Tom Straughan has been a director of the Umatilla County SWCD since 1984. He lives on lower Birch Creek on a century farm, raising wheat, hay, and cattle. He is retired from the USDA as a Meat Grader, and the OR Department of Agriculture as an Agriculture Water Quality Specialist. His time on the SWCD has led him to participate in numerous natural resource boards, and to deal with many natural resource issues.