Meet the Team

George Cooper is a Partner at Forbes Tate Partners and has been with the firm and it’s predecessor firm since 2009. 

Mr. Cooper leads the firm’s natural resources and outdoor recreation government affairs practice, representing nonprofits, corporations and trade associations on policy related to natural resource conservation, public lands, marine fisheries, agricultural land, tax, trade, and appropriations issues. Mr. Cooper leverages his extensive network in DC to connect clients with the right people on Capitol Hill and in pertinent federal agencies and guide them in delivering messages and creating conversations that produce meaningful results.

Prior to joining FTP, Mr. Cooper served as President and CEO of TRCP. Throughout his nearly eight years at TRCP, both as CEO and as Vice President for Policy and Communications, Mr. Cooper helped create a new strategic advocacy niche in Washington for the nation’s 40 million hunters and anglers. To do this, Mr. Cooper successfully emphasized the use of highly effective advocacy communications around pertinent issues, including marine resources management, outdoor recreation participation and access, public lands management, private lands agricultural policy, and federal funding for natural resource management.

Mr. Cooper’s political experience is rooted in Washington, DC political media. Before he joined TRCP, Mr. Cooper worked for CNN for a decade. From 1993 to 2003, Mr. Cooper’s work for CNN included serving as Senior Producer for prominent public affairs shows like “Evans and Novak,” “Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer,” and “Reliable Sources.” Mr. Cooper also served as a Senior Producer on the White House and Capitol Hill beats. He worked closely with top political experts and interviewed and reported on Members of Congress, Administration officials, and other leading figures inside the Beltway.

Mr. Cooper utilizes his background in issue advocacy and journalism to blend effective lobbying, broader advocacy, and collaboration with third party organizations to achieve positive policy and legislative results for clients.

An alumnus of Denison University, Mr. Cooper earned a Bachelor’s in History. He and his wife and their two children live in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

I Ling Thompson is the inaugural CEO of the Foundation for America’s Public Lands, the Congressionally chartered charitable partner for the Bureau of Land Management. I Ling has dedicated her career to fostering people’s love, connection and stewardship of the outdoors, having spent the last 20+ years in leadership roles with Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conservancy, and the Outdoor Industry Association.

I Ling has long believed in the power of America’s public lands to unite, benefit and transform people. She’s a mountain biker, hiker, whitewater SUPer, skier and novice fly fisher. She makes it a regular practice to explore outdoor places she’s never been with her husband, two dogs and gear in tow. She lives in Grand Junction with her husband, an avid hunter and angler, and their two dogs.

McKay joined TRCP as the Energy Policy Advisor in September of 2024. Having spent the majority of her career with the Bureau of Land Management, McKay earned a variety of experience in natural resource management, federal leasing policy and critical incident management. After her time in the Army, she earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wyoming in Agriculture Communications, where she became fascinated with the challenge of translating federal policies into more accessible terminology for the public. She recently joined the Homeward Bound Initiative, a global leadership program for women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Medicine. McKay teaches guitar lessons at Sheridan Community College and volunteers as an officer with her local Search and Rescue unit and the National Ski Patrol.

McKay grew up hunting and fishing with her family in Oregon. She enjoys making her outdoor activities increasingly more dangerous and expensive by taking up archery and acquiring horses.

Clara joined the TRCP in September 2024 as the Development Operations Coordinator. Prior to working with the TRCP, Clara worked as the Operations Coordinator for the ASAE Research Foundation, where she carried out the foundation’s board, committee, team, and event functions. Clara received her BA from American University. While at American, she was an active member of the national community service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, and continues to serve local community partners.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Clara is a regional alumni representative for her high school, where she coordinates events for other alumni in the DMV region.

Clara currently resides in Arlington, VA and enjoys being active outside and seeing her favorite musicians.

Joel Webster has dedicated the past two decades to working alongside hunters, anglers, wildlife professionals, and policymakers to conserve fish and wildlife habitat for sportsmen and sportswomen.

As a key leader at the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Webster collaborates with the organization’s policy team, external partners, and decision-makers to advance conservation and public access initiatives across private lands, public lands, water, and marine fisheries. Since joining TRCP in 2007, he has played a pivotal role in shaping federal and state policies related to wildlife migration corridors, forest management, special places conservation, energy development, and public access.

Webster serves on the federal Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council, where he advises the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture on habitat and access policy. He is also the vice chair of the American Wildlife Conservation Partners, a coalition of 50 leading hunting and conservation organizations.

Webster is a passionate big game hunter and enjoys spending time outdoors with his family. He holds a Master of Environmental Studies from the University of Montana and resides in Missoula, Montana.

Steve Rinella is the host of the Netflix Original series MeatEater and The MeatEater Podcast. He’s also the author of six books dealing with wildlife, hunting, fishing, and wild game cooking, including the bestselling MeatEater Fish and Game Cookbook: Recipes and Techniques for Every Hunter and Angler.

Less concerned with trophies and killshots, Steve’s work largely focuses on the culture, process, and history of hunting and game animals. Most importantly, he is known for his efforts to convey the value of hunting to a general audience and for his efforts to promote the work of conservation organizations and the preservation of public land.

Ian Nakayama joined the TRCP in June 2021 as its government relations associate.

He has worked in legislative offices since 2019, previously as an intern in Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton’s office, and for Delegate Paul Krizek in the Virginia General Assembly.

A native Virginian, Nakayama studied Physics at the University of Virginia. He grew up fishing with his family and enjoys running, backpacking, and golfing in his free time.

Ryan Chapin joined the TRCP team as the Montana Field Manager in September 2024. Ryan has enjoyed a conservation career in Montana and the Rocky Mountain West, first with Five Valleys Land Trust as Stewardship Director and, more recently, with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation as Lands Operations Manager. Ryan takes pride in building strong partnerships and has played a key role in many conservation and public access projects and initiatives throughout his career. He is excited to share his passion for hunting and angling on public lands in a way that promotes solid public land policy and management in Montana and beyond.

Raised in the farmlands of Ohio, Ryan fell in love with the woods and fields, prompting a move to Montana as a young adult.  He’s worked in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, attended Montana State University, and once rode a train from Moscow to Beijing. Ryan lives in Missoula, Montana, with his wife Kate, where they enjoy the outdoors with their two children.

James Wicks joined the TRCP team as Digital Marketing Manager in May 2023.

Formerly the Digital Media Specialist for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, James worked in still image, video production and digital media marketing. James is also a freelance photographer who’s been published in some of the country’s leading hunting and fly fishing publications. He studied Media Arts at the University of Montana.

A lifelong outdoorsman, James firmly believes in the mission of the TRCP and hopes to highlight the stories of conservation work, policy and the individuals who work to ensure the future of hunting and fishing. James Lives with his wife Susanna and two children in Missoula, MT. On the weekends they spend time outdoors, rafting, hiking, skiing, hunting and fishing.

