Board

Kathy served more than 10 years as the Montana Wildlife Federation (MWF) representative to the National Wildlife Federation. She served two terms as president of MWF, where she was an active board member for almost 20 years. She was appointed by Montana’s governor to the first Private Lands/Public Wildlife Committee, which resulted in legislation that opened up more than seven million acres of private land to public hunting. Kathy was first elected to the National Wildlife Federation Board of Directors in 2002. Kathy was elected in 2016 to serve as Chair-Elect.

She is a founding board member of the Clark Fork Coalition, a vibrant river advocacy organization, and has served as a conservation representative on the Clark Fork River Basin Restoration Council.

Now retired, Kathy is the former executive director of the National Center for Appropriate Technology, a nonprofit organization that helps people by championing small-scale, local, and sustainable solutions to reduce poverty, promote healthy communities, and protect natural resources.

Bruce served as Chair of the National Wildlife Federation Board of Directors from 2015-2017.

As a lawyer Bruce has specialized in environmental matters for the past 25 years, with a focus on natural resource protection on behalf of such organizations and coalitions as MUCC (FERC Relicensing Coalition), Michigan Environmental Trust, the Great Lakes Commission, National Wildlife Federation (e.g., Great Lakes Compact, Sulfide Mining Litigation, Pipeline Litigation) and numerous organizations, local governments and homeowner groups litigating groundwater, air pollution, and wildlife protection issues.

As a member of the National Wildlife Federation Board of Directors, Bruce has served on the Audit, Finance, Credentials & Affiliate Standards, and Ad Hoc Governance Committees as well as the Annual Meeting Task Force. He has chaired the Conservation Programs Planning Committee, the State Power Building Task Force and co-chaired the Presidential Search Committee. He currently serves as Past Chair of the National Wildlife Federation Board, co-chair of the DEIJ Committee, and Board Member of the National Wildlife Federation Action Fund.

Bruce is a long-time Board Member of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. He is author of a book for practitioners entitled Environmental Litigation and is an active member of the National Wildlife Federation's Wolfpack, serving on its Executive Committee, Energy Committee, and Pipeline Committee.

John Robbins retired in 2002 from the global strategy, technology and outsourcing firm, Accenture, after a 28-year career. He was promoted to Partner in 1985 and Managing Partner in 1991. His role at retirement was Chief Operating Officer for Resources Global Market Unit, one of Accenture’s five global market units.

After retirement, John formed a successful real estate development firm, Greathorn Development Company that operates in the Northeast quadrant of the Greater Charlotte area, and in Big Sky, Montana. The firm has emphasized wildlife-sensitive development, and implemented an award-winning community that is intended to serve as a model of wildlife and environmental sustainability through the preservation of contiguous natural areas, protection of creeks and wetlands, and enhancement of wildlife habitat throughout the development. His company was selected as the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Conservation Business of the Year – 2010.

John has been a passionate outdoorsperson all his life. He has served on the board of directors of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation since 2009 and was chairman from 2014 to 2016. He also serves as a board member of Worldwatch Institute in Washington, D.C., and is a founding director of NC Sound Economy, an expanding coalition of fisherman, business leaders and concerned citizens who are working to protect the fisheries and resources in North Carolina’s Sounds, the second largest estuarine area in the U.S.

Kent worked for twenty years as a director of environmental health for the City of Albuquerque. He was appointed by NM Governor Johnson to the Western Governors Grand Canyon Visibility Transport Commission to develop regulations to improve visibility in Class 1 wildlife areas; and Governor Richardson to serve on the NM Climate Change Task Force and develop transportation CO reduction programs. In 2009, he was appointed by NM Senator Jeff Bingaman to serve on the U.S. Senates Outdoor Resources Review Group. Starting in 2009, he served a three year term as a New Mexico State Game Commissioner being appointed by NM Governor Bill Richardson. In 2011, he was appointed by President Barack Obama to Chair the Valles Caldera National Trust Board which he helped transition to a National Park Preserve.

He works in several coalitions advocating for the establishment of the Columbine Hondo Wilderness area, the Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument and El Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Working with several land conservation organizations he has advocated nationally for the Land and Water Conservation fund, for Federal Land Transfer Facilitation Act (FLTFA) and the reform of the 1872 Mining Law.

Kent is a Past President of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. He is on the Board of HECHO and Conservation Voters NM C4. He currently serves as the Western Vice Chair of the NWF Board.

Mary Van Kerrebrook is a Houston native, and long-time Texas conservationist. Just out of law school, she volunteered to assist the Texas Conservation Alliance (formerly Texas Committee on Natural Resources) in its work to protect the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker in Texas National Forests. This long effort ultimately saved the woodpecker from extirpation in Texas, and resulted in what remains a landmark Endangered Species Act holding. Mary continues to serve on the Board of Directors of the Texas Conservation Alliance, and was instrumental in the Alliance’s successful reconfiguration after the death of its iconic founder, Ned Fritz.

