CONTRIBUTE YOUR VOICE, LEADERSHIP, & EXPERIENCE
GYC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE COALITION’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS?
Thank you for your interest in serving on the Greater Yellowstone Coalition’s (GYC) board. Board service is a wonderful opportunity to offer your skills, unique perspective, and leadership in support of the mission and vision of the region’s preeminent conservation organization.
GYC is the only organization with a mission dedicated solely to protecting the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Our work centers on conserving the unparalleled lands, waters, and wildlife of this outstanding place.
Since its founding in 1983, the organization has been a trailblazer in the practice of large landscape conservation - leading campaigns and initiatives that have conserved millions of acres, hundreds of river miles, and several vitally important wildlife species. To do this, we bring together a wide range of people who care about Greater Yellowstone and create space to find innovative solutions to the complex threats and opportunities facing the region.
Please visit GYC’s website at greateryellowstone.org to learn about our accomplishments and how we go about our work.
“With my ongoing work as a rancher and now a farmer, the ecosystem as a whole and natural processes just really resonate with me on a core level.”
-J ennifer Wilson, Former Board MemberOUR MISSION
To work with all people to protect the lands, waters, and wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem now and for future generations.
OUR VISION
We envision a Greater Yellowstone where wild nature flourishes, plant, animal, and human communities thrive in reciprocity, and all people work together to conserve this globally significant ecosystem.
“GYC has the capacity to be both big enough to have some heft, but small enough to be nimble. And that makes the board that much more fun. Serving on the GYC board is fun. It’s rewarding. It’s gratifying. It’s humbling, but it’s also fun.”
- Rick Johnson, Current Board MemberWHY GYC?
We look for board members who are willing to devote their time and expertise to help support GYC’s work. We are interested in people who are passionate about the stewardship of this unique place, thosewith specific skills to help manage the organization, and people who can share their perspective. We are scientists, teachers, business owners, ranchers and farmers, philanthropists, financiers, lawyers, creatives, consultants, nonprofit leaders, and more. We are working, retired, and raising families.
The board values racial and other diversities as well as striving to live an anti-oppressive existence making ourwork more effective, enduring, and inclusive. We are continually building a board that sees from as many different vantage points and life experiences as possible. Ours is a welcoming, supportive, and affirming space. We enjoy our time together and camaraderie in the work we do to help GYC achieve its goals.
Please visit greateryellowstone.org/board-council to learn more about GYC’s current Board of Directors.
WHAT ARE THE BOARD’S RESPONSIBILITES?
• Represents GYC in the greater community
• Recruits a truly diverse body of directors with the skills, perspectives, backgrounds, and areas of expertise to perform the board’s responsibilities
• Develops board policies and governance procedures that support excellent leadership, inclusivity, and diversity
• Selects, supervises, supports, and evaluates the Executive Director
• Ensures the financial stability of GYC
• Ensures excellent human resource management
• Approves a three to five-year strategic plan and annual budgets; evaluates the progress of each; and informs and influences key policies
• Follows GYC’s bylaws and laws governing nonprofits in the state of Montana
WHAT IS THE COMMITMENT?
Board members serve a four-year term with the opportunity to serve a second term (and many do!). We hold four board meetings per year. The March meeting is in Bozeman with an opportunity to meet with and get to know the full staff. The June and September meetings typically take place in different communities around the region and include invaluable field trips to educate the board about key issues and ongoing work. The January meeting is typically a shorter meeting and is held virtually.
GYC offers a virtual attendance option for board meetings to allow directors to participate remotely, but in person attendance is strongly encouraged. Meeting dates are set well in advance. To minimize barriers to participation, travel costs are paid by GYC, though directors may opt out of this program and cover their own expenses.
Directors sit on two or more committees, which include: Audit, Conservation, Development, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Executive (Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and two at-large board members), Finance (with an Investment subcommittee), Governance, and Land Acquisition. Ad hoc committees are formed as needed. Directors participate in committee work virtually throughout the year, usually meeting quarterly. Committees engage with staff and, when necessary, provide recommendations to the full board. After polling board members for their committee interests and nominations, committee members and chairs are appointed by the Board Chair with the approval of the full board. All Directors are invited to participate in Executive Committee meetings as non-voting members.
All of our Directors provide financial support to GYC annually at a level that is personally meaningful to them. Although we realize people can give to the organization in different ways, 100% participation in fundraising from the board provides us leverage when asking our donors to support our work and demonstrates commitment from GYC’s closest supporters.
“There have been really beautiful moments where people have asked why are we doing this, why does this matter, said I think that’s not right, I think that we should do this a different way, what does everyone else think and that has been really empowering because it gives me hope that we’re not just sitting in an echo chamber.”
- Mei Ratz, Current Board MemberHOW DOES THE PROCESS WORK?
Potential candidates may be approached by the Executive Director, the Board Chair, or other members of the board based on organizational needs. We also invite individuals with an interest in serving on GYC’s Board of Directors to reach out directly to the Executive Director or the Board Chair.
The Governance Committee uses a matrix to monitor and identify the skills, areas of expertise, backgrounds, and other attributes of the board that the organization needs to succeed. Our bylaws require that at least 50% of the board reside in the region (Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana) and at least 25% reside outside the region.
Through conversations with the Executive Director, the Board Chair, and other members of the board,
candidates will become familiar with the values that underpin the organization. They will learn more about how GYC operates, what issues it prioritizes, and what tools and tactics are used to accomplish conservation objectives.
Candidates who wish to be considered for election to the board will be asked to provide a resume or brief biography and statement of interest for consideration at a meeting of the Governance Committee. The Chair of that Committee will usually speak to the candidate in advance of the meeting to answer any further questions the candidate may have. The Committee then makes a recommendation to the full board and a vote is held to add the candidate to GYC’s Board of Directors.
“I think there is a really good board culture right now and I think it’s going to get even better. We stay in our lane – we don’t micromanage. I think we’re quite a respectful board. We have healthy, vigorous debates and we disagree a little bit sometimes, but it makes us better. GYC has a well governed, high functioning board.”
- Pete Copolillo, Former Board MemberGYC STAFF IN THE FIELD
GREATERYELLOWSTONE.ORG BOZEMAN, MT | CODY, WY | DRIGGS, ID | FORT WASHAKIE, WY | JACKSON, WY | LANDER, WY
PHOTO CREDITS: Cover: Heidi Pinkerton; Board at East Rosebud Creek: Kathy Lichtendahl; Board in Bozeman: GYC/Emmy Reed; Bears: Shutterstock; Staff Photos: GYC
(L-R) GYC Volgenau Foundation Wildlife Conservation Associate Blakeley Adkins and Climate Conservation Coordinator Sierra Harris at a fish count in Paradise Valley, Montana
Senior Idaho Conservation Associate Allison Michalski near Kilgore, Idaho with the Kilgore Gold Exploration Project site in the background.
(L-R) GYC Communications Coordinator Kristin Oxford and Senior Wyoming Conservation Associate Erin Welty inspect fences near Cody, Wyoming as a part of GYC’s wildlife migration work.
(L-R) GYC Wyoming Conservation Coordinator Jared Baecker and Senior Wildlife Conservation Associate Matt Cuzzocreo at the Wyoming State Capitol for the 2023 legislative session.
(L-R) GYC Senior Wind River Conservation Associate Wes Martel, Deputy Director of Conservation Charles Drimal, Executive Director Scott Christensen, and Wind River Conservation Organizer Colleen Friday at the Yellowstone Revealed event.