Early on, Terry Hamby developed a keen interest in conservation and the preservation of public lands as he grew up enjoying hunting and fishing in the bio-diverse regions of Western Kentucky. His experience on public lands and reclaimed strip mines fostered a keen interested in accessibility and the management of public lands, as well as conserving our resources for future generations’ enjoyment. Terry is an advocate for sustainable land management practices through the utilization of cover crops, adaptive grazing, compost, no- till, and soil health improvement practices.

Terry is a fifth-generation soldier, a Vietnam veteran, and retired from the U.S. Army Reserves. After his retirement for military service, he founded a company providing complex logistic and support services to the U.S. Armed Forces.

Terry is a long-time member and supporter of the TRCP and its partners, Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation, and Quality Deer Management Association.

Glenn Hughes is the president of the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the sportfishing industry’s trade association. His responsibilities include fulfilling the association’s mission of looking out for the interests of the sportfishing industry and the entire recreational fishing community. That includes leading the government affairs team to ensure the industry remains strong while providing sound policy for clean water, abundant fisheries, access to fish, as well as strong trade and commerce.

“I am proud to serve on the TRCP Board because of the incredibly valuable partnership our two organizations have regarding access to water and conservation of our nation’s fisheries.”

Prior to joining ASA, Glenn worked for more than 20 years in Florida as VP/Group Publisher of the Bonnier Marine Group, where he lead iconic brands such as Salt Water Sportsman, Marlin and Sport Fishing magazines and related properties.

Daniel Morgan joined the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership as Director of Communications in May 2023.

Daniel is a life-long outdoorsman and fly-fishing enthusiast. His love for the outdoors originates from the time spent with his grandfather exploring the woods and streams of upstate NY each summer during his youth. He attended college at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY and following graduation, Daniel pursued his passion for the outdoors professionally.

Most recently, Daniel spent five years as Vice President of Marketing at Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, a national non-profit serving military personnel and veterans through the sport of fly fishing. During his tenure, he was responsible for the organization’s marketing, communications, and partnerships supporting over 200 program locations serving thousands of veterans in need annually.

In 2016, Daniel was selected to serve on Facebook’s prestigious U.S. Small-Medium Business Council and currently serves as a founding member of Meta’s Boost Leaders Network. He is a long-time volunteer in his community with Trout Unlimited, the Cazenovia Lake Association, and Madison County Watershed Council.

Daniel resides in upstate New York with his wife and two sons. When not at work, you can find him prowling his nearby woods and trout streams with fly-rod in hand.

Clarke Ohrstrom is the founder and CEO of Finest Butcher and Primalurge Foods and the CEO of Whitewood Stable, Inc., a cattle and horse farm in The Plains, Virginia. He is also the founding Partner of Whitewood Farm Mitigation Bank, Northern Virginia’s largest wetlands and riparian credit bank. Clarke is the Co-Executive Director of The Ohrstrom Foundation, and serves on the board of the National Sporting Library and Museum in Middleburg, Virginia.

Jamelle Ellis joined the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership in 2022.

Jamelle spent the last three years as an environmental sustainability consultant specializing in developing mitigation strategies and environmental science research models for public and private organizations. She has more than 20 years of research experience focused on environmental contaminant delineation, exposures, and human health impacts. Jamelle has a broad range of experience in the environmental field, with engineering and science roles in academia, private, and public sectors. She has served as the technical liaison for remediation of hazardous waste at DOD sites and has extensive knowledge of federal environmental regulations including RCRA, CWA, NEPA, and MSFCMA.  She has also served as the principal investigator on a National Institutes of Health grant to establish and evaluate baseline health assessments related to environmental exposures associated with port expansion.

Jamelle earned her M.S. in Environmental Engineering and Science from Clemson University where she studied spectral evaluation of petroleum products in-ground at a DOE Site. She earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences from the University of South Carolina where she studied exposures to methylmercury through fishing and fish consumption patterns.

She is a native of Charleston, SC and enjoys bicycling, water sports, gardening, and going on new adventures with her family.

Tristan is a lifelong Oregonian, who grew up on a soggy piece of ground in the Willamette Valley. On his family farm he cultivated a persistent sense of curiosity of and commitment to the natural side of the world’s order. His work life started early in that rural setting and after graduating from Oregon State University it has run the gamut from major metropolitan areas to mountain towns, all the while maintaining an abiding and demonstrable commitment to Oregon’s conservation community, eventually bringing him to the TRCP team.

He currently lives in Central Oregon with his wife, Samantha, where they spend their free time hunting,
foraging and otherwise enjoying the richness of Oregon’s varied wildlife.
As TRCP’s Oregon Field Representative, he works to build a durable appreciation for and commitment to the resources and institutions that furnish so many Oregonians’ ways of life.

As Director of the Williams Family Foundation, Alston Watt leads the Board’s ambitious agenda to promote vibrant community and improve the quality of life in Thomas County, Southwest Georgia, and the State of Georgia. Her work centers on scaling the Foundation’s efforts for economic vitality in rural communities and landscapes through private public partnerships in conservation, preservation, education, and human well-being.

Alston’s background includes working in community development and health for CARE, both Haiti and Bangladesh. Alston and her husband also worked for the North Luangwa Conservation Project in Zambia, scaling health systems and economic opportunities for the Zambians living in villages on the periphery of the National Park.

She is current board chair of Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and immediate past board chair of Archibold Medical Center, a regional medical system serving southwest Georgia and north Florida.  She also serves on the Thomasville Community Development Corporation board.

An avid outdoorswoman, she is happiest when she is hiking, fishing or hunting with her husband, Philip and their two sons. She is grateful to live in a rural community that values conservation and close relationships.  A fun fact about Alston is that she was in the first class of women at Washington and Lee University.

Shawn Gorman’s L.L. Bean career began in 1991, when he joined the company’s Marketing department as an analyst. He went on to hold several leadership positions in Marketing, International, E-Commerce, Partnership Marketing and Creative. His accomplishments include introducing the company to online and email marketing, integrating L.L. Bean’s brand strategies across channels, and leading L.L. Bean’s cobranded credit card program – one of the most successful in the country.

Nick serves as Chief Operating Officer for Ducks Unlimited, Inc., headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. His participation on the TRCP board serves to further galvanize a long-standing, strong, and productive partnership between DU and TRCP. Prior to his work at DU, Nick served in several roles over a 30-year career with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission including eight years as the agency’s Executive Director. He is a past president for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies; a fellow of and board member for the National Conservation Leadership Institute; professional member of the Boone and Crockett Club; and board member for the Council to Advance Hunting and Shooting Sports. Nick is a Certified Wildlife Biologist with a Bachelor of Science Degree in biology from Georgia Southern University and a Master of Science Degree in Wildlife Management from Auburn University, and he serves on advisory committees for wildlife/biology/science programs at both Universities. He enjoys hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, and boating with family and friends.

