BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jeff Randa
Chair
Jeff has a significant passion for the outdoors, including public land stewardship and participating in numerous outdoor activities. His background includes forty years in developing and executing global business and marketing plans in the engineered plastics industry, leading to revenue growth and expanding brand awareness. Before retiring, he worked for leading global companies, including Dow and Avient. The last seven years were spent building a business which focused on working with leading name brand outdoor gear manufacturers, assisting in innovating new products for outdoor enthusiasts.
Jeff was a Board member for a business-to-business nonprofit for four years, gaining an appreciation for the nonprofit drivers versus those for a profit entity. He is currently a patrolling member with the Poudre Wilderness Volunteers and serves on the organization’s Board of Directors as well as on several committees.
Contact Jeff at [email protected]
Bill Hodge
Vice-Chair
Bill is the co-host of The Wild Idea podcast, and co-founder of Wild Idea Media. Bill previously served as for over four years as the Montana State Director for The Wilderness Society and Executive Director of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation and prior to that over 12 years as the Founding Executive Director of the Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards. He comes to NWSA having deep connections and passion for wilderness and for the work of NWSA. He served as NWSA Board chair during the early years of the organization and was instrumental in helping to shape the organization as it transitioned to hiring its first contracted staff member, Randy Welsh.
Contact Bill at [email protected]
Sean Orner
Treasurer
Sean is a nonprofit leader, educator, and longtime small business advisor who is passionate about connecting people to meaningful outdoor experiences and stewardship of public lands. As Director of Buckhorn Camp & Retreat Center in Northern Colorado, she oversees a historic mountain facility that serves youth, schools, and community groups. With more than 15 years of experience supporting small business, Sean brings a practical, systems-oriented approach to nonprofit management and operations. Her work is grounded in building strong organizations, stewarding resources responsibly, and creating spaces that foster growth, learning, and connection.
Sean is also an active patrolling member with Poudre Wilderness Volunteers, where she has served on the Board of Directors as Secretary and later as Board Chair, and continues to lead as Chair of the Outreach Committee. Her work reflects a deep, hands-on commitment to stewardship and the protection of Colorado’s public lands.
Contact Sean at [email protected]
Bob Ratcliffe
Bob is recently retired from the National Park Service where he served as Division Chief, Conservation and Outdoor Recreation. In his most recent capacity, Bob oversaw a portfolio that included the NPS Office of Outdoor Recreation; the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) Program, National Trails System and National Rivers system among others. Previously, Bob served 24 years for the Bureau of Land Management in a variety of field and national leadership roles including over a dozen years as Deputy Assistant Director for Resources and Division Chief for Recreation and Visitor Services. He has spent much of the last four decades exploring public lands and developing new and progressive national policies conserving and restoring special places, enhancing visitor experiences, and partnering with gateway communities, recreation, and tourism interests in promoting responsible recreation and encouraging community engagement while balancing protection of resources. For over 40 years, Bob has run rivers in the West including time spent as a river guide and eventually a backcountry ranger on the Green and Colorado Rivers. Bob and his wife hope to spend more time at their home Bend, OR following their retirement.
Contact Bob at [email protected]
Quinn Brett
Quinn is an athlete, writer, and public speaker. She holds speed records and climbing records on many peaks across the globe. On October 11, 2017, she fell while climbing on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, now paralyzed from the waist down. Her injury spun up her advocacy on public lands, now thru an additional lens. She returned to work for the National Park Service before departing to work as the Development Director for a spinal cord injury education and advocacy non-profit, as well as starting an adaptive recreation consulting company. Her spirit for adventure did not fall away with her injury, Quinn is the first known hand-cyclists to complete the Tour Divide and has also hiked the rim to rim of the Grand Canyon in her mobility device.
Contact Quinn at [email protected]
Max Nathanson
Max is an avid outdoorsperson who is deeply passionate about stewardship, conservation, public lands, and rural communities. He has worked with Latino and Tribal communities across the country and brings extensive experience balancing rural economic development with conservation and stewardship. His resume includes leading outdoor recreation and renewable energy business development for Governor Jared Polis, supporting just transition efforts in coal communities, and designing disaster response preparedness for the Department of Defense.
Contact Max at [email protected]
Randy Welsh
Randy Welsh served 36 years with the USDA Forest Service with assignments throughout Idaho, Utah and in Washington DC. Working primarily in wilderness and wild and scenic river programs, Randy was the National Wild and Scenic River Program leader in the Washington Office from 2011-2013. He served as the Chair of the Interagency Wild and Scenic River Coordinating Council during the same period. Previously he was the Wilderness and Rivers Program Manager for the Intermountain Region from 1996 - 2011. Earlier assignments included District Ranger, Forest Planner and Recreation Forester. He finished his Forest Service career as an Assistant Director of Recreation, retiring in January 2015.
A Lifetime member of the River Management Society, since 1996, Randy served as RMS Treasurer from 2016-2018, and as an Agency Liaison to the RMS Board from 2009 to 2013. He was Vice Chair of the Southwest Chapter from 2008-2011.
From 2016 to 2024, Randy served as the Executive Director of the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance, an association for volunteer wilderness stewardship groups protecting and preserving wilderness areas around the country. During that time over $4 million in funding was provided to wilderness and trails partners for wilderness and trail stewardship.
Helping wilderness stewardship groups is at the core of my personal mission to support the National Wilderness Preservation System. Without the local volunteer support our wilderness areas will not be sufficiently managed to protect their wilderness character. The agencies do not have the funding or staffing to provide for their stewardship needs, so it is up to engaged citizen stewards to fill in the gap and protect and preserve our wilderness areas.
Contact Randy at [email protected]
AGENCY LIAISONS
Steve Chesterton - USDA Forest Service
Brenda Yankoviak - USDA Forest Service
BOARD ALUMNI
Taylor Driver, 2026
Simon Heinberg, 2024-2026
Michelle Reilly, 2025
Ann Baker-Easley, past Vice-Chair, 2020-2025
Mike Splain, past Treasurer, 2020-2025
Kaitlin de Varona, past Secretary, 2021-2025
Ian Nelson, past Chair, 2019-2025
Randy Rasmussen, past Chair, 2017-2023
Dave Cantrell, past Chair, 2012-2014 & 2016-2023
Anne Sentz, past Secretary, 2016-2023
Sandy Compton, 2017-2023
Katie Currier, past Chair and Vice-Chair, 2016-2023
Chelsea Phillippe, 2020-2022
Andrew Downs, 2015-2021
David Kallenbach, 2019-2021
Zach Bumgarner, 2019-2020
Stuart Dodd, 2016-2019
Andrew Schurr, 2012-2019
Darcy Shepard, 2012-2018
Jennifer Tripp, 2016-2018
Eric Melson, 2016-2018
Doug Scott, past Chair, 2013-2017
Bill Hodge, past Chair, 2011-2016
Bob Hazelton, 2012-2016
Hawk Metheny, 2010-2016
Shaaron Netherton, 2010-2016
Celina Montorfano, 2010-2016
Adam Andis, 2010-2016
Daven Hafey, 2014
Margaret Shaklee, 2011-2013
Elaine Dermody, past Vice-Chair, 2010-2012
Jerome Wilson, 2010-2012
Heather Day, 2010-2011