About Wyoming Wildlife

Founded in 1937, the Federation is the oldest and largest sportsmen’s advocacy and conservation organization in the state of Wyoming.

The Wyoming Wildlife Federation’s mission is to deliver leadership in conservation for Wyoming’s wildlife, hunters, anglers, & conservationists through policy, education, advocacy, & habitat projects.

WWF’s Vision

Wyoming Wildlife Federation envisions a Wyoming with thriving fish and wildlife populations on healthy, connected habits on public and private lands and waters with plentiful opportunities to enjoy them. We nurture the next generation of conservationists through education programs.

This vision is achieved by organizing and educating the public on issues affecting wildlife, and habitat. We support strong science-based policies to retain, restore, and reconnect wildlife habitats and sustainably funded wildlife management. Our vision is brought to life by hunters and anglers who recognize both the cultural and conservation significance of Wyoming’s landscapes.

Core Values

Trust – WWF is trusted. Our positions and opinions are used by diverse constituents.
Outcomes – WWF is focused on achieving outcomes. “We get things done.”
Engagement – WWF engages all stakeholders in our work leading to strong supporters, volunteers, advocates, staff and board.
Science – WWF makes decisions and policy recommendations based on the best available science.

Meet the Staff

This dedicated full-time staff works tirelessly on conservation issues all around the state.

Joy Bannon

Joy Bannon

Executive Director

Joy grew up in Iowa where she gained her appreciation for nature through the backwoods and farms of Sioux City. After studying agriculture at the University of Iowa, she received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Wyoming through an inter-disciplinary program in Environment and Natural Resources as well as Political Science. Joy is a policy advisor, analyst, and advocate for wildlife, habitat, and outdoor recreation throughout Wyoming. She has worked for Wyoming Wildlife Federation since 2007, and is dedicated to conserving landscapes and waterways for hunters and anglers. As a sportswoman and a mom, Joy enjoys sharing the great outdoors with her children through hunting, long hikes, camping, fishing, rock climbing, skiing, and relishing in nature’s diversity.

joybannon@wyomingwildlife.org

(307) 335-8633

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Jessi Johnson

Government Affairs Director

Jess Johnson leads Wyoming Wildlife Federation's efforts to advocate on behalf of wildlife and wild places through policy and local advocacy. She works hard all session long at the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne to help pass good bills for wildlife and ensure those that are not good for wildlife do not become state statute. Jessi grew up ranching in Montana, Northern California and Wyoming. She has a deep appreciation for wildlife and wild lands. Since moving back to Wyoming in her early 20's, she has spent most of her free time exploring our public lands and she is an avid archery hunter. Jess's love for conservation spans beyond WWF, as well. She's a co-founder and advisory board member of the NWF initiative, Artemis Sportswomen, and serves as the policy seat on the board of directors for 2% for Conservation.

jessijohnson@wyomingwildlife.org

Andrea Barbknecht

Andrea Barbknecht

Associate Director + Education Director

Andrea has been the Federation's Administrator and jack-of-all-trades since 2017. Originally from Wisconsin, Andrea received her BS in Animal Science with minors in Chemistry and Biology from the University of Wisconsin at River Falls. From there, she moved to Iowa to get her MS in Wildlife Biology from Iowa State University working on elk feedgrounds and calving site selection. She did her course work in Iowa, and her field work was in and around Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks in Wyoming. It was a great place to get her feet wet in the field, and, as it happens, a great place to meet her husband. Life after graduation has included work in wildlife and fisheries biology, working with everything from prairie dogs to wolves to cutthroat trout.

Outside of work, she enjoys a variety of outdoor pursuits including hiking, camping, rock climbing, and horseback riding.

abarbknecht@wyomingwildlife.org

Kait West Skiing

Kait West

Development Manager

Kait has been in Wyoming for a handful of years with her husband and 8-year-old daughter where they love taking their llamas into the high country for scouting and hunting. When the Wyoming winter hits, you can find Kait and her family with backcountry skis on their feet at Togwotee or Teton Pass. In her free time, Kait enjoys adventuring with her daughter, experimenting with wild game recipes in her kitchen, teaching fitness classes and training for her next backcountry adventures. Kait is passionate about conserving Wyoming’s natural resources to ensure future generations have the same access and experiences she has enjoyed.  Kait comes to WWF to manage grants and foundation fundraising efforts and help expand critical conservation programs.

kwest@wyomingwildlife.org

Nat Peterson Bio

Nat Paterson

Policy Coordinator

After growing up in Northern New Jersey, Nat attended St. Lawrence University in upstate New York and graduated with a BA in Environmental Studies. He moved to Jackson, Wyoming after college and quickly fell in love with the landscape and wildlife of the mountain west and developed a passion for public lands. He decided to turn his passion into his career and attended the Masters of the Environment program at CU-Boulder where he received a master’s degree in Environmental and Natural Resource Policy.

In his free time he enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, Kathryn and son, Redford.

npaterson@wyomingwildlife.org

Grayson Highfield Headshot

Grayson Highfield

Outreach Coordinator

Grayson is a self-proclaimed “Woman of Many Hats” who will be leading volunteer outreach and the Conservation Ambassador program with WWF.

