INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE COALITION’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS?
Serving on Greater Yellowstone Coalition’s (GYC) Board of Directors is an opportunity to offer your skills, unique perspective, and leadership in support of the mission and vision of a 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.
OUR MISSION
OUR VISION
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 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.
To work with all people to protect the lands, waters, and wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem now and for future generations.
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.
Please visit GYC’s website at greateryellowstone.org to learn about our accomplishments and how we go about our work.
WHY GYC?
Greater Yellowstone is a place of superlatives. It is home to an astounding array of wildlife and its cascading rivers are the headwaters of the West. Its towering peaks and sweeping valleys are cherished by locals and visitors alike. The region is also of deep importance to more than four dozen Native American Tribes with historic and cultural ties to Yellowstone National Park and the lands that surround it. There is simply no other place like it on Earth.
As the region’s leading conservation organization, GYC’s board plays an important role in shaping strategic conservation priorities, providing effective governance, and ensuring sound financial management. To do this, we recruit directors who are passionate about conserving Greater Yellowstone and willing to share their time and talents.
Directors with expertise that supports organizational needs and priorities such as conservation policy, finance, law, fundraising, science, communications, non-profit management, equity and inclusion, and regional issues are essential to advancing GYC’s inspiring mission.
We strive to create a welcoming, inclusive space for a board that is comprised of individuals withdiffering backgrounds and perspectives. It is the combination of all board members with their individual attributes that makes the diverse whole better and improves our work as a board.
We treat each other with respect and cultivate a strong sense of camaraderie as we work together to ensure GYC is effective, enduring, and inclusive
Please visit greateryellowstone.org/board-council to learn more about GYC’s current Board of Directors.
“With my ongoing work as a rancher and now a farmer, the concept of a healthy ecosystem really resonates with me. Serving on GYC’s board is a great way to learn more about the issues that impact Greater Yellowstone and play a role in conserving it.”
-J ennifer Wilson, Board Member
WHAT ARE THE BOARD’S RESPONSIBILITES?
Board directors are the fiduciaries who steer GYC toward a sustainable and effective future by adopting sound, ethical, and legal governance and financial management policies, and ensuring the organization has adequate resources to advance its mission. More specifically, the board:
• Provides regular financial oversight and support,
• Approves a 3–5-year strategic plan and annual budgets,
• Evaluates progress toward strategic plan and budget goals,
• Informs and influences strategic priorities and key policies,
• Selects, supervises, supports, and evaluates the Executive Director,
• Acts as an ambassador and advocate for GYC,
• Develops board policies and governance procedures that support excellent leadership, equity, inclusion, and effective decision making,
• Helps build a board with the diverse skills, perspectives, backgrounds, and areas of expertise the organization needs to succeed, and
• Follows GYC’s bylaws and laws governing non-profit organizations.
WHAT IS THE COMMITMENT?
Board directors serve a four-year term with the opportunity to serve a second term of the same length (and many do!). GYC holds four board meetings per year where key issues are discussed, decisions are made, and connections are deepened.
Typically, one of these meetings is virtual and the others are held in-person. The in-person gatherings provide an opportunity to visit different communities and get out into the field where GYC is working. While virtual attendance options arealways offered, directors are expected to prioritize and attend in-person meetings.
Inclusion is a core value at GYC and is reflected in the board’s commitment to minimizing barriers to participation. Travel costs are paid by GYC, unless a director opts to cover their own expenses. Board meeting dates are set well in advance to facilitate high levels of attendance.
Directors also participate as members of two or more board committees, which include:
• Executive (Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and two at-large board members),
• Governance (with a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion subcommittee),
• Finance (with an Investment subcommittee),
• Audit,
• Conservation,
• Development, and
• Land Acquisition.
Ad hoc committees are formed as needed. Committee meetings are held virtually throughout the year, usually on a quarterly basis. When necessary, committees engage with staff and provide recommendations to the full board. After surveying directors for their committee interests, members and chairs are appointed by the Board Chair with the approval of the full board.
All Directors provide financial support to GYC annually at a level that is personally meaningful to them. We recognize people support the organization in many different ways. However, 100% participation in giving from the Board of Directors demonstrates a personal and collective commitment to the mission and organization that is critically important to GYC’s success.
“The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is the largest nearly intact ecosystem in the world’s temperate zone. The diversity of knowledge and experience among board members allows us to really look at and understand the complexity of the issues, importance to the ecosystem, and how we can make a difference while fulfilling our mission.”
- Dan Wenk, Board Member
HOW DOES THE PROCESS WORK?
Building and maintaining a highly skilled, experienced, and dedicated Board of Directors that represents a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives is a top priority at GYC.
Board candidates are selected based on organizational needs and goals. It is also important that candidates feel they can contribute in a meaningful way to the organization and its mission. GYC’s Governance Committee maintains a matrix to monitor the skills, areas of expertise, and backgrounds represented on theboard and uses this to help identify potential new directors. Candidates are approached by the Executive Director, Board Chair, or other members of the board to explore interest, areas of expertise, and capacity to participate.
We also invite individuals with an interest in serving on
GYC’s Board of Directors to reach out directly to the Executive Director or Board Chair. Taking the necessary time to learn about the organization’s priorities and conservation goals, understanding the board’s role and responsibilities, and defining expectations for participation is essential for both GYC and potential directors. When ready, candidates meet with the Chair of the Governance Committee and are asked to provide a resume and brief statement of interest. The Governance Committee then makes a recommendation to the full board to consider and vote on the candidate joining the GYC Board of Directors.
We welcome all people to join us as supporters of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and advocates for the remarkable lands, waters, and wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
If you have questions about GYC’s Board of Directors or would like to learn more about the organization, please visit greateryellowstone.org.
“Being on the board of GYC is an incredible opportunity for me. To be able to work with staff, the leadership, and other board members has helped deepen my connection to Greater Yellowstone. I feel like I have a chance to give back to this place that means so much to me.”
- Kitty Griswold, Board Member
“When I bring an idea to the board, I feel immediately that my voice is welcomed, valued, and genuinely listened to with a desire to understand and integrate it into the work at hand. And we all unquestionably share a commitment to the mission.”
-
Hannibal Anderson, Board Member
“I’m not a lawyer, accountant, or business person. I do live in the ecosystem, and I do have an intimate relationship with the land as an outdoors person my whole adult life. I also bring organizational memory, since I was recruited as a “young person” in the 1990’s and served two terms back then as well. What I really bring to the board is the ability to ask good questions.”
- Georgie Stanley, Board Member
GREATERYELLOWSTONE.ORG
BOZEMAN, MT | CODY, WY | DRIGGS, ID | FORT WASHAKIE, WY | JACKSON, WY | LANDER, WY