Like his outdoor adventures, Bill’s professional interests stay broad and varied. As a young engineer for Texas Instruments, he manufactured DoD guidance systems, then spent the next fifteen years pioneering “Big Change Fast” for the Fortune 1000 in the emerging Systems Integration industry with CSC/Index and Deloitte. Over the past 20 years he has sought to provide thoughtful advice and private equity to positively impact family owned, southeastern companies as Managing Director of Henagan Spencer Capital Partners. In both the for-profit and non-profit worlds, Bill works to harness collective wisdom and ambition to solve complex governance challenges. 

Complementing his investment portfolio, Bill stays deeply committed to actively giving back to his community on boards such as Visiting Nurse Health System, Breakthrough Atlanta, The Lovett School and The Rotary Club of Atlanta. 

Bill and his wife Babette enjoy traveling to hunt and fish and have consistently support worthy conservation organizations. Along with their grand puppy, Boone the Bloodhound, they call Atlanta and the Low Country of South Carolina home and are blessed with two, fully grown, gainfully employed sons, William and Darby.   

Simon Perkins is President of Orvis and is the third generation of the Perkins family to lead the company since 1856. He joined Orvis in 2012 and has filled leadership roles across merchandising, adventures, and brand marketing teams, serving as vice president of brand marketing, and chief operating officer overseeing the execution of the company’s long-term strategic planning.

Before joining Orvis, Simon spent 11 years as an upland hunting and fly fishing guide in Montana, sharing his love of the outdoors, fishing, and hunting with clients. In his time at Orvis, he has championed projects aimed at diversifying the sport of fly fishing, such as the 50/50 On the Water initiative and the Breaking Barriers Award, which highlights individuals broadening the fly fishing audience.

Sarah has over a decade of experience in environmental and conservation policy specific to the Southwest region. Most recently, she worked for the Forest Service managing recreation, special use permitting, wilderness, and wild and scenic rivers in northern New Mexico. Prior to that, she conducted her graduate research on the role of conservation policy in protecting New Mexico’s rivers. Sarah is an extrovert and enjoys making connections with people from diverse backgrounds who have shared goals for protecting the natural places we all use and love.

Originally from Flagstaff, Arizona, Sarah spent her youth camping, rafting, and hiking with her family around the Southwest. Prior to her federal service, she worked for many years as an outdoor guide and environmental educator throughout the Southwest and internationally. Sarah holds a double bachelor’s degree in Spanish and creative writing and a master’s degree in environmental science and policy.

Besides getting outdoors, where you’ll find her most weekends, her favorite pastime is traveling. She’s also a silversmith and hibernates in her jewelry-making studio during the winter months. Lately she has been learning to fly fish and loves the quiet time in nature it offers. Sarah currently resides in Santa Fe with her partner, Tom, and adventure dog, Mowgli.

Joshua Walters joined the TRCP as its director of program development in October 2021.

Joshua is an experienced nonprofit fundraising and financial management professional, and he has worked in higher education fundraising and financial services in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Morgantown, W. Va.

A native of West Virginia, Joshua is a passionate outdoorsman and conservationist. He volunteers with the Ruffed Grouse Society and the National Wild Turkey Federation. In his spare time, you’ll find him at his cabin surrounded by the Monongahela National Forest and with his English setter, Berkeley, hunting ruffed grouse in the Appalachian Mountains.

As the Colorado Program Manager for the TRCP, Liz focuses on federal and state policy and planning initiatives that will affect Colorado’s high-value wildlife habitat and opportunities to hunt and fish. In order to effectively track important processes and develop well-informed positions, Lizcoordinates with state and federal agencies’ staff; participates in Colorado-focused cooperatives, working groups, and alliances; and communicates regularly with staff and volunteers from numerous local, state, and national organizations representing a wide range of interests.

In Colorado and nationally, TRCP’s mission is to guarantee all Americans quality places to hunt and fish, and Liz’s input into USFS Forest Management Plans, BLM Resource Management Plans, energy leasing and development proposals, regulation changes, recreation development proposals, state and Congressional legislation, state and federal rulemakings, and state plans is all intended to achieve this important mission.

Liz’s curiosity about public land access and how decisions are made inspired her to earn a Master’s degree in Environmental and Natural Resources Policy at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her curiosity about why the natural world is the way it is led her to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Geology at the University of California Santa Cruz. She lives in Denver but feels very lucky to also spend a lot of time in Grand County.

As president and CEO of the American Forest Foundation, Rita Hite leads the foundation’s ambitious conservation agenda. Her work centers on scaling AFF’s efforts to empower family forest owners from all walks of life to address the most pressing conservation challenges facing our nation today: namely, increasing carbon storage, mitigating catastrophic wildfires, and improving fish and wildlife habitat.     

In her more than 20-year career in forest conservation, Rita has staffed congressional leaders on the House Committee on Agriculture, built and curated coalitions and partnerships including the Forest Climate Working Group, the Forests in the Farm Bill Coalition and the Women’s Forest Congress, and served as a nonprofit leader. She has shaped strategy, programs, and public policies that have unlocked billions in support for family forest stewardship and have had a significant impact on climate change, wildfire resilience and forest sustainability across the United States.  She finds energy in tackling difficult conservation challenges and bringing together diverse teams, coalitions and resources to create market-relevant solutions.  

Rita is a graduate of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. She felt the call to champion natural resource conservation having grown up on a beef cattle farm in Upstate New York, where hunting and fishing were a natural part of life.   

When not working, she’s likely chasing her five-year-old son, BBQing with her husband Matt, tending to her garden, or snuggling with her dogs at her home in Alexandria, Virginia. While she’d call herself an amateur, she enjoys fishing today with her husband and son when they can get away in nature.  

Chelsea Pardo joined the TRCP as the Alaska Senior Program Manager in December 2024. She lives in the Mat-Su Valley in Alaska. Chelsea holds an Associate of Applied Science in Fisheries Technology and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Alaska. She is currently pursuing a Master of Public Administration with a focus on public policy analysis.

Chelsea’s professional background is centered on conservation across the non-profit, private, and governmental sectors in Alaska, Montana, and New Hampshire. Most recently, she managed the Governor’s Permit Program through the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Wildlife Conservation Division. In this role, she collaborated with non-profit organizations to raffle or auction hunting and bear viewing permits, raising funds for statewide wildlife management and research efforts.

