Paul Alaback
College of Forestry and Conservation,
University of Montana

Paul is a professor of forest ecology in the College of Forestry and Conservation at the University of Montana.  He has a passion for translating  scientific information to make it useful for both conservation practitioners as well as for policy makers. His dedication for training college students to apply the knowledge they gain in the classroom to on the ground conservation projects will add great value to Northwest Connection's education programs.

Gary Freyholtz
Swan Valley Log Crafters, Swan Valley

Gary is the owner of Swan Valley Log Crafters and has been a log home builder and designer for 21 years. He is also the chairman of Swan Valley Elementary School Board. Gary was born in Bemidji, MN and arrived in Condon in 1968. He has been married to Wanda for 23 years and they have one son, Bryce. Gary loves to hunt, fish and enjoy the great outdoors.

Michael Lund
Shoup & Lund Construction, Swan Valley

Michael was born in Livingston, Montana and grew up in the Shields Valley of Montana. Mike served in the US Army for 7 years. Following his military service he worked around the Livingston area as a carpenter and then for a short time at a locomotive rebuild plant. Mike managed that for about six months when he decided to return to Montana. He received an Associate of Science Degree in Business and a B.S. in Business Administration with a major in Finance and Economics from Montana State University. Mike met his wife Jessie at Red Lodge Mountain while they both were volunteering for Eagle Mount, a ski program for individuals with disabilities. Mike currently lives in the Condon with his wife and daughter. Mike co-founded Shoup & Lund Construction, Inc. which builds custom homes in the Swan Valley.

Mary Mitsos
National Forest Foundation, Missoula, MT

Mary is the Vice-President, Conservation Programs of the National Forest Foundation (NFF). Chartered by Congress in 1990, the NFF engages America in community-based and national programs that promote the health and public enjoyment of the 192-million-acre National Forest System. Mary provides leadership for NFF’s conservation programs, facilitates many diverse community groups, and provides technical assistance on public lands issues. Her specialized interests are in collaborative stewardship and contracting mechanisms on public forestlands, conservation-based development and strengthening the working relationship between local communities and forestland managers

Tom Parker
Buck Creek Guide Service, Swan Valley

Tom has been a hunting guide in the Swan Valley and surrounding wilderness areas for over 30 years. In 1978, he started his own outfitting business called Buck Creek Guide Service. He still offers big game hunts during the fall general season. Tom grew up in western Pennsylvania and lived as a young man in northern Maine. He moved to the Swan Valley in 1974. In addition to guiding he has made his living trapping, mule packing, building log homes, doing forest management and for the past 15 years, increasingly in the wildlife research and conservation field. Tom and his wife Melanie founded Northwest Connections in 1996. Tom has been on the board of directors for ten years.

Mark Phares
Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation

Mark is an attorney with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC). Mark's expertise in forestry, wildfire and state natural resource policies, coupled with his legal background adds incredible value to our Board. He also has a wealth of non-profit experience, serving on several Missoula boards, and he currently serves as acting president on the board of Garden City Harvest.

Jim Quinn
Swan Valley resident

Jim and wife Terry are excellent naturalists who joined us on a few different animal tracking courses. Jim is an avid hunter and sportman who recently sold his ranch in central Montana to relocate to his family property here in Condon. Jim brings a life of successful business management to the board and is already making strong improvements in our marketing and programs.

Nathan Richardson
Euchre Mountain Logging, Swan Valley

Nathan is a logging professional and has been in his family's business, Euchre Mountain Logging, since 1995. He enjoys hunting and fishing and spending time with his family in the great outdoors.

Leah Swartz
Alumnus, Landscape & Livelihood 2009; student,
University of Montana

Northwest Connections maintains a board position for students who have recently completed one of our programs. This year, that slot is filled by Leah. She is a smart, composed, talented young lady who is passionate about the intersection of wildlife and rural communities. Leah did her independent project last fall on local perspectives on wolf management and she did a masterful job of reconciling the views of biologists and rural land owners. Leah brings insight into what college aged students really want from programs like ours.

Ben Thompson
RBM Lumber, Columbia Falls, MT

Ben's passion is working in the woods with nature. He is part owner of RBM Lumber, a family owned and operated sawmill and logging operation located in Columbia Falls, MT. The mill, founded by Ben and his brother Roy in the 1970’s, has grown from a 3-man show to a business that now employs more then 25 people. RBM uses creative market approaches as part of a solution oriented way to maintain a sustainable future for Montana’s wood products industry. Ben says he has "never been a follower of trends and cares deeply about all living things and the awesome network they create."

Scott Tomson
Seeley Lake and Missoula Ranger Districts, Lolo National Forest

Scott has been a wildlife biologist for the Seeley Lake and Missoula Ranger Districts of Lolo National Forest since 2001. He began his career in resource management with a stint in the Peace Corps (Philippines 1989-1990) as an Agro-forestry volunteer. He has also worked as a forestry technician in the Lewis and Clark National Forest. Scott received his master's degree in wildlife biology at the University of Montana. His research with private, state and federal agencies focuses on species such as pine marten, lynx, wolverine and bears. Scott divides his time between his home in Seeley Lake and Meadowlands Ranch in Condon. He is a board member of Clearwater Resource Council and is engaged in a variety of
local conservation and education based efforts.