BOARD CHAIR

John grew up on the backroads of North Dakota where the lakes and grasslands helped to cultivate his love and appreciate for the outdoors. In the early 2000’s John moved to Bozeman for more vertical scenery and to attend Montana State University where he earned a degree in English Literature. John currently works for Under Canvas as a Supply Chain Manager. John is passionate about his community and the varying uses water has and forms it takes throughout the valley. In 2014, he worked with the Montana FWP and MSU Extension Services to adopt a fishing access site on the Yellowstone River. He spends his free time on the water or in the mountains with his lovely wife and two kids, Mabel and Marshal.

VICE CHAIR

Alzada is a Master's student in Aquatic Ecology at Montana State University. She got involved with GWC through the Busy Beavers program and was quickly drawn in by the larger goals of the organization. She can still scarcely believe that one organization can simultaneously enhance community resilience, promote ecological restoration, support local agricultural producers, and provide fantastic service opportunities for all types of volunteers. Alzada first came to Montana as an Americorps volunteer in 2013. She worked seasonally all over the Greater Yellowstone Area in resource management, data collection, trail work, and construction before starting her master's program in 2021. She loves gardening, high places, swimming in lakes and rivers, and two-stepping at the American Legion.

TREASURER

Tom is a Senior Tax Accountant at Wipfli, LLP in Bozeman specializing in small business and individual taxation. Tom’s family background is in agriculture. While growing up on a turkey farm in Central Minnesota, Tom spent as much time as he could at his family’s cabin on one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes. Through his agricultural background, Tom developed a strong passion for all activities outdoors. This lead him to move to Bozeman in 2008 to pursue his college degree at Montana State University. Fortunately, after graduating from Montana State, Tom was able to call Bozeman home and has practiced accounting for over six years in both the private and public sectors. In his free time Tom is a passionate outdoorsman, spending as much time on his boat as he can with his dog Margo.

Tom is a consulting hydrogeologist with RESPEC, Inc. in Bozeman who has spent 29 years evaluating and characterizing water resources. In his previous role as a researcher with the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, he spent 10 years managing two large-scale groundwater/surface water projects. These projects involved examining the relationship between irrigation, surface water, and groundwater, and how these resources are affected by changing land use in the Gallatin Valley. This work taught him the importance of dialogue, cooperation, collaboration, and public awareness as the Valley adapts and manages the effects of growth. GWC is instrumental in these efforts. Tom grew up in Nebraska and has geology degrees from the Universities of Wyoming and Montana. He has lived in Billings, Missoula, Bozeman, and now Butte. Tom enjoys all that Montana has to offer but especially cycling and beer.

Sale grew up in the Pacific Northwest and became passionate about freshwater as a critical link between human health and ecosystem integrity. This idea led to international work on clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and a Master’s degree from Yale’s School of the Environment exploring wastewater treatment to remove contaminants of emerging concern. Sale moved to Bozeman to pursue a PhD at MSU while chasing another dream—to live in the mountains. The GWC Board is an exciting opportunity to engage with other local water advocates and learn about managing the precious water resources of the Gallatin Watershed.

James was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where his passion for nature grew as he explored, camped and volunteered in the natural beauty of the Emerald Ilse. Knowing that he wanted to pursue a career in his passion of the natural world, James completed a BS (Honors) in Geography from the University of Ulster. What brought James to Bozeman was the University, where he is completing a Master of Public Administration with a focus on conservation and natural resource management. He got his start as a GWC board member via the Boardroom Bobcat program through Montana State University.

BOARDROOM BOBCAT

Sarah is GWC's current Boardroom Bobcat. She is a Master's of Public Administration student at Montana State University where she also works as an Accessibility Specialist for Disability Services. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Sarah spent most of her free time hiking, skiing, and kayaking, giving her a profound appreciation for the outdoors. This led her to pursue B.S. in Biology, with an emphasis in Ecology and Conservation, and a B.A. in Communication from the University of Washington. It was skiing that led her to Montana, but the natural beauty of the area convinced her to stay. She is excited to learn more about non-profit work through this experience and bring what is taught in class to GWC.

