Director Of Operations

• Jul 2016 - Present

Pathfinder Ranches is comprised of historic ranches in central Wyoming and is professionally managed for the balanced benefit to western rangelands and wildlife habitats. Flocks of Greater Sage-grouse and herds of antelope and bighorn sheep abound across the sea of sagebrush and open plains. Mountain peaks in the Ferris, Pedros and Rattlesnake Ranges tower as sentinels above the river valleys and historic trails below. Pathfinder Ranches operates multiple lines of business from ESG Corporate Solutions to AUMs for livestock grazing, and from Sage-grouse conservation credits to Stream and Wetland credits.

Freelance Writer

• Mar 2012 - Present

River Coordinator -- Wyoming State Engineer's Office

• Mar 2008 - Jul 2016

Represent and manage Wyoming's interests in the 2001 Modified North Platte Decree and Final Settlement Stipulation by fulfilling the data collection, interpretation and reporting requirements involving irrigated acreage inspection, pumpage reporting and consumptive usage, as well as coordinating with the States of Colorado and Nebraska and the Federal Government. Administer portions of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (PRRIP) for the State of Wyoming by developing and providing water depletion information on municipalities, industries and rural development. Review and plan for all depletive effects of water usage within the North and South Platte River basins of Wyoming. In this capacity, I serve as the State Coordinator for Wyoming's Depletions Plan. Formulate and implement policy for the Modified Decree and PRRIP. Manage the North Platte general fund and one-time budgets of $1.3 million dollars each biennium, which includes the solicitation and purchasing of agency equipment, construction management and oversight, and contract management of six engineering firms for policy and engineering assistance. Formulate budgets for SEO staff and approve expenditures. Manage the State of Wyoming's interest and involvement in the Federal, State and Private Snow Survey Cooperative, as well as serve as a primary snow surveyor for water supply planning and river forecasting. Serve on the statewide Wyoming Interagency Review Team for Mitigation Banking. Additional duties include negotiating landowner access agreements, preparation and submission of environmental permitting documents, and commenting on all Federal, State and private water development and usage requests within the Platte River basin of Wyoming. Assist in the management of Wyoming's interests in the Laramie River Decree of 1922 and the Belle Fourche River Compact of 1943.

Sr. Policy Analyst -- Wyo. Dept. of Agriculture

• Jul 2004 - Mar 2008

Execute the WDA natural resource policy program, including all decision making, commenting and participation in BLM Resource Management Plans, Forest Service Revision Plans, and environmental, commodity and conservation programs. Produce policy recommendations for the Director and Deputy Director to generate scientific and successful policy decisions for the agency. Brief the Governor and State Legislators on pertinent natural resource policy issues. Work with landowners, ag producers, grazing permittees, citizen organizations and government officials at all levels, to determine impacts of federal and state programs and activities critical to a viable agricultural industry. Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), provide policy recommendations on activities on federal land, including water management and development, public access, gas development, reclamation, compensatory mitigation, habitat enhancement (timber and range), fire restoration, public land management, wildlife, community viability and livestock grazing. Supervise one full-time employee in the Jonah Interagency Office by developing goals, organizing a productive work schedule, budget development and control, and conducting performance evaluations. Serve as the State Cooperator to make project planning decisions which reflect current department policies and mission, as well as current direction of the Governor and the State of Wyoming. Serve as the Governor's Planning Office state lead for the Shoshone and Black Hills National Forest. Governor appointed to the Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board. Develop MOU for State participation in planning. Monitor USFS and BLM transportation infrastructure plans and provide appropriate NEPA comments and management recommendations. Promote voluntary livestock permittee monitoring efforts. Authored the 4W Ranch Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances.

Agriculture Programs Coordinator -- Wyo. Dept. of Agriculture

• Oct 1999 - Jul 2004

Provide formal comments on all Endangered Species Act (ESA) conservation policy, including gray wolf, Preble's mouse, Canada lynx, mountain plover, grizzly bear, sage grouse and the black-tailed prairie dog. Prepare biological comments on proposed land-use activities: Forest Plan and RMP amendments and revisions and the US Fish and Wildlife Service activities. Provided comments on habitat use, conservation, direction, implementation and impacts to the natural resource base and ecosystem. Provide formal comments to enhance plans, programs and activities to support the agricultural industry. Administered the 2003 and 2004 Non-fat Dry Milk Feed Program for Wyoming. Created a commodity distribution system for $6.2 million dollars in raw commodity. Developed the market for dry milk in the West, provided feeding recommendations and analyzed dry milk use in livestock feeding trials to improve the program. Support landowners, grazing permittees and ag organizations with information on conservation planning, federal land use policy and federal agency regulations. Work with Wyoming's 34 conservation districts on supervisor education, district capacity building, technical assistance, water quality and quantity and education programs. Shared in the management of a SARE grant on Agricultural Enterprise Diversification including training natural resource professionals and landowners to assist producers in diversification. Issues included hunting, fishing, access, OHV use, legal liability, birding and tourism. Committee chair and member of the Governor's Drought Management Task Force, UW Natural Diversity Database Advisory Committee, and the UW Ag Experiment Station Competitive Grants Review Committee.