Mary helped organize the Katy Prairie Conservancy, a land trust working to protect a sustainable part of the Katy Prairie west of Houston. She obtained the Conservancy’s seminal funding and served for many years as its Board Chair. In that role she oversaw the organization’s growth from an unlikely vision through the point at which 20,000 acres of vital wildlife habitat had been protected on the Katy Prairie.

Mary has also served on the Board of Directors of the Galveston Bay Foundation, and helped found the Galveston Houston Association for Smog Prevention (currently Houston Air Alliance).

Mike Bartlett served five years as the New Hampshire Audubon (NHA) affiliate representative to the National Wildlife Federation. During his eight years as President of NHA, Mike focused on overseeing a staff engaged in environmental education, land protection and stewardship, advocacy and conservation research.

Prior to his tenure with NHA, Mike worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He spent the last 16 years of his 37 year Service career directing the agency’s New England Field Office where he focused on wetlands and hydropower regulation, endangered species protection and recovery, habitat restoration and natural resource damage assessment at Superfund sites and major oil spills.

When Mike retired from the Service in 2008, he received EPA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Department of Interior’s Meritorious Service Award and a Commendation in the Congressional Record. Mike was elected to the National Wildlife Federation’s Board of Directors in 2018, where he will serve as Region 1 (New England) Director.

Mike was a founding member of the New Hampshire Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association and served on its Board for almost ten years. He currently sits on the Board of the Basil W. Woods Chapter of Trout Unlimited. He served in the U.S. Army from 1966 – 1969, including an extended tour in South Korea.

As a professional angler, guide and outdoorsmen for most of his life, Brian truly understands the importance of our natural resources and our civil duty to protect them. Educating others about the benefits of nature and passing on our outdoor heritage to the next generation is the drive behind his passion. He attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and studied Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife management.

Brian served more than six years as a Board member for Nebraska Wildlife Federation, serving as the chair of the Organizational Development Committee and has been actively involved in all of NeWF’s endeavors. He has also contributed to several organizations such as the Nebraska Walleye Association as treasurer and board adviser for eight years and served one year as the President of South Dakota Walleye’s Unlimited.

As a member of National Wildlife Federation Board of Directors, he has served on several committees such as Development and Conservation Program Planning Committee. He has served as the Chair of the Credentials and Affiliate Standards Committee and Chair of the Ad-hoc Real-Estate Transaction Committee.

Brian currently serves as Vice President for the National Professional Anglers Association. He currently resides in Sioux Falls, SD and works as the marketing director for Midwest Hunting and Fishing publication. Brian served as the Chief of Operations for Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Fifteen for 11 years with tours to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Alan J. Blinken served as the United States Ambassador to Belgium from 1993-1998. He currently is Chairman of the Washington Center and serves on the board of directors for several other organizations including King Baudouin Foundation USA, Living with Wolves, and National Wildlife Federation Action Fund. He is a member of the National Wildlife Federation President’s Leadership Council and the Explorers Club. From 1998 to 2001, Ambassador Blinken was Senior Advisor to Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld LLP. Until his appointment as Ambassador, he worked in the financial services industry. From 1974 to 1993, he was a Partner and Managing Director with Wertheim Schroder & Co., Inc. in New York City. Prior to this, he was formerly President of Model Roland & Co., where he worked for 15 years. In 1990, he was a candidate for the New York State Assembly and in 2002, a candidate for the U.S. Senate in Idaho.

Ambassador Blinken is the founder and former chairman of the Women’s Gynecological Cancer Research Fund. Other former board service includes UCB SA (Brussels), UCB Inc. (Atlanta), Sofina (Brussels) and Center for National Policy. Ambassador Blinken and wife Melinda have been instrumental in the development of National Wildlife Federation’s annual Escape to Sun Valley fishing trip and social event.

Carol Buie-Jackson's passions run deep as she blazes new trails using her spirit of fun and gaiety to help change the world in innovative, new ways. As a creative social entrepreneur who strives to connect people with nature, Carol co-founded HAWK (Habitat and Wildlife Keepers), the first chapter of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation (NCWF) which certified the Town of Matthews (NC) as a "Community Wildlife Habitat" with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). Carol is a Master Composter and Master Naturalist with Mecklenburg County (NC) and a Habitat Steward with the NWF.

With an eye toward making even a bigger impact, Carol forged new paths as a Board Member and the first-ever female chairperson in the 75-year history of the NCWF (the largest and oldest conservation organization in the state). Carol's infectious love for birds, butterflies and other creatures led to her being elected to the NWF Board of Directors in 2016 where she currently represents a 4-state region. Seeking additional ways to connect people with nature, Carol has created two innovative, retail boutique store concepts in Charlotte, NC, with the opening of her Bird House on the Greenway store (which was honored as Sustainable Small Business of the Year in 2015) and her latest venture, Wildology at Waverly. As a foodie aficionado, Carol is an advocate for sustainable, fair and clean food. Carol and her husband, Jay, have never met a stranger and are known for opening their dining room to friends old and new to host fun-filled feasts featuring food from local farmers.