Outside of work, Chelsea serves on the board of directors for the Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation, which provides grants to local organizations for trail and park development. She also enjoys spending time with her yellow lab, Winston, and getting outdoors to hike, camp, mountain bike, fly fish, or hunt.

Emily Forkey joined TRCP as Digital Coordinator in February of 2024. After graduating from Niagara University with a BS in Marketing + Communication Studies, she moved from her hometown in Buffalo, NY to Northern Virginia to pursue her digital marketing career.

Emily has always been a nature lover who is passionate about sustainability and conservation. She spent her childhood outside fishing with her family, boating and camping.

In her free time, you can find her in nature, hiking and camping in beautiful places. She currently resides in Washington, DC with her two cats, Rootie and Frankie.

Carlina has worked in various facets of the non-profit industry – from healthcare to foundation work. Most recently she worked as the Development Operations Officer for a healthcare non-profit in Ohio. There she over saw the planning and execution of two large donor-focused events and lead the optimization the internal donor database.

Croston is excited to bring her project management and event planning experience to the TRCP. She looks forward to curating events that further the TRCP’s mission, to preserve our nation’s wild spaces and to preserve public access to these spaces.

Croston grew up spending her summers in Southern Ohio swimming in creeks, riding ATVs, and getting lost in the woods – pastimes she is currently passing on to her daughter. Most spring and summer days you’ll find her kayaking the Cuyahoga River or hiking in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Ashton joined TRCP as the Executive Manager to the CEO in April 2025. 

Prior to joining TRCP, she worked a short stint as the executive assistant at the International Republican Institute where she supported the front office and board of directors.  Prior to this role, she served almost 9 years as the executive assistant to the executive team at the Partnership for Public service where she provided high-level scheduling and administrative support, served as the liaison to the Partnership’s board, managed the Partnership’s project management process and co-chaired the Partnership’s internal mentoring program.

Ashton holds a M.A. in International Affairs from the Catholic University of America and a B.A. in Political Science from Earlham College.

Originally from South Florida, Ashton now lives in Virginia with her husband and children. She loves to spend time reading, swimming, running and hiking and hopes to instill in her children not only a love of nature but also the importance of giving back.

As the CEO of LBP Manufacturing, Matt Cook brings more than 20 years of global foodservice industry expertise to the company. He leads LBP with a wealth of industry knowledge and a collaborative leadership style. LBP continues to spearhead revolutionary, sustainable packaging concepts in markets where their customers operate, and Matt unlocks opportunities to fuel strategic growth.

Noah Davis joined the TRCP team as Communications Manager, Western Conservation in February 2023.

The former conservation and wildlife editor for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Noah is also an active freelancer who has published work focused on hunting, fishing, and conservation in the country’s top publications for the last decade. He’s excited to share the stories that will engage hunters and anglers to fight for and conserve the animals, landscapes, and access points they hold dear.

Raised in central Pennsylvania where he learned to fly fish for native brook trout and hunt big-woods whitetails, Noah loves to chase Westslope cutthroats and mountain mule deer in the northern Rockies.

Alex Aguirre joined the TRCP as the Wyoming Community Partnerships Coordinator in May of 2023.

Prior to joining the TRCP, Alex directed Dano Youth Camp, a nonprofit located in Park County, Wyoming whose mission is to develop young leaders by taking youth on extended backpacking trips. His duties included participant recruitment, staff hiring, public outreach, fundraising, and leading trips. Alex graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Bachelor of Science in Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management in May of 2020.

Growing up in northwest Wyoming, Alex was introduced to spending time outdoors from a young age, and his appreciation for wildlife and nature only grew. He spends his free time outside and enjoys many activities including skiing, fishing, hunting, and camping. Bowhunting is his passion, and he especially enjoys accompanying family and friends on their own hunts. High country mule deer have his heart, but he still believes archery elk hunting is hard to beat. Alex resides in Powell, Wyoming with his dog, Mitty, who accompanies him on his many adventures.

Brian Yablonski is the executive director of the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC). Previously, he was a PERC board member as well as an adjunct fellow since 2003. In his work for PERC, he has published research articles on wildlife as well as public and private land management.

Prior to PERC, he was the director of external affairs for the Gulf Power Company and the vice president of public affairs for the St. Joe Company. Early in his career, Brian served as director of policy and deputy chief of staff for Florida Governor Jeb Bush, where he helped craft the administration’s major policy initiatives, including Everglades restoration. He was policy director for Governor Bush’s successful 1998 gubernatorial campaign, and in 1996 co-authored a book with Mr. Bush, Profiles in Character. From 1989 to 1990, he worked as a personal staff assistant to President George H.W. Bush.

An avid outdoorsman, Brian splits his time between Bozeman and a cabin in Emigrant, Montana, where he enjoys hiking, hunting, fly fishing, and mountain biking.

Andrew Martin has been an advisor to and advocate and enthusiast of the sporting world for over 25 years. He co-founded Baird’s Enthusiast Brands in 2009 and leads the firm’s global coverage efforts across the outdoor industry, inclusive of work in the hunting, shooting sports and fishing segments. Andrew has had the good fortune to advise corporate leaders in the sporting world, iconic brands and the industry’s premier growth platforms. He and Baird have also been and are committed supporters to other organizations such as the Outdoor Foundation and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. 

Andrew holds an undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University and an MBA from Duke University. An avid outdoorsman himself, Andrew enjoys spending time with friends and family both close to home in the Carolinas and the Blue Ridge Mountains, as well as at sporting destinations far afield.

Liz Ogilvie is our chief communications and operations officer. She leads the communications team on marketing, public relations, and partner outreach. She also oversees the operations of our three offices, staff, and finance. Before joining the TRCP in 2021, she worked in various segments of the recreational fishing industry—from retail to television to nonprofits—for more than 25 years. Her work on the national industry initiative to Recruit, Retain, and Reactivate anglers was honored by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies as well as corporate partners, Lew’s Fishing and Fishing League Worldwide. She was also featured in the report “The Outdoors Drives Jobs: Career Paths in the Outdoor Recreation Economy,” published by the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable.

Fly fishing is Liz’s passion, and she loves to share her global adventures in the hopes to inspire more women in their own travel. She also spent seven years as a fly fishing instructor with L.L.Bean and continues to volunteer with local and national charities to bring more enthusiasts to the sport.

John Redpath is the Chief Executive Officer of TrailStone, LLC, a global energy merchant focused on trading and providing risk management services to wind and solar asset owners. TrailStone employs 130 staff with offices in Austin, New York, London, and Berlin. The company trades physical and financial energy products in all major markets, and currently manages over 5 gigawatts of renewable power generation on electricity grids in Germany, Italy, France, Belgium, Spain, and the United States.

Prior to founding TrailStone with four partners in 2013, Joh had a 20-year career on Wall Street as a commodity trader and trading manager, with particular focus on energy and agricultural markets.

