Helena Office

Tim Baker, Executive Director, tbaker@wildmontana.org, 406-443-7350 extension 101
Tim develops strategies to accomplish MWA’s mission and goals. He develops and maintains positive working relationships with Montana’s political, conservation, business and cultural leaders. Born in Royal Oak, Michigan, Tim earned his BA degree from the University of Michigan and his JD degree from the University of Montana. A long time supporter of MWA, he has been employed by MWA since December 2001. Tim loves to bird watch, fish, hike, cross country ski, and hunt, and maintains that he does not get to do enough of any of these activities.

Brad Borst, Wilderness Campaign Director, bborst@wildmontana.org, 406-443-7350 extension 102
Brad is responsible for the Beaverhead Deerlodge Partnership and Sleeping Giant Wilderness campaigns. He is building broad-based public support for wilderness designations. He builds relationships with volunteers, key stakeholders, and allies to further MWA’s interests, and manages publicity and press relations. Brad is located in Helena. Brad is (in the words of Joe Walsh): “just an ordinary average guy.”

Laura Clifford, Membership Coordinator, lclifford@wildmontana.org, 406-443-7350 extension 110
Laura manages all membership functions and activities. She maintains the membership database, performs membership retention and recruitment activities, coordinates with Chapters on chapter-based membership plans, coordinates the annual convention, and is the Wilderness Walks program coordinator. Laura was raised on a small farm/ranch outside of Three Forks. She spread her wings to Spearfish, SD, where she earned a degree in Tourism Management from Black Hills State University. In her previous career, she could be found wearing a NPS flat hat. She worked in several National Parks across the country, always staying on the move from one park to the next. Her most notable work achievement comes from living and working on the Lewis and Clark Trail as part of a traveling Lewis and Clark educational exhibit. With the gypsy lifestyle under her belt, she is ready to settle down in Helena. In her spare time she can be found hiking, canoeing, baking, and spending time with friends and family. Her happy places include Yellowstone NP, the Tobacco Roots, and floating the Madison River in the hot summer sun.

Norane Freistadt, Development Director, nfreistadt@wildmontana.org, 406-443-7350 extension 104
Norane is responsible for coordinating development activities and developing a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization. In addition, she manages the MWA development staff. Norane has resided in Helena since 1980, settling here after several years of working in archaeology in Idaho and NW Montana. Although her degree from Washington State University was in Anthropology, her passion since age 11 was land; manifesting itself early on as the urge to acquire vast amounts of it. With that dream squelched by reality, she instead pursued land conservation and “smart growth” issues by delving into various community groups with missions that fit with that passion of land preservation. She is a founding member of Plan Helena and Prickly Pear Land Trust, where she completed five years as Development Director before coming to the Montana Wilderness Association in 2004. She and her family are avid backpackers with favorite hikes in the wild Beartooths. Her husband and three children live at the base of the South Hills in Helena.

John Gatchell, Conservation Director, jgatchell@wildmontana.org, 406-443-7350 extension 106
John develops and assists with the implementation of conservation policies. He identifies and maintains strategic relationships in order to negotiate MWA preferred land use policies. A product of Michigan, John has been in Montana since 1975, and has been Conservation Director for MWA since 1986! He enjoys gardening, snowshoeing, hunting, fishing, camping, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, and diving. John lives in Helena with his wife and two children. His favorite hikes are the Swan Alpine Trail #7, Lion Creek, Angel’s Bathing Pool, and anywhere and everywhere in the Crazy Mountains and Rocky Mountain Front.

Cedron Jones, GIS Mapping Specialist, mwagis@wildmontana.org, 406-443-7350
Cedron performs GIS mapping services for MWA on a volunteer basis. He would likely be an upper-middle class suburbanite in the Bay area were it not for a two-year stint with the Boy Scouts at age 12-14. That experience is the only possible explanation for his decision to drop out of grad school, move west and "return to the land" in the early 70s. He quickly learned the differnece between muleys and whitetails, p-pine and white pine, District Ranger and Park Ranger. He moved to Helena in 1985 and started his involvement with MWA at that time, continuing on now to the third decade of volunteerism and using his superb mapping skills to further MWA's mission.

