NWSA has hired its first Executive Director, Randy Welsh.  "I am extremely proud of the work that our wilderness stewards are doing across the country and feel humble to support their efforts in this new role,"  Randy said.  "Progress has been made, but there is still much to do to knit together the various wilderness stewardship groups into a collective voice.  NWSA is the right organization to get this job done.  I am pleased to help NWSA achieve its goal of a wilderness stewardship group for every wilderness and to help build a thriving and powerful wilderness stewardship community."

Randy has been with NWSA from it's beginnings and most recently was Board Vice-Chair.  Randy is a Founding member of NWSA and was the first Conference Chair for the initial NWSA workshop in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2011.  He currently has been managing the NWSA WSP Grant program since it's origins last spring.

Randy retired from the Forest Service in 2015 and subsequently joined the NWSA Board.  His 36 year career was spent largely working with wilderness and wild and scenic rivers programs, in the Intermountain Region and in the Washington DC Headquarters.  "I've had the wonderful opportunity to work with wilderness stewards around the country while with the Forest Service, and am excited to continue these relationships as part of NWSA."

Randy's main goals for the fall are:

  • to increase the visibility of NWSA with wilderness stewardship organizations
  • complete the first round of NWSA WSP Grants supporting wilderness stewardship performance
  • initiate a second round of NWSA WSP Grants for the winter 2016-17
  • be an active voice for NWSA member organizations with federal agencies and the public

 

"NWSA represents the collective voice of wilderness stewardship organizations and volunteers around the country.  There is great strength in working together to solve problems, share resources, and be a focal point for programs which benefit all wilderness stewards.  I look forward to working with everyone to grow NWSA and the broader wilderness stewardship movement."

Randy can be contacted at [email protected] or by phone at 801-808-2167.