John currently serves as a director to a number of small GreenTech start-up ventures and is also on the board of Trout Unlimited’s Clearwater Conservation Fund.

K.C. Walsh is a lifelong angler and was the President and majority owner of Simms Fishing Products for nearly 30 years. K.C. also serves on the boards of the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the Property Environmental Research Center (PERC).  He was appointed as a Commissioner to the Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission in January 2020.

K.C. and his wife live in Martinsdale, Montana.

Greg Booth joined the TRCP team as Controller in May 2023.

After receiving his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from California State University, Fullerton, Greg began his career with Ernst & Young in southern California where he became a licensed CPA. It was after relocating to Missouri that his interest of flyfishing and turkey hunting was born and has since flourished. It was not until Greg took a position at the world headquarters of an international church that he found his nonprofit calling. After 22 years, he continues to uphold the fiduciary obligation of all nonprofits to be good stewards over the resources entrusted to them to support the organization’s mission.

Greg spent the last five years as the Director of Finance and Administration at the national headquarters Camp Fire, one of the oldest youth development organizations in the country. It was during that time that he saw the critical importance of an affirming organizational culture and actively upholding values that recognize and appreciate the worth of all persons, not just for the work they perform but for the people they are.

Having been privileged to have parents who provided outdoor opportunities whether in the woods, on the water, or in the desert, Greg has come to appreciate the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful environment in which we live. He also recognizes the responsibility to protect that environment and those opportunities for future generations. When not playing with spreadsheets, hunting or fishing, Greg spends his free time cycling or sailing. He and his wife enjoy their two dogs and their growing family, which now includes two grandchildren.

Kendra Davis joined the TRCP in January 2012. She has an undergraduate degree in Sociology and Anthropology from Middlebury College. Before joining the TRCP, Kendra worked in development for Trout Unlimited. Her affinity for the outdoors stems from a childhood spent camping and skiing in the Adirondacks. Outside of work, Kendra enjoys singing in an a cappella group and exploring the mountains and coast of Maine with her family.

Joe Anderson is the Chairman and CEO of Tag Holdings, LLC, which has owned several manufacturing companies in North America and Asia. These businesses have served a variety of industries including automotive, heavy equipment, aerospace, and defense.  

A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Joe and the infantry platoon he commanded in Vietnam were subjects of the highly acclaimed documentary film “The Anderson Platoon” which has won several awards to include the Oscar of the Academy Awards and an Emmy. Mr. Anderson’s military awards include two silver stars, five bronze stars, three Army Commendation Medals and eleven Air Medals.  

 Joe also serves on boards of several public and private companies. He is a past chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago-Detroit Branch as well as a past chairman of the U.S. Department of Commerce Manufacturing Council. 

Joe started fishing as a child with his dad in Topeka, Kansas. They raised English Pointers and hunted pheasant and quail throughout the state. He currently lives in Michigan and continues as an avid wing shooter hunting birds throughout the United States and Canada. He also fishes for salmon and halibut in Alaska.   

Bob Ziehmer currently serves as the Senior Director of Conservation for Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s where he is responsible for providing direction to advance priorities of protecting wildlife and habitat, connecting new audiences to the outdoors, and advocating for sportsmen’s rights and the outdoors. Bob serves as a liaison with state and federal agencies and over sixty national non-governmental groups to encourage advancement of projects, policy, and regulations advancing conservation and protecting our outdoor heritage.

Prior to joining Bass Pro Shops, Bob served over 25 years (6 ½ years as Director) with the Missouri Department of Conservation, where his work included: ensuring Missouri remained a national leader in forest, fish and wildlife research, management, and education; and served as a member of the Governor’s Cabinet, among others.

Bob has an unwavering passion for hunting, angling, and other outdoor adventures. His father’s commitment to spending time afield with him instilled the importance of conservation and our individual responsibilities to manage fish and wildlife for future generations which he has passed along to his children.

Bob is a professional member of the Boone & Crockett Club. He currently serves as a national board member of: Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation; Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports; and National Deer Association.

Zach joined TRCP as the director of government relations in July 2023. 

Prior to joining TRCP, he spent nearly three years as the policy director for the Western Landowners Alliance. In this role, he led WLA’s government relations, policy development and advocacy work spanning a range of public and working lands conservation issues. Before that, Bodhane spent six years as the policy advisor for conservation and wildlife at the Western Governors’ Association. At WGA, he led broad stakeholder initiatives aimed at developing common ground solutions through the WGA Species Conservation and ESA Initiative and the WGA Working Lands Roundtable. 

Bodhane holds a B.S. in Natural Resources Management with a double minor in Fishery Biology and Watershed Science from Colorado State University. 

Originally from Colorado, Zach now lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, son and dog. Despite missing the West, he enjoys the opportunity to get out of the city to mountain bike, hike and fish.

Aaron Field joined the TRCP as director of private lands conservation in June of 2022.

Previously, Aaron worked with North Dakota State University Extension and the North Dakota State Soil Conservation Committee as a leadership development specialist focusing on Soil Conservation District supervisors and staff. Aaron also spent four years as an assistant professor in the Agriculture and Rangeland Management program at Chadron State College in western Nebraska, where he taught courses in rangeland ecology and management.

Aaron earned his PhD in range science and an MS in natural resources management from North Dakota State University. His research there focused on monitoring changes in rangeland plant communities under different combinations of livestock and wildlife grazing. He also holds a BS in biology from the University of Jamestown.

Aaron resides in western Minnesota, where he enjoys fishing and hunting, especially for upland birds and waterfowl with his American Water Spaniels.

Becky Humphries started her career in wildlife as an employee of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and joined the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in 1978. Her 32-year career with the agency was a progression from field biologist positions to Wildlife Division Chief and culminated with her last seven years as Director.

In 2011, Becky left public service and joined Ducks Unlimited as Director of Conservation Programs. In 2013, The National Wild Turkey Federation enticed her to join them in South Carolina as the Chief Conservation Officer. In 2016, Becky was named Chief Operations Officer and in April of 2017, she was named as the CEO for NWTF.

Sam Kasner joined the TRCP as its development and events manager in March 2022.

Prior to working with the TRCP, Sam worked as an events coordinator for the World Wildlife Fund, where she managed donor events across the country. Sam earned her MBA at the University of Mary Washington while working as a graduate assistant for new student orientation. She also earned her BS in Psychology from UMW.

Born in New York City, Sam grew up in Northern Virginia playing soccer, reading, hiking, and camping. Sam currently resides in DC and can be found at various sporting events, trying different restaurants, or on long walks with her dog, Kanto.

