BUFFALO FIELD CAMPAIGN - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Office Coordinator

Angela holds a M.S. in Environmental Science from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, and a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Notre Dame. She has a background in Grant Management and Scientific Research and over two decades of community and workplace experience in Diversity and Inclusion. The importance of allowing for sustainable populations of Buffalo on our Public Lands is never far from her mind as is stabilizing the weather through fighting Climate Change and Human Rights advocacy, across the globe, that connects individuals to their communities. She spends more time on land then in the water by 1% and still likes compasses, binoculars, and the Heisman ceremony.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Advisory Board

Job Titles:

• Brand & Social Media Coordinator

Chuck earned a B.A. in Marketing at Western Michigan University and brings deep experience in web and business administration. He first volunteered with BFC in 1997 as part of Patagonia's employee environmental grants program. He worked for two years as Environmental Liaison at The Patagonia Outlet - Dillon, coordinating grants and networking with Northern Rockies environmental groups. Chuck is a co-founder of the Sustainable Business Council-Missoula, and has volunteered hundreds of hours with Bitterroot Selway Grizzly Search; Cold Mountain, Cold Rivers; Raptor View Research Institute; Great Burn Study Group: and many others. In 2006, Chuck secured Audubon's Important Bird Area status for the Hebgen Lake wintering Trumpeter Swans which are disturbed by bison hazing operations.

J Dallas Gudgell has nearly four decades of experience in environmental science, lobbying, human rights advocacy, social and environmental justice, K12 general and special education teaching, higher education adjunct teaching, life coaching, individual and organization consulting and professional development consulting, cultural competency (DEI) training and public relations. He has been a backcountry backpacker since the age of 13. In his hometown on the Fort Peck Reservation in Poplar Montana, besides working as an environmental scientist for his tribal government; he was chief of the local volunteer fire department. In Idaho (the past 30+ years), he worked for Idaho DEQ, environmental/conservation NGOs, and worked closely with elected officials on issues involving education, indigenous concerns, climate justice, human rights, and environmental protection and conservation. His vast community service includes many NGO associations and leadership positions as well as being a spiritual leader at the Idaho Veterans Administration, where he conducted clinics grounded in native cultural framework of the lodge (songs, oral history, and traditional behavioral health practices). He considers himself a "decorated" father with grown children, young twins, foster children, and grandchildren. He keeps active through backyard construction projects, skiing, hiking, running, mountain biking and has recently taken to running 5K and 10k fun runs with his twins.

Job Titles:

• Habitat Coordinator

Darrell holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from South Dakota State University. In addition to playing a role in BFC's founding, he brings BFC many years of experience as an environmental and human rights advocate, researcher, lobbyist, and organizer. He is also a certified paralegal. Darrell's buffalo experience dates back to the early 1990s when he worked with Cold Mountain, Cold Rivers and long time friend & videographer Mike Mease to publicize Montana's slaughter of these majestic wild animals. Before migrating to Montana, a habitat he dearly loves, Darrell worked with a broad base of grassroots groups in his home state of South Dakota including Dakota Rural Action; Surface Mining Initiative Fund; Sierra Club Black Hills Chapter; Action for the Environment; South Dakota Resources Coalition; and WEB Watchers Committee. Habitat is the way.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Advisory Board

Author, Vietnam veteran, filmmaker, grizzly bear expert, and naturalist Doug Peacock has published widely on wilderness issues: from grizzly bears to buffalo, from the Sierra Madres of the Sonoran desert to the fjords of British Columbia, from the tigers of Siberia to the blue sheep of Nepal. Doug Peacock was a Green Beret medic and the real-life model for Edward Abbey's George Washington Hayduke in The Monkey Wrench Gang.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Advisory Board

The Rev. Dr. Samuel Weddington (Sam) is a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church, USA. He is a native of southwest Virginia. He is married to his wife, Rev. Grace Kim, who is from South Korea and is also a Presbyterian minister. They have two children, Samuel K. Weddington and Joan Young-Ji Weddington.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Advisory Board

My name is Stephan (Teff) Fleck. I was born and raised in Germany, moved to the U.S. in 1998. I am a Physicist and Process Engineer by training, however now I work as the CEO of an international manufacturing cooperation. Recently we moved our U.S. head office to Bozeman, MT. The first few years in the U.S. I was living in northern Indiana where I got to meet Chief Dale (Strong Bull) Hyatt. Chief was of Lakota decent and he taught me the traditional way of life of his ancestors and he accepted me into his family. Getting to know this most admirable culture and the traditional way of life of the Lakota people changed my life. I now see the world through different eyes, and it transformed me into a person who tries to walk a path that is guided by the values and virtues that Chief taught me. One day he said to me "you might want to look into the Buffalo issue in Yellowstone. As you know, the Buffalo are sacred to us…". That was all he said. A few months later I packed my car and drove from Indiana to West Yellowstone to spend time with the BFC as a volunteer. Here I learned more about the Buffalo, and how to support them. I returned quite a few times over the years as a volunteer. During these times I learned how important it is to have the BFC in the area as a voice for the Buffalo. I also learned that the campaign is run by very special, great people, who put forward an incredible amount of dedication and selflessness every day to support the last wild Buffalo of the Nation. During one of the winter patrols I had one of my most special, spiritual moments of my life. I connected with a Buffalo bull at "Houdini's Meadow" south of Horse Butte, West Yellowstone. Because of that, and in order to have a stronger voice in the Buffalo case, I decided to move to Horse Butte to become a local resident.

Job Titles:

• Executive Director

I was born in Lewiston, Idaho and raised in Lapwai, Idaho on the Nez Perce Reservation, where I reside today. My family lifestyle is one of tradition. I was taught to hunt and fish early on, to be a provider. I also helped pick berries, dig roots, and harvest the leaves of various shrubs for spiritual and subsistence purposes. I was given the belief that my relationship with the natural world is sacred, and I treat it as such. My paternal grandpa and my dad sparked the love of the outdoors in me. My grandpa was a renowned fisherman and knowledge keeper, while my dad is a great hunter, statesman, and naturalist. Together they taught me what I know about the ways of the rivers and mountains. I was given the responsibility of being a warrior for Mother Earth, to speak for her and her children. I have a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Idaho. Further, I have a Certificate in Diversity and Stratification, also from the University of Idaho. This educational background has complimented my childhood teaching, as well as my political experience. I will strive to share my cultural wisdom and knowledge and 23 years of environmental public policy experience to strengthen the Campaign's vision and help bring our mission to fruition.

Job Titles:

• Whitni Nelson - Vice President

Jazmin "Sunny" Murphy believes all people have the right to self-determination in the development of individual and collective ecocultural identity. In pursuit, and in support, of this right, all scholars are responsible for helping their respective cultural communities dispense traditional and academic knowledge in accessible, equitable ways. Sunny is a socioecologist, science communicator, and reporter whose passion focuses on the intersections of culture, ideology, legislation, economics, and land use with canid ecology, with special emphasis on African diasporic and Indigenous communities within the United States. Sunny is honored to be a Board Member for Buffalo Field Campaign, joining us in May of 2023. As an aspiring ally of North American Indigenous peoples and a lifelong advocate for non-human beings, she provides unique insights into socio-ecological and ecocultural relations between human and non-human beings.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Advisory Board

Jeff Ament was born and raised in Montana. He is known for being the bassist for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Pearl Jam. He has written several hits for Pearl Jam including "Jeremy", "Nothingman", and "Nothing as it Seems". He is also known for his work with bands such as Green River, Mother Love Bone, and Temple of the Dog. He says he has big picture, long term vision of the state, hell, the whole country. Jeff is also a skateboarder and has helped the Stronghold Society construct skate parks in Native American communities to provide activities for youths. Jeff has been a supporter of Buffalo Field Campaign for many years. He says that it is "time to start treating the unofficial "logo" of the west, the bison, with the respect they deserve."