Ashlie is an Associate Planner for the Gallatin County Department of Planning and Community Development. Originally from Southern Utah, she is fascinated by the history of water in the West and the technical, governmental, and social mechanisms that allow communities to thrive in arid regions. Ashlie got her BS in Psychology and International Studies with an emphasis in global health from the University of Utah and, after a six-year or so hiatus traveling and working for a rafting company in Jackson Hole, earned her MS in Earth Sciences from Montana State University. For her master's thesis project, Ashlie examined the presence of adaptive governance of water resources in Montana. Ashlie is excited to support GWC's mission as a board member and meet more fellow water and community engagement nerds.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

holly@gallatinwatershedcouncil.org

Holly grew up on a cattle ranch in Southwestern Montana where her passion for the natural world began. It was after leaving home and living in some of the country’s largest cities that she quickly realized the true treasures of her home state and returned to help work towards preserving them. Holly has fifteen years of experience working with non-profit organizations in the areas of conservation, sustainable agriculture, clean energy, climate change, and sustainable communities on both regional and national levels. She holds a B.A. from Carleton College. Holly lives near the Gallatin River in the Gallatin Canyon with her husband and their two daughters. In her free time, she enjoys skiing, mountain biking, trail running, and sharing her love for wild places with her children.

WATERSHED RESTORATION DIRECTOR

lilly@gallatinwatershedcouncil.org

Lilly comes from a big farming family in Maryland, where she grew up exercising race horses, baling hay, and welding farm equipment. She has made a home in Bozeman after coming here for school in 2006, and has since graduated with her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Civil Engineering. Her studies focused on soil and water as they apply to agriculture, from irrigation and streams, to nutrient cycling and waste management. With her heart and roots in farming, and her technical background, Lilly looks forward to working with GWC to create dialogue between different interest groups. She believes that we can all find common ground in our dependence on clean water, and that our efforts to protect the resources in the Gallatin Watershed are stronger together. In addition to working with GWC, Lilly is currently working in construction, both helping run a small roofing and siding company, as well as rebuilding her own house in downtown Bozeman.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

tess@gallatinwatershedcouncil.org

Tess has always appreciated water due to her upbringing on a small island in the South Puget Sound in Washington State. She traded in saltwater for freshwater rivers and streams and attended the University of Montana to explore the recreational opportunities of Montana. She graduated with honors and a B.A. in Organizational Communication and minored in hiking and fly fishing in her free time. Tess has led a trail crew, worked in events and outreach, and served as the Big Sky Watershed Corps member for GWC in 2022. She hopes that her time with the Gallatin Watershed Council will continue to allow her to do what she loves most: serving her community.

WATER POLICY MANAGER

katherine@gallatinwatershedcouncil.org

Katherine grew up in northern Connecticut, exploring the deep woods and creeks of her backyard, and spending the summers at her grandparents house where she would sell painted sea shells and donate the money to conserve Barnegat Bay. Her exposure to these environments started her passion for protecting and conserving natural places, as she went on to receive her B.A. in Environmental Policy and M.S. in Sustainable Water Management. She moved to Bozeman after graduate school excited to ski, hike, and explore a new environment that she is now making her home. Prior to GWC, she worked remotely for the World Wildlife Fund on their Freshwater & Food Transformation team, focusing on systems level interventions that improve basin health with a lens through water stewardship, sustainable agriculture, and climate resilience. Katherine is excited to work for a community conservation organization and tackle water challenges through collaborative, integrative landscape approaches that can inspire transformational change.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Originally from Saint Louis, Missouri, Ben developed a love for wildlife and conservation from a young age, spending countless hours playing outside and volunteering at the local zoo. He later moved to Fort Collins to attend Colorado State University where he received a degree in Wildlife Biology, minors in Zoology and Global Environmental Sustainability, and worked as a technician in an acoustic ecology lab. Since graduating, Ben has held various positions - from environmental education and volunteer coordination in Kaua’i’s wildlife refuges to guiding trips and wildlife watching in Yellowstone National Park. Ben has a passion for learning in an ecological context and he is excited to bring his skills together to serve GWC and the county in fostering a sustainable relationship with our local watershed.