WWA STAFF | March 12, 2018
In an effort to increase organizational efficiency and expand conservation advocacy, the board of Wyoming Wildlife Advocates has appointed Melissa P. Thomasma to the position of Executive Director.
Thomasma, a Jackson Hole native, has served as WWA’s Communications Director for the past two years. Her primary focus for the immediate future will be on streamlining WWA’s administration, with a particular focus on building a strong foundation of governance, outreach and fundraising.
“We are a small non-profit with limited resources dealing with big, controversial issues regarding the distressing state of wildlife management in Wyoming. It’s become clear that the issues we engage are expanding in both number and gravity,” explains Board Chair Kent Nelson. “We are confident that this redistribution of our team will produce excellent results both in our conservation efforts and the overall capacity and efficiency of the organization.”
“I’m excited to step into the leadership of Wyoming Wildlife Advocates at this dynamic point in the organization’s growth,” says Thomasma. “WWA is the only local organization that is engaging some of these deeply important and highly controversial wildlife management issues, and that underscores the need for the work we’re doing.”
Roger Hayden is now leading the organization’s advocacy programming as Conservation Manager. Without the burden of administrative and fundraising tasks, Hayden will now focus solely on wildlife advocacy campaigns.
“I am glad to be free of the administrative and fundraising burdens that distracted me from focusing on the conservation work that is critical to WWA and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. I look forward to continuing to work in a tight, collaborative team,” Hayden said.
With the newly-released specifics on grizzly bear hunting, WWA will be leading the community’s resistance to hunting bears that are known, loved and biologically critical to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.