Board
Kristin Troy, Board President
Kristin grew up in Salmon Idaho where she and her husband, Mark raised two beautiful children, now grown. Kristin, along with her husband, have owned and operated their own whitewater rafting and fishing company, Idaho Adventures, for 20 years. In addition, Kristin is the founding executive director of Lemhi Regional Land Trust, a non-profit private land conservation organization that has protected thousands of acres of land and wild habitat in the region. Kristin is now one of the General Managers for the Middle Fork Lodge.
Max Ludington, Treasurer
Max has had a career leading conservation in the Western US. Max first moved to the Tetons in 2001 to work seasonally for Grand Teton National Park. Inspired by the open views and wild character of Northwest Wyoming, he has dedicated his professional career to preserving the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Prior to the Jackson Hole Land Trust, Max launched and led Teton LegacyWorks where he directed large-scale, collaborative conservation projects targeting critical regional concerns such as water availability and migration corridors. Max enjoys hiking, biking, backcountry skiing, fishing, hunting, and any other excuse he can find to get outside and enjoy the Tetons.
Karen Rice, Secretary
Karen is retired from the Bureau of Land Management. One of the highlight of her career involved working with land trusts to conserve key private properties that intermingle with public lands. Since 1996, she worked with the BLM’s Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Teton Regional Land Trust, The Conservation Fund and The Nature Conservancy to form an award winning partnership that has conserved 90 private properties valued at approximately $65 million along the upper Snake Rivers’ corridors and at Henry’s Lake. She also has extensive experience as a wildlife biologist and program manager. Karen notes that she is extremely fortunate to continue land conservation work with the Heart of the Rockies Initiative.
Brian Bean
Brian and his wife Kathleen founded Lava Lake Ranch in 1999 with the purchase and consolidation of six historic sheep and cattle ranches with the intention of producing and marketing 100% grass-fed and finished lamb while protecting the natural characteristics of the landscape. Today, Brian is working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and TNC to complete the 11th and 12th conservation easements on Lava Lake Ranch’s deeded lands. The Beans established the Lava Lake Institute for Science & Conservation in 2004, a non-profit organization that supports conservation research in the Pioneer—Craters area. Lava Lake is one of several sheep producer members of this successful nonlethal predator control collaborative and Brian serves on the Project’s Steering Committee. Brian also serves on the Board of the Heart of the Rockies Initiative and is active in the Pioneers Alliance.
Liz Bell
Elizabeth Bell recently retired as a Senior Program Officer, Wilburforce Foundation serving its Yellowstone to Yukon Priority Region. Prior to joining Wilburforce Foundation, Liz was the Northwestern Regional Director for the Land Trust Alliance. She first worked at a number of local and state-wide lands trusts in Massachusetts. Liz, a passionate fan of private land conservation, has long admired the accomplishments of Heart of the Rockies land trust members, staff and board. She hopes to contribute to the Initiative’s ongoing success.
Katie Egland Cox
If you are running on local trail systems in Sandpoint, Idaho early in the morning, you are likely to bump into Katie Cox. Katie’s love of nature was cultivated during her youth growing up in the wilds of Idaho. Summers were spent swimming in lakes, backpacking into the Frank Church Wilderness and taking long drives through the wheat fields of the Palouse. Born and raised in Moscow and Elk City, Idaho, Katie has always believed that spending time in nature is integral to one’s growth. She and her husband, Brian, believe in cultivating these same values and traditions in their three young girls. Katie and Brian are proud to be raising fifth generation Idahoans. The threads of Katie’s life have woven together her deepest passions — a love of the Idaho landscape, teaching and learning, building community, and spending time outdoors with her family.
Jessica Crowder
Jessica was born in Victoria, Texas and spent her childhood on a cattle ranch in central New Mexico, where she first began to understand the relationships that exist between the land and those who steward the land. Prior to joining the Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust, Jessica was the policy director and a policy associate for the Western Landowners Alliance. She served as a policy advisor for former Wyoming Governor Matt Mead, a position she held for over four years. Jessica has also worked as a policy analyst for the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, as a technician for the Agricultural Research Service and as an instructor at Northwest College in Powell, WY. Much of her work has focused on natural resource management with an emphasis on keeping working agricultural lands intact and economically viable across varied land ownerships. Heart of the Rockies shares this vision of the West, and Jessica is honored to be part of the organization. The work Heart of the Rockies does to build partnerships, conserve lands, and honor heritage, is vital to maintaining and improving the West into the future. Jessica enjoys spending time outdoors – riding horses, gardening, fishing, hiking and traveling – with her husband Jason and their daughter Adelynn.
Denny Iverson
Denny Iverson is a rancher/logger in the Blackfoot valley of Western Montana. A native of Minnesota, Denny followed his parents to Mt. in 1975 to help run the ranch in Potomac Mt. He still ranches with his brother and now the next generation from both sides of the family are coming home to roost. Denny and his brother have taken a proactive approach to ranching in a changing landscape for years and continue to look (with the help of the kids ) for ways to adapt. He recently joined the Board of Heart of the Rockies. Denny appreciates being involved with Heart of the Rockies because of the mission to help land trusts across the service area with capital and expertise to conserve land for agriculture, wildlife and the well being of humanity. His wife asks him all the time if he will ever learn to say no to an opportunity to volunteer!
