Three Long-Time River Enthusiasts Join American Rivers Board

July 10, 2015

July 10, 2015

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(Washington, DC) – American Rivers today announced that three new members, Carrie Besnette Hauser, Jimmy Kimmel, and David Solomon, were elected to its board of directors. The new directors bring deep passion for rivers and strong commitment to the mission of American Rivers, the nation’s leading river conservation organization.

“Rivers are under threat from complex challenges and American Rivers is spearheading solutions for rivers and communities across the country,” said Bob Irvin, President and CEO of American Rivers. “Carrie, Jimmy, and David each bring with them knowledge and experience from their diverse professional backgrounds, and they care deeply about the future of our nation’s rivers. Their varied expertise will help us achieve our mission of protecting and restoring rivers nationwide. We are grateful to have them join our board.”

Carrie Besnette Hauser (Glenwood Springs, CO)
President and CEO of Colorado Mountain College.

Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser is president and CEO of Colorado Mountain College, a public institution serving 12,000 square miles of the Central Rocky Mountains, an area that includes dozens of major rivers, creeks, and streams. The College’s degree programs include natural resource management, sustainability studies, and outdoor leadership, among others.

Dr. Hauser’s career has included leadership roles in higher education and private foundations. She has been an executive at the Kauffman Foundation, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and the Daniels Fund.

She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona and graduate degrees from UCLA, and completed the Advanced Management Program at the Wharton School of Business.

An avid outdoorswoman, Dr. Hauser has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, climbed to the Mt. Everest base camp, and held the proud title of “swamper” while working many summers for Hatch River Expeditions in the Grand Canyon, near her home town of Flagstaff, Arizona.

Jimmy Kimmel (Los Angeles, CA)
Host and executive producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Mr. Kimmel has also worked as a writer, comedian, voice actor, musician, and radio personality. He has hosted other television programs, including Win Ben Stein’s Money and The Man Show, and started his own production company. Mr. Kimmel attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Arizona State. Mr. Kimmel serves on the board of the Dave Rice Foundation.

He is an avid fly fisherman, visiting Montana, Idaho, and other states to fish some of his favorite trout streams. Mr. Kimmel also fished as a member of the celebrity cast on the Outdoor Channel series, Buccaneers and Bones.

David Solomon (Chicago, IL)
CEO of Lazard’s Middle Market Advisory Group.

Mr. Solomon leads a team of professionals that provide transaction advice to public and private companies as well as private equity groups with regard to mergers and acquisitions, and debt and equity recapitalizations. Prior to the start of his investment banking career in 1990, Mr. Solomon spent 13 years as a real estate professional, primarily developing retail shopping centers and mixed-use projects in Minneapolis. Mr. Solomon earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale University, graduating magna cum laude. He also received an MBA with a concentration in finance from the Carlson School at the University of Minnesota, graduating in the Delta Gamma Sigma honors society.

Mr. Solomon is an avid fly fisherman and outdoorsman. He has canoed extensively in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Minnesota, and fished throughout the Rockies, Cascades and Olympic mountain ranges.


About American Rivers

American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and an annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 250,000 members, supporters, and volunteers.

Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Find your connections at AmericanRivers.org, Facebook.com/AmericanRivers, and Twitter.com/AmericanRivers.