Allyn Dukes and husband Cliff operate an environmentally conscious, fuel oil blending business in Houston, Texas. Allyn manages human resources, compensation, benefits, and is trustee for the profit sharing plan. Through the blending process, their business brings renewed energy-producing value to a variety of products that may have limited potential otherwise and could be destined for disposal in polluting or energy-wasting avenues.

Allyn has been recognized in two public school districts for her volunteer efforts, most recently as coordinator of a business partner mentor program. Allyn also assists and supports the Outreach Center of West Houston and the Council on Recovery Houston and is a mentor to adults in various stages of recovery from family crises.

Allyn’s interest in the National Wildlife Federation began when she was given a subscription to NWF Magazine while in college. She has been a member of NWF for over 30 years. She became more active in the organization in recent years, supporting the staff and programs of the South Central Region office in Austin, including the Discovery Hill habitat in the Austin School District and the Monarch Heroes Program in the Houston School District. Allyn has distributed NWF materials at Girl and Boy Scout events and has hosted two NWF outreach events in her home with educational programs delivered by David Mizejewski and Kevin Coyle.

Eric has been a faculty member of the University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign since 1983, teaching courses in environmental and natural resources law, property, land use, water law and wildlife law. His service in conservation organizations includes time as Chair of the Prairie Group of the Sierra Club, on the Illinois Environmental Council, and since 1998 on the Board of Directors of Prairie Rivers Network, the Illinois affiliate of NWF. Commissioned as an Army officer in 1974 he served as Assistant to the Army General Counsel in the Pentagon from 1976 to 1980 and practiced law with Baker & Daniels (now Feagre Baker Daniels) in Indianapolis from 1980 to 1983.

Eric’s recent writings for popular as well as scholarly audiences include A Good That Transcends: How U.S. Culture Undermines Environmental Reform (U. of Chicago Press); Our Oldest Task: Making Sense of Our Place in Nature (U. of Chicago Press); On Private Property: Finding Common Ground on the Ownership of Land (Beacon Press); and Why Conservation Is Failing and How It Can Regain Ground (Yale University Press). His wildlife-related writings, with co-authors, include Wildlife Law: A Primer (Island Press; 2nd ed. forthcoming) and a law school casebook, Wildlife Law: Cases and Materials (Foundation Press). With philosopher J. Baird Callicott he co-edited a volume of writings by Aldo Leopold, mostly on conservation in agricultural landscapes, For the Health of the Land: Previously Unpublished Essays and Other Writings (Island Press).

In his early twenties, Scott discovered he had a passion for exploring nature, but he only became focused on his life goal after speaking with a recruiter for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about the lack of people of color pursuing careers in the field of natural resource management.

Upon graduation, Scott was recruited by the Colorado Division of Wildlife to help create a small urban fishing program that would introduce inner-city youth to the joys of fishing and conservation. Over the following 18-year span, Scott grew the small Denver urban fishing program into an award winning one (the program successfully taught 100,000’s of youth and their families throughout Colorado how to fish.) In 2004, the Colorado Division of Wildlife Angler Education program was recognized by the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame as having one of the most innovative and successful urban fishing programs in the nation.

In 1996, Scott and his wife, Stacie Gilmore, co-founded the nonprofit organization, Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK). ELK introduces, engages, and immerses youth ages 8 - 18 in learning about science, wildlife, nature, and local environmental issues that affect their neighborhoods in Denver, Colorado. In 2016, ELK celebrated its twentieth anniversary by working on creating the City of Denver’s newest urban park. This park will be a natural open space park that will also be home to ELK with a 6,000 sq. ft. education center that will be the first introduction to nature for 1,000’s of youth in the City of Denver.

In 2011, Scott became part of Denver Mayor, Michael B. Hancock’s administration, serving in the position of Deputy Executive Director of Denver Parks and Planning.

Wide open spaces has been a passion for Bri growing up in Wyoming. She’s a 2009 graduate of the University of Wyoming with a BA in International Studies and Political Science. She’s worked across the country with various organizations and campaigns, most recently as a freelance consultant. Bri currently attends law school at the University of Michigan. In her spare time, you’ll find Bri and her husband Oscar enjoying the outdoors and dabbling in photography. Bri takes every opportunity to travel the world. She is a past board member of the Wyoming and Florida Wildlife Federations.

In 1987, Jerry founded Landfill Energy Systems to capture methane gas and turn it into energy. This company’s work earned an EPA certificate declaring the reduction of methane in the air was the equivalent of removing 800,000 cars from the road. From 1988 to 2011, Jerry served as CEO for Michigan Machinery (Michigan Cat). In 2016, he founded RethinkEthanol.com, an organization devoted to reforming the practice of subsidizing and mandating corn ethanol.

