MEET OUR TEAM
CARL FISHER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Carl joined WOC in January 2024. A graduate of the University of Utah with degrees in geography and environmental studies, Carl’s 20-plus years of nonprofit experience has seen him serving as a volunteer, staffer, and executive director. Along the way, he also obtained several certificates in executive management and environmental dispute resolution. He works with community, local, regional, state and federal governments, businesses, and other organizations to address issues including clean water, wildlife, recreation, land management, and climate change — some of the greatest issues confronting the West and our planet.
Carl has served on many government and community boards and coalitions. He worked with staffers, elected officials, media, and volunteers to establish one of the country’s first state outdoor recreation departments and has deep experience uniting communities around common visions for the land. He is quick to remind our elected decision makers that we must set our sights higher than the bare-minimum protections afforded by the law, which is so often the floor, not the ceiling. He believes in pushing ourselves to do better for our planet, the landscapes we depend upon, and the storied past that got us to this moment in time. Carl is eager to help write the next chapter here in Wyoming, alongside its towering mountains, vast deserts, iconic wildlife, and incredible people.
carl@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.488.3440
KRISTEN BROWN
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Kristen graduated from the University of California, San Diego with bachelor’s degrees in both Women’s Studies and Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution. She developed a love for wilderness hiking and backpacking in California and the American Southwest. In 2007, she moved to Wyoming after being captivated by the beauty of the state and landing a job with NOLS. After 11 years at NOLS, she joined the Wyoming Outdoor Council as membership director in 2018. A year later, she moved up into the role of associate director. She lives in Lander with her husband and son.
kristenb@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.332.7031, ext. 170
TYLER CESSOR
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Tyler joined WOC in January 2023 with experience in community development, fundraising, and nonprofit leadership. Prior to this, Tyler was the executive director of ART 321 in Casper, where he had the opportunity to support artists from across the state and build partnerships at the intersection of arts, health, economic development, equity, and inclusion. He has served on the steering committee for the WY Department of Health’s State Health Improvement Plan, the Wyoming Alliance for Suicide Prevention, and co-developed a joint work session between the boards of the Wyoming Business Council and the Wyoming ENGAGE Council to increase support for 18–35-year-old business owners. Tyler believes WOC’s work helps support healthier and economically and culturally vibrant communities in Wyoming. He feels fortunate to live in Casper with his wife where they can raise their wonderful daughter in the beautiful outdoors. The fishing is pretty great, too.
tyler@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.488.3452
ALEC UNDERWOOD
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Alec joined WOC in June of 2023, bringing a variety of experience in conservation nonprofit organizing, policy, and development. Prior to moving to Wyoming, Alec spent 12 wonderful years in Montana where he received his degree in wildlife biology from the University of Montana. Most recently, Alec worked as the senior policy and development director for the Montana Wildlife Federation, leading public lands policy campaigns and helping build organizational capacity. He has served on the board of directors for several local conservation organizations including the WestSlope Chapter of Trout Unlimited, where he helped raise and allocate money to local stream restoration projects. Alec’s passion for conservation is rooted in his interests of fly fishing, big game hunting, and backpacking. In his current role, Alec provides leadership and mentorship to the program team to ensure that WOC continues to protect Wyoming’s environment and quality of life for current and future generations. He is thrilled to call Lander home.
alec@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.332.7031, ext. 160
JOHN BURROWS
ENERGY & CLIMATE POLICY DIRECTOR
John grew up in the small mountain town of Brevard, North Carolina, where he spent much of his childhood rambling down Appalachian backroads in search of good trout streams, long trail-runs, and backcountry adventures. His passion for natural resources and recreation followed him through college and graduate school where he received a bachelor’s in Environmental Studies with honors as a Morehead-Cain Scholar at UNC Chapel Hill (2010–2014) and a master’s in Environmental Management at Duke University (2015–2017). John’s work at WOC focuses on growing Wyoming’s capacity to organize and respond to challenges related to climate change and the decarbonization of energy sources. As a part of this role, he works closely with community partners, academic institutions, and state policy makers across the state. John lives in Lander where he also works annually as a NOLS field instructor, is the president of Fremont County’s Trout Unlimited Chapter, and serves on the steering committee for the grassroots climate advocacy group, the Lander Climate Action Network.
