Staff
Bill Possiel
Presidentbpossiel@nationalforests.org
Bill Possiel has served as President of the National Forest Foundation (NFF) since 1998. He has conducted conservation activities in the Caribbean and South America, as well as in the U.S., and prior to joining the NFF served as Vice President and Western Regional Director for The Nature Conservancy (TNC). In 1987, Mr. Possiel initiated one of TNC's first large-scale conservation projects on the Big Darby Watershed in Ohio, and successfully completed the Ohio 'Let's Save the Best to Last' capital campaign. In February 1990 he established TNC's Brazil program, developing partnerships focused on conservation of the Atlantic Forest, Pantanal, Cerrado, Caatinga, and the Amazon, and successfully completed the Brasil Verde capital campaign. He negotiated acquisitions that resulted in doubling the size of the Pantanal National Park and in 1992 negotiated the first debt-for-nature swap in Brazil. As TNC's Montana State Director, Mr. Possiel worked with staff and trustees to create a strategic focus for TNC's Montana program, resulting in community-based programs with greater conservation impact. He also worked with teams to develop strategies for TNC's Latin America and Caribbean Division, Canada Program, and served on the Conservation Committee, helping to define a new strategic direction for the Conservancy called Conservation by Design.
Mary Mitsos
Vice President, Conservation Programsmmitsos@nationalforests.org
Mary Mitsos joined the National Forest Foundation in 2001 and serves as Vice President, Conservation Programs. Prior to that, Mary was Director of Community-Based Forest Stewardship at the Pinchot Institute for Conservation where she provided leadership for the program in sustainable forestry and sustaining rural communities. She brings expertise in a range of topics relating to the protection and sustainable management of forest ecosystems and sustainable development. Her specialized interests are in collaborative stewardship, and contracting mechanisms on public forestlands, conservation-based development and strengthening the working relationship between local communities and forestland managers. She is currently a member of the Managing Partner team that provides assistance to non-profits that are participating in The Ford Foundation Community-Based Forestry Demonstration Program.
With more than two decades of experience in the natural resources field, Mary holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Business from the University of Colorado-Denver. In addition, she earned a Master of Science in Natural Resources, and a Masters of Arts in Applied Economics, from the University of Michigan, where she complete her Masters project on Sustainable Management of Common Property Resources. She served on the steering committee of the Seventh American Forest Congress Communities Committee, as a Board member of the National Network of Forest Practitioners and serves on the advisory board for the College of Forestry and Conservation at the University of Montana.
Karen DiBari
Manager, WestCANkdibari@nationalforests.org
Karen DiBari joined the NFF staff in September 2006 as Western Collaborative Assistance Network (WestCAN) Coordinator. Karen has 16 years of experience working and volunteering for nonprofit conservation organizations on a variety of issues, and has also worked for state and local government. Prior to joining the NFF, she served as Deputy Director of the Alaska Marine Conservation Council (AMCC), a community-based organization of fishermen, subsistence harvesters, marine scientists, small business owners and families working to protect the natural diversity and integrity of Alaska's marine ecosystems.
Karen graduated from the University of Montana with a Master's of Environmental Studies, and earned a B.A. degree in Geography from Dartmouth College. She lives in Missoula with her husband and son, and loves exploring the mountains and rivers of the Rockies with them. Karen greatly values the opportunity WestCAN gives her to support collaborative efforts across the West in their work to forward conservation.
Kathleen Dowd Gailey
Regional Director, Pacific Northwestkdowdgailey@nationalforests.org
Kathleen Dowd-Gailey joined the NFF in June 2009 as the Northwest Regional Director. Kathleen has nearly 15 years experience working domestically and internationally with conservation-focused non-profit organizations. She spent two years in Bolivia as a Peace Corps volunteer working with rural communities as a soil conservation and environmental education specialist. She later served as a Conservation Planner for The Nature Conservancy in Indiana where she shaped on-the-ground conservation action plans for priority sites throughout the state. During her graduate studies Kathleen worked with a field research team in Guatemala as part of the International Forestry Resources and Institutions program at Indiana University. This research evaluated de facto and de jure forest uses in local communities throughout southeastern Guatemala and provided enhanced understanding of ecological and social factors affecting forest health in the region. Kathleen also worked in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula with a national Mexican non-profit organization developing conservation programs in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. Prior to joining NFF she was with Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) helping to build their corporate giving program, which provided grants throughout the country to organizations working on conservation and restoration projects. Kathleen earned a Masters of Public Affairs and a Masters of Environmental Science, both from the University of Indiana’s School for Public and Environmental Affairs. She is active in the community wherever she lives and has served on the board of a local land trust in Indiana as their Stewardship Chair, as well as on the board of a watershed organization in Seattle where she was the Board President for three years.