She has always been an avid outdoorswoman and spent decades immersed in her hobbies and honing her skills as a horsewoman, backpacker, hiker, and paddler (kayaking and paddleboarding), and dedicated her spare time to learning new skills to expand her resume as outdoor adventurer, hobbyist, and advocate.

She started hunting and fishing in summer of 2023 as a late-onset hunter through the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Women Hunt® Program, which subsequently led her to the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation and then to the Wyoming Wildlife Federation shortly thereafter.

In her free time, you’ll probably find her lost down some sagebrush two-track on her heart-horse, Spruce, followed closely by her hound dog, Pip.

ghighfield@wyomingwildlife.org

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Bekka Mongeau

Communications Manager

Bekka Mongeau serves as the Communications Manager at WWF, where she plays a key role in keeping members informed about critical wildlife issues in Wyoming. Through both digital and print channels, she ensures seamless communication with WWF's audience.

With a background in outdoor education and marketing, Bekka studied in the mountains of New Hampshire before relocating to the West, where she has since embraced the wide open landscapes of Idaho and now Wyoming. Over the past year, she has deepened her understanding of hunting as both a conservation tool and a means of fostering a deeper connection to the land and people.

Bekka is eager to continue this journey, inviting others to join in and explore these practices. She brings a deep passion for wildlife conservation, outdoor recreation, and the preservation of natural spaces to her role with the WWF team.

bmongeau@wyomingwildlife.org

Meet the Board

Board members help guide and support the organization. Conserving Wyoming's wildlife and outdoor opportunities are driven by these dedicated volunteers.

Chris Simonds Fishing In WWF Hat

Chris Simonds

Chairman

Chris moved to Centennial, Wyo after years of enjoying Wyoming’s vast wide open spaces as a visitor. He earned a BA from Yale University and an MBA from the University of Virginia leading to a career in marketing and financial services. Chris also formed and directed an industry-shaping fuel distribution business aimed at minimizing impact of diesel fuel delivery at environmentally sensitive construction sites. Chris comes from a long line of outdoor enthusiasts and raised three children with these values. His love of outdoor lifestyle began with fresh and salt water fishing adventures, and annual trips to Canada’s remote backcountry wilderness, public land which was later mismanaged by the provincial government and no longer provides the same recreation opportunities. Today, Chris divides his spare time exploring our state’s vast public spaces for fishing, skiing, hunting and camping adventures.

clsimonds56@gmail.com

Mark Cole

Mark Cole

Treasurer

Mark is the Chief Operating Officer for UK Elite Soccer, a company owned by Steel Sports. Prior to joining Steel Sports, Mark was the Executive Director of Aspen Valley Ski/Snowboard Club for 15 years. The non-profit focused on developing “Great Athletes, Great Kids” including many Olympians, Paralympians and X-Games athletes. The club was the United States Ski and Snowboard Association’s National Club of the Year in 2011 and twice during his tenure was recognized as the Aspen area Non-Profit of the Year.

Mark also spent 17 years with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), considered the gold standard in teaching wilderness skills and leadership. Over the years Mark taught backpacking, rock climbing, and winter courses. He oversaw the hiring and training of field staff and also served on the director team for 8 years, as Finance Director and Alumni & Development Director.

Mark holds a BS in Mathematics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and an MA in Mathematics from the University of Washington.

Levi Jensen Photo

Levi Jensen

Board Secretary

Levi was born and raised on a family cattle ranch in south central Montana where clean water, bountiful fish and wildlife, and fresh air were part of his everyday life. He was exposed to fishing, hunting, and the wilderness at a very young age, cultivating a desire to continue gathering those experiences and sharing with others the divine beauty of the outdoors. Levi moved away from the ranch to get an Environmental Engineering degree from Montana Tech in 2005. It was there that he started to appreciate and understand the impact and interaction of the human environment with natural.

Levi has been in Gillette since graduating college, working for several years for an environmental consulting firm, and for the last ten years for the City of Gillette. Even though he and his family live a life in the city, his mind and his passions are on the adventures of the outdoors: hunting, fishing, skiing, hiking, mountain biking, climbing, and gardening. Levi has gained an understanding that those things of his childhood that seemed to be just part of life aren't just there; they need people that care to learn about them, to advocate for them, and to literally and figuratively get their hands dirty caring for them.

Temple Stoellinger

Temple Stoellinger

Board Member

Temple is an associate professor at the University of Wyoming with a dual appointment in the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources and the College of Law. Her academic scholarship and teaching focuses on wildlife, public lands, NEPA, and natural resource law and policy. Before her appointment at UW, Temple served as a natural resource policy advisor to former Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal, worked for Shell International BV at their world headquarters in the Netherlands, and was the Wyoming County Commissioner Association's natural resource attorney. Temple and her family are Wyoming outdoor enthusiasts, enjoying hiking, biking, and camping in the summer, and skiing in the winter. She is an expert fishing line knot un-tier, as her two young children are expert fishing line knot makers; sometimes she even gets to toss a fishing line in the water herself

Will Rigsby Headshot

Will Rigsby

Board Member

Will is passionate about everything the wilds of Wyoming provide. Hunting, fishing and all things about the outdoors have been part of his life from a young age. Originally from Ohio, Will was drawn to the Rocky Mountains and has had the privilege to call Fremont County and Teton County his home for almost 35 years. A split career he began managing a dude ranch which led to ranch real estate and now his dream of managing a ranch where he balances ranching and land use practices to enhance the core wildlife values. He is married, has two grown daughters, three Labrador Retrievers and spends as much time as possible in the fall chasing birds with whoever will put up with him. He is honored to be a part of the Wyoming Wildlife Federation Board.