Jerry presently serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Michigan Colleges Alliance, and is a board member for the Public School Academies of Detroit, Director of Michigan League of Conservation Voters, and Director for Oak Adaptive, Inc. Jerry is the founder of Oak Adaptive, which provides software tailored to Caterpillar dealers as well as an innovative sentencing app that provides information for use within the criminal justice system. Jerry is also a member of the National Wildlife Federation President’s Leadership Council and is active in the National Wildlife Federation Michigan Wolfpack’s regional work. Currently semi-retired, Jerry manages Rule of Ones, LLC, an investment vehicle.

Jerry’s deep commitment to conservation and the environment also originated his work with Detroit Public Television. His help securing financial support provided the groundwork for the development of Great Lakes Week, a groundbreaking initiative by DPTV providing education about and discussing the future of the Great Lakes, as well as a new documentary division at the station. In 2012, the station honored him with an award for community leadership.

Cody Kamrowski is in the early stages of his career as a natural resource/community development planner in Northwestern Wisconsin. Cody is a graduate of Wisconsin Wildlife Federation’s first Conservation Leadership Corps Class and he served as their first President. He now serves as a district director for the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation Board of Directors. Cody’s interest in NWF stemmed through its support to help develop the Wisconsin Conservation Leadership Corps. His interest is to assist as a resource and mentor for other NWF affiliates to develop a similar youth leadership program to inspire youth.

Cody is continually outside participating in various outdoor activities, all of which change depending on the seasons. Within his local community, Cody is a volunteer firefighter as well as secretary and treasurer of the fire association. He has engaged as a speaker for his alma mater’s gala, commencement ceremony and has been the keynote speaker for the Wisconsin Youth Summit. In the 2015 #CleanEnergyU essay competition, Cody’s essay was one of three nationally to be published. His essay focused on the triple bottom line with the inclusion of leadership to execute the vision. Cody is a hunter education instructor, advanced shotgun instructor, hunting, fishing and trapping mentor, and speaker. All of Cody’s hobbies and passions collide by introducing and educating the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts and conservationists.

Koalani Kaulukukui-Barbee (Koa) has dedicated her career and personal life to protecting the environment and using the law to effectuate positive change. As Counsel for Environmental Law and Native Rights at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Koa assisted with cases at the intersection of Native Hawaiian rights and natural resource law, such as helping to restore freshwater to streams for kalo (a staple Hawaiian food) and native species habitat. Koa also helped tackle many of Hawaii’s environmental issues as Vice-President of Conservation Council for Hawaii, former President of KAHEA: The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance, and former member of the state Environmental Council.

As an associate attorney with Earthjustice’s Mid-Pacific office, she helped secure an injunction requiring the U.S. Navy to use protections to reduce harm to marine mammals from high intensity sonar around the Hawaiian Islands. In another case, she files a motion that resulted in the State beginning to install a fence that scientists say was necessary to stop the steep decline in the critically endangered Palila bird population on Mauna Kea.

Koa currently works for the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, Division of Ecology, dealing with hazardous and nuclear waste cleanup issues.

After completing his Bachelor of Arts at Western New England University and Master’s in Economics at American University, Fred moved to Montana and worked on the Flathead Indian Reservation. During his time there, Fred was first exposed to tribal fights to maintain sovereignty, preservation of wilderness areas in the Mission Mountains, and cultural traditions. Crucial in his experiences was what became a very close working and personal relationship with the Tribal Chairman at the time, Ronald Therriault.

In 1986, he returned to the East and began his teaching career at SUNY Cobleskill. In 1995, working with colleagues from the Salish Kootenai Tribal College, Fred developed a sequence of courses in Native American Studies that eventually became a Minor for Bachelors students at the College.

Fred has been an activist for more than 20 years in United University Professions (UUP), the largest higher education union in the United States, first as Chapter President at Cobleskill from 1993 to 2003 and again from 2011 until 2013. Since then he has served as statewide president of UUP.

In October 2013, Fred was appointed as a vice president of the American Federation of Teachers. He also serves as chair of AFT’s Higher Education Program and Policy Council. Fred was elected to the New York State United Teachers Board of Directors and Executive Committee in 2014.

Fred has been honored by the Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State for his work as a union leader in the cause of social justice. He has also received the American Labor Studies Center's 2017 Kate Mullany Medal was chosen in 2018 for City & State’s inaugural Labor Power 50 List: Recognizing and profiling New York’s most influential labor leaders.