Lisa Leonard
Oregon Program Coordinatorlleonard@nationalforests.org
Lisa Leonard joined the National Forest Foundation in January 2010 as the Oregon Program Coordinator. She has over twelve years of experience working in wildlife conservation and environmental education. For two years, Lisa led four-day forestry tours to educate science teachers on sustainable forestry practices and natural resource conservation issues across four regions of the United States. Lisa’s passion for wildlife protection and research led her to projects with shore birds and sea turtles in North Carolina for the Fish and Wildlife Service, hawksbill sea turtle research in the U.S. Virgin Islands Buck Island National Monument, Caspian tern research for the Columbia River Avian Predation Project, and research on fungus under the U.S. Forest Service’s Northwest Forest Plan. Lisa holds an M.S. degree in Leadership in Ecology, Culture, and Learning from Portland State University. Her thesis documented a small Oregon community’s consensus-building process for a dam removal that would protect endangered salmon species. Lisa earned a B.S. in Wildlife Science from Oregon State University. As a native Oregonian, Lisa strives to engage people in science based conservation projects that effect Oregon’s natural resources and communities.
Jeff Olson
Vice President, Developmentjolson@nationalforests.org
Jeff Olson joined the NFF in June 2008 as Vice President, Development. He has worked in various capacities with nonprofit conservation and philanthropic organizations including the Ford Foundation. In 1993, he co-authored Defining Sustainable Forestry, which was the first book to describe the field of sustainable forestry and ecosystem management. He has also organized and hosted a number of conferences that explore forest ecosystem services including carbon sequestration. Prior to joining the NFF, Jeff was President of the Natural Resources Council of America.
Jennifer Schoonen
Director, Developmentjschoonen@nationalforests.org
Jennifer Schoonen joined the NFF staff in January 2002 as Director of Foundation Giving. After a move to Missouri in summer 2004, she continued to work as an NFF consultant, and returned as an employee upon her move back to Montana in summer 2007. Prior to joining the NFF staff, Jennifer spent nearly 10 years in a variety of writing, fundraising/education positions with the Rocky Mountain Elk Fnd. She holds a B.A. in Media Arts and Journalism and an M.A. in Journalism and Natural Resource Management from the University of Arizona. Having grown up surrounded by the beautiful Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, she brings to the NFF a deep commitment to caring for our National Forests. She now enjoys outdoor adventures in the Northern Rockies with her husband and two daughters.
Deborah Snyder
Associate, Development Data and Membershipdsnyder@nationalforests.org
Deborah Snyder joined the NFF in October 2008. Debbie graduated from Portland State University with a B.S. in Education, and has spent over fifteen years in the nonprofit sector. Debbie possesses a diverse background in all areas of nonprofit work, including operations, membership, grant writing, and financial recordkeeping. After spending thirteen years in Idaho as the Director of Business Operations and Membership for the Friends of Zoo Boise (FoZB), Debbie moved to Montana. She is pleased to be working with the NFF to help further their important work on behalf of our remarkable forests and grasslands. When not working, Debbie enjoys travel, cooking, reading, nature walks, and spending time with her family.
Kassia Randzio
Development Associatekrandzio@nationalforests.org
Kassia Randzio joined the NFF staff in October 2009 as a Development Associate. Prior to joining the NFF, she worked with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation in coordinating public participation for their 50 year Habitat Conservation Plan, as well as with the U.S. Forest Service, the Smithsonian, and several environmental education centers. She has an M.S. in Geography from the University of Massachusetts, where she focused on public participation in natural resource conservation and the involvement of local communities in public land management decisions. When not working, Kassia serves as a Council Member for the Montana Wilderness Association and spends as much time as possible exploring our wild public lands on foot, ski and canoe.
Adam Liljeblad
Director, Conservation Awardsaliljeblad@nationalforests.org
Adam Liljeblad serves as Director of Conservation Awards for the National Forest Foundation. He joined the NFF in July of 2006 from the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, where he studied social issues related to the management of public lands. Adam has a strong interest in community based-conservation and effective natural resource stewardship. He holds a M.S. in Resource Conservation from the University of Montana, and a B.S. in Natural Resource Management from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Chelsea Pennick McIver
Associate, Conservation Awardscpmciver@nationalforests.org
Chelsea Pennick McIver joined the NFF in June of 2006. She graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in Rural and Environmental Sociology. Chelsea has spent five seasons working for the U.S. Forest Service on trail crews in northern California, northern Idaho, and north central Washington. Interspersed with that, she spent three years working for Planned Parenthood and as a bike messenger in Madison, WI. She is a native of Hope, Idaho and joined the NFF out of a passion for community-based conservation and outdoor recreation and an interest in the intersection of communities, economies and the environment.
Shereé Bombard
Director, AdministrationShereé Bombard joined the NFF in August 2003. Before joining the NFF, she spent 23 years serving in the United States Air Force; the last 9 years of which was in the Montana Air National Guard holding a variety of positions within the Human Resource career field to include: Personnel and Casualty Manager, Staff Writer, Retention Manager, and Recruiting Supervisor. Shereé looks forward to serving another type of caring organization--the National Forest Foundation.
Sasha Nelson
Administrative Assistantsnelson@nationalforests.org
Sasha Nelson joined the NFF in October 2009. She graduated from the University of Montana with Bachelor of Science, Resource Conservation and Bachelor of Arts, Botanical Science, as well as a minor in Environmental Studies. Sasha is a native of south-east Idaho and spent the majority of her childhood growing up in National Forests while her parents ran summer camps for the Boy Scouts of America. She worked at the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library at the University of Montana for 5 years, as well as assisted a graduate student with research projects for the College of Forestry and Conservation. Sasha is very excited to be working with an organization that supports on-the-ground conservation work across the U.S.