Our Staff & Board

Working to protect the Gallatin is a duty we don’t take lightly.

Learn more about our small, dedicated staff and board of directors.

Kristin Gardner, PhD

Chief Executive and Science Officer 

kristin@gallatinrivertaskforce.org

Kristin has led the Gallatin River Task Force since 2007. Prior to that, she had been working on the Gallatin River for many years, conducting her doctoral research that examined land use impacts on water quality and serving as a Big Sky Institute fellow at Ophir School. Originally from Maine, she moved west with a background in Water Resource Engineering and Environmental Policy from Tufts University and experience working with the Nantucket Land Council and the Nantucket community on ground water quality issues. Kristin has published her work in several scientific journals, including Water Resources Research and Ground Water. Kristin and her husband, JJ, son, Elijah, and yellow lab, Althea, reside in Big Sky and spend as much time as possible exploring the outdoors in and beyond Montana.

Emily O’Connor

Chief Operating Officer

emily@gallatinrivertaskforce.org

Emily brings over a decade of experience in natural resource management and recreation planning and is thrilled to support the Task Force in achieving its water conservation and restoration goals. “A healthy Gallatin River watershed is fundamental to our livelihood. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to partner with the Big Sky community to improve water conservation and efficiency for a sustainable future.”

Gallatin River Task Force Staff

Bucky Lamb

Chief Development Officer

bucky@gallatinrivertaskforce.org

Bucky grew up on ranches in Wyoming and Texas. With over two decades of executive leadership and fundraising experience, he has worked with diverse brands including Coca-Cola, Coors, Dell Technologies, GEICO, U.S. Army and Wells Fargo, to name a few. Bucky’s development philosophy focuses on building strong, synergistic partnerships. His innovative, award-winning marketing campaigns have received national acclaim. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Bucky holds Master of Animal Science and Bachelor of Animal Science degrees. He likes to Dream Big, enjoys fly fishing and taking great adventures with his wife and daughter.

Isabella Vendramin

Development Manager

isabella@gallatinrivertaskforce.org

Isabella is from Irvington, New York. She graduated from Colgate University in May where she majored in Environmental Science and minored in Anthropology. Isabella interned with the Task Force for the past two summers, assisting with water and algae sampling, educating the Big Sky community about the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, canvassing for citizen and business endorsements of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and helping out with the summer’s major fundraising events. “I have noticed how important public involvement and support is to having a healthy relationship with a river, thus I wanted to get involved with an organization that is so devoted to their work to keep the river healthy while also ensuring access to plentiful, clean water for their community.”

Gallatin River Task Force Staff

Marne Hayes

Communications Manager 

marne@gallatinrivertaskforce.org

Marne brings nearly two decades of experience in the non-profit, economic development and outdoor advocacy space to her role at the Task Force, with a special focus on small business development, public lands & recreation access, and community growth.  She has called Big Sky home since the early 90s, having been hooked by several summers as a seasonal employee in Yellowstone National Park while completing her degree at the University of Maryland.  She currently also serves as Consulting Director for Business for Montana’s Outdoors, advocating on behalf of the economic values of Montana’s outdoor recreation economy.  Her positions in the public non-profit space since the early 2000s has given her the experience in executing intentional communications, focused tactics and broad outreach to elevate messaging and effect real change for the places she loves. She and her husband and their crazy vizsla enjoy as much adventure and time on the trails, in the forests, and on the rivers as possible.

Gallatin River Task Force Staff

Jessica Olson

Conservation Manager

jessica@gallatinrivertaskforce.org

Jessica grew up in central Massachusetts and got her B.S. in Wildlife and Conservation Biology from the University of New Hampshire in 2018. After college, Jess went to work for North Carolina State Parks teaching environmental education to local elementary students, with a focus on wetland ecology and water quality. Jessica is thrilled to join the Gallatin River Task force to learn about watershed health and become a better environmental steward. Jess served as the Task Force’s Big Sky Watershed Corps member in 2021 and was promoted to a full-time position as Conservation Associate.

Ryan Newcomb, Director of Development

Ally Sutcliffe

Big Sky Watershed Corps Member

conservation@gallatinrivertaskforce.org

Ally Sutcliffe comes to us from Burns, Oregon, where she developed her passion for nature while camping, fishing and exploring the high desert. With a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources from Oregon State, Ally brings experience as a woodlands firefighter for the US Forest Service and a stretch with the UT Conservation Corps doing environmental education & habitat restoration work to her position with the Task Force. Ally is excited to be working with the Big Sky Watershed Corps to interact with the community, engage volunteers in rivers clean-ups & restoration work, and continue learning how to preserve & protect rivers for future generations.
Ryan Newcomb, Director of Development

Jack Buban

Big Sky Watershed Corps Member

watershedcorps@gallatinrivertaskforce.org

Jack Buban recently moved to join the Task Force team from Greenville, South Carolina after bouncing around between Illinois, Ontario, Georgia and Alaska. A graduate of the University of Georgia, Jack studied Fisheries & Wildlife as well as public policy. What he is most excited about is “the opportunity to learn about the Gallatin River watershed and learn from the great community of conservationists and citizens in this area”. When not in streams or rivers you can typically find Jack out climbing, running, skiing, or doing just about anything outdoors.