Job Titles:

• Member of the Advisory Board

Job Titles:

• Fellow
• President

Born in the Big Apple, I grew up on the beaches of Long Island and spent the majority of my days on the water or in the woods. I lived in a family of strong cultural influence. My father came to the USA from the Dominican Republic to finish his studies in medicine, eventually meeting my mother, a 2nd generation Italian, who was a nurse in the hospital where he was doing one of his residencies. My days were always filled with extended family, and I had close relations with my grandparents who had a very significant role in my upbringing. My love for the outdoors was nourished by the many hours I spent with my grandfather working in gardens, fishing for flounder and snapper, or digging for clams and muscles along the shores of Oyster Bay. I received my BA in Communications at Sunny Oswego, NY. Shortly thereafter I received my MA in Education at Adelphi University, NYC. After returning home from Honduras as an Education Volunteer for the Peace Corps, I began teaching for a Bilingual elementary school in Boulder Colorado. After many years in the field I decided to change professions and received my Wilderness EMT certification. With these new skills I became an active member of my rural fire district as well as a Ski Patroller for our local mountain. I now teach Wilderness medicine courses for Aerie Backcountry Medicine and have taught all over the United States and in Costa Rica and Mexico. Volunteerism has been, and remains, a strong part of my life. After returning from the Peace Corps I have continued the philosophy of giving back to the greater world from working with groups such as No More Deaths on the Arizona/Mexico border to travelling to Haiti for medical disaster response. I continue to be involved in my community as an EMT and firefighter. I have been a volunteer for the Buffalo Field Campaign for the past 15 years. It has been an honor to work with such a dedicated group of individuals as well as to stand with America's last wild bison. The community and family I have found both at BFC and in the field with the bison are highlights in my life. I currently live in an off-grid strawbale home built with the help of family and friends in the high Rockies of Colorado. I love to hike, cross-country ski, snowboard, build, and continue to learn the flora and fauna of the ever-changing ecosystems I love. I am a community builder. I have learned much and gained many skills around mediation, group dynamics, facilitation, and organizing by living in community and working to protect America's last wild bison. My wife, Justine Sanchez, has been a fellow board member of the BFC for the past 10 years. Our son, Japhy, grew up within the BFC and buffalo community. He is now a "Buffalo" himself, having just completed his first year of college at the University of Colorado, Boulder, CO…home of "the Buffs!" An inspirational quote that I seek to apply to myself and my life is from Rosalie Little Thunder, Lakota, BFC Co-Founder, "Remind yourself every morning, every morning, every morning: ‘I'm going to do something. I've made a commitment.' Not for yourself, but beyond yourself. You belong to the collective. Don't go wandering off, or you will perish."

Job Titles:

• Secretary

Job Titles:

• Member of the Advisory Board

Louisa Willcox has been a wildlife and wilderness advocate in the Northern Rockies for 35 years. She specializes in policy, and integration of science, law, grassroots organizing, public protest, education as well as collaborative strategies to advance conservation. She has a special love for grizzly bears, wolves and bison. She has served as Senior Wildlife Advocate for the Natural Resources Defense Council (10 years), Project Coordinator for the Sierra Club's Grizzly Bear Ecosystems Project (9 years), and Program Director for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition (10 years). She has also taught mountaineering at the National Outdoor Leadership School, and served as Program Director for the Teton Science School. She has a MFS from Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies (FES), and BA in English from Williams College. In 2014, she received the Yale FES Distinguished Alumni award.

Job Titles:

• Co - Founder
• Member of the Board of Directors
• Campaign Coordinator
• Co - Founder of BFC

