Montana Conservation Voters Board of Directors

Ryan Busse, Co-Chairperson

Ryan has been involved with Montana Conservation Voters for the past three years and is one of the founding members of the Flathead Chapter that began during that same time period. Since that time he has served as a State Board Representative as well as a former Vice Chair. He credits his wife, and fellow member Sara, for encouraging his involvement in non-profit organizations. Sara’s work as the Development Director for the Flathead Land Trust served as a motivating factor for Ryan to become more involved within local non-profit organizations.

Juanita Vero, Co-Chairperson

Juanita, Greenough, oversees the fourth generation of a family-owned and operated guest ranch in the Blackfoot Valley. The ranch prides itself on its conservation ethic and long term range and timber management. Her community involvement includes the Big Blackfoot Chapter of Trout Unlimited (President for 2 years, and now Secretary); Sunset School Board, serving a small, rural public school; the Missoula County Open Lands Committee; and fundraising for conservation easements in the Blackfoot as part of the Blackfoot Community Project. Juanita is also a member of Montana Conservation Voters, the Blackfoot Challenge and Community Food Agriculture Coalition.

Jake Troyer, Secretary

Jake is president of Sleeping Giant Communications, a business he recently started after working for several years with the Montana Wilderness Association. Jake wasn’t born in Montana, but he got here as fast as he could. Jake values waking up to a view of the Sleeping Giant over town, knowing fish and wildlife habitat are being protected. Jake has participated in MCV endorsement interviews and co-hosted fundraisers.

Julia Page, Treasurer

Julia is the former owner of the Yellowstone Raft Company, and an experienced conservation and environmental advocate. Julia a member of the Northern Plains Resource Council Board, a former Greater Yellowstone Coalition board member, a leader in the Gardiner Chamber of Commerce, and an active member of local conservation groups working to protect the Yellowstone eco system. Julia is a founder of MCVEF and MCV, and served on the Montana Conservation Voters Board of Directors. She is the first recipient of Montana Conservation Voters’ Distinguished Service Award.

Elizabeth Ametsbichler, Director

Liz is a German professor at the University of Montana. She is originally from Missoula, and is an accomplished writer and world traveler. Liz has served as the president of her faculty senate, and has been a leader for the University Faculty Association, the local affiliate of MEA-MFT, the teacher’s and public employees union.

Rachel Carroll Rivas, Director

Rachel is from Helena and spends her working hours with the Montana Human Rights Network. She has a MS in Sociology from Utah State University with a focus in Social Change and Development. She received her BA in Sociology from the University of Montana, as well as her Certification in Nonprofit Administration from American Humanics. Rachel has worked in the areas of rural sustainable development, workers rights, and environmental justice. She is originally from Great Falls and loves to spend time in the great outdoors. Rachel has greatly enjoyed spending time volunteering with the Montana Conservation Voters annual meeting and volunteering for MCV endorsed candidates around the state. She is dedicated to educating and advocating for the conservation of our natural environment and to building stronger environmental voice in the political arena.

Rich Day, Director

Rich, Butte, currently works as MWF’s Teaming with Wildlife Coordinator and Communications Coordinator. He served as MWF’s first full-time executive director. Rich, as the regional director in California and Nevada for the Mule Deer Foundation, worked with local chapters to raise funds for mule deer habitat. Rich is a founding member and first president of the Gallatin Wildlife Association, president of the Montana Wildlife Federation from 1980-82 and served on the NWF board from 1985-88. Rich currently serves as a director of the George Grant Chapter of Trout Unlimited in Butte.

Ben Graybill, Director

Ben, Great Falls, was born into a politically active family. He worked in a variety of campaigns - mayoral to presidential. He completed law school in 1988, and for the last eighteen years has represented injured persons and victims of fraud. Ben spent three months as the intermittent page to his father, Leo Graybill, Jr., during his presidency of the 1972 Constitutional Convention. In witnessing the drafting of Montana's Constitution, he gained a deep appreciation for those who fought for the inclusion of the article obligating government and citizens to maintain a "clean and healthful environment". Through MCV, Ben hopes to help elect candidates who will fight to preserve the principles embodied in that article.