Jay works as an account executive with Interface, the world's largest modular flooring manufacturer and a globally-recognized pioneer in the field of industrial sustainability. He also serves on the boards of the Green Built Alliance, EcoForesters, and the Next30 committee for the Southern Environmental Law Center. Most of his philanthropic efforts are dedicated to thoughtfully considered and impactful grant-making with the NextGen committee of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation. This committee, comprised of Ray's grandchildren, has typically focused on engaging young adults and adolescents on the various facets of sustainability and conservation. Jay is passionate about continuing the legacy of his grandfather, who championed the business logic of sustainability and finding creative solutions to address climate change. Originally from Atlanta, Jay now lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with his wife Whitney and son August. He has travelled near and far in pursuit of game fish on the fly, from Slovenia to New Zealand, but still is partial to Southern Appalachian brook trout. In the colder months, he enjoys upland bird hunting with his German Wirehaired Pointer, Sidney. He is a graduate of Wake Forest University.

Catherine A. Novelli is the President of Listening for America, a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to forging a new vision of U.S. international trade engagement. She is also a Centennial Fellow at Georgetown University. She served as Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment (2014-2017), where she championed economic reform; internet inclusion; conservation of natural resources and increased international collaboration on science and technology.

Novelli spent seven years as Vice President, Worldwide Government Affairs at Apple Inc. Prior to her position at Apple, she was a partner in the law firm of Mayer Brown International. She had a long career at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, rising to Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe & the Mediterranean, where she coordinated U.S. trade and investment policy for Europe, Russia, Central Asia, the Middle East and Northern Africa.

Novelli currently serves on the Board of the National Wildlife Federation and the Advisory Board of the Pristine Seas Initiative of the National Geographic Society as well as the Wildlife Conservation Society. She also serves on the Policy and Global Affairs Oversight Committee of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. She was named an Ocean Elder.

Novelli has received numerous honors and awards. She is a graduate of Tufts University, holds a law degree from the University of Michigan and a Master of Laws from University of London.

Rebecca Pritchett is an attorney with over 18 years' experience in environmental and natural resources law. She manages and runs Pritchett Environmental & Property Law, LLC, a full-service environmental law firm. The firm assists a variety of clients with regulatory compliance, enforcement actions, and civil litigation in all aspects of environmental and natural resources law. The firm represents businesses of all sizes, from Fortune 500 companies to sole proprietorships, nonprofit organizations, trusts and estates, governmental entities, individuals and trade associations in litigation, regulatory and transactional matters.

Rebecca has extensive experience in water quality, water rights, municipal water supply, wetland and coastal zone issues, hazardous waste and solid waste issues, mineral rights, brownfield redevelopment, brownfield economic incentives, financing purchases of contaminated property, and due diligence investigations. She also has experience in the areas of air quality, insecticides, fungicides, endangered species and wildlife law.

Rebecca earned a B.S. in Journalism, cum laude, from University of Southern Mississippi, Honors College, Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 1990 and a J.D. from University of Oregon School of Law, Eugene, Oregon in 1993.

Sally A. Ranney has forty years’ experience in the environmental, energy and climate fields. Currently, she is the President/Co-Founder of the American Renewable Energy Institute and AREDAY Summit, President/Co-Founder of the Earth Restoration Alliance and Senior Advisor/IWECI Co-founder for the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network and CEO of Stillwater Preservation, LLC. Previously she served as the President of American Wildlands and as a Resource Policy Analyst at The Wilderness Society.

She has earned multiple awards and recognitions that reflect her passion for wildlife and conservation including nominated as one of 35 women around the world saving wildlife by WomenforWildlife.com; Horace Albright Award recognizing outstanding conservation achievement, U.S. National Park Service; Meritorious Conservation Award by Wildlife International; R.K. Mellon Fellowship, Yale University School of Forestry & Environmental Studies; International Conservation Award, Earth Guardians’ Earth Stewardship Award; and the Lifetime Achievement Award, Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation. Political appointments include Presidential Commission on American Outdoors (Reagan), New Mexico Rio Grande Committee, Harvard School of Government: The New Environmental Agenda, and Colorado Tourism Board.

Ms. Ranney is an avid outdoorswoman, enjoying hunting quail and pheasant, fly fishing, rafting, horseback riding, and spending time at her very remote, modest family compound off the grid in Argentina. Additionally, she is a professional artist, enjoys writing and composing music, playing the piano and guitar.

An avid sportsman, Norm Ritchie is a dedicated advocate for recovering wild salmon and steelhead populations and for restoring their habitats.

In 1988, Norm joined the Association of Northwest Steelheaders, National Wildlife Federation’s Oregon affiliate, and ever since he has been a committed volunteer, giving his time and effort to both his local chapter, the state Association and National Wildlife Federation nationally. Norm was instrumental in the Steelheaders becoming an affiliate of NWF in 2007. He has served as the Steelheaders President, Vice President, Government Affairs Director, and Development Director. Through his local chapter, he is very involved in connecting kids with wildlife through kids’ fishing events. In 2014, he was named NWF’s Affiliate Volunteer of Year.

