roles as director of the USDA Southwest Climate Hub, research hydrologist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, along with serving as an environmental scientist, water resource manager, and nonprofit director. She has published more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles, launched learning networks, and facilitated water convenings across the Southwest. Emile holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology from the University of Colorado, a Master of Science in Watershed Science from Colorado State University, and a Doctorate in Hydrology and Forestry from Auburn University. She is actively working on a water scarcity solutions book and decision-support tool.
Emile lives in Durango, Colorado with her husband and twin sons and enjoys hiking, skiing, paddling, and time outdoors.
Funder Acknowledgement
TRCP and the Network Team acknowledge the following funders for their past and current contributions to the financial health of the Network: