Sarah Nelson

Founder | Executive Director

Sarah has always had an undeniable love for the outdoors and water. Growing up in Colorado, the Rocky Mountains were the backdrop for adventures camping, hiking, paddling, and playing outdoors. Sarah’s family has roots seeded in river conservation with her Grandfather heading up some major river conservation projects across the West.

After graduating from CU Boulder in 2012, Sarah took on various marketing roles from larger corporations like Crocs Inc and Lionsgate Entertainment to smaller brands she helped scale to profitability. Each position she took inched her closer to her passion for the outdoors and protecting the planet’s beauty and natural resources. Her previous role as Marketing Director of Good River Beer coupled with an invite on a 6-day Down River staff on Cataract Canyon cemented her decision to pursue her dream of starting a nonprofit.
 
In 2021, Sarah founded Protect Our Rivers along with a team of board members. Today she serves as Executive Director, where she leads the business strategy, marketing, fundraising, and day-to-day of the organization.