Over the years Norm has volunteered on several state and regional advisory boards. He serves as board vice president for the Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition and chaired the international Salmon Trout Enhancement Program Conference. He was appointed by two Oregon governors to the Salmon Trout Advisory Committee, and also served on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Hatchery Research Advisory Committee, External Budget Advisory Committee, and Fishing Regulation Advisory Committee. He is a member of the Oregon Bass and Panfish Club.

Phil is an expert on innovation and branding, a successful entrepreneur, and a consultant to a wide range of organizations. Currently, he is CEO of Great Lakes GrowthWorks, a strategy consulting firm dedicated to helping companies and organizations innovate, grow, and realize their potential. Particular emphasis is given to helping firms that are playing a role in creating the industries of tomorrow, fueling economic growth in a way that promotes wellness, sustainability, and quality of life. Formerly, he was the Managing Director of GfK Strategic Innovation, the practice area formed by the acquisition of Arbor Strategy Group (ASG) by GfK Group, a leading global marketing research and consulting firm. Phil founded ASG in 1998, creating a consultancy with recognized expertise in strategic brand innovation and a model for predicting and developing tomorrow’s successful innovation. Phil’s previous experience includes senior marketing and general management positions at Quaker Oats, Little Caesars Pizza, and early-stage companies.

Phil currently serves on a variety of boards, including the Michigan League of Conservation Voters (Board President), the National Wildlife Federation’s Michigan-based Wolfpack, and the Leadership Council of the Michigan Economic Center.

Now retired, Seth Ross worked for DuPont for thirty-five years in the areas of chemical research and development. Seth is a passionate conservationist and long-time resident of Delaware until returning to his native Pennsylvania after retirement.

Seth has been an active board member of the National Wildlife Federation’s Delaware affiliate, Delaware Nature Society, where he served on the board from 2004-2010 and 2012-2014. He was Co-Chair of the DNS Advocacy Committee from 2003 to 2014 and was a member of DNS's Soil Watch/Watershed Stewardship Committee from 1997 to 2015.

Early in his career at DuPont Seth was a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers during the time that DuPont was investigating means to reduce automotive emissions. He also was a member of the Society of Cornell Engineers.

In 2018 the Delaware Nature Society honored Seth with a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2014, Seth received the Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Award—for the environment. From 2000 through 2014, Seth served on numerous Delaware state panels, workshops and committees focusing on environmental and energy issues. For 10 years, he served as a member of an industry panel on petrochemicals.

Rob has been Director of Research for the last 15 years for Everett Harris & Company, an investment firm founded in Los Angeles in 1935 which now oversees $8 billion in assets. Clients are typically high net worth families and individuals, as well as educational and charitable organizations who share our philosophy of focusing on long-term investing that spans generations.

Earlier in his career, he was Director of Public Equities for the Global Environment Fund of Washington, DC. He was the portfolio manager for GEF’s investments in publicly traded companies around the world that helped improve the environment by following three key strategies: energy efficiency, renewable energy and clean water.

Rob started his career at IBM and served in a variety of product development and financial roles before joining the IBM Retirement Fund as a research analyst.

He received an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Engineering Sciences from Dartmouth College.

Rob lives in McLean, VA with his wife Leslie and two daughters. He and Leslie share a passion for public policy in the areas of the environment and public education, and enjoy biking, skiing and sailing.

Siva is a wildlife biologist and an expert on wildlife policy. He is currently serving his 2nd term on the BOD of the Wyoming Wildlife Federation. Since July 2017, Siva has worked as Wyoming Conservation Coordinator, at the Greater Yellowstone Coalition – Lander field office. As Conservation Coordinator, he oversees and leads the organization’s policy advocacy and conservation projects on wildlife and public lands issues to protect lands, waters and wildlife of the Wyoming part of Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. He acts also as a liaison with federal and state agencies and helps form strategic coalitions with partner organizations.

Siva served as Conservation Director at the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance in Jackson from January 2014 to July 2017, and before that he worked as the Kenya Program Director at the Department of Conservation Biology for the Denver Zoological Foundation (March 2010 – December 2013.)

He has written over 20 publications in top-tier ecological and conservation journals, and there are over 350 citations of these publications.

Gloria Tom is the Director of the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife (NNDFW) in Window Rock, Arizona. Gloria has worked with NNDFW for over 20 years and has also previously worked for the United States Department of Agriculture and the San Carlos Apache Tribe. Gloria has brought to the Department a deep emphasis on both outreach and education. Under Gloria’s leadership NNDFW organized a summit in 2014 to educate and inform local chapter leadership about wildlife management. NNDFW has also established for the Navajo Nation the only tribal zoo in the United States. It provides environmental and ecological education, and its animals are all rescue animals of species important to the Navajo people (www.navajozoo.org).

National Wildlife Federation staff has worked with Gloria on endangered species issues and climate adaptation. She is well respected throughout the conservation community and is very active in both tribal and non-tribal coalitions and forums.

