Leadership

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Joan Patterson, President

Served as Director of Grassroots Outreach at the National Wildlife Refuge Association for 6 years
Former board member of Friends of Tualatin River NWR, Friends of the Potomac River Refuges and Friends of the Migratory Bird/Duck Stamp
Worked in IT and team-building facilitation

photo of Cheryl outdoors with greenery in background

Cheryl Hart, Vice President

National Wildlife Refuge Association Board member and Chair of Friends Committee
Friends of Tualatin River NWR President for five years and Bookstore committee
USFWS Friends Mentor Since 2014

Aimee smiling with butterflies perched on her

Aimee Arent, Secretary

Executive Director of Friends of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Background in Visitor Services through USFWS Visitor Services and Ohio Division of Wildlife
Former board member of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Association
BS Environmental Science from Bowling Green State University and Certificate of Nonprofit Management from University of Illinois – Chicago

Jon d’Alessio, Treasurer

Jon d’Alessio has over 30 years of financial management experience with both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and has a passion for protecting wildlife, inspired by his photography hobby. He spent 24 years with McKesson Corporation, a Fortune 50 company, in various financial roles, including stints as Corporate Treasurer and Group CFO, and 6 years with Fred Finch Youth & Family Services, a nonprofit social service agency, as CFO. He has served as Treasurer and/or President on several nonprofit boards, including Slide Ranch, Angel Island Conservancy, Sunnyhill Services, and Marin Photography Club.

His education includes a BS from University of California and MBA and JD degrees from Stanford University.

Since retiring in 2008, Jon has taken up wildlife photography and traveled the world trying to get that perfect photo. During his travels, he visited Bosque del Apache and Midway Atoll and saw the important role their refuges played in protecting the wildlife that call them home. This led to his involvement in Friends of those refuges, where he is currently Treasurer of both Friends groups.

Sue Wilder, Director at large

Master and Doctorate degrees in Botany from Louisiana State University
Research Ecologist for US Geological Survey and retired Regional Ecologistfor US Fish and Wildlife Service
Board member for the Friends of Louisiana Wildlife Refuges
Volunteer for Mississippi Coast Audubon, Crosby Arboretum, and the Gulf Coast Phenology Trail
Enjoys working on her golf game, sewing and enjoying time with her 5 grandsons

Ken Kupchak, Director at large

Friends Board and 35 year Volunteer at Hakalau Forest NWR
Over 50 year an attorney atDamon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert, Fellow American College of Construction Lawyers and former Governing Committee of ABA Forum on Construction Law
Chair or President-Hawai’i Nature Center, Mid-Pacific Institute, Hawai’i Community Service Council, Kailua Neighborhood Board, Cornell Class of ‘64
Centennial Fellow-Penn State, Co-founder Hawai’i Lacrosse Club, Outings Chair – HI Sierra Club, Chief Minority Counsel-8th HI House Rep.

Karen Holzer, Director at large

Karen Holzer is the Executive Director of the Booth Society, inc., the non-profit friends group of the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery and Archives located in Spearfish SD. She has been in her position for almost six years, since March of 2017. One of her primary responsibilities is supporting the FWS staff by assisting with the visitor services for the 190,000 people that visit the site each year. Other duties include advocacy, fundraising and special events. Karen lives in Spearfish with her husband Dave. They have 3 children and 8 grandchildren.

Mark Musaus

Serves as Regional Representative for the NWRA
Retired CFO for the National Wildlife Refuge Association
Retired Deputy Regional Director for the Southeast Region of USFWS
Served as Chief of the Division of Visitor Services and Communications for the NWRS

Photo of Lisa Jansen-Rees in the Wichita Mountains NWR

Lisa Jansen-Rees, Director at large

Retired social worker with 35 years’ experience in private and public non-profit organizations
Bachelors in Social Work from Indiana University, Masters in Social Work from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, and Sustaining Base Leadership and Management from Army Management Staff College
Certified trainer for the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, Department of Defense, Department of the Army, Franklin Covey, Scream Free Institute and Imago Relationship Therapy
Board member for Friends of the Wichitas NWR and volunteer for the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Oklahoma
Volunteers for the American Legion Auxiliary, Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Fit Kids of Southwest Oklahoma
Lisa and her husband Jim, an Army veteran, have hiked, camped, geocached, and kayaked extensively in the US and Europe

ADVISORY COUNCIL

photo of Sue with greenery in the background

Sue Hix, Newsletter Editor

Friends of Sherburne NWR Board Member for 15 years, serving as president and vice president
USFWS Friends Mentor
A 30-year career in banking, managed the training function for one of Minnesota’s largest banks
Consultant work focused on training, communications, and project coordination

photo of Linda snowshoeing with her yellow labrador, Jackson

Linda Kilgore, Technology Adviser

Translates uses and best practices of technology and guides small nonprofit organizations in adopting and modernizing their digital tools.
BS, MS in Education
Certified Adult Training and Development Specialist
NTEN Certified Nonprofit Technology Professional
Google Workspace Administrator
Retired, Senior IT Operations and Policy Analyst, State of Oregon

photo of Jim outdoors with trees and snowy hills in the background

Jim Stone

National Wildlife Refuge Association Board Member
Friends of Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge Board Member for 15 years, serving as president for 10 years.