The WWA Board

The WWA Board includes a broad range of key figures in outdoor activism and the non-motorized recreation industry. Each board member was selected to build a collective group that could guide the Alliance while bringing invaluable experience, contacts and influence to the cause.

Meet WWA's exceptional board

Kristen Brengel, Washington D.C.
As a legislative liaison for The Wilderness Society, based in Washington, D.C., Kristen provides invaluable knowledge of current legislative happenings related to Winter Wildlands Alliance's efforts. Her previous professional experience includes Policy Director for Office of the Mayor in Cherry Hill Township, NJ, and Board Chair of New Jersey Public Interest Research Group (PIRG).

Chris Gaughan, Fort Collins CO
Chris is a Biologist with EDAW inc. where he works with planners and landscape architects to shape sustainable environments at a wide variety of scales. He previously worked within the Natural Heritage Network from 2000 to 2008 on the inventory and monitoring of threatened and endangered wildlife species. He has an M.S. in Wildlife Conservation from UMass Amherst where he focused on the differences between suburban and rural white-tailed deer and a B.S. in Geography from Montana State University where he was also involved with the backcountry ski club and surveying amphibians in Yellowstone National Park. Chris and his wife Steph both commute to work on bicycles year-round and have not owned a dryer since 2003; they enjoy getting to work refreshed, shirts with the fresh sent of the outdoors, and a small carbon footprint.

David Gottschall, Chicago IL, Treasurer
As an avid backcountry skier and an Investment Analyst at Allstate Investments, LLC, David provides insight on financial management and planning to Winter Wildlands Alliance. His background includes experience as an outdoor educator with the YMCA of the Rockies and Wilderness Medicine Institute, as well as an MBA from the University of Denver.

Reid Haughey, Carbondale CO, President
Reid is the president of The Wilderness Land Trust. The Trust has completed over 200 transactions in 38 wilderness areas throughout the country. During his 20-year career in preservation, Reid has completed wilderness in holding transactions through specific federal legislation, land exchange and purchase, often by assembling multi-party public-private partnerships. Additionally he has been instrumental in the establishment of public and nonprofit land preservation programs, as well as public conservation planning and land use systems. He lives in Colorado and enjoys wilderness year round with family and friends on ski and foot.

Marcus Libkind, Livermore CA
Marcus is a founding member and Issues Coordinator of Nordic Voice, representing the ski touring section of the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club and 1400 cross-country skiers dedicated to preserving existing backcountry winter recreation areas and promoting opportunities for winter wilderness experiences in California. He has authored three books on ski touring in California and is an engineer employed by the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.

Sarah Michael, Ketchum ID
Sarah is the founding President of Winter Wildlands Alliance and the founder of the Nordic and Backcountry Skiers Alliance of Idaho, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving wilderness like qualities on public lands in winter. Her career has been in government, management and politics in California's capitol as a legislative consultant, manager of alternative energy programs for the California Energy Commission, and legislative advocate. Since 2001, Sarah has served as an elected County Commissioner for Blaine County, Idaho, home of Sun Valley. Under her leadership, Blaine County adopted major changes to its land use codes in order to prevent urban sprawl, protect water, wildlife, rivers and wetlands preserve agriculture and rural lifestyles. The Blaine County Commissioners were acknowledged in the 2007 Idaho Smart Growth awards for their efforts.

Lew Peterson, Boise ID, Vice President
Lew is the Creative director for Primedia Digital, which develops learning environments primarily delivered on the Internet (e-learning). He is active in the resort and backcountry skiing communities as a PSIA Nordic instructor, clinician and examiner, ski guide, volunteer and event organizer. He has an M.S. degree in Instructional Technology and spent 10 years in ski area management as a Marketing and Communications Director. Sharing the joy of the alpine environment is a lifelong passion for Lew.

Amy Roberts, Golden CO
Amy is Director of Government Affairs for Outdoor Industry Association, the national trade association for manufacturers and retailers of outdoor recreation gear and apparel. In her role with OIA, Amy works to increase funding for human-powered outdoor recreation and to promote management policies on public lands that support active recreation. Amy worked as a journalist for several years covering politics and then as press secretary in the Idaho governor’s office, before switching roles to work as a public lands advocate. She recently took a year off from work to climb and ski and is dedicated to preserving the quiet recreation and solitude found in the backcountry. Amy lives in Golden, Colorado with her husband, Craig, their two children and their dog, Boise.

Dan Seifert, Red Lodge MT, Secretary
Dan Seifert works as a geology and planning specialist for the U.S. Forest Service. Dan grew up skiing powder in the mountains of northwest Montana. His background includes degrees in Geology and English and employment in various resource management and environmental planning positions for the Forest Service, National Park Service, and the State of Montana.

Jill Smith, Seattle WA
Jill Smith, attorney, has practiced in the areas of federal Indian law, environmental and natural resources law, tax-exempt organizations, employment law, and land use for nine years. She was previously the Executive Director of New Mexico Conservation Voters Alliance, New Mexico Conservation Education Fund, and Washington Wilderness Coalition. She published Aztlan Journal and Western Environmental Jobletter in Colorado for seven years before attending Vermont Law School. She was also a founder, producer, and reporter for Colorado-based Earth Information System (EIS), a satellite environmental news channel. While in Colorado, she managed to summit 20 of Colorado's 14,000-ft. peaks, all with her German Shepherd-mix, Liesl. Jill lives in Seattle with her Norwegian Elkhound, Nellie.

Jim Werntz, Boise ID
As the Director of Idaho's Operations Office for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Jim provides Winter Wildlands Alliance with a crucial federal-agency perspective regarding its public policy issues. Jim has expertise in water quality, sustainable development, and community-based work. In his 23-years with EPA, he has lived and worked in Washington, D.C. and Seattle, before moving to Boise in 2000. He is an experienced facilitator, having travelled to Russia, Ukraine, and Indonesia as an EPA instructor on environmental policy. As a native Minnesotan, Jim grew up on skis and skates and now enjoys snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding in the Idaho mountains. He is married to Stephanie, and has two young sons, Davin and Orion.