Gloria has a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Management from the University of Arizona. She is originally from Fort Defiance and makes her home in St. Michaels, Arizona, while working at the Navajo Nation’s capital in Window Rock.

Beth A. Viola is a senior policy advisor in Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C. office and co-chairs the firm's Energy Team. The primary focus of her practice is working with clean energy technology companies to create sound public policy drivers for their businesses. She works with business leaders and nonprofits to advance effective climate change strategies that result in economic and environmental benefits.

Formerly, Ms. Viola served as a senior advisor to the White House Council on Environmental Quality. In this capacity, she served as a senior member of a team responsible for advising the president and the vice president on environmental and energy issues and was one of Vice President Gore's chief environmental advisors. She also served as a senior advisor for energy and environmental policy with the John Kerry for President and the Kerry-Edwards campaigns. Ms. Viola served as a facilitator for climate change discussions at the Clinton Global Initiative from 2006-2008.

In 2016, Ms. Viola was named an Energy & Environmental Trailblazer by the National Law Journal. She was among a select group of attorneys and professionals recognized by the publication as outstanding practitioners who have made their mark in energy and environmental law and policy. Beth also serves on the advisory boards of Planet Forward and Sundrop Fuels, Inc.

An experienced advisory consultant with a demonstrated history of working in government and higher education, Jomar Floyd is currently an Associate with S&P Global Ratings Public Sector. His role also entails reviewing financial and operating statements, economic data, and strategic plans for school districts, cities, counties, tax assessment and other local government credits. He’s also tasked with determining the security of the transactions being rated in accordance with the Standard & Poor's ratings criteria.

Previously Jomar worked for Grant Thornton LLP as an advisory consultant. Prior positions include Indiana University Bloomington graduate teaching assistant, DIW Berlin - German Institute for Economic Research green bond market research analyst, and Manatee County (FL) Government program/financial specialist.

Jomar began developing his leadership skills during his college years in Florida. From organizing sustainability projects on campus to lobbying state officials and congressional members, Jomar emerged as a leader both at Florida A&M University and within his community. Jomar was one of the founding members of the Florida YES (Youth Environmental Sustainability) Coalition. Jomar lobbied with student leaders across Florida for the promotion of renewable energy investments and the Student Green Energy Fund for state colleges and public universities in Florida.

Arthur “Butch” Blazer was born and raised on his beautiful and expansive Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation in south-central New Mexico. Growing up under the mentorship of his father and several influential tribal elders, Butch made the decision early on to pursue a career in natural resources that would be of benefit to Indian Country.

He shares with people that he has had a very blessed career, having had the opportunity to not only serve his own Mescalero constituents, but folks all across this Country, serving in positions such as the NM State Forester and USDA Deputy Undersecretary of Natural Resources & Environment. In the early 1980s, Butch helped to establish the Native American Fish & Wildlife Society (NAFWS), an effort to help address capacity issues within Tribal Fish & Wildlife programs. He served twice as the Organizations national Board President.

Upon retiring from 32 years of federal service in May 2016, Butch returned home where he was elected to serve as President of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Upon completion of his time in office, he now serves on several important Boards and Councils, including the National Wildlife Federation (NWF).

John Salazar has been a small business owner for the past 25 years in Livingston, Montana. He grew up living on and enjoying access to 700 pristine acres bordering forest service land in Winter Park, Colorado where he learned to hunt, fish, ski, explore and respect the outdoors. John moved to Livingston in 1994, for a new adventure. When he is not exploring a new part of the world with his wife and two sons, John spends most of his free time in the back-country hiking, rifle and bow hunting, fly fishing, and camping. Because of this love for his community and the outdoors, John began coaching his kids baseball and soccer teams as well as participating on the boards for those sports. He has taught Hunters Education and Bow Hunters Education with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks in 2009. He continues to teach and develop curriculum for hunters of all ages in Park and Gallatin Counties throughout the year.

John is an advocate for environmental issues such as public land preservation and access, as well as multi-use opportunities. He serves on the Montana Wildlife Federation Board and is helping to tackle these important issues, including access to the Crazy Mountain range close to his home. Using a collaborative approach, the Montana Wildlife Federation is working with ranchers, environmental groups, the forest service, and concerned local citizens to obtain permanent access and preserve habitat for future generations.

As a member of the National Wildlife Federation Board of Directors, John will continue to affect environmental concerns that can change the future, to leave this planet in the best shape that we can. It is not ours; it is just our turn.

Dianne Dillon-Ridgley has been a director at Interface, Inc since 1997. She was a director at Green Mountain Energy for the first six years and still chairs the Environmental Integrity Committee for the company.

She was appointed by the White House to the US delegation for the Earth Summit in Rio, UNGASS-'97 & WSSD in South Africa, making her the only person to serve on all three US delegations. She is founding chair-- emeritus of Plains Justice, and is a trustee for CIEL, the Center for International Environmental Law) Population Connection (National Chair), Acting Executive Director of WNSF (the Women's Network for a Sustainable Future), USPESD-National chair, the former national chair of River Network and president of ZPG. She was also CEO of WEDO and head of the Iowa Association of Human Rights Agencies, among others.