johnb@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.332.7031, ext. 150
SANDY WHITEHAIR
TRIBAL CONSERVATION DIRECTOR
Sandy is a member of the Hopi and Dakota people from northern Arizona and eastern South Dakota, respectively. Being raised by her grandparents in traditional values taught her a lifestyle that is connected with the environment and people. With an educational background in land use planning and policy development, her career working with Native communities has taken her from the Northwest to the Southwest to the Great Plains regions. Now, she works with the Wyoming Outdoor Council to engage the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes in support of their environmental efforts. Personally, her first loves are traditional teachings and family. Other activities that keep her grounded are gardening, sewing and embroidery, cooking, and being with her horse, Buck, and her dog, Chief.
sandy@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.332.7031, ext. 350
CARLIE IDEKER
ORGANIZING DIRECTOR
Carlie joined WOC in November 2024, bringing experience in conservation organizing, coalition building, and cross-disciplinary partnerships. She is a fourth-generation Wyomingite who grew up exploring public lands in northwest Wyoming. Her early encounters with the archaeological record led to a B.A. in anthropology from the University of Wyoming and an M.S. in anthropology with an emphasis in archaeology and cultural resource management from Utah State University. She has worked professionally in the Rocky Mountain region since 2012, centering her career on the relationship between people and place. Carlie is passionate about connecting with stakeholders across Wyoming’s diverse landscapes to empower local communities and decision-makers toward lasting comprehensive and equitable solutions. Outside of work, you’ll likely find her enjoying our public lands by trail running, hiking, fly fishing, hunting, skiing, or backpacking with husband Mike and dogs Aspen and Otter.
carlie@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.332.7031, ext. 430
MEGHAN RILEY
WILDLIFE PROGRAM MANAGER
Following a childhood spent in California and Argentina, Meghan’s first priority in choosing a college was to go somewhere with snow. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology from Smith College before working as an itinerant wildlife technician, including a stint studying bears in Greater Yellowstone. Wyoming made a big impression, and she returned to the state for a master’s degree in Zoology and Physiology at the University of Wyoming, focusing on wildlife management and conservation. After working for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game managing big game species on the Alaska Peninsula, Meghan moved back to her favorite place once again, joining the Outdoor Council in 2022 to support stewardship of Wyoming’s lands and wildlife. She and her family take every opportunity to get outside in the mountains, rivers, and badlands around their home base of Dubois.
meghan@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.332.7031, ext. 280
GABBY YATES
PUBLIC LANDS PROGRAM MANAGER
After graduating with a bachelors in Geography from Colgate University, Gabby came to Wyoming in the summer of 2019 to guide pack trips in the Wind River mountains. Within the first week, she knew Wyoming was where she wanted to be. Drawn by the environment, people, and opportunities that the working landscapes of the Cowboy State provide, she spent more than five years working on public lands in various capacities, from caring for cattle in the Red Desert and Lander valley, to guiding pack trips and hunts in the Wind River Range, to leading horseback trips and managing cattle in the Absaroka Range near Dubois. In 2024, her passion for Wyoming’s public lands drew her to the Wyoming Outdoor Council, where she works as the public lands program manager. She currently lives north of Riverton with her partner, dog and their horses.
gabby@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.488.0584
MAX OWENS
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Originally from central Ohio, Max was pulled west by his enthusiasm for grand mountain landscapes and outdoor adventures of all sizes. After graduating from the University of Colorado with a degree in ecology, he enjoyed sharing experiences in nature with others as a biking, backpacking, and llama-packing guide. Between guiding clients on trails in Yellowstone or the Tetons and rock climbing on the beautiful cliffs outside Lander, Max fell more in love with Wyoming — and the outstanding community he discovered here — every day. Eventually, Max’s work prompted him to pick up a pen and use writing to share stories of adventure and conservation in the special places he had the privilege of exploring. After completing his Masters of Fine Arts in creative writing at Western Washington University, Max returned to Lander to live with his partner. In his current role, he’s thrilled to forge connections with a broad range of people passionate about protecting Wyoming’s public lands, wildlife, and clean air and water.
max@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.488.3451
CLAIRE CELLA
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Claire grew up rambling in the subtly tamer wild woods of New York’s Catskill Mountains, before she moved to Austin, Texas, to pursue a bachelor’s degree in English and journalism, followed by a master’s in Information Science. In 2016, she decided she’d had enough of Texas’s flat scenery and hot, humid climate and sought out Wyoming for the promise of mountains to run up, snow to ski upon, and acres of public lands to explore. She joined the Wyoming Outdoor Council in 2016, working to leverage and promote the broader Keep it Public, Wyoming coalition, and has since moved into a role where she creates and manages the organization’s brand as a graphic designer, editor, and writer. She lives in a tiny house in Lander.
