MISSION & HISTORY
The mission of the Montana Natural History Center is to promote and cultivate the appreciation, understanding and stewardship of nature through education. MNHC is a non-profit organization founded in 1991 by a group of educators who had the vision to create a natural history center as a resource for schools and the public. Originally housed on the University of Montana campus, MNHC continued to grow and outgrow its rented space at Fort Missoula. In 2004, MNHC purchased its first home at 120 Hickory Street, at the edge of McCormick Park in the heart of Missoula.
STAFF MEMBERS
Arnold Olsen, Executive Director, has a PhD in wildlife biology from Colorado State University and has extensive experience in natural and cultural resource management and administration. Past positions have included Director of the Montana Historical Society and various leadership positions for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks–in wildlife management, parks and recreation, and land and facility management. He has also taught at the university level and has worked for the private sector in environmental consulting and permanent habitat protection.
Lisa Bickell, Education Director, started with MNHC in 1999 as a college intern. She has taught natural history and outdoor education to school groups at the Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center in Minnesota and the North Cascades Institute in Washington. Lisa has a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana and an M.Ed. in Science Education from Western Washington University, as well as an enduring passion for teaching and learning about the natural history of western Montana. Lisa is the 2006 recipient of the Montana Environmental Education Association’s Educator of the Year award.
Brian Williams, Assistant Education Director, started teaching fifteen years ago at Boy Scout camp and has been enjoying it ever since. He earned an M.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana, during which time he created the Master Naturalist class for MNHC that continues today. He recently spent two years in South Texas leading bird-watching and wildlife tours on King Ranch, but he’s glad to be back in the land of snow and mountains teaching kids natural history once again.
Jessie Sherburne, Community Programs Coordinator, has a B.A. in Biology with an emphasis in Zoology, and a B.A. in French language from the University of Montana. She participated in a tropical ecology class in Peru in 2005 and has since become entranced with the world of natural history. In 2006, she returned to Missoula after living in Vermont, where she worked doing environmental education and raptor care at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science.
Alyssa McLean, Naturalist, has a B.S. in Wildlife Management and an M.A. in Environmental Education, both from the University of New Hampshire. She is a native of Massachusetts, and has held wildlife and education jobs in Utah, Texas, Vermont and New Hampshire. Alyssa and her husband Chris spent three years moving between the Welder Wildlife Foundation in South Texas, where she worked as the Conservation Educator, and the University of New Hampshire. In her spare time Alyssa enjoys hiking with her husband, reading, gardening, spending time with her parrot, Zeke, and long-distance running.
Allison De Jong, Volunteer Coordinator, has a B.A. in English Literature from Dordt College and an M.S. in Environmental Writing from the University of Montana. She has explored flora and fauna from the fields of her home state of Iowa to the deserts of Egypt and the mountains of Peru, and has spent the last four years falling in love with the wild Montana landscape. Her professional experience includes volunteering for AmeriCorps in inner-city Chicago, canvassing for environmental issues with North Carolina PIRG, and working as office manager for an eco-tourism company in Missoula.
Caroline Kurtz, Field Notes Coordinator & Montana Naturalist Editor, has worked in science communication for the past fifteen years — as a writer, editor, program developer and teacher. She received a B.A. in English Literature from Vassar College and an M.S. in Science Communication from Boston University. Currently, she also works as a freelance science writer for the University of Montana.
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Julia Levine, Administrative Assistant, holds a B.A. in English Literature from Hamilton College in New York. After college, Julia spent a year in Tanzania as a health education volunteer working in a village affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. She is excited to now be working with MNHC to further environmental conservation and education, causes she’s felt passionate about since childhood. Julia can often be found enjoying the great outdoors through her favorite activities: snowboarding, hiking, canoeing and camping.
INTERNS
Mackenzie Flahive-Foro is a senior majoring in Recreation Management and minoring in Environmental Studies at the University of Montana. She works seasonally for the Forest Service maintaining trails and as a wildland firefighter, and has spent a month in northern Thailand working at an elephant conservation park. She hopes to work in the outdoor and environmental education field after graduating and is excited to gain experience through MNHC. She enjoys the great outdoors by playing rugby for UM, snowboarding, climbing, rafting, backpacking, hiking and exploring!
Michael Krug earned a B.S. in Environmental Science at Pennsylvania State University, where he meshed interests of being outside with environmental education. Since graduation he has worked as Program Director for various environmental organizations, including the Nature Center in New Canaan, CT; the Madden Environmental Education Center in Carmel, NY; and most recently the New Jersey Audobon’s Weis Ecology Center. Mike is currently working toward an M.S. in Environmental Studies at the University of Montana.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Hank Fischer, President, is a conservationist, author, journalist, and guide, and has been extensively involved in endangered species restoration in the northern Rockies. Hank studied wildlife biology and journalism and has an MS in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana. From 1977-2002, Hank was the Defenders of Wildlife Northern Rockies’ representative and his 1995 book, Wolf Wars, chronicles the effort to restore wolves to Yellowstone. Hank created the Defenders of Wildlife Compensation Funds for reimbursing farmers for wolf and grizzly bear livestock losses. Hank has been honored with many awards including the Don Aldrich Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Award, the Edward Lowe Enviro-Capitalist Award and a Special Achievement Award from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.