From 1999 through its tenure she was a member of the Oxford U. Commission on Sustainable Consumption and the first US member appointed to the Global Water Partnership in Stockholm. Former President Clinton appointed her to the PCSD, his council on Sustainable Development. In the recent US election she worked for 18 months on the Obama campaign from its earliest days in Iowa and was part of the P-CAP: Presidential Climate Action Project). In 2000, she chaired the Millennium DPI conference at the UN, which first introduced the idea for the Millennium Development Goals.

Veronica was appointed in January 2017 to serve as the first environmental justice liaison for the California Air Resources Board (CARB). She serves as the primary internal and external contact for CARB on environmental justice issues, and is responsible for providing policy consultation and recommendations to CARB staff. She also participates in decision-making during development and implementation of all major CARB programs to ensure that environmental justice and tribal concerns are considered.

Before joining CARB, Veronica served as vice president and director of the Conservation Law Foundation in Boston, Massachusetts. Previous positions include the associate general counsel and director of environmental justice at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, a non-profit civil rights firm in New York; director of the Environmental Justice and Brownfields programs for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, where she was the principal author of Massachusetts Environmental Justice Policy; and executive director for Alternatives for Community and Environment, an environmental justice advocacy organization based in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Veronica is the former chair of the Environmental Protection Agency’s federal advisory committee for environmental justice, the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council.

Nick is a partner and vice president with Hall Capital Partners, an outsourced chief investment office for endowments and high-net-worth families. As one of 10 senior investment professionals, Nick is charged with identifying strong investment opportunities globally for the firm’s $33 billion of capital under management.

Previously Nick was a senior investment analyst with Passport Capital, a global macro hedge fund. At Passport Capital, Nick led the firm’s global equity investments in the financial services sector and served on the firm’s macro investment committee that set the fund’s global outlook. Nick formerly served as a senior policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Treasury during the Obama Administration and was named a Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient for his policy contributions.

Wayne is an investor and chairman and CIO of Hollow Brook Wealth Management LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor that manages or advises $1 billion of investment assets, including his alma mater’s Lafayette College Endowment Fund. He has worked in senior-level positions at numerous investment houses and banks over the years. Wayne has served as a senior director of Ingalls & Snyder, a NYSE member and registered investment advisor. He has also served as vice-chairman of the board of KBW Asset Management, Inc., a registered investment advisor offering investment management services to institutions and high-net-worth individuals. KBW is an affiliate of Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. He served in various capacities for Lord, Abbett & Co., a mutual fund company, including partner and director of their family of funds. Wayne is an avid hunter and fly fisherman and serves on several boards of environmental organizations.

Truman has 20 years of experience at the intersection of business, environment, and policy. He has worked with companies in industries including oil and gas, power, transportation, chemicals, manufacturing, IT, and financial services on corporate strategy for low carbon market opportunities, technology innovation, new business partnerships, and strategic policy engagement. Prior to joining GreenOrder, Truman directed the Business Environmental Leadership Council at the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, growing it into the largest U.S.-based business association focused on climate change solutions -- 45 companies with combined revenue of $2.8 trillion and 4 million employees worldwide.

Before Pew, Truman served as Vice President of Ecos Technologies, the U.S. Treasury’s International Economist on energy and environment, and Program Manager at the International Institute for Energy Conservation. From 1995-1999, he was a member of the U.S. climate change negotiating team. He has published widely and been covered in the Financial Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, National Geographic, and Petroleum Economist.

Truman has a Masters in Economics and International Relations from Johns Hopkins SAIS and an MBA from Duke University. He sits on boards including of the National Wildlife Federation, Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, the American Farmland Trust, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Deborah is the deputy chief investment officer and a managing director at Commonfund, an investment manager for endowments, foundations, and other nonprofit investors. Previously, Deborah was the chief investment officer for the State of Connecticut’s $30 billion Retirement Plans and Trust Funds. Prior to that, Deborah was managing partner at Working Lands Investment Partners, LLC, which specializes in the investment and long-term stewardship of sustainably managed working lands. Deborah has worked in the financial industry for more than 20 years, serving in senior executive positions in the U.S. and overseas. She was an executive director and head of international investments for Schroder Investment Management and managing director and head of non-U.S. institutional investments at Scudder Kemper Investments. She is a lecturer in Forest & Ecosystem Finance at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.

Eric is a principal in the Washington, D.C. office of Bernstein Private Wealth Management. In that capacity, he works with clients and other professional advisors developing, implementing, and monitoring wealth management plans for families, private foundations, not-for-profit organizations, and companies. Prior to joining Bernstein in 2005, Eric was an analyst, engineer, and entrepreneur. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree in chemical engineering from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the Wharton School.