Chantel Schieffer McCormick, Director

Chantel is the Development Director for Thrive, a non-profit organization working to support healthy child development and growth. She has spent the last fifteen years cultivating a career in public relations, fundraising, and public service. Chantel has worked with many elected officials on local, state and national levels and has assisted several nonprofit organizations in their fundraising efforts. She serves on the boards of the Montana State University Alumni Foundation, the Women’s Foundation of Montana, Leadership Montana, the Montana Ambassadors, and the Alpha Phi Chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi. Chantel has hosted MCV fundraisers, helped turn out conservation voters, and sponsored multiple events.

Michelle Stearns, Director

Michelle, Arlee, is a counselor in the Missoula school system. She grew up in the headwaters of the Musselshell River. After receiving her graduate counseling degree from MSU, and a brief stint in Helena, she moved to Missoula to begin her counseling career, and where she served on other community boards. She and her husband, Pat Smith, live in Arlee and share a passion for the Montana outdoors.

James Steele, Director

James is an accomplished public servant. He is the former chair of the Salish and Kootenai Confederated Tribes, former Chair of the Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council, served on the Flathead Basin Commission and the Montana Community Service Commission. He is keenly interested in Montana’s clean water resources, and has been an active advocate. Upon invitation from the Whitehouse, he recently presented at the International Climate Change Conference in Denmark as a tribal leader fighting to protect natural lands.

Robin Saha, Missoula Chapter Representative

Robin is assistant professor in the Environmental Studies Department at the University of Montana. His teaching and research interests focus on environmental justice, health and policy with an emphasis on community engagement and empowerment. He is committed to providing assistance to contaminated communities and works actively on tribal environmental issues in Montana. Robin served on the MCV Missoula chapter steering committee.

Katie Craig Scherfig, Gallatin-Park Chapter Representative

Katie has worked as MCV’s Gallatin-Park Chapter Get-Out–the-Vote organizer since MCV’s first election in 2000. As a volunteer, she’s been involved in all phases of chapter activity, including legislative accountability, fundraising, events planning and endorsement interviews. Katie lives in Bozeman and works as the Manager of Wildwood Nursery in Big Sky. Previously she spent seven years with the Sierra Club working on grizzly bear, wolf, clean air and wildland issues. In winter she enjoys cross country and telemark skiing. In the summer Katie and her husband Peter spend their free time hiking, mountain biking and exploring Montana while camping in their 1971 VW bus. She is also an avid gardener. Katie began her love for the wilds of Montana when she moved here 33 years ago. She and her husband have two grown children who also have a passion for the Montana outdoors.

Addison Sessions, Yellowstone Chapter Representative

Add currently serves as the Chapter Board vice chair and has been an MCV member since 2000. Add has been very involved in candidate interviews and MCV campaigns. Add grew up in Billings, he is a local attorney and was drawn to MCV by an interest in politics and the environment. Add is a member of Trout Unlimited and the Beartooth Paddlers.

Daniel Short, Flathead Chapter Representative

Daniel is a long time hunting, fishing, floating and hiking enthusiast. He is a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch, where he has worked for 12 years. Dan is involved in a number of conservation groups and is currently the Vice Chairperson of the State Council of Montana Trout Unlimited. He has participated in MCV's Flathead Chapter, has been active with MCV endorsement interviews, and has helped with candidate campaigns including meeting voters at their doors and helping with fundraising. He has two children and one grandson who he is teaching how to fish.

David Chambers, Alternate Gallatin-Park Chapter Representative

David, Bozeman, is the president of the Center for Science in Public Participation, a non-profit corporation that provides technical assistance on mining and water quality to public interest groups and tribal governments in the US and Canada. Dave is a registered professional geophysicist with a Professional Engineering Degree in Physics from the Colorado School of Mines, and a Masters Degree in Geophysics from the University of California at Berkeley. He also has a Ph.D. in Environmental Planning from Berkeley. Dave and his wife, Sigrid, have resided in Bozeman for 12 years.

Claudia Narcisco, Alternate Missoula Chapter Representative

Claudia graduated from Northern Arizona University with degrees in environmental science and geology. She recently retired from the Forest Service where she worked for 22 years, first as a geologist on the Wenatchee NF and then on the Lolo as writer editor for the forest plan revision team. The last 3 years she served as president of NFFE Local 60. Claudia enjoys entertaining, cooking, gardening, good conversation and of course the great Montana outdoors.

Kate Olp, Alternate Yellowstone Chapter Representative