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David Willms

Policy Chair

Biography coming soon.

Steph White Fly Fish Snook

Stephanie White

Board Member

Steph has been an avid outdoor person since a young age, growing up in the great lakes region with summers in the rockies. She grew up tramping thru the marshes with her dad and exploring the woods with her brother and dogs . She started fishing young and loves to fly fish everywhere and anywhere. From Tierra del Fuego to Alaska. She has worked as a wilderness guide since she was 17 years old and holds degrees in biology and Geology with a minor in Art, a license in secondary education and a Masters in Recreational Admin. She is an avid sailor and has a Masters Captains License thru the USCG. She is an entrepreneur and has a business partnership with her brother and other family members. Her personal businesses fall under Gopher adventures "Jack of all trades master of none" "Gopher it!" She joined Wyoming Wildlife because of their goal to protect all of Wyoming's Wildlife, habitat, watersheds and ecosystems for a sustainable future.
Tom Radosevich

Tom Radosevich

Board Member

Tom grew up in Rock Springs, enjoying the public lands and checkerboard of southwestern Wyoming, chasing cottontails with a bow in the winter, hunting Little Mountain and Pine Mountain for grouse and mule deer, and catching brook trout on grasshoppers wherever possible. As a boy, he worked on Bill Taliaferro’s sheep ranch on Slate Creek for a number of iconic summers—docking, haying, supplying camps and counting sheep (poorly) in the northern Wyoming range. A family medicine physician, he has lived and worked in Casper since graduating from Creighton University School of Medicine in 1999, and now enjoys a career in drug and alcohol addiction medicine. His wife, Tori, grew up in Cody, and together they - now, empty nesters (mostly) - ski, garden, climb, run, hunt, fish, and play pond hockey as much as the regular duties of life allow.

Annie Weisz Backstraps

Annie Weisz

Board Member

Annie is a Wyoming native, outdoor enthusiast, and lover of all things food. When she’s not cooking, you can usually find her in the mountains with her family – hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, skiing, or just enjoying the beauty Wyoming has to offer. She is a Registered Dietitian and the woman behind Peak to Plate, a food blog focused on innovative wild game recipes. She believes that creating delicious recipes and enjoying them mindfully is the best way to pay respect to the animals she and her husband harvest. Sharing food with others is one of Annie’s biggest passions and she loves inspiring home cooks like herself to be more creative with their wild game.

Annie has lived in several places throughout the state but now resides in her hometown of Cody with her family. While Annie has always loved the outdoors and has been fishing for many years, she didn’t start hunting until she was an adult. After becoming a mother and seeing the importance of teaching her sons where food comes from, she decided to give hunting a try and has officially gone “all in.” Annie has fully immersed herself into the hunting/angling lifestyle which has shown her the importance of conserving wild places. Being a conservation ambassador for WWF means knowing her advocacy and donations are going to science-based efforts to protect our beautiful state’s precious resources. Annie hopes that through conservation efforts, her sons’ generation and future generations are able to enjoy the outdoor opportunities that she has been so fortunate to experience.

IG: @peak.to.plate
Website: peaktoplate.com

We Work On Conservation Issues

Since 1937 Wyoming Wildlife Federation has been the champion of wildlife, conservation, and outdoor access issues in Wyoming.

Habitat & Water Improvements

Our vision is a Wyoming with clean water and healthy habitat to help support the wildlife and fish species that depend on them.

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Access & Outdoor Opportunities

Wyoming holds some of the most pristine and intact ecosystems on the planet, with public lands comprising nearly half of the state’s total area. However, loss of access and increasing demands on our public lands are major threats to the future of conservation and our outdoor pursuits.

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Science Based Management Policies

The Wyoming Wildlife Federation makes decisions, creates campaigns, and forms initiatives based on the best available wildlife and habitat science.

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Programs that Make a Difference

Wyoming faces complex conservation challenges and Wyoming Wildlife Federation has put together a diverse set of programs to address them.

Conservation Ambassadors

We aim to build and sustain a network of local conservation advocates and affiliated groups/clubs, that are active in regional conservation issues and projects.

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Habitat & Water Improvements

Our vision is a Wyoming with clean water and healthy habitat to help support the wildlife and fish species that depend on them.

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Summit to Sage

We create programs to address issues surrounding wildlife, their habitat, and the human elements tied to them. From the summits to the sage, we work everyday to bring real conservation solutions to the table.

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Want to check out our full list of programs?

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Help Protect Our Way of Life

We need everyone who values the wild spaces of Wyoming to get involved. Are you ready?