Officers

Daphne Herling, President, Missoula
Born in Manila and educated in England, Daphne has worked in the nonprofit world for almost 20 years. She spends many hours enjoying Montana’s wilderness beauty while hiking, backpacking, paddling, biking, and cross-country skiing.

Doug Ferrell, President-Elect, Trout Creek
Doug graduated from Brown University in 1972, and got to Montana as soon as he could. He is a homebuilder and designer, happily married with two sons, who also love to hike and camp. In addition to his work with MWA, Doug is Vice-Chair and Montana Outreach Director for the Friends of Scotchman Peaks, and has been working to protect roadless areas on the Kootenai National Forest for over 30 years.

Sally Hughes, Treasurer, Livingston
Sally is president of Gillette Consulting Inc., which provides management assistance, tax and accounting services to local businesses. She, her husband and their Kerry Blue terrier live east of Livingston along the Yellowstone River with the Crazy Mountains to the north and the Absarokas to the south. They are avid hikers, anglers, cross country skiers and backpackers. Sally’s recent volunteer efforts include membership on the Park County Planning and Zoning Commission, and Park County Search and Rescue (team leader and board member). She also has memberships in the Park County Environmental Council, Corporation for the Northern Rockies, Montana Conservation Voters and the Northern Plains Resource Council.

At-Large Members

Bob Bayley, Ennis
Bob lives in Ennis where he works on private and public land management issues within the Madison Valley. When living back east, he derived great pleasure and inspiration by escaping with his wife to canoe "Forever Wild" regions within the Adirondack State Park. Bob relishes his involvement with MWA and enjoys working with diverse groups of people in pursuit of additional wilderness for Montana.

Pete Bengeyfield, Dillon
Before retiring in 2006, Pete worked for 33 years as a hydrologist in the northern Rockies. He is an award-winning nature photographer and published author. Pete has extensive backcountry and wilderness experience throughout the West and Alaska.

Steve Caldwell, Livingston                                                                                                               Steve is an economist and management consultant, whose career includes experience in the economics, planning, commodity trading, and financial areas of industry and investment banking.  He has a BA degree from Indiana University and a MBA from the University of Chicago.  Steve's spare time activities include backcountry skiing and ski touring, mountain and road biking, hiking, and fishing.                                       

Scott Friskics, Great Falls
For over 15 years, Scott has worked at Fort Belknap College, first as a natural resources instructor and then as a grant writer, institutional planner and assessment coordinator. He earned his BA in Religious Studies and Biology from Colgate University and his MS in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana. He is currently completing his MA in Environmental Philosophy from the University of North Texas. Scott lives in Great Falls with his wife, Jennifer Smith. His greatest joy in life comes from wandering the wildlands of the Rocky Mountain Front and Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex.

Michael Gottleib, Helena
Michael is a management consultant, university instructor, artist and designer, and outdoors junkie. He graduated from the Naval Academy, served in the Marines, and has degrees in art, design, an MBA and a Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership. After having lived on both coasts, he split the difference by moving to Montana in 1992. He enjoys all outdoor activities, especially with his Gordon Setter, Annie.  Serving on the Montana Wilderness Association State Council is an opportunity to explore how we as a community can protect the last best places.

Mollie Kieran, Troy
Mollie is the owner of Molly Montana Real Estate in Troy. She obtained her General Contractor's license in Southern California in 1979 and has held her real estate brokers license since 1985. She retired from the construction industry in 1993. These professions have given Mollie the opportunity to advise and proceed with smart growth and development while maintaining the least invasive approach to the environment.  Living in the wilderness, 45 miles from the nearest town is her favorite hobby and gives her a growing responsibility to maintain wild Montana.

Stephanie Knisley, Helena
Steph has been living in Montana since 2005, when AmeriCorps*VISTA brought her from Ohio for a year of service.  Since then she has been the Program Director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Helena and currently serves as the Community Outreach Liaison for the Helena School District.  She graduated from the University of Vermont in 2004 with a degree in psychology and chemistry.  Steph is involved with many nonprofit organizations in Helena. She is a Great Divide ski instructor and serves on their ski patrol.

Terry Meyers, Somers
After growing up in an Air Force family and living across the country and around the world, Terry moved his family to Montana in 1982. He's been on the board of the Flathead-Kootenai Chapter for 3 years. He just retired from a 30-year teaching career and spends his time gardening, kayaking, fishing, and traveling. He feels that preserving wilderness is the most important work on earth.

Kassia Randzio, Missoula                                                                                                              Kassia's coursework towards an MS in Geography from the University of Massachusetts in 2008, focused on community involvement in land conservation.  Specifically, her thesis was a study of public participation in Washington's then-proposed Wild Sky Wilderness, an Act approved by Congress in Spring 2008.  Since arriving in Missoula, Kassia has been closely involved with MWA's Youth Initiative.  She has hiked and backpacked in nine of Montana's 15 Wilderness areas.

David Rockwell, Dixon
David has spent over 30 years in natural resource management and education here in Montana. He has worked in a variety of capacities, including as an inter-disciplinary team leader for forest and wilderness management planning efforts. In recent years, most of his time has been in the area of environmental education, specifically fire history and ecology and the protection and restoration of bull trout habitat. He is the author of three books: two on natural history and one on bears. David and his wife Nancy have two children, Adeleene and Isaac. He loves hiking, fly fishing, canoeing, and hunting.

Bernard Rose, Billings
Bernie is a retired professor of Economics and Business. He is a member of a number of environmental groups and has been actively engaged in the arts in Billings, serving on the board of the Billings Studio Theatre. Bernie is an avid hiker, mountain biker, and walker.

Kate Sako, East Glacier
Kate is a newly formed environmentalist who has always enjoyed the outdoors. Her past life was as a patent attorney and her current life includes helping in a K-2 grade classroom, doing intake at the Browning Family Planning Clinic, plus caring for their newborn son and chasing their little girl around the house and yard—the latter in conjunction with Dad, Kendall Flint.

Marianne Spitzform, Missoula
Marianne has lived in Missoula since 1972, having found her true home during her first trip to Montana for geology field camp five years earlier. She finished a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of Montana (1979), and also studied theology at Harvard (MTS 1970). Since 1985 she has been in private practice and also teaches Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. Marianne loves horses, hiking, travel and reading. The relationship between people, nature and health has fascinated her for years.

Chapter Representatives

Eastern Wildlands Chapter, Jeff Hunnes, Billings

Flathead-Kootenai Chapter, Samantha Travis, Kalispell

Island Range Chapter, Dan Bennett, Great Falls
Dan has been on the board of the Island Range Chapter since 1994. He has focused his work on protecting the Rocky Mountain Front, particularly with oil and gas issues. He also spends time organizing and leading Wilderness Walks on the Front and the Sleeping Giant - Gates of the Mountains areas. Dan works for a law firm as a paralegal.

Madison-Gallatin Chapter, Roger Jenkins, Bozeman

Wild Divide Chapter, Kim Dale, Helena