Ryan Newcomb, Director of Development

Emma Marchisin

Intern

emma@gallatinrivertaskforce.org

Emma grew up on the coast of New Jersey within a short distance of both the Atlantic Ocean and many local rivers. She attended University of Rochester and earned a B.S. in Environmental Science. Through seeing coral reefs overrun with disease and overfishing during her years scuba diving and the decreased resilience of the beach and rivers she grew up on, Emma developed a passion for helping improve water quality and protection of water-based ecosystems. Emma is excited to join the Task Force to gain more experience in the field and non-profit world, as well as work to preserve the Gallatin for everyone to enjoy.

The Gallatin River Task Force is led by a board of community members representing a wide variety of stakeholders, including environmental managers, water resource professionals, business owners, realtors, technical & media arts innovators, and homeowners.

Ennion Williams

Board Chair

Ennion Williams has lived in Big Sky for 28 years. Ennion spent many years working at Lone Mountain Ranch where he fulfilled several roles as a chef, fishing guide, manager, and ultimately, General Manager. From there, he went on to become General Manager for Big Sky Vacation Rentals and he now acts as V.P. of Events for The Outlaw Partners. He served on the Big Sky CVB and was a board member of Visit Big Sky for many years. He has a passion for the outdoors and floating down rivers around Southwest Montana. As a fly fishing guide for the past 25 years, clean mountain water is very important to his livelihood and is a driving force in his interest in joining the GRTF board. Ennion looks forward to promoting the Task Force’s mission and participating in projects that preserve the Gallatin River.

Rob McRae

Vice Chair

Rob grew up at the base of Mt. Mansfield in Underhill, VT in a farmhouse full of engineers. In 1998, he graduated from the University of Vermont with a BA in History and Economics. His studies brought him to South Africa in 1996 and inspired a diverse wave of experiences, including a year-long trip around the world in 2001, after moving out west to Colorado in 1998. While in Colorado, Rob was a competitive mountain bike and ski racer and started to focus on a career in building. Rob moved to Montana in 2002 and expanding on his previous building experience, started working for CK Design & Construction as a site supervisor. In 2007, Rob and Todd Thesing started Highline Partners Ltd. and received LEED AP accreditation in May 2009. Rob’s pursuit of constant improvement and new technologies are evident in his own personal projects as well as at Highline Partners. His passion for adventure is highlighted by raising his family in Montana with his wife and rediscovering a love for the mountains through this experience.

Ryan Kunz

Treasurer

Ryan Kunz grew up in West Babylon, New York where his passion for the outdoors, nature and water began. Ryan grew up as a true watermen; fishing, surfing, crabbing and boating. He took this passion to the University of North Florida where he became the Vice President of the UNF Surf Club, organizing beach clean ups, and overall ocean cleanliness awareness within the Jacksonville, Florida community. After traveling and living in places such as Hawaii and Alaska, following his same passions, he found himself in Big Sky, Montana in 2012. While also raising his two children in Big Sky, Ryan was the General Manager of The Rainbow Ranch Lodge, later becoming the General Manager of Lone Mountain Ranch in 2017. LMR has been a steward of its environment for over 100 years providing a synergic place for Ryan to continue both his conservation efforts, and outdoor recreation passions. Ryan is an avid horseback rider, hiker and snowboarder, and grateful to live in Southwest Montana.

JeNelle Johnson

Secretary

JeNelle has long history in Big Sky, starting as a visitor since the early 90s and has been a full-time resident since 2014. She was a scholarship athlete at the University of Minnesota and graduated with an accounting degree, to be later hired as an auditor by Dayton Hudson Corp, and eventually becaming a clothing buyer. JeNelle and her husband Fred moved to Singapore in 1996, and followed that move with four additional overseas adventures. She and Fred live in Grey Drake with their cats, Lenin and Marx. JeNelle enjoys skiing, hiking, visiting art galleries, and traveling. She serves on the Grey Drake HOA Board, volunteers for BSCO and the Arts Council, and has been an active Task Force volunteer since 2015.

Bill Collins

Board Member

Bill Collins has extensive experience in the real estate sales and services industry, having led the Sales and Marketing team at Yellowstone Club since late 2009. During his tenure, he led the sales efforts resulting in over $3.4 billion in transaction volume. Prior to joining Yellowstone Club, Bill was a Managing Director with Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) and its predecessor Spaulding & Slye (S&S), where during his 18-year tenure, he specialized in advising owners and tenants in their real estate strategy, analysis, and execution. While at JLL, Bill served as the Managing Director of the Downtown Boston Leasing Team and was a member of the Executive Committee. He has been a frequent speaker and expert panelist for many commercial and resort real estate organizations and is a graduate of Gettysburg College.  Bill’s talent and passions has given him the opportunity to sit on numerous boards.  He currently resides in Big Sky with his wife, Shannon, and daughter, Elizabeth, where he keeps up his avid participation as a fly fisherman, skier, golfer, and reader.