Melisa Kaiser Synness, Grant Writer, mkaisersynness@wildmontana.org, 406-443-7350 extension 105
Melisa is responsible for preparation of foundation proposals and reports, working with the development staff to bring more resources to serve the MWA mission. Melisa was raised in Prairie Village, Kansas and has a B.A. in Political Science from Mount Vernon College of George Washington University. She moved to Montana in 1987 after serving two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali, West Africa. Her early onset wanderlust led her to visit all 50 states and four continents. Her career passion has been to raise money and manage grants for various non-profits. The past six years she has been with the State Historic Preservation Office of the Montana Historical Society. She loves to hike, kayak, play with her two fuzzy white dogs and practice interior design in her 125 year-old home. She, her husband and teen-aged son live within walking distance of about everything they ever need, but they love to regularly escape to the mountains especially the Beartooth aka 'Sleeping Giant' north of Helena.

Karole Lee, Office Manager, klee@wildmontana.org, 406-443-7350 extension 108
Karole Lee assists the Executive Director and Deputy Director with administrative, business and financial activities. She provides clerical and administrative support for MWA staff and serves as administrative liaison with the State Council. Karole worked in the medical profession as an Orthopaedic Physician Assistant for over 20 years, during which time she was also an environmental activist. Montana captured her heart in 1971, on a backpacking trip into the ‘proposed’ Scapegoat Wilderness and the Bob, and she ultimately made Montana her home in 1991. Karole served as secretary on the first board of directors of the Wild Divide Chapter and subsequently as vice-president. She has been working with MWA since December 2001. Her hobbies include hiking, backpacking, tracking, canoeing, cooking, and snowshoeing. She especially loves hiking and tracking elk in the Elkhorn Mountains. Karole lives in Clancy.

Jan Sensibaugh, Deputy Director, jsensibaugh@wildmontana.org, 406-443-7350 extension 109
Jan manages operational and administrative staff and activities. She is responsible for staff development and management, financial management and reporting, and activity and work planning for the field staff. After graduating from college she became a VISTA and was sent to Bozeman as a community organizer for Montana State Low Income Organization, returning to Montana where her grandmother was raised. After a stint in San Francisco, Jan returned to Montana in 1977, the place that felt most like home. She joined Montana Wilderness Association to help protect the wonderful places that make Montana special. Jan enjoys hiking, cross country skiing, camping, gardening, and needlework. Her favorite hikes are those she can make right from her house.

Jake Troyer, Project Assistant, jtroyer@wildmontana.org, 406-443-7350 extension 107
Jake came to MWA after moving back to Montana from Oregon. He is responsible for working with the Campaign Directors on their campaigns but primarily with the Beaverhead-Deerlodge Partnership. He feels these collaborative efforts will be what brings more Wilderness to Montana. He also coordinates and writes for the Wild Montana newsletter. Jake went to high school in Billings, received his degree in Political Science at the University of Montana and then moved to Portland for a few years, before returning to Montana to work on Sen. Tester's campaign. When not working at the office, Jake can be found hanging out with his son, Fletcher, enjoying Montana's wild areas, watching as much football as possible, taking pictures and helping with a variety of campaigns. He lives and dies with his beloved Red Sox and doesn't miss the Curse.

Ralph Yaeger, Major Donor Officer, ryaeger@wildmontana.org, 406-443-7350 extension 103
Ralph is responsible for cultivation and stewardship of major donors. Born in Lewistown, Ralph spent his early years on the ranch his great grandfather homesteaded in 1880. A graduate of Carroll College, before joining the MWA staff, he spent more than a decade supporting the development and marketing activities of the Montana Community Foundation as a member of both the board and staff. He served on the capital campaign steering committees of the Mikal Kellner Foundation for Animals, the St. Helena Cathedral, and the Holter Museum of Art, and as a member of the Governor’s Task Force on Endowments and Philanthropy. He is currently a trustee of the Greater Montana Foundation. Ralph enjoys spending time in wild places close to home, preferably whittling by a small campfire.