claire@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.332.7031, ext. 110
JONATHAN WILLIAMS
ENERGY & CLIMATE ASSOCIATE
Jonathan Williams — or “JW” as most folks call him — spent his early years running barefoot in rural Iowa, catching fireflies and exploring the forest. This deep connection to nature inspired him to pursue a bachelors in Environmental Science and Biology from Luther College. He soon started to guiding whitewater rafting trips in Colorado, organizing and leading an international bicycle fundraising event, and working as a field instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School. All the while taking time to adventure in remote places, JW went on to receive a Masters of Arts in Environmental Policy and Public Administration from Colorado State University. This helped prepare him to assume a full-time role directing NOLS’ stewardship, sustainability, and public policy efforts for a few years. He now calls Lander home and is thrilled to be with the Outdoor Council. Regardless of if he finds himself on the river or in the mountains, he always seeks to keep people and nature at the center of his journey.
jw@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.332.7031, ext. 220
HELEN LEWIS
FIELD ORGANIZER
Helen grew up exploring the lakes and woods of northern Wisconsin. Formative canoe trips in the boreal forests and tundra of Canada spurred her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in conservation biology and environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Soon after, she moved to Wyoming to teach field ecology and other sciences to students in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Eventually she became an instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School an taught courses across Wyoming and Alaska. Helen is driven by opportunities to connect with others about their relationship to place. As a field organizer, she is thrilled to have conversations about the wildlife and landscapes that make Wyoming so unique with residents across the state. When not working, Helen enjoys exploring the terrain near her home in Wilson home on foot and by ski.
helen@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.332.7031, ext. 440
BIG WIND CARPENTER
TRIBAL ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR
Big Wind is a Two Spirit member of the Northern Arapaho tribe from the Wind River Reservation. At a young age, Big Wind recognized many injustices and degrees of oppression within their community. They became involved in youth and climate leadership at the age of 13 when they learned of environmental racism happening near their home. Since then, they have worked on numerous campaigns throughout “Indian Country” and currently is the Tribal Advocacy Associate for the Indigenous Land Alliance of Wyoming.
bigwind@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.332.7031, ext. 200
OLIVA CHASE
DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
Olivia is a born-and-raised Wyomingite who grew up running amuck in the mountains in an area directly influenced by the snowpack, the prevalence of wildfires, and the local air quality. She joined WOC in September 2024 after completing her bachelor’s in environmental systems sciences and master’s in food microbiology at the University of Wyoming. Throughout her education, she became increasingly aware of the symbiosis between the molecular world and conservation, and wanted to pursue a role where she could protect the place she calls home while also making conservation science more accessible. Her role at the Outdoor Council involves utilizing social media and other digital communications platforms to share the organization’s work and other scientific, legislative, and cultural information to people online across the state.
oliviac@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.332.7031, ext. 420
MISTI HAASE
OFFICE MANAGER-BOOKKEEPER
Misti was born and raised in the tiny town of Liberty, Pennsylvania, where she enjoyed playing in the nearby creeks and running through the neighboring woods. In 2001, Misti visited Lander, Wyoming, with a friend for what she thought would only be a six-month stay. After instantly falling in love with the Wind River Range, those six months turned into 19 years and Misti now calls Wyoming home. For 10 years, she ran a small business in Lander but in 2019, started to look for a change. When the opportunity came up to work for Wyoming Outdoor Council, Misti was thrilled to become a part of a team helping to protect the public lands she treasures. She lives in a little log cabin overlooking the Winds, with her husband and three children.
misti@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.332.7031, ext. 140
TABATHA CRUZ
ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR
Tabatha grew up in southern California and enjoyed exploring the mountains whenever she could. She spent the last 8 years working all over the West on trail crews and as a wildland firefighter. After much time working to protect our public lands on the ground level, she sought more stability and was drawn to Lander for the year-round climbing, small-town feel, and rugged Wind River Range. Now, she’s excited to call Wyoming home and to continue to advocate for outdoor spaces with the Wyoming Outdoor Council.
tabatha@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.438.9609
KELYN HILT
ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR
Kelyn grew up in Southern California and made her way to Fort Collins, Colorado, for college. After graduating, she settled in Denver, where she spent eight years building a career in human resources for technology companies. Drawn by her passion for the outdoors, Kelyn first visited Lander on climbing trips and quickly fell in love with the area. In May 2024, she made the move to Lander and is thrilled to immerse herself in Wyoming’s natural beauty while supporting the Outdoor Council’s mission to protect and celebrate the state’s incredible landscapes.
kelyn@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org | 307.332.7031, ext. 390