About Us

The Nisqually Land Trust acquires and manages critical lands to permanently protect the water, wildlife, natural areas and scenic vistas of the Nisqually River watershed.

Office Location:
100 Brown Farm Road NE
Olympia, WA 98516

Mailing Address:
1420 Marvin Rd. NE
Ste. C PMB 243
Lacey, WA 98516

Telephone: (360) 489-3400
Fax: (360) 489-3333

Email: staff@nisquallylandtrust.org

Board of Directors

	President: George Walter	NLT president since its formation in 1989, George Walter has served as an Environmental Program Supervisor for the Nisqually Tribe since 1978. He is an expert on the Nisqually basin and the issues and operations of the Land Trust.
	Vice President Linda Hoffman	Linda Hoffman is retired from the Washington State Department of Ecology, where she served as Deputy Director and Director. She also worked 25 years for Thurston County in planning, land use, environmental and water management, and as Chief Administrative Officer. Linda’s commitment to conservation and restoration of the Nisqually basin is both professional and personal, as she often recreates with her family in the basin.
	Secretary Patricia Brady, CPA	Patt Brady recently retired from the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services and has a strong interest in environmental and conservation issues. She joined the Land Trust Board in 1994.
	Treasurer Ann Ryherd	During a 33-year career in Washington state government, Ann held numerous senior management positions including Director of the Office of Financial Management, Assistant State Treasurer and Executive Director of the Higher Education Coordinating Board. She also served as a member and as Chair of the Pollution Control and Shorelines Hearings Boards. In addition to state government, Ann held positions in higher education administration and served for 9 years as a member of the Group Health Board of Trustees. Ann has a life-long interest in conservation and, along with her husband, Mike, has long supported the Nisqually Land Trust
	Board Member Steve Craig	Steve Craig is retired from the Washington State Department of Ecology. He is a past president of the Nisqually River Council and is currently president of the Nisqually River Interpretive Foundation. Steve has been a board member since 1989.
	Board Member J.W. Foster	J.W. Foster is a paramedic and firefighter with the City of Tumwater and has lived with his wife Nicki and their four children in Yelm since 1995. Together they have volunteered on many projects with the Land Trust and appreciate the hard work and commitment of the many others who have made the Land Trust’s mission so successful. J.W. is also active with the Lion's Club and serves on the Yelm Planning Commission.
	Board Member Mary Foster	Mary Foster resides in the Upper Nisqually Valley where she volunteers as a Nisqually Stream Steward and is a member of the Nisqually River Citizens Advisory Committee and a participant in the Upper Nisqually Community Forum. Mary commits herself to several organizations that strive toward preservation and enhancement of the environmental, social, and economic integrity of the Nisqually Watershed.
	Board Member Mary Gentry	Natives of eastern Washington, Mary and her husband Fred moved to Olympia in 1966 and never seriously considered living anywhere else. After teaching for several years in the Yelm and Tumwater school districts, Mary went to law school and subsequently joined her husband in private practice with an emphasis on estate planning. Mary assisted a number of people in establishing conservation easements as well as gifts to existing land trusts or family foundations created specifically for preservation and conservation. Preparing for an ascent on Mount Rainer during her first year of law school not only provided some balance to her life but also established a enduring love of hiking and climbing in the Cascades and Olympics. Mary Gentry brings extensive experience working with non profits to the NLT board, both as a member and an advisor.
	Board MemberWilliam Kogut	William Kogut is a general practice attorney in Olympia, with a commitment to the environment and to conservation. He became a member of Land Trust in 1991 and joined the Board in 1996.
	Board MemberJudith Scavone	Judy Scavone comes to the Land Trust from the Nisqually Headwaters Coalition, a community group working to preserve the pristine quality of the Ashford area. Judy also serves on the Board of Directors of the Mount Tahoma Trails Association, where she takes great pleasure in facilitating quality outdoor experiences for people from all over the region. Employed at Mt. Rainier National Park, Judy enjoys sharing her love for this local natural wonder, whether hiking, biking or cross-country skiing.
Staff
	Executive Director: Joe Kane	Joe Kane is the best-selling author of Running the Amazon and Savages. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, National Geographic and many other publications. He served on the Land Trust Board of Directors from 1998-2004 and was named Executive Director in 2005.
	Membership & Operations Coordinator: Constance Bond	Connie Bond moved to the Nisqually River basin since 1979 and has worked for the Land Trust since 2002. She has experience in journalism, marketing and non-profit management and enjoys photographing the people, vistas and wildlife of the watershed
	Stewardship Coordinator: Kim Bredensteiner	Kim Bredensteiner joined Nisqually Land Trust in March 2009. Her work experience includes conservation and field biology work in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest, five years as salmon recovery coordinator for Island County, over 10 years working with GIS, and teaching and managing environmental education programs.
	Conservation Project Manager Nicole Hill	Nicole Hill joined Nisqually Land Trust in 2010 as Conservation Project Manager. Nicole has worked professionally in the conservation field for more than 10 years partnering with business, agencies, and individuals to conserve natural areas, park space, and working forests and farms. She has a BS in Natural Resource Management from Ball State University and did her graduate work at Clemson University in Land Use Planning.
	Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator Charly Kearns	AmeriCorps member Charley Kearns has tracked spotted owls in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, performed water quality analysis on Isle Royal National Park, helped to protect sea turtles in Costa Rica, and recently finished a stint as an Urban Forestry Specialist with AmeriCorps GreenCorps in Minnesota.
	Land Steward: Joe Kennedy	Joe Kennedy studied sustainable forestry and conservation biology at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina. The diversity of his experience in restoration includes nest protection of Loggerhead Sea Turtles on a coastal South Carolinian preserve as well as agricultural and rural development in Gujarat, India. Since moving to Washington, he has worked in South Puget Sound prairie restoration with DNR before becoming the Land Steward in August of 2008.
	Administrative Assistant: Candi Tobin	Candi Ziegert graduated with a major in Environmental Studies from Pacific Lutheran University in 2008. She enjoyed internships with the Tahoma Audubon Society, the U.S.F.S and the Thurston Conservation District before joining the NLT as the Administrative Assistant.

About Us

Board of Directors

Staff