LEADERSHIP TEAM
Our shared leadership team has a range of expertise and conservation experience, as well as a deep concern for the future of wildlands in our region. Our Staff expanded this spring with the addition of a Co-Executive Director/Fundraising. John Sztukowski continues as Co-Executive Director/Conservation Director. The team includes the Board of Directors that formulates policies and programs. The Co-Executive Directors, Board, administration/program teams, and conservation partners all work together to further Wild Connections' mission.
John Sztukowski
He/him
john@wildconnections.org
Co-Executive Director/Conservation Director
John oversees Wild Connections' public lands work, wilderness lands inventories and educational hikes. Outreach to the public, agency staff and government offices on conservation issues and BLM or USFS activites are a large part of his job. He chairs several citizen coaltions active in conservation issues in the region and serves on BLM's Rocky Mountain Resource Advisory Council. John's background ranges from climate change to sustainable agriculture to habitat restoration, and wilderness conservation.
India West
She/her
india@wildconnections.org
Co-Executive Director/Fundraising Director
India focuses on building strong relationships with Wild Connections' donors and grant makers. She is reponsible for fund raising, insuring Wild Connections revenue is sustainable for long term program and operational needs. She also covers much of the day-to-day administrative works. India's background, in addition to fundraising, includes through hiking the Pacific Crest Trail and
extensive hikes in her home state of Colorado.
Jim Lockhart
Board President
Colorado Springs, Legal writer (ret.)
jim@wildconnections.orgJim helps lead our backcountry hikes and has inventoried many of the Forest and BLM roadless areas as a part of the mapping team. As President, he convenes Board meeetings and has general oversight of Wild Connections' mission. He is active in Pikes Peak Group of Sierra Club. Backbacking in California’s Sierras and other western wildernesses are among his favorite adventures.
Kristin Skoog
Board Vice-president
Colorado Springs, Software Engineer (ret)
kristin@wildconnections.orgKristin also chairs our funding team and is on the planning team. She likes hiking, backpacking, skiing, and working on wildlands inventory and monitoring projects. Her background is in software development, and she lends her technical skills to help with the website and productivity tools for the team.
Claude Neumann
Board Treasurer
Denver, Civil Engineer (ret.)
claude@wildconnections.orgClaude is retired from the City of Denver Building Department. He leads Wild Connections hikes and has done conservation work and led hikes for many years with the Colorado Mountain Club. His special wilderness interest often leads him to Utah to explore the canyons and and support protection of the red rock lands.
Alison Gallensky
Broard Secretary
Westminster, Conservation Geographer
alison@wildconnections.orgAlison’s extensive background in software engineering and geographic information systems have been put to use in support of Wild Connections' roadless area inventories and climate modeling. She is Rocky Mountain Wild’s Conservation Geographer Director and active in GIS in the Rockies. She likes to travel and visit far flung places across North America.
Jean Smith
Advisory: Founder Emerita
Colorado Springs, Non-profit Administration (ret)
jean@wildconnections.org
Jean organized a steering committee and volunteers to map roadless areas on the Pike-San Isabel National Forest beginning in 1995. This grew into Wild Connections where she served as Executive Director or Board Chair, and continues as a volunteer. Her background includes fund-raising and village development. She enjoys traveling, birding, gardening and caring for the native plants in her yard.
Consultants and Contractors
Wild Connections knows that we can’t do this work on our own. Our talented and dedicated community makes our work possible and successful. We’d like to recognize the following consultants and contractors for their work and ongoing support:
Rocky Smith - Public lands policies Christine Hill - Publications Sofia Corley - Financial assistant Beka Whitson, Whitson StrategiesPlus all the photographers who share their images that invite us into wild nature
Rocky Smith - Public lands policies Christine Hill - Publications Sofia Corley - Financial assistant Beka Whitson, Whitson StrategiesPlus all the photographers who share their images that invite us into wild nature