Rod Nelson is a retired Schlumberger, Ltd. executive, having worked 35 years for the international company, the last 20 of which were in global roles. At Schlumberger, he was an officer of the corporation and Chairman of Schlumberger Technology Corporation, the US subsidiary.

Rod was most recently President and Managing Director of Liquid Robotics Oil & Gas, a joint venture between Schlumberger and Liquid Robotics, Inc., and was previously on the board of Vitruvian Exploration and Airswift, Inc. He is currently Chairman of Ashmin Holding, Ltd. and a board member of Premier Oilfield Group.

He enjoys most outdoor pursuits including hunting, fishing, and golfing and is passionate about expanding participation in our outdoor heritage.

Josh joined the TRCP as its Wyoming community partnerships coordinator in November 2021. He became Wyoming field manager in February 2023.

Prior to joining the TRCP, Josh worked as a Professional Naturalist in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem for over a decade, seeking to instill a conservation ethos in visitors from all over the world. With a background in Natural Resources Management from Colorado State University, Josh is also an avid photographer and film producer, including the recent conservation film Denizens of the Steep.

When not working with diverse stakeholders to ensure a future for Wyoming’s wildlife, Josh enjoys pursuing high country mule deer and elk, fly fishing, whitewater rafting, backpacking, backcountry skiing, and many of the other outdoor activities that make Wyoming special. Josh and his lab mutt Ollie live in Cody, Wyoming.

Madeleine West joined the TRCP in January 2019.

Previously, West served as assistant director for parks, wildlife, and lands at the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. In this capacity, she developed state-level policy primarily related to wildlife, outdoor recreation, state lands, and forestry issues. She also led DNR’s engagement in federal policies related to sage grouse and mitigation. She had been with the agency since 2013.

West has also served as wildlife program director at the Western Governors’ Association, lobbied in the Colorado State legislature, consulted as a mediator/facilitator in Washington, D.C., and liaised with Congress while with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Oceans, Environment, and Science.

West holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado Denver’s School of Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental and natural resource policy from Bates College. She resides in Denver, Colorado and enjoys spending time outside with her family.

Chris Metz is the President and CEO of Solo Brands, a collection of adventurous lifestyle brands built around creating and enhancing great moments and greater memories.  Prior to his time with Solo Brands, Chris served as president and CEO of outdoor sports and recreation products manufacturers Vista Outdoor Inc. and Arctic Cat Inc. He also currently serves on the board of Central Garden & Pet Company, a producer and distributor of lawn, garden, and pet supplies. Chris graduated from the University of Delaware with a BS in Business Administration and Management and from the University of North Carolina with a Master of Business Administration. He is an avid angler, hunter, cyclist, and skier.

Rob Thornberry, who joined the TRCP in February 2016 as the Idaho Field Representative, has spent his life chasing animals and fish across the West’s stunning public lands. A journalism graduate from the University of Colorado, Rob reported on outdoor issues for nearly three decades and wrote a weekly outdoor column for The Post Register in Idaho.

Public lands have been his playground since he first started chasing sage grouse across the rolling hills of northwestern Colorado. When not working to ensure sportsmen’s access to public lands, Rob can be found swinging a steelhead fly, busting through rapids, or hunting for elk in his beloved eastern Idaho. He and his wife Margaret are proud parents of two grown children.

Howard originally came from Duluth, Minnesota where he graduated from the University of Minnesota, Duluth with a Bachelor of Accounting degree in 1979.

He worked in public accounting for 7 years including his time with the national accounting firm of KPMG where he was the Supervisor in charge of Business Advisory Services for the Twin Cities area.

He came to Pheasants Forever (PF) in 1987 as their first Director of Finance.  He held the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer before he became the President and CEO from 2000 until his retirement in 2023.  In his time with PF, it grew from a $1 million to an $100 million dollar organization with 750 chapters in 40 states and 400,000 supporters.  In his time with the Organization, it impacted over 22 million acres of wildlife habitat.

Howard is a National Board of Director of the Wildlife Management Institute.  He also served on the boards for the Council to Advance Hunting and Shooting Sports, the American Wildlife Conservation Partners, and was a Member of the Wildlife Hunting Heritage Conservation Council.

Howard and his wife Wendy have been married for 43 years and live in White Bear Lake, Minnesota where he enjoys chasing the wily ringneck with his two sons as well as chasing three young grandchildren.

Nicholas Seidenberg is a Managing Director at Eastdil Secured, a privately held real estate investment banking firm headquartered in New York. Nick co-leads Eastdil Secured’s Debt Capital Markets division and serves as a member of the nine-person Executive Committee.

Growing up in Minnesota, Nick developed a deep appreciation for the outdoors. From autumn weekends in duck blinds with his father and brother to summers spent fishing on Minnesota’s lakes, these early experiences instilled in him a lifelong love for nature and quality time in nature with loved ones.

Nick and his wife, Casey, have been married for 29 years and reside in Washington, D.C. They have three children whom Nick enjoys taking on hunting and fishing trips to Minnesota, Montana and Rhode Island, continuing a family tradition of bonding through the outdoors.

In addition to his professional achievements, Nick has been actively involved in nonprofit work in Washington, D.C. Most recently, he served on the board of Children’s National Medical Center. Nick earned a B.S. in Applied Economics from Cornell University and an M.B.A. from NYU’s Stern School of Business.

Lynn Gill joined the TRCP as its director of operations and people in June 2022.

Gill has over twenty years of experience in human resources and operations, including 11 years in nonprofit Human Resources.  Most recently she was the Director of Human Resources at Jefferson Consulting Group, a K street professional services firm.  At TRCP, Gill oversees all human resources and office operations.

Originally from Latrobe, Pennsylvania, she grew up spending time at her family cabin on the banks of the South Branch of the Tionesta Creek in Warren County.  Some of her fondest memories are her father teaching her how to fish, shoot, and helping him paint and tie the lead jigs he poured.  Hiking, boating on the Alleghany reservoir, and tubing on the creek were all popular pastimes.

Gill graduated with her bachelor’s degree from The American University in Washington, DC and holds a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification.  She currently resides in DC with her husband Hal and spends her free time reading and tending to her herb garden.

Chris Macaluso is the Center for Marine Fisheries and Mississippi River Program Director for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. He works with a host of advocacy and conservation organizations to advance habitat restoration efforts across the Gulf and improve federal fisheries management law and policy.

Macaluso is an avid angler and duck hunter and a lifelong Louisiana resident who has worked in the outdoors communication field for more than 20 years, hosting hunting and fishing radio shows and working as a freelance outdoor and sports writer, radio and TV host. He became the first-ever communications director for the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority in 2006 and handled media relations for the Authority during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.