Mike is a co-Founder of BFC and a founding Board Member. He earned a B.A. in Radio/Television and Psychology from the University of Montana, and has produced more than 20 video documentaries on human rights and environmental issues. Mike's videography work has received awards from the Best of the Northwest Film Festival, the Hometown Video Festival, and the International Wildlife Film Festival. He has worked as an undercover videographer for Greenpeace, Native Forest Network, and BearWatch. His footage has been broadcast on CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, A&E, the Discovery Channel, as well as French and German Television. Mike is co-founder of Cold Mountain, Cold Rivers, and an environmental organizer and activist with more than two decades of experience. His long history of on-the-ground activism along with his passion and skill in creating compelling short films about bison behavior and management are some of BFC's greatest organizational assets. Mike leadership in the field has been crucial to BFC's success. Since 1997, Mike has been one of the primary leaders and organizers of BFC. They have literally trained hundreds of volunteers on every aspect of BFC's work-and helped launch thousands of activists out into the world after experiencing the effectiveness and empowerment of BFC. My mom was a schoolteacher who raised my two sets of twin sisters (born 18 months apart) and me. She was always there for all us, and shared many lessons of right and wrong that I carry with me to this day. Mom took care of us all by herself during my father's two separate one-year tours to Vietnam; her quiet strength was another teaching I am proud to bring with me…though in my case the quiet may not always apply. My dad was a West Point man who served his country in the US Army for 30 years; his example taught me how to be a warrior. Colonel Mease was a gentle leader who always put his troops first, and I seek to always follow in that path myself. As co-founder, I am going to use some of my space to acknowledge and thank folks without whom the buffalo and I would not have made it this far. Along with my friend and ally Rosalie Little Thunder, the biggest honor of my life was making a real commitment to action in defense of the last wild buffalo. Our initial actions together led to the eventual formation of BFC, and through all of our many years of working together she opened my mind, heart, and soul to whom I want to be…who I continue to become. Rosalie's kind ways of creating change are closely aligned with the way of the buffalo. She guides me now from above, and I am proud to keep my promise to her and stay with the buffalo. One of my best friends in the world, a man I can honestly say I would not still be here without, is Dan Brister, our executive director. His work has given BFC the resources to provide for our activities and expenses, and allowed more than 5,000 volunteers be fed and kept warm while they stand with and protect buffalo. The man I call my Uncle, Darrell Geist, has taught me more than I can share. We have fought for many issues and created positive change for many of them. From reducing and removing toxins, to Native rights and forest defense all around the world, and other activities such as ecosystem protection, mine disruption, various social issues, as well as the important work of teaching other activists how to create their own media at the national and international levels. We have organized rallies and protests in support of wild wolves, black bears, grizzly bears, and many other animals. And then there are the buffalo. Together, Daryl and I have also created award-winning documentaries to help educate people on many of these issues. Darrell and I have been allies since the early 1990's with Cold Mountain, Cold Rivers and continue to fight for the buffalo as active members of Buffalo Field Campaign. Once you spend time with the buffalo you know. Listen and learn as they have much to teach. The joy just keeps coming, and I will stand with them as my family until they roam free again. Co-Founder Mike Mease, in front of the teepee he lived in throughout his first 12 years of service as a defender of buffalo.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Advisory Board

Nathan Varley grew up in Yellowstone Park, the son of park rangers. He has dedicated his life to being a student, a teacher, and an advocate for the Yellowstone ecosystem. Earning an M.S. from Montana State University, he studied the mountain goats colonizing Yellowstone. Studying the wolf and elk predator-prey dynamic, he earned a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta. As a professional guide, he specializes in the natural and cultural history of the park, wildlife observation, and wilderness travel. With his wife Linda, he owns and operates Yellowstone Wolf Tracker (www.wolftracker.com). For the buffalo, he has battled for over two decades to bring sanity to the process that results in the travesty known as Yellowstone bison management. His defining purpose is to champion a land ethic that places the highest value on wildlife and habitat, and in so doing, forever protect the places that have provided his inspiration.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Advisory Board

Job Titles:

• Member of the Advisory Board

Rebecca is a public interest lawyer in Montana who actively litigates environmental and civil rights cases that have a real, practical effect on the world. Her cases protect native forests, grizzly bears, bison, elk, and native trout species, as well as the First Amendment rights of those working in the field to protect these species. She graduated as Valedictorian of the University of Montana Law School and received a Master of Science from the University of Montana Environmental Studies program. Rebecca serves as the President of the Board of Directors of the Civil Liberties Defense Center. Rebecca is also a certified Montana Master Naturalist and in the event she has some free time, she enjoys volunteering as a naturalist teacher for fourth and fifth grade kids across Western Montana.

Job Titles:

• BFC Board Member

Job Titles:

• Member of the Advisory Board

Job Titles:

• Whitni Nelson - Vice President