Jennifer Gilden

I was born in Los Gatos, California, but grew up in Eugene, Oregon in the early 1970s. When I was 17 I went off to school in upstate New York, then did some traveling and living in different places like London, Boston and Thailand. After a while I realized I was truly an Oregonian, and I returned to my roots. I got my master’s degree in environmental anthropology at Oregon State University, where I studied changing gender roles in timber families. After a while I also found myself studying women in fishing families, and then fisheries management communications. I eventually landed a job with the Pacific Fishery Management Council, where I worked for 20 years. Most of that work related to communications, Federal legislation and fish habitat. Now I am mostly retired, but I continue to do contract work with the Council, developing a newsletter and conducting trainings for fishing community members.

My husband, daughter and I share a cabin at Government Mineral Springs with three other families. I have been active on the cabin association’s board for about 11 years, serving as president, secretary, webmaster and historian. I’ve hiked and explored all over the Gifford Pinchot, including looking for beaver habitat with Bob Robison! Currently I’m researching the history of the area for our 100th anniversary. The Gifford Pinchot has always been one of my favorite places, and I love the idea of helping it thrive in any way I can.