He left state-government in late 2010 to work as the Coastal Outreach Coordinator for the non-profit Louisiana Wildlife Federation helping to start the Vanishing Paradise Campaign that worked with outdoorsmen and the hunting and fishing industry to pass the RESTORE Act in 2012 before taking his current role at TRCP in 2013.

He and his wife Katie have a young son and daughter who both enjoy spending time in the swamps and marshes of Louisiana and the beaches along the Gulf Coast.

Joel’s passion for hunting, fishing, and wildlife conservation started in his youth while fishing and hunting with his dad and granddads in Nebraska. An encounter with a bear while on a Boy Scout camping trip cemented his desire to make wildlife conservation his career. After completing graduate school at the University of Tennessee, Joel started his career working in central Florida for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. In 1999, he moved his career to the non-profit world, joining the National Wild Turkey Federation. Over the course of 22 years, Joel worked on wild turkey restoration, habitat enhancement, hunting access, conservation easements, and state and federal conservation policy. He served the last six years as the director of government affairs. In 2021, Joel accepted the role as president and CEO of the Mule Deer Foundation, and over the ensuing three years grew the organization’s partnerships, conservation delivery, membership, and revenues to unprecedented levels.

Throughout his career, Joel has served on a variety of boards and councils to advance hunting, fishing, and wildlife conservation including chair of the American Wildlife Conservation Partners, and his current position on the federally appointed Wildlife and Hunting Conservation Council. He is also a fellow of the National Conservation Leadership Institute.

Joel is a passionate outdoorsman and spends as much time as possible hunting, fishing and otherwise recreating in nature. He believes that spending time on the land and doing the activities that he is advocating for gives him insight into what is needed to be successful, fuels his passion for work, and enables him to inspire others on the importance of ensuring hunting and fishing opportunities for future generations.

Mr. Patel is a Partner and Vice Chair at Apollo Capital Solutions, based in New York City. He previously held the position of Chairman International and Partner of Private Equity at Apollo Management. As a key member of the firm’s Leadership Team and Investment Committees, Mr. Patel has been instrumental in shaping strategic decisions. He joined Apollo Management in 2010 as Head of International Private Equity in London and also served as Head of Europe and Managing Partner of Apollo European Principal Finance until 2018.

Before his tenure at Apollo, Mr. Patel was a partner at Goldman Sachs & Co., where he co-headed European and Indian Private Equity within the Principal Investment Area (PIA). His extensive experience at Goldman Sachs included serving on the Goldman Sachs Partnership Committee and the Investment Committee of the Goldman Sachs Foundation. He began his career at Goldman Sachs in 1983, spending 17 years in PIA across New York and London.

Mr. Patel also served as Co-President of Greenwich Street Capital from 1998 to 2003. His philanthropic and advisory roles include being a member of the Harvard Graduate School of Design Dean’s Leadership Council, serving on the Investment Committee of the Eton College Foundation, and working with the Provost and Fellows of Eton College. He is the President and CEO of the American Friends of Eton College and the President of the American Friends of The Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Additionally, he is involved with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, serving on its Executive Committee, and is a member of The Nature Conservancy India Council. His love for the outdoors started over thirty years ago when his college roommate purchased The Winston Rod Company in Twin Bridges, Montana where he still serves on the board. His time spent in the West and fly fishing throughout the world over the decades has made him focus his future efforts on conservation in the U.S. and climate efforts globally.

Mr. Patel earned his AB and SM degrees in engineering, magna cum laude, from Harvard College and his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar. He received his early education at Eton College in the UK, where he was a King’s Scholar.

Al Clark is our chief development officer. He brings significant conservation experience, most recently serving the National Wild Turkey Federation as its national director of development. Al is a native of upstate South Carolina and has over 21 years of experience in development with 18 years focused on major gift fundraising. He started in development in 2004 at Furman University, then joined Wofford College where he worked as the assistant athletic director for development and major gifts. Al then moved to Ducks Unlimited where he was the director of development for the Carolinas for four years.

He and his wife, who he met while attending Wofford College, have been married for 20 years and have a 10-year-old son. Al grew up on a family farm chasing whitetails and bass fishing. While he didn’t get the conservation bug until his thirties, these passions have led Al and his family to leave a legacy of conservation.

Ryan Lockwood joined the TRCP as its marine fisheries communications manager in April 2023. He oversees communications and public relations for campaigns centered on marine fisheries conservation, the Florida Everglades, and aquatic invasive species.

His prior background blends communications expertise with a passion for natural resources conservation. He dedicated 10 years to managing communications, wildfire information, and public relations for a state forestry agency, and prior to that served as an editor and digital communications professional in the private sector. Holding degrees in both environmental science and technical journalism, Lockwood also has garnered experience working in the environmental science, wildlife management, and ecological research arenas.

Always eager to convey the importance of scientific research, he has published works related to watershed health, wildlife ecology, and the calibration of NASA satellite imagery. On the other end of the writing spectrum, his innate drive as a storyteller has resulted in authoring two published ocean-thriller novels.

Lockwood is a lifelong sportsman. He grew up hunting elk and pheasants in Colorado, and now stalks invasive wild boars and tries (but often fails) to land slot redfish and spotted seatrout in the inshore waters near his home in coastal Florida. He enjoys scuba diving and surfing, and prefers to spend his weekends outside with his wife and two kids.

Katherine Halama is the Water Policy and Legal Extern at TRCP, working with the Center for Water Policy to research federal funding opportunities to address water-related challenges in the San Luis Valley. Katherine is studying environmental and natural resources policy in the Masters of the Environment program at the University of Colorado Boulder. Originally from Colorado, Katherine loves to fly fish for trout across the state, backpack, ski, and summit peaks (especially in the San Juans).

Christian Fauser joined the TRCP in July 2023 as its Western Water Policy Associate.

Christian recently graduated from Northern Arizona University with an M.S. in Environmental Science and Policy. Within this role, Christian served as a researcher with the University’s “Free-Flowing Rivers Lab.” His research worked to inform State and Federal invasive fish management efforts on the Upper Verde River in Central Arizona; the only remaining perennial, free-flowing stretch of river in the arid State. He has spent the past two years working with a coalition of local and national NGOs, academics, and land management agencies who are seeking to secure a Wild and Scenic Rivers Act designation for the river. An early career water policy and conservation professional, Christian has worked on a wide-array of projects focused on conserving rivers and aquatic species through for the benefit of present and future generations in the Southwestern United States. Upon graduation, Christian received a River Studies & Leadership Certificate from the River Management Society.