Choteau Office

Gabe Furshong, Wilderness Campaign Director
Gabe is developing and implementing a Wilderness campaign plan for the Rocky Mountain Front. The focus of his work is building broad-based public support for a wilderness designation for roadless lands on the Front. He develops relationships with volunteers, key stakeholders, and allies to further conservation goals, while managing publicity and press relations. Gabe also assists with public outreach and education on the Blackfoot Landscape Stewardship Pilot Project campaign. Gabe lives and works in Choteau. Born and raised in Helena, Gabe graduated from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, as a student of political economy in December of 2005. As a fifth generation Montanan with roots on the Front, Gabe knows that wild places are few and far between, and that cooperation, hard work, and good will are required to keep them that way.

PO Box 37
17 Third Street NE
Choteau, 59422
Phone: 406-466-2600
Fax: 406-466-2600
gfurshongf@wildmontana.org

Kalispell Office

Sarah Lundstrum, Wilderness Campaign Director
Sarah is responsible for the Scotchman Peaks and Winton Weydemeyer Wilderness campaigns. She is building broad-based public support for wilderness designations. She builds relationships with volunteers, key stakeholders, and allies to further MWA’s interests, and manages publicity and press relations. Sarah also works with the Flathead-Kootenai Chapter on issues in the Northwest part of the state. In that capacity, she develops and implements community education programs, recruits, trains and manages volunteers, and performs organizing and outreach activities. Sarah is located in Kalispell. Born and raised in Spokane, Washington, Sarah became enchanted with the Southwest in High School. After receiving her BS in Environmental Studies from Utah State University, with an emphasis in canyoneering, climbing and backcountry snowboarding, she continued south to New Mexico to work for the Sierra Club. While there she helped to protect the Valle Vidal and ran various electoral campaigns. Unlike others, Sarah escaped the “Land of Entrapment” and came back North, mostly because she was disturbed by the hotter and hotter summers (global warming perhaps?). Sarah came to Montana Wilderness Association to protect the wilderness she loves and some she doesn’t know yet. Outside the office you’ll see her hiking, camping, snowboarding, playing ultimate, or hanging out with her two dogs, Paige and Samson.

307 First Ave E., #1
Kalispell, 59901
Phone: 406-755-6304
Fax: 406-755-6334
slundstrum@wildmontana.org

Great Falls Office

Mark Good, Outreach Coordinator
Mark is responsible for the coordination and facilitation of MWA Chapters, members and local community volunteers to work on issues of local importance and to coordinate outreach activities on MWA priority issues. He develops and implements community education programs, recruits, trains and manages volunteers, and performs organizing and outreach activities. Mark is located in Great Falls and works with the Island Range and Wild Divide Chapters on issues in the Northern part of the state. Born in Faribault, Minnesota, Mark attended the University of Montana and has lived in Montana since 1974. He has been employed by MWA since 1994. Mark enjoys hiking and skiing. He lives in Great Falls.

1400 First Ave No.
Great Falls, 59401
Phone: 406-761-2526
Fax: 406-453-9434
mgood@wildmontana.org

Livingston Office

Dan Kramer, Outreach Coordinator
Dan is responsible for the coordination and facilitation of MWA Chapters, members and local community volunteers to work on issues of local importance and to coordinate outreach activities on MWA priority issues. He develops and implements community education programs, recruits, trains and manages volunteers, and performs organizing and outreach activities. Dan is located in Livingston and works with the Eastern Wildlands and Madison-Gallatin Chapters on issue in the Southern part of the state. Dan grew up in suburban South Florida, then studied too much at Duke University. He left Duke with a BA in Public Policy Studies and a passion for backpacking. Duke proved itself to be an ideal launching pad for life as a nomadic AmeriCorps trails grunt, a part Dan played joyfully until joining up with MWA. Dan also enjoys cooking and most forms of aerobic exercise.

119-1/2 West Park Street, Suite 4
Livingston 59047
Phone: 406-222-4483
Fax: 406-222-7793
dkramer@wildmontana.org