Marilyn Marler, Vice President, is a plant ecologist in Missoula where she works as the University of Montana’s invasive plant specialist, taking care of UM’s natural areas. She has a degree in Biology from UC Davis and a master’s degree in Ecology from UM. She joined the MNHC board in 2007 after working with MNHC staff on various community outreach projects during the past 8 years. Marilyn and her husband David enjoy fishing, hunting, backpacking and gardening, and are also active with the Montana Native Plant Society.
April Christofferson is an author and former Seattle attorney. Several of her novels are set in the West and focus upon environmental issues. She is a passionate advocate for wilderness and wildlife, especially the preservation of Yellowstone National Park. She writes for the Yellowstone Association’s Discovery and teaches screenwriting.
Annie Garde - bio coming soon!
Jim Gladen was a career employee for the U.S. Forest Service, serving on several forests as well as at the National Headquarters in Washington, D.C. After leaving the Forest Service he became the Vice President of Lands and Conservation for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in Missoula before his retirement in 2007.
Melynda (Mindy) Goldberg, Secretary, is a native of upstate New York. After graduating from college in Ohio, she worked in hospitals from New York to California as an obstetrical nurse. In 1995 she moved to Ennis, Montana. In addition to hospital work, she has been employed with the US Forest Service and worked part-time as a commercial fishing guide. She’s been fortunate to work and volunteer for hospitals and non-profits in Havre, Lewistown, Bozeman and now Missoula!
Stephanie Lawson Millar is a planner with Mountain Line and has lived in Missoula for three years. She has done consulting work with Smart Growth America and Piedmont Environmental Council. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelor’s degree in Planning and a master’s degree in Public Affairs. She has two children who enjoy basketball, skiing, and reading, and who have loved the Montana Natural History Center camps they have participated in.
Elizabeth (Betty) Oleson, Treasurer and Financial Advisor, is a CPA and the Fiscal Affairs Director of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation. Betty earned her BA at the University of Chicago and an MBA from the University of Montana. She is an avid hiker, skier and bike rider. Betty also serves on the boards of the Blue Mountain Clinic and the String Orchestra of the Rockies.
Rick Oncken lives west of Missoula with his wife Penney. They have 3 grown children. Oncken works at Lambros Real Estate, specializing in ranch and recreational land. He is a member of most of the hunter-conservation groups working in Montana and is currently on the board of directors of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Oncken’s interest in nature goes back to his youth, growing up in Iowa. Pets such as crawdads and turtles (mom said no to snakes), fishing with a cane pole and helping relatives on their farms helped foster a lifelong interest in the world around us.
Susan Roy is an attorney at Garlington, Lohn, and Robinson. She is also active with Adventure Cycling and the Montana Wilderness Association.
Lance Schelvan is a lifelong student of the natural world and likes to share what he finds there. He has a bachelor’s degree in art from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and taught art in public schools in Minnesota and Upper Peninsula, Michigan, before moving to western Montana some 40 years ago. Lance worked as a writer and photographer for the Forest Service before founding Bugle Magazine and working as vice president for communications for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation for 20 years. He is now working on his 2nd book of photos and essays, titled A Lost Forest–focused on the beauty of the Northern Rockies as it changes with the climate.
Stephen Speckart is a retired oncology physician and ardent outdoorsman. He has hiked and backpacked through much of the West and volunteers with federal and state wildlife officials working on wolf research. He is active with the Rock Creek homeowners association and is a supporter of Five Valleys Land trust. In their spare time, he and his wife, Patricia Forsberg, have studied Italian and Japanese language and cultures. Stephen is a gourmet cook and is known for his lively wit and use of double entendres!
Glenna Tawney is a native of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She earned a BS in business management and a master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Montana. During her undergraduate years she was a member of the Grizzly soccer team. She taught fourth and fifth grades at Lolo School and is currently on leave to stay home with her daughter. She enjoys taking part in all of Montana’s outdoor activities with her husband, Land.
Jaime Troiano grew up in the Northeast and moved to Missoula in 1996. She received her BS and her Masters of Accountancy from the University of Montana in 1998. She has served on the boards of Blue Mountain Clinic, WORD, Inc., and the International Wildlife Film Festival. Jaime has worked for the firm of Boyle, Deveny and Meyer PC since 2006, where her practice includes business and personal income tax preparation, non-profit services, and financial statement preparation and consulting. When she’s not crunching numbers, she enjoys running, biking, hiking, skiing, and adventure travel. Her recent exploits include climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, cycling in Tuscany, and learning to surf in Bali.
Steve Woodruff is deputy regional director of Western Progress, an independent public policy institute for the Rocky Mountain West. He was opinion page editor of the Missoulian newspaper for nearly 20 years. Previously, he was the Missoulian’s natural resources and environment writer. He also coauthored Montana Wilderness: Discovering the Heritage. Woodruff is a graduate of Washington State University, where he studied communications with an emphasis on wildlife and forestry.