Prior to moving to Arizona, Christian completed his B.S. in Resource Conservation and Climate Change Studies at the University of Montana. During his time in Missoula, Christian developed a passion for water policy and conservation through his coursework and volunteer roles with local water conservation and educational organizations. During this time, Christian also served as a representative to the Montana Governor’s Climate Council in supporting the state’s mission to adequately prepare communities for the impact of climate change on water availability. Last he gained valuable experience through his research which identified what aspects of water adjudications could help water users in the state secure adequate water supplies into the future. During his final year in Missoula, Christian was selected into the William A. Demmer Scholars Program which provides individuals with experience in policy making on a national level related to natural resources and conservation.

When not hard at work, you will likely find Christian biking, foraging, boating, and fishing in the diverse and beautiful ecosystems that makeup the state of Arizona. Christian resides in Tucson, Arizona.

Attorney Ashley Smith is a bi-lingual thought leader, group cohesion expert, writer, and national public speaker. Ashley co-founded The Minority Outdoor Alliance with the mission of uniting communities for the enjoyment and conservation of our natural resources. Ashley is also the founder of NOS Global, LLC, which helps organizations uncover how to benefit from an ever-changing world through data-driven strategic planning and organizational cohesion programs.

Ashley has had the honor of giving speeches, facilitating workshops, and hosting large outdoor recreational and educational events for a number of state agencies, conservation organizations, and corporations across the nation.

Ashley completed her undergraduate education at the University of Georgia with degrees in journalism and Spanish. After college, she completed her law degree at Georgia State University College of Law. Ashley seeks the outdoors as a place to renew and rejuvenate. She likes to meditate, pray, and exercise outdoors. She also enjoys archery, biking, hiking, and fishing. Ashley believes that there is so much more that unites us as human beings than divides us and believes that being outdoors is the perfect setting for memory making, tradition keeping, and connecting with others. Ashley and her husband have a young daughter and son.

Rue Mapp is the Founder and CEO of Outdoor Afro. From its grassroots beginning, Outdoor Afro is now recognized by organizations for its role in addressing the ongoing need for greater diversity in the outdoors.

In 2010, Rue was invited to the Obama White House to participate in the America’s Great Outdoors Conference, and subsequently to take part in a think-tank to inform the launch of the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” initiative. She was appointed program officer for the Stewardship Council’s Foundation for Youth Investment to oversee its grant-making program from 2010-2012. Her work has also been recognized with numerous awards and distinctions, including: The Root 100 as one of the most influential African Americans in the country (2012 and 2016), Outdoor Industry Inspiration Award, National Wildlife Federation Communication Award, and Family Circle Magazine selected Rue as one of America’s 20 Most Influential Moms. In 2014, she was appointed to the California State Parks Commission by Governor Jerry Brown. She was named a National Geographic fellow, and is a lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta, Incorporated.

Mark W. Ray is a native Texan, and grew up in the coastal city of Corpus Christi, Texas. He attended Southwest Texas State University (Texas State University) on a golf scholarship, ultimately graduating with a BBA in Marketing. Mark then began a successful career in the Property and Casualty Insurance business, specializing in blowout insurance for the oil and gas exploration industry. Having served on numerous in-surance company advisory councils and boards during his career, he was ultimately elected Chairman of the Board of the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, the largest professional agent’s association in the nation. After merging with Higginbotham Insurance in 2020, Mark is still active in advising his clients on risk management issues.

A lifelong, avid outdoorsman, Mark began volunteering at the local level of the Gulf Coast Conservation As-sociation in 1986, serving as Chapter President from 1995 to 1997. During this time, Mark was appointed to the Management Committee of GCCA Texas, which ultimately became the Coastal Conservation Associa-tion, Texas. In 2007, Mark was elected Chairman of the Board of CCA Texas, a role in which he served until April of 2022. In June of 2022, Mark was elected Chairman of CCA National.

In addition to his CCA affiliation, Mark serves as Chairman of the Center for Sportfish Science and Conser-vation which is an entity housed in the Texas A&M University System, serves as Board of Director member of the Center for Sportfish Policy, Trustee of the Texas Foundation for Conservation and Board member of Building Conservation Trust (the national habitat initiative of CCA). Previously, Mark has served on the South Texas Advisory Council of National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and The Texas Advisory Board of The Nature Conservancy. He is a Life Member of CCA, Texas Wildlife Association, Ducks Unlimited and the International Game Fish Association. In 2018, Mark was honored to receive the prestigious Harvey Weil Sportsman Conservationist of the Year award.

Michael joined the TRCP in the summer of 2018. He is a native Oregonian who grew up on a small farm just a stone’s throw from the mouth of the mighty Columbia River. Early childhood trips salmon fishing on the Columbia and learning to stalk elk in the mossy forests of the Pacific Northwest hooked him with a passion for hunting and fishing in his home state.

Michael attended the University of Montana, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology, and has since worked for federal agencies and nonprofits. Most recently, he led the development and implementation of public and private land stewardship projects throughout eastern Oregon.

He currently lives outside of Sisters, Oregon, with his wife and two boys. In his time off, you can find him with his family, camping, fishing, and hunting in the many diverse landscapes of Oregon’s wild country.

Jaclyn Higgins joined the TRCP in September 2021 as its forage fish associate. She became forage fish program manager in January 2023.

Jaclyn’s work focuses on menhaden conservation in the Gulf and Atlantic, as well as on federal forage fish management issues and Atlantic herring advocacy. Her primary efforts involve working with national and local partners to create science-based solutions to forage fish management, in order to enhance the health of sportfish populations. Originally from Missouri, Jaclyn earned her bachelor’s degree in biology and marine science from the University of Alabama. She later became a scuba diving instructor in Panama and managed a diving company while working on coral reef conservation and community outreach initiatives. Jaclyn received her Master’s in Marine Conservation from the University of Oviedo in Spain, where she worked on state-level policy for the Asturian algae fishery. In her free time, Jaclyn enjoys scuba diving, water sports, hiking, and spending time with friends and family.

Alex Funk joined the TRCP in August 2021 as its director of water resources and senior counsel.

In his role with the TRCP, Funk focuses on water policy and strategy. Funk previously served as the Agricultural and Rural Resiliency Policy Specialist at the Colorado Water Conservation Board, where he acted as the agency’s liaison to agricultural stakeholders on federal and state water policy issues. In this role, he also assisted with the implementation of the Colorado Water Plan and represented CWCB in multiple venues, including Colorado’s Natural Working Lands Task Force and the Colorado River Basin Salinity Forum. Previously, Funk was the Western policy director for the National Young Farmers Coalition, focusing on Farm Bill policy, and a fellow with American Rivers.

Funk earned his Juris Doctorate from Vermont Law School and his bachelor’s degree in Environmental Policy and Planning from Virginia Tech. He serves on the South Platte Forum Board and the Colorado State University Food-Energy-Water Graduate Program external advisory board. He lives in Denver, Colo., with his family and can frequently be found mountain biking, backpacking, climbing fourteeners, and paddling his kayak around the West.