Leslie Nogaret Bio Picture

Leslie Nogaret

Board Member

Leslie was born and raised in California and attended Stanford University, where she earned her undergraduate degree in Environmental Earth Sciences and her masters and PhD in Hydrogeology. She has worked in the environmental sector with the US Geological Survey and in the energy industry with Marathon Oil Company and as a consultant. Leslie, her husband Christophe, and their 2 children, Téo and Chloë, have relocated several times, both within the US and overseas. While overseas Leslie discovered a passion for sustainability in education, and she has worked as sustainability coordinator at schools in Copenhagen, Denmark and Houston, TX. Leslie and her family have been coming to Big Sky since 2013, and they moved here full-time in 2021. Leslie is deeply committed to preserving the water resources of the greater Big Sky area in the face of inevitable growth. In fact, this commitment is a family affair, as Téo and Chloë also volunteer for the Gallatin River Task Force. Leslie enjoys skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, and cooking, and is grateful to call Big Sky home and to have the privilege to help protect the Gallatin River watershed.

Tim Shaw Bio Picture

Ashley Wilson

Board Member

Ashley grew up in Michigan and it’s there that she obtained her degree in business. She made the move to Montana after making several trips to Big Sky and discovering the beautiful mountains and endless recreational opportunities surrounding us. She works as the Controller for the Big Sky Community Organization and serves as the President for the Big Sky Chapter of the Southwest Montana Mountain Bike Association. Ashley is excited to serve as a board member for the Task Force and help educate the community on the important role the Gallatin plays in the Big Sky community as a resource, and a natural asset. In her free time, Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband, Drew and their husky, Juneau, whether it be mountain biking, skiing, rafting, or learning how to fly fish. 

Task Force Staff

Eric Ladd

Board Member

Eric Ladd is the founder and Chairman of Outlaw Partners, L&K Real Estate, Outlaw Real Estate Partners and Boundary Expeditions. Eric has a strong entrepreneurial passion supporting organizations that focus on preservation of land, rivers and wildlife, and is also involved with international charitable groups. His passion for wilderness, rivers and guiding has never subsided after learning to guide at the age of 15 and later completing expeditions and first river descents around the world.  He carries that same passion to his work for the Task Force, with a vision for using his talents, his community connections, and his business acumen to help find appropriate, sustainable solutions for the Gallatin River watershed.  Knowing that a community can be one of the strongest foundations of stewardship, Eric raises awareness and uses the platform of his media business, Outlaw Partners, to help elevate the message about the value of the Gallatin River even higher. Eric holds Bachelor Degrees in Real Estate and Marketing from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Task Force Staff

Rod Ray

Board Member

Rod Ray’s impressive background makes him a great fit to the Gallatin River Task Force Board of Directors.  The former CEO of a technology development company providing innovations for the agricultural, electronics, energy and space industries, Rod’s love of the scientific nature of things – and the solutions provided by science-backed information – is what drew him to want to be involved with the Task Force’s holistic approach to finding answers for the health of the Gallatin.  Over the past 25 years, Rod’s career has given him insight into leadership, research, and the progression from learning to teaching, applying practical applications to long term solutions.  Spending time between his home in the mountains of Oregon and his family’s home in Big Sky, Rod still operates his consulting company, Canyon Mountain Consulting, while doing good work helping build stewardship and solutions for the Gallatin.   

Tim Shaw Bio Picture

Todd Shaw

Board Member

Todd Shaw grew up in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. He witnessed the drastic decline of the Salmon and Steelhead runs on the local rivers over a 30-year time span. Todd believes that there is a way to have sustainable growth in the Big Sky community and the surrounding area, but unrestricted growth without regard for an intact Gallatin River ecosystem could yield a significant decline in water quality and fish resources. He has a degree in Fisheries Sciences from the University of Washington and has worked in the seafood industry for 40 years with travels throughout commercial fishing areas in Alaska, Canada and Russia. Todd first traveled to the Yellowstone region in 1979, canoeing across Yellowstone Lake and hiked a 60 miles loop in the Upper Thorofare Junction region in Yellowstone National Park. He and his family have been coming back to the area on vacations ever since. He and his wife moved permanently to Big Sky in 2016 and it has been home ever since. Todd is an avid fly-fishing angler, skier and outdoor enthusiast. He has been involved with numerous conservation groups over the years advocating for sustainable resource management.

Tim Shaw Bio Picture

Rich McEldowney

Board Member

Rich brings a specialty in work related to wetlands and riparian areas found in the Rocky Mountains, Intermountain West, and northern Great Plains, and specifically  their fundamental importance to biodiversity and how our ecosystems function. He is passionate about restoring these systems and working collaboratively with technical teams and stakeholder groups to plan, design, and build restoration projects throughout our region. 
With a recognition for the importance of developing and communicating accurate and timely information to decision makers so that they can make informed decisions, Rich has managed and worked on a variety of projects including wetland delineations; NEPA and MEPA documents and studies; Biological Assessments/Biological Evaluations (BABE); stream and wetland monitoring; plant and wildlife surveys; habitat assessments; watershed restoration; scientific studies; and permitting. We are thrilled to have Rich’s passion and expertise as a part of our board’s work.