Jim Owens
Jim Owens retired from the Brainerd Foundation in 2015 where he oversaw the foundation’s Place-based Conservation program investments in the Northwest. He is a fourth generation Northwesterner who served as Executive Director of the Smith River Alliance and Western Ancient Forest Campaign before joining the Brainerd Foundation. Jim has explored many back-country roads in the High Divide, and has an appreciation of the quality and consistency of the region’s gumbo as well as the importance of protecting and sustaining strong communities and wildlife connectivity. across the Central Rockies.. In addition to serving on the Heart of the Rockies Initiative's Board of Directors, Jim is president of the Heart of the Rockies Foundation. Jim and his wife Deborah Dain are artisan chocolatiers and enjoy birding, back-country camping and spending time with their three far-flung daughters and three grandchildren.
Gary Wolfe
Gary holds a PhD in wildlife biology, and has more than 45 years of professional experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. He retired from the Cinnabar Foundation in June 2021, where he served as their executive director. Prior to his tenure with Cinnabar Gary served as executive director of Vital Ground, CEO of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and general manager of Vermejo Park Ranch in northern New Mexico. As a wildlife conservationist who has worked in the land trust community for many years, Gary was interested in joining the Heart of the Rockies board because of our focus on wildlife and landscape connectivity at the regional level. Gary and his wife, Rita, split their time between Missoula and Condon, Montana; and enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities including fly fishing, whitewater rafting, hunting, hiking, camping, and cross-country skiing. They have a special passion for the wildlife and wild places of the Rocky Mountain West.
Our team
joann grant
Managing Director
she/her
joann@heart-of-rockies.org
JoAnn has been a valued member of the Heart of the Rockies Initiative team since 2011 and has over 20 years’ experience working with land trusts, developing collaborative partnerships, and administering complex federal and private funding. As managing director, she is responsible for managing finances and land trust relationships and leads the communications team, where she particularly appreciates utilizing creativity to develop and enhance branding, storytelling, and problem solving strategies. JoAnn is passionate about finding ways to keep family farms, ranches, and timber lands in family hands and is continually inspired and humbled by the commitment, kindness, and integrity of the people in this field of work. She holds a BS in natural resources management from Colorado State University.
kali hannon
Managing Director
she/they
kali@heart-of-rockies.org
Kali joined the Heart of the Rockies Initiative team as Development Director in 2018 and has served as managing director since 2022. She has over ten years’ experience in nonprofit management and leads development, human resources, equity, and internal operations at Heart of the Rockies Initiative. Kali is committed to conservation not only to protect wildlife, but also to ensure that the world remains habitable for her child and future generations. Helping people with whatever they need help with, big or small — solving a problem, cooking a meal, organizing around a neighborhood issue, or just listening — is her primary motivation in work and life. Kali is passionate about ensuring all people can have agency in their lives and meaningfully contribute to solving problems that affect them. She holds a BA in environmental studies from University of Oregon and a MA in environmental studies from University of Montana.
gavin ricklefs
managing director
he/him
gavin@heart-of-rockies.org
Gavin joined Heart of the Rockies as managing director in 2024, following 17 years as executive director at Bitter Root Land Trust in Hamilton, Montana. During his tenure, Bitter Root Land Trust became a national leader in Farm Bill policy and implementation and a model of community-supported private land conservation. In 2022, Gavin led a diverse team of stakeholders to renew a $10 million countywide Open Lands Bond Program by a 71% majority. Gavin holds a BA from Whitman College and a JD from the University of Montana School of Law. He has served on several boards, including as President of the Montana Association of Land Trusts from 2015 through 2021. A passion for cooperative, landowner-driven approaches to conservation and a deep appreciation for connecting with community members over a shared love of the Rocky Mountains have been the forces driving Gavin’s conservation career. When not at work, Gavin enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids — hiking, fishing, and skiing in Western Montana’s mountains.
Gary Burnett
Director Emeritus
he/him
gary@heart-of-rockies.org
Gary has been working in conservation for more than 40 years, dedicated to collaborative conservation that benefits both people and nature. He joined Heart of the Rockies Initiative as executive director in 2017, and transitioned into his current managing director role in 2022. Gary’s responsibilities include building strategic relationships with funders and key partners and directing high-level program strategy. Prior to joining our organization, he led the Blackfoot Challenge for ten years, which is an outstanding model for community-based conservation in Montana and throughout the West. On the land, Gary loves birding, building, skiing, and cherishing his family. He holds a BS from University of Illinois and an MS in wildlife biology from University of Montana.
Emily Harkness
Community Engagement Manager
she/her
emily@heart-of-rockies.org
Emily has worked with Heart of the Rockies Initiative since 2017. In her role as Community Engagement Manager, Emily is inspired by our partners in the region, who are incredible people doing great work. She loves taking the time to listen and get to know each individual partner, then bring them all together in community during field trips or any sort of workshop that gets people outside and on the ground. Emily brings her love of building and supporting community into all facets of her life by making a meal for a friend, shoveling a neighbors driveway, driving folks to the airport, or any small gesture that shows care and appreciation. Emily holds a BS in zoology from Humboldt State University and a graduate certificate in Natural Resource Conservation Resolution from the University of Montana.
Amy Katz
Conservation and GIS Manager
she/her
amy@heart-of-rockies.org
Amy has worked with Heart of the Rockies Initiative since 2021. As a trained cartographer, she uses her skills to map wildlife connectivity and other scientific data across the region to help prioritize conservation initiatives, and serves our land trust members by providing insight into current science that affects their projects. Amy loves skiing and trail running — really any endurance activity makes her happy. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Bates College and a MS in environmental studies from the University of Montana, as well as a Natural Resource Conflict Resolution Certificate and a Geographic Information Program Certificate, both from University of Montana.
Kara Maplethorpe
Rural Initiatives Manager
she/her
kara@heart-of-rockies.org
Kara came to Heart of the Rockies Initiative from the Centennial Valley Association. She is known for her homemade orange rolls and her ability to boil water in a paper cup over a campfire, which comes in handy more often than you might think. At work, she enjoys listening, learning, and collaborating with people of various perspectives, as well as finding opportunities to amplify community voices while setting the stage for future generations. To Kara, every day is a new adventure with a lesson to learn, a river to canoe, or a book to read. She emphasizes this belief by commonly quoting the movie UP: “Adventure is out there!” Kara holds a BS in natural resources wildlife management and biology from Northland College.
Nate Owens
Policy Director
he/him
nathan@heart-of-rockies.org
Nate joined the Heart of the Rockies Initiative as Policy Director in 2022. Having spent 10 years working for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources as an Aquatics Program Manager focused on aquatic invasive species and boating access, he transitioned to the policy world, where he now focuses on legislation and policy around carnivore conflict reduction, rural development, and private land conservation. Nate enjoys the challenge of trying to understand how pieces of a complex issue fit together, which ultimately will help shape how the landscape he loves will look moving forward. He holds a BS in zoology with a fisheries minor from the University of Washington and an MS in natural resource conservation with a focus on international conservation and development from the University of Montana. He also completed the University of Utah Environmental Dispute Resolution Program’s Collaboration Certificate Course. Nate lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he spends long hours running up and down mountains.
diana price
development & communications coordinator
she/her
diana@heart-of-rockies.org
Diana joined Heart of the Rockies Initiative in June 2024. With a career that has spanned writing, editing, communications, and development roles across education, business, technology, and healthcare, Diana brings a love for purpose-driven storytelling and collaborative project management to her position as Development & Communications Coordinator. Born and raised in the Wood River Valley in South Central Idaho and currently making her home in Missoula, Montana, she is fueled by her love for the landscape of the Heart of the Rockies region and the people and communities that call those lands home. When she’s not wrangling words and project tasks, Diana can be found trying to keep up with her English Setter on local trails, following the adventures of her two grown sons, or getting lost in a great book. Diana holds a BA in creative writing from University of Montana.
steve primm
carnivore conflict reduction manager
he/him
steve@heart-of-rockies.org
Steve joined Heart of the Rockies Initiative in 2024, building on 30 years’ experience in carnivore-human conflict reduction work. He has worked with rural communities to develop, apply, and improve tools and practices for reducing conflicts between people and large carnivores. He leverages this experience by developing policies and incentives to ensure that coexistence practices will be effectively adopted at meaningful scales. Steve has a Masters degree in environmental policy from the University of Colorado, and has completed numerous leadership trainings. He has published on carnivore conflicts in journals like Conservation Biology and Ursus, as well as contributing chapters to books on conservation. When he’s not immersed in carnivore conflict reduction, Steve may (or may not!) be found roaming Montana’s high country on foot, or training with his local Search & Rescue unit to be ready for emergencies on land or water.
jim williams
partnerships manager
jim@heart-of-rockies.org
he/him
Jim came to Heart of the Rockies Initiative in 2022 after a 31-year career as a biologist for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. His various leadership roles saw him managing big game populations, working with private agricultural landowners on wildlife tolerance issues, developing new conservation easements, leading research and wildlife management biologists, developing grizzly bear monitoring and research programs, and initiating western Montana’s first wolf conservation program. Jim has also worked with wildlife biologists in both Chile and Argentina on a variety of wildlife conservation projects. He loves storytelling and mentoring younger professionals, and is excited to work with rural and local communities to conserve wild things and wild places. In 2018, Patagonia published his autobiography, Path of the Puma. He holds a BS in biology with an emphasis on marine biology from San Diego State and Florida State universities and a graduate degree in wildlife biology from Montana State University in Bozeman.