Meet The Southwest Leadership Team
Central Texas, East Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana
Clinton (Rafe) Dean
Operations Manager, Aquatic Specialist (TX)
Rafe Dean is an Operations Manager and Aquatic Specialist based in Texas. He has a passion for restoring and maintaining the health and beauty of waterbodies within the region.
Rafe has more than 25 years of experience in business management and leadership. His extensive knowledge and experience inform his commitment to supporting his clients with the highest level of care while serving as a responsible steward of the water.
He was born and raised in Tyler, TX. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and also enjoys hunting with his two boys and competitive bass fishing.
Danny "Ray" Doty Jr.
Aquatic Project Manager, Fisheries Biologist (TX)
Ray Doty is the Aquatic Project Manager in the Texas region. As an Aquatic Project Manager and Fisheries Biologist that has been working with landowners for over 15 years, Ray is passionate about helping restore balance, and deliver results for client fisheries while improving the aesthetics of waterbodies. Ray is responsible for managing, organizing, and planning fisheries and aquatic-based projects in and around the Texas region.
Originally from Vicksburg, Mississippi, Ray is the youngest of 3 boys. He has two sons, one daughter, and one stepson. He and his wife, Elizabeth, live in east Texas. Ray has a great love for the outdoors and regularly enjoys fishing, camping, and hunting.
Cole Kabella
Business Development Consultant (Southern TX)
Cole Kabella is an Aquatic Specialist and Business Development Consultant with nearly a decade of experience developing relationships with stakeholders and educating them on the importance of sustainable and proactive lake, pond, and fisheries management solutions. Cole has a special interest in fish stocking, fish transporting, and acclimating fish to create fun recreational opportunities in apartment complexes, HOAs, and large communities. He also has an extensive background in the control of aquatic vegetation growth and maintaining and enhancing the aesthetics of the habitat. Cole graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Services.
Ben Strang
Business Development Consultant (Northern TX, LA, AR, & OK)
Ben is an Aquatic Specialist and the Business Development Consultant for Northern TX, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. He has a passion for the outdoors and his commitment to conservation aligns perfectly with SOLitude’s mission. He enjoys leveraging his strong communication and interpersonal skills to build relationships with clients and contribute to the protection of aquatic resources.
Prior to his current role as a Business Development Consultant for SOLitude, he performed a variety of biological work across the country and internationally. As an undergraduate, he worked in a water quality and fisheries management lab at Wright State University and also completed an internship in South Texas working as a ranchland management technician. Immediately following graduation, Ben worked in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska as a fisheries observer for a year. He worked and lived on-board commercial fishing vessels and provided biological information about fish-catch efforts to regulating bodies. Following his stint as a fisheries observer, he began graduate school at Texas Christian University and worked on freshwater systems and heavy-metal dynamics of High Arctic ponds in Greenland.
Ben graduated from Texas Christian University with a Master of Science in Biology. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Sciences from Wright State University in Ohio. With a diverse background in biological sciences, Ben has gained extensive experience in various ecological settings across the United States and internationally.
Ben is originally from central Ohio and grew up with a love for the outdoors. He spent the better part of two decades dedicating himself to becoming a better hunter, fisherman, and outdoorsman. This love for the outdoors has informed his career path, and he’s looking forward to contributing to the conservation of aquatic resources with SOLitude.
Learn More About Our Misison
SOLitude was built by the hard work, dedication & passion of aquatic experts in lake